When Sikhs got 17,000 Hindu Girls released from Durranis

[Dalvinder Singh Grewal]

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When Sikhs got 17,000 Hindu Girls released from Durranis​

Shahidi Gurdwara Fatehsar commemorated the battle and release of the girls and women.

by Dr. Dalvinder Singh Grewal

Gurdwara Shaheedan, Fatehsar, Gujrat, where Sikhs got 17,000 Hindu Girls released from Durranis and sent to their homes

Ahmed Shah Durrani became king of Afghanistan after the death of Nadir Shah. His penchant to raid, loot, and plundering was irresistible. He raided India eight times from 1748 to 1767. (1) In the first invasion of India in 1748 he was defeated at Manupur. (2 & 3) He raided the second time (1749) to avenge the defeat and took over the control of the west of the Indus.

In the Third Invasion (1752) Adina the Subedar of Lahore aided by Sikhs and Adina beg Lahore and Multan were ceded to him. In the fourth invasion (1955) he was defeated by the Sikhs at the battle of Sabzavar but invaded again along with his son Timur in 1756 at the invitation of Mughlani Begum wife of Mir Mannu and ransacked and plundered Lahore, Sirhind, Delhi, Mathura, Vrindavan and Agra where he took women slaves including the daughters of late Mohammad Shah and Almgir II along with 17,000 girls from the towns of Mathura Vrindavan and Agra (4) Sikhs along with troops of Adina Beg fought together against Afghans at Hoshiarpur and Sikhs defeated and captured 20,000 horsemen of Timur Shah Durrani. Sikhs then followed the retreating Durrani forces, defeated them, and got released the captured 17,000 girls and women earlier captured from Mathura, Vrindavan, Agra, and Delhi and arranged to send them each to their homes. This release took place at Gujrat now in Pakistan, 15 kilometres from Wazirabad. A number of Sikhs laid down their lives where this battle took place. Shahidi Gurdwara Fatehsar commemorated the battle and release of the girls and women.

This Gurdwara existed in the eighty century but was first taken over by Sanyasis and then by Udasis. Gradually the Hindu rituals and idol worship were also started in this Sikh Gurdwara and it was converted into a Shiv Mandir. This, however, had to be vacated in 1947 after which its fate is not known. Guru Hargobind Sahib also visited this site while returning from Kashmir and went to Wazirabad from this place. Gurdwara Damdama Sahib and Gurdwara Dhaki Darwaza Sixth Guru commemorated his visit to the place. Gurdwara Shaheedan Fatehsar was 400 karam from Gurdwara Damdama Sahib Sixth Guru. (5). Peeved at this release of girls, Durrani attacked the Sikhs in 1762 with very large forces with an aim to eliminate them and killed over 30,000 Sikhs in Ghalugharas. Sikhs however, did not allow Durrani even to cross Lahore when they attacked him and took Lahore back. Do the Hindu brethren remember the great sacrifices of the Sikhs to get their girls released from Durrani Forces and ensure that they reach their homes back?

References

1. Alikuzai, Hamid Wahed (October 2013). A Concise History of Afghanistan in 25 Volumes, Volume 14. ISBN 978-1-4907-1441-7. Retrieved 29 December 2014.​

2.Gandhi, Rajmohan (14 September 2013). Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten. ISBN 9789383064410.​

3. Mehta, J. L. (2005). Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707–1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 251. ISBN 978-1-932705-54-6. Retrieved 23 September 2010.​

4. Mehta, Jaswant Lal (1 January 2005). Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707–1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 978-1-932705-54-6 – via Google Books.​

5. Dhanna Singh Chahal, Gur Tirath Cycle Yatra (11 March 1930-26 June 1934 AD) (Punjabi), European Punjabi Sath, Ed Chetan Singh. p.403​

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[A_seeker]

Who was the commander of Sikh troops under whom 17000 women were saved ???

 

[Dalvinder Singh Grewal]

During the Misl period, the command used to be in the group of Misl commanders, though both Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia dominated in decision making.

 

[gjsingh]

As a young man I encountered a crazed Afghan immigrant who had been a muhajideen. One day he was bragging about his martial prowess. By way of illustration, he said to me, "I have killed DOZENS of Russians, HUNDREDS of Pakistanis,THOUSANDS of Hindus...", and then the crescendo, "... FIVE Sikhs!"

Of course I was astounded by his depravity, but on reflection, I also marveled at the complement he inadvertently paid to the Sikh sardars who had delivered such tremendous spankings to his people all those generations ago, such that the Pashtun collective memory would equate the relative value of warriors from different peoples in that way.

 

[Dalvinder Singh Grewal]

Thanks for valuable information