>Nipunsaini2003: /* Dal Khalsa */By deleting false history

2020-12-14T03:40:31Z

Dal Khalsa: By deleting false history

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{{short description|Sikh military confederation during 18th century in Punjab}}
{{Sikhism sidebar}}

'''Dal Khalsa''' was the name of the combined forces of 12 misls that operated in the 18th century (1735–1780) in the [[Punjab region]].

==History==

===Mughal Rule of Punjab===
The religion of [[Sikhism]] began at the time of the [[Babur#Conquest of Northern India|Conquest of Northern India]] by [[Babur]]. His grandson, [[Akbar]], supported religious freedom and after visiting the [[Langar (Sikhism)|langar]] of [[Guru Amar Das]] had a favorable impression of Sikhism. As a result of his visit he donated land to the langar and had a positive relationship with the [[Sikh gurus]] until his death in 1605.<ref>{{harvnb|Kalsi|2005|pages=106–107}}</ref> His successor, [[Jahangir]], saw the Sikhs as a political threat. He arrested [[Guru Arjan Dev]] because of Sikh support for [[Khusrau Mirza]]<ref>{{harvnb|Markovits|2004|page=98}}</ref> and ordered him to be put to death by torture. Guru Arjan Dev's [[martyrdom]] led the sixth Guru, [[Guru Har Gobind]], to declare Sikh [[sovereignty]] in the creation of the [[Akal Takht]] and to establish a fort to defend [[Amritsar]].<ref name="Jestice 2004 pages=345-346">{{harvnb|Jestice|2004|pages=345–346}}</ref> [[Jahangir]] attempted to assert authority over the Sikh by jailing Guru Har Gobind at [[Gwalior]] and released him after some time with 52 other rajpoot (hindu) kings on Guru HarGobind's orders. Sikhism did not have any further issues with the [[Mughal Empire]] until the death of Jahangir in 1627. His successor, [[Shah Jahan]] "took offense" at Guru Har Gobind's sovereignty and after a series of assaults on Amritsar forced the Sikhs to retreat to the [[Sivalik Hills]].<ref name="Jestice 2004 pages=345-346"/> Guru Har Gobind's successor, [[Guru Har Rai]] maintained the guruship in the Sivalik Hills by defeating local attempts to seize Sikh land and taking a neutral role in the power struggle between [[Aurangzeb]] and [[Dara Shikoh]] for control of the [[Timurid dynasty]]. The ninth Guru, [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]], moved the Sikh community to [[Anandpur Sahib|Anandpur]] and traveled extensively to visit and preach in Sikh communities in defiance of Aurangzeb, who attempted to install [[Ramraiya|Ram Rai]] to the guruship. He aided [[Kashmiris|Kashmiri]] [[Brahmin]]s in avoiding [[conversion to Islam]] and was arrested and confronted by Aurangzeb. When offered a choice between [[conversion or death]], he chose to die rather than compromise his principles and was executed.<ref>{{harvnb|Johar|1975|pages=192–210}}</ref> [[Guru Gobind Singh]], assumed the guruship in 1675 and to avoid battles with Sivalik Hill Rajas moved the guruship to [[Paonta Sahib|Paunta]]. He built a large fort to protect the city and garrisoned an army to protect it. The growing power of the Sikh community alarmed Sivalik Hill Rajas who attempted to attack the city but the Guru's forces routed them at the [[Battle of Bhangani]]. He moved on to [[Anandpur Sahib|Anandpur]] and established the [[Khalsa]], a collective army of baptized Sikhs, on March 30, 1699. The establishment of the Khalsa united the Sikh community against various Mughal-backed claimants to the guruship.<ref>{{harvnb|Jestice|2004|pages=312–313}}</ref> In 1701, a combined army composed of the Sivalik Hill Rajas and the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] army under [[Wazir Khan (Sirhind)|Wazir Khan]] attacked [[Anandpur Sahib|Anandpur]] and, following a retreat by the Khalsa, were defeated by the Khalsa at the [[Battle of Muktsar]]. In 1707, Guru Gobind Singh accepted an invitation by [[Bahadur Shah I]], Aurangzeb's successor to meet in southern India. When he arrived in [[Nanded]] in 1708, he was injured by agents of Wazir Khan, the governor of [[Sirhind]]. After this incident his wounds were stitched and he began to recover. A few days after, some Sikhs brought a very stiff bow to present to Guru Gobind Singh. As they were discussing whether anybody would ever be able to put a string on the bow, Guru Gobind Singh accepted the challenge. Though the bow was stringed, due to the force he applied on the bow the wounds which were still fresh started bleeding profusely. Guru Gobind Singh then declared that he would be leaving for heavenly abode and asked his Sikhs to prepare for the cremation.

===Banda Singh Bahadur===
{| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em; font-size: 85%; background:#FF9900; color:black; width:30em; max-width:40%" cellspacing="5"
| align="left"| ''"It is singular that these people not only behaved firmly during the execution, but they would dispute and wrangle with each other who should suffer first; and they made interest with the executioner to obtain the preference."''
|-
| align="left"| ''-Seir Mutakherin by Seid Gholam Hossein Khan''
|}

[[Banda Singh Bahadur]] was an [[ascetic]] who converted to Sikhism after meeting [[Guru Gobind Singh]] at [[Nanded]]. A short time before his death, Guru Gobind Singh ordered him to reconquer [[Punjab (region)|Punjab]] and gave him a letter that commanded all Sikhs to join him. After two years of gaining supporters, Banda Singh Bahadur initiated an agrarian uprising by breaking up the large estates of [[Zamindar#Mughal era|Zamindar families]] and distributing the land to the poor Sikh, Hindu, and Muslim peasants who farmed the land.<ref name="Singh 2008 pages=25-26">{{harvnb|Singh|2008 |pages=25–26}}</ref> Banda Singh Bahadur started his rebellion with the defeat of [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] armies at [[Samana, India|Samana]] and [[Sadhaura]] and the rebellion culminated in the defeat of [[Sirhind]]. During the rebellion, Banda Singh Bahadur made a point of destroying the cities in which Mughals had been cruel to Sikhs, including executing [[Wazir Khan (Sirhind)|Wazir Khan]] in revenge for the deaths of [[Guru Gobind Singh]]'s sons after the Sikh victory at Sirhind.<ref>{{harvnb|Nesbitt |2005 |page=61}}</ref> He ruled the territory between the [[Sutlej]] river and the [[Yamuna]] river, established a capital in the [[Himalayas]] at [[Lohgarh]], and struck coinage with the faces of [[Guru Nanak]] and Guru Gobind Singh.<ref name="Singh 2008 pages=25-26"/> In 1716, his army was defeated by the Mughals after he attempted to defend his fort at Gurdas Nangal. He was captured along with 700 of his men and sent to [[Delhi]] where he was tortured and executed after refusing to convert to Islam.

===Sivalik hills===
[[File:River Ganga meandering through the Shivalik ranges, Rishikesh.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The [[Ganges]] cutting through the [[Sivalik Hills]]]]
After 1716, the [[Mughal emperor]] [[Muhammad Shah]] began a campaign of [[genocide]] against Sikhs through his Governor of Lahore, [[Abdus Samad Khan]]. His son and, later, successor, [[Zakariya Khan Bahadur]] led a standing army dedicated to eliminating Sikhs, executed Sikhs publicly, and offered monetary rewards for the heads of killed Sikhs.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Sikhs |last=Singh |first=Patwant |year=2001 |publisher=Image |isbn=978-0-385-50206-1 |pages=78–79 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5i3FJTOvDXEC&q=mughal%20genocide%20sikhs&pg=PT83}}</ref> The Sikhs "retaliated by killing government functionaries and plundering Mughal posts, arsenals, and treasuries"<ref>{{cite book |title=The Sikhs |last=Singh |first=Patwant |year=2001 |publisher=Image |isbn=978-0-385-50206-1 |page=79 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5i3FJTOvDXEC&q=mughal%20genocide%20sikhs&pg=PT83}}</ref> but could not assemble an army.<ref name="Browne 1788 13">{{cite book |title=India tracts: containing a description of the Jungle Terry districts, their revenues, trade, and government: with a plan for the improvement of them. Also an history of the origin and progress of the Sicks. |last=Browne |first=James |year=1788 |publisher=Logographic Press |page=13 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zExFAAAAYAAJ&q=browne%20india%20tracts&pg=RA1-PA13 }}</ref> The persecution of the [[Mughal Empire]] forced some Sikhs to abandon the outward signs of their faith, but "the more sincere had to seek a refuge among the recesses of the hills or in the woods to the south of the [[Sutlej]]"<ref name="Cunningham 1918 89">{{cite book |title=A history of the Sikhs, from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej |last=Cunningham |first=Joseph Davey |year=1918 |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.31113/page/n40 89] |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.31113 |quote=history of the sikhs cunningham. }}</ref> The Sikhs went into hiding during this period. From 1718-1738, the Sikhs carried out a [[guerrilla war]] against the Mughal Empire in the area around the [[Sivalik Hills]].<ref name="Browne 1788 13"/> Historian Josepeh Cunningham writes of the period: "The Sikhs were scarcely again heard of in history for the period of a generation".<ref name="Cunningham 1918 89"/>

===Dal Khalsa===
In 1733, [[Zakariya Khan Bahadur]] attempted to negotiate a peace with the Sikhs by offering them a [[jagir]], the title [[Nawab]] to their leader, and unimpeded access to the [[Harmandir Sahib]]. After discussion at a [[Sarbat Khalsa]], [[Nawab Kapur Singh|Kapur Singh]] was elected leader of the Sikhs and took the title of Nawab. Nawab Kapur Singh combined the various Sikh militias into two groups; the [[Taruna Dal]] and the [[Buddha Dal]], which would collectively be known as the Dal Khalsa. Sikh militias over 40 years of age would be part of the Buddha Dal and Sikh militas under 40 years were part of the Taruna Dal.<ref>{{cite book|last=Singha|first=H. S.|title=Sikh Studies, Book 6|year=2005|publisher=Hemkunt Press|isbn=8170102588|page=37}}</ref> The Taruna Dal was further divided in five [[jathas]], each with 1300 to 2000 men and a separate drum and banner.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Narang|first1=K. S.|last2=Gupta|first2=H. R.|title=History of Punjab: 1500 - 1558|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q6oGRgAACAAJ|access-date=15 July 2010 |page=216 |year=1969}}</ref> The area of operations of each ''Dal'', or army, was [[Hari ke Pattan]], where the [[Sutlej]] river and [[Beas River]] meet; the Taruna Dal would control the area east of Hari ke Pattan while the Budha Dal would control the area west of it.<ref name="Singha2000">{{cite book|last=Singha|first=H. S|title=The encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 entries)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqIbJz7vMn0C&pg=PA39|access-date=16 July 2010|year=2000|publisher=Hemkunt Press|isbn=978-81-7010-301-1|pages=39–}}</ref> The purpose of the Budda Dal, the veteran group, was to protect [[Gurdwara]]s and train the Taruna Dal, while the Taruna Dal would act as combat troops. However, in 1735, the agreement between Zakariya Khan and Nawab Kapur Singh broke down and the Dal Khalsa retreated to the [[Sivalik Hills]] to regroup.
Later the command of Dal Khalsa was taken by [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]] who was an able and powerful administrator.

====Invasion of Nader Shah====
In 1738, [[Nader Shah]] of the [[Persia]]n [[Afsharid dynasty]] invaded [[Muhammad Shah]]'s [[Mughal Empire]]. Nadir Shah defeated the Mughal Empire in the [[Battle of Karnal]] and proceeded to sack [[Delhi]]. During the panic before and after the Battle of Karnal, important functionaries of the Mughal Empire fled Delhi but were intercepted by small jathas of the Dal Khalsa and relieved of their wealth.<ref name="Cunningham 1918 89"/> Nadir Shah then gave Muhammad Shah back his title of [[Mughal Emperor]] but took away his royal treasury, including the [[Peacock Throne]]. When Nadir Shah began his retreat, the Sikhs who had been seeking refuge in the [[Sivalik Hills]] came down from the mountains and mercilessly plundered the treasure of the Persian Army. Afterwards the Dal Khalsa established [[Fort Dallewal|a fort]] at [[Dallewal]] near the [[Ravi River|Ravi river]] and began levying taxes in the area around [[Lahore]].<ref name="Browne 1788 13"/>
During this period, the Muslim historian Nur Mohammed, though full of contempt for Sikhs, was constrained to pay tribute to them of their character, in the following words:

"In no case they would slay a coward, nor would they put an obstacle in the way of a fugitive. They do not plunder the wealth and ornaments of a woman, be she a well to do lady or a maid servant. There is no adultery among these dogs, nor are they mischievous people given to thieving. Whether a woman is young or old, they call her 'buriya' and asked her to get out of the way. The word 'buriya' in Indian language means 'an old lady'. There is no thief at all among these dogs, nor is there any house breaker born among these miscreants. They do not make friends with adulterers and house breakers, though their behaviors on the whole is not commendable."

==Battles fought by Sikhs==
# [[Battle of Rohilla]]
# [[Battle of Kartarpur]]
# [[Battle of Amritsar (1634)]]
# [[Battle of Lahira]]
# [[Battle of Bhangani]]
# [[Battle of Nadaun]]
# [[Battle of Guler (1696)]]
# [[Battle of Basoli]]
# [[Battle of Anandpur (1700)]]
# [[Battle of Anandpur (1701)]]
# [[Battle of Nirmohgarh (1702)]]
# [[First Battle of Anandpur (1704)]]
# [[Second Battle of Anandpur]]
# [[First Battle of Chamkaur (1702)]].<ref>{{cite book|title= History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E|author= Surjit Singh Gandhi|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vZFBp89UInUC&q=hargobind+jahangir&pg=PA822|publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Dist.|year= 2007|isbn= 9788126908585|page= 822}}</ref>
# [[Battle of Sarsa]]
# [[Second Battle of Chamkaur (1704)]].<ref>{{cite book|title= History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E|author= Surjit Singh Gandhi|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vZFBp89UInUC&q=hargobind+jahangir&pg=PA822|publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Dist.|year= 2007|isbn= 9788126908585|page= 822}}</ref>
# [[Battle of Muktsar]]
# [[Battle of Sonepat]]
# [[Battle of Ambala]]
# [[Battle of Samana]]
# [[Battle of Chappar Chiri]]
# [[Battle of Sadhaura]]
# [[Battle of Rahon (1710)]]
# [[Battle of Lohgarh]]
# [[Battle of Jammu]]
# [[Kapuri expedition]]
# [[Battle of Jalalabad (1710)]]
# [[Siege of Gurdaspur]] or [[Battle of Gurdas Nangal]]
# [[Siege of Ram Rauni]]
# [[Battle of Amritsar (1757)]]
# [[Battle of Lahore (1759)]]
# [[Battle of Sialkot (1761)]]
# [[Battle of Gujranwala (1761)]]
# [[Sikh Occupation of Lahore]]<ref name="Mehta">{{Cite book|title=Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707–1813|last1=Mehta|first1=J. L.|year=2005|publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd|isbn=978-1-932705-54-6|page=303|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&pg=PA250 |access-date=2010-09-23}}</ref>
# [[Vadda Ghalughara]] or [[Battle of Kup]]
# [[Battle of Harnaulgarh]]
# [[Skirmish of Amritsar (1762)]]
# [[Battle of Sialkot (1763)]]
# [[Battle of Sirhind (1764)]]
# Rescue of Hindu Girls (1769)
# [[Capture of Delhi and Red Fort (1783)]]
# [[Battle of Amritsar (1797)]]
# [[Battle of Amritsar (1798)]]
# [[Gurkha-Sikh War]]
# [[Battle of Attock]]
# [[Battle of Multan]]
# [[Battle of Shopian]]
# [[Battle of Peshawar (1834)]]
# [[Battle of Jamrud]]
# [[Sino-Sikh War]]
# [[Battle of Mudki]]
# [[Battle of Ferozeshah]]
# [[Battle of Baddowal]]<ref name="sarsa">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=06k5ygAACAAJ|title=Dictionary of Battles and Sieges|page=92|author= Jacques, Tony|year=2007|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-313-33536-5}}</ref><ref name="jacques">Jacques, p. 93</ref>
# [[Battle of Aliwal]]
# [[Battle of Sobraon]]
# [[Battle of Chillianwala]]
# [[Battle of Ramnagar]]
# [[Siege of Multan]]
# [[Battle of Gujrat]]
# [[Battle of Saragarhi]]

==See also==
* [[Nihang]]

==References==

<references/>

== Bibliography ==
*{{citation |title=Sikhism (Religions of the World) |last=Kalsi |first=Sewa Singh |year=2005 |publisher=Chelsea House Publications |isbn=978-0-7910-8098-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/sikhismreligions00sewa |url-access=registration }}
*{{citation |title=A history of modern India, 1480-1950 |last=Markovits |first=Claude |year=2004 |publisher=Anthem Press |location=London |isbn=978-1-84331-152-2 }}
*{{citation|title=Holy people of the world: a cross-cultural encyclopedia, Volume 3 |last=Jestice |first=Phyllis G. |year=2004 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-57607-355-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H5cQH17-HnMC&q=guru+har+gobind+jahangir&pg=PA345 }}
*{{citation |title=Guru Tegh Bahadur |last=Johar |first=Surinder Singh |year=1975 |publisher=University of Wisconsin--Madison Center for South Asian Studies |isbn=81-7017-030-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dFomYOVXsAkC&q=tegh+bahadur+martyrdom&pg=PA192 }}
*{{citation |title=Federalism, Nationalism and Development: India and the Punjab Economy |last=Singh |first=Pritam |year=2008 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-45666-1 |pages=25–26 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mQLDcjhNoJwC&q=dal+khalsa+banda+bahadur&pg=PA26 }}
*{{citation |title=Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction |last=Nesbitt |first=Eleanor |year=2005 |publisher=Oxford University Press, USA |isbn=978-0-19-280601-7 |page=61 }}

[[Category:History of Sikhism]]
[[Category:Sikh Empire]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1747]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1780]]

Dal Khalsa (Sikh Army) - Revision history

>Nipunsaini2003: /* Dal Khalsa */By deleting false history