Halimi Raj Of Guru Nanak Patshah

In January 1710 _AD, General Banda Singh Bahadar proclaimed Lohgarh as the capital of the Sikh state. In November 1710 _AD, the Lohgarh fort gained significance in Mughal records when emperor Bahadur Shah arrived with an army comprising nearly 200,000 imperial forces alongside his princes and numerous mansabdars (From Muhammad Hadi Kamwar Khan, Tazkiratu’s Salatin Chaghata,’ Translated by S. Ali Nadeem Rezavi. Sikh History from Persian Sources, Translations of Major Texts, Edited by J.S. Grewal and Irfan Habib page 144. Kirpal Singh. Abstracts of Sikh Studies – Volume 7 , page 47). Strong evidence suggests that emperor Bahadur Shah abandoned his mission to capture the final points in Deccan and Rajputana, even bypassing his Mughal capital, Delhi, to reach Lohgarh hastily (Ibid., pages 104-105; see Ganda Singh, Banda Singh Bahadar (Pbi)). And if Bahadur Shah had not quitted the Deccan in 1710 _AD, there is every reason to believe that the whole of Hindustan would have been subdued by these Sikhs (J. Malcolm, Sketch of the Sikhs, page 99). In the 17^th century, there were numerous battles between the Mughals and Sikhs, but it was not until the early 18^th century that the emperor led a sizeable Mughal army against the Sikhs. It was a significant mission as only the Mughal emperors would lead the military when there was a potential threat to the Mughal empire.

The majority of historians have incorrectly reported that in November 1710 _AD, fort Lohgarh, the capital of Khalsa Raj, was besieged and invaded by Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah with a massive Mughal army, causing General Banda Singh Bahadar to flee into the hills. Previous historical accounts have portrayed the fort as a small and unimportant structure situated on one or two hills at the most. The fallacy remains and needs correction!

On the contrary, historical sources such as letters from the vahils of the Rajas present in the emperor’s court, articles in newspapers, reports from intelligence officers like Waqai-nawis, Waqai-nigar, Akhbarat-nawis, Akbharat-i-Darbar-i-Mu’alla, archaeological surveys conducted by archaeologists on the ruins of Lohgarh, and geographical maps all provide ample evidence that the fortifications of Lohgarh stretched across thousands of acres(Research Report, prepared by Indian Trust, for Rural Heritage and Development, New Delhi (2016), page 8.  A contemporary historian, Muhammad Qasim Aurangabadi (Ahwal-ul-Khawakin, page 67), wrote in November 1710 _AD that climbing the hills of Lohgarh fort is tough. Around it, it was barricaded for one and a half to two kilometres (5 to 7 km). According to him, the Lohgarh fort is surrounded by 16-17 hills. (pages 68-69), edited by Balwant Singh Dhillon) , making it impossible for the Mughals to capture them all. Historical sources contradict the truth and ridicule the only instance of a benevolent rule known as the Halimi Raj– Benevolent Rule in human history (hun hukam ho-aa miharvaan daa,pai ko-ay na kisai ranjaan,sabh sukhaalee vuthee-aa ih ho-aa halaymee raaj jee-o. Now, the Merciful Lord has issued His Command. Let no one chase after and attack anyone else. Let all abide in peace under this Benevolent Rule. ||13|| Guru Granth sahib ang.-74. Recently, in 2020, three verses from Guru Granth sahib have been included in the UN Faith for Rights Charter; this verse is one of them). News reporting and intelligence gathering were crucial aspects of the Mughal administration, as they helped maintain control over their vast empire. The Mughals had a well-organised system to collect and disseminate information through various channels such as biographies, court chronicles, and Akbharat-i-Darbar-i-Mu’alla. The use of espionage and postal communication further facilitated the rapid transmission of news across different regions. However, it is interesting to note that the intelligence agencies of the Mughals may have faltered in gathering accurate information regarding the establishment of Lohgarh, which served as a stronghold of Sikh resistance against the Mughal forces. This highlights the challenges faced by the Mughal authorities in monitoring and controlling regions where dissent and resistance were brewing.

The selection of suba Awadh, Agra, Delhi, Lahore, and Multan as the epicentre of Halimi Raj by Guru Nanak patshah reflects the strategic importance of these regions within the Mughal empire. Punjab, in particular, played a crucial role as a link connecting the Mughal empire with various regions through trade routes and cultural exchanges. The control of Punjab was vital for the empire not only due to its rich resources but also its strategic location in monitoring movements in the Himalayan range.

The Sikh warrior tribes of Banjaras, Jats, Bhils, Noniyas, Bhomias, Leather Dressers and Sikligars were settled explicitly in these areas, aided by the contributions of Sufi saints from the Chishti and Qadri movements. Establishing a significant Sikh demographic settlement from Attock to Bareilly demonstrates the deliberate efforts made by Guru Nanak patshah and subsequent Nanaks to strengthen the Sikh presence in these key regions. This strategic settlement of Sikh communities played a significant role in shaping the resistance against the Mughals and upholding the ideals of Halimi Raj.

The tradition of naming Sikh forts as Lohgarh dates back to the time of Guru Nanak patshah, predating the rule of General Banda Singh Bahadar. An analysis of historical and geographical reports indicates that there are many Lohgarh forts, which were established between the 15^th to 17^th centuries in the Indian Subcontinent, having associations with all the 10 Nanak patshahis, Bhagat sahibans, Banjara Sikhs, and General Banda Singh Bahadar(Lohgarh forts, found in various locations including Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Moga, Sirsa, Pinjore, Khalsa Rajdhani, Zirakpur, Ambala, Bharatpur, Mumbai, Aligarh, Siliguri, Jhunjhunu, Udaipur (twice), Dina Kangar Moga, Gwalior, and others, are all connected to Guru sahibans, Bhagat sahibans, Bhai Lakhi Shah Banjara, and General Banda Singh Bahadar. The Mughal and British forces have destroyed these historical Lohgarh forts in the Punjab region).

Guru Granth sahib supported the idea that the construction of Sikh forts was referred to as Guru Nanak sahib’s ‘Nanak Raj Chalaia Sach Kot Sataani Neev De’ (Guru Nanak patshah established the kingdom, and forts were built on the foundation of truth)( Guru Granth sahib ang 966).

In 1621 _AD, Guru Hargobind patshah built fort Lohgarh at Amritsar, known today as Guru-Ka-Chak Ramdaspur, to safeguard it (Forts have been demolished, and the Gurdwara fort Lohgarh at Amritsar remains intact. Punjab District Gazetteers: Amritsar , page 203). Guru Gobind Singh established fort Lohgarh in Anandpur in the late 17^th century (Punjab District and State Gazetteers: Part A – Part 1, page 75.). It’s worth noting that the visit of all ten Sikh Guru sahibans to Thanesar(Bhai Dhanna Singh, Gur Tirath Yatra, page180), a part of the Lohgarh zone(The Lohgarh region encompasses present-day districts such as Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Ambala, Yamunanagar, and Chandigarh, with its focal point being Lohgarh Khalsa Rajdhani.), indicates that the establishment of the Lohgarh fort as the Sikh state capital began during the early 16^th century during the reign of Guru Nanak patshah and continued up to the early 18^th  century, the tenure of the 10^th  Nanak – Guru Gobind Singh patshah.

In the early part of the 16^th century, Sufi saints from Egypt, Mecca, Jerusalem, and Baghdad migrated to the Lohgarh zone on the advice of Guru Nanak sahib (Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon (in Gurumukhi)’s edited Farsi Sarot on Banda Singh Bahadar, sourced from Muhammad Saffi Wahid’s Mirath-Wahdat (1738 _AD), page 210). The Khalsa fortifications were so extensive that preparations for its construction had taken over two centuries. At that time, the premises of Lohgarh fort were in the princely state of Nahan, although the hill chief of Nahan had accepted the suzerainty of the Mughals. However, his territory was outside the Mughal-ruled boundaries (Irfan Habib, An Atlas of the Mughal Empire, Sheet 8–A. Sirmour, Nahan princely state, is related to the Sikhs from the time of Guru Nanak sahib. According to custom, this place was the property of raja Bhoj, and even today, many villages are located in the hills of Shivalik by the name of raja Bhoj. Bhai Mani Singh was a descendant of raja Bhoj’s family. Radhe Banjara (born 1433 _AD) and his brother Lakhman Banjara (born 1482 _AD) were residents of Nahan and met Guru Nanak sahib during his visit to Nahan. Bhai Mani Singh’s father Bhai Mai Das was also born in Nahan. The princely state of Nahan was established in 1095 _AD by King Shobha Rawal (Subans Prakash). The foundation of the city of Nahan was laid by King Karam Prakash (year 1616-1630 _AD) in 1621 _AD. Fort Gobindgarh was built for Guru Gobind Singh Raja Karam Prakash of Nahan, who was imprisoned in the Gwalior fort along with Guru Har Gobind. He was involved with the 52 kings who were released in October 1619 _AD, along with Guru Har Gobind. After Karma Prakash, Mandhata Prakash ascended the throne (1630-1654 _AD). He had a very close relationship with Guru Har Rai sahib. In 1645 _AD, when Raja Tara Chand of the princely state of Kahlur (Bilaspur) stopped paying taxes to Shah Jahan, the emperor arrested and imprisoned him. At this time, Guru Har Rai left Kiratpur and resided in Thapal village of the princely state of Raja Mandhata Prakash of Nahan. According to Zulfkar Ardastani (some writers mistakenly named him Muhsan Fani), the author of Dabistan-i-Mazahib, Guru sahib lived in these areas from 1645 to 1658 _AD (about 13 years). After Matt Prakash, Bijai Prakash (died 1736 _AD) sat on the throne. His name is found in the Mughal inscriptions as Bhup Prakash. For helping Banda Singh Bahadar, he was imprisoned in the Salimgarh Delhi fort from 1711 to 1713 _AD. According to many Muslim writers, the kings of Nahan had adopted Sikhism. For these reasons, ten Guru sahibans continued to travel to this area to preach Sikhism and built the Khalsa capital – Lohgarh.). During the regime of Aurangzeb, the hill chief of Nahan and Garhwal used to report to Jahanara (elder sister of Aurangzeb and the first lady of the Mughal empire) ( Gazetteer of the Sirmour State page 15. Jahanara, like her brother Dara Shikoh, was closely associated with the Chishti and Qadri Chapters of Sufism, and the leaders of these Chapters were already working on the mission Halimi Raj of Guru Nanak sahib. They settled in the vicinity of Nahan and Garhwal states. Therefore, it cannot be overruled that Jahanara also supported the mission of Guru Nanak sahib, and, accordingly, the fortifications of Sikh forts were done quickly in the states of Nahan and Garhwal. )

        According to the historical work, Dabistan-i-Mazahib by Maubad Zufiqar Ardastani, Guru Har Rai patshah resided at Thapalpur in Lohgarh zone for 13 years from 1645 to 1658 _AD with his family and 2,200 cavalries to supervise the Sikh fortifications. During this time, Ram Rai, Bibi Swaroop Kaur, and Guru Har Kishan sahib were born at Thapalpur. From 1658 to 1661 _AD, Guru Har Rai sahib visited the towns of Kiratpur, Goindwal, Sialkot, and many regions of Kashmir to preach Sikhism. Afterwards, Guru Tegh Bahadar patshah visited the Lohgarh zone many times (1656, 1664, 1665, and 1670 era in _AD)( Gurdwara Buria, Tajewala, Sudhal, Jihweri in Lohgarh zone stamp the visit of Guru Tegh Bahadar sahib. Fauja Singh, Guru Tegh Bahadar: Yatra Asthan, Praparavan te Yad Chinn. Patiala, 1976. Previously, in 1925, under the Punjab Act VIII, the management of these historical Gurdwaras fell under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act. However, with time, these Gurdwaras have come under the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Act of 2014.) and contributed significantly to constructing the Lohgarh fort. The in-laws of Guru Tegh Bahadar relocated from Kartarpur to Lakhnaur, Ambala(Surjit Singh Gandhi, History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E , page 619), which is situated within the Lohgarh zone.

After this, Guru Gobind Singh patshah supervised the construction of the Lohgarh fortifications during his stay at Paonta from 1685 to 1688 _AD (Surinder Singh Johar, Holy Sikh Shrines , page 129). In 1689 _AD, when Guru Gobind Singh returned to Chak Nanaki (now a part of Anandpur), he built another fort named Lohgarh. At Lohgarh fort in Anandpur, a factory for making weapons was established, and Sikligars and Banjara Sikhs made weapons there(Peter Johal, Anandpur Chronicles – Volume 1) . Guru Gobind Singh patshah also constructed many other forts like Kesgarh (Chak Nanaki), Fatehgarh, Anandgarh, Lohgarh (Sahota), Holgarh, Taragarh, Nirmohgarh, and Basantgarh etc. Sikligars and the Banjara Sikhs inherited the skill of manufacturing arms from their fathers and forefathers. Weapons manufacturing was also conducted in Nahan state and the Lohgarh fort(Nahan has been the home of Banjara and Sikligars before the advent of Guru Nanak sahib. The forefathers of Bhai Mani Singh used to live in Nahan. They were the descendants of Raja Bhoj of Dhar (MP) as per Bhat Vahi .).

In this region, numerous traces and places have been found where Guru Nanak patshah preached and established manjis (Sikh preaching centres) around the Lohgarh zone(Gurdwara Kapal Mochan and Gurdwara Marwa Kurd, both near Lohgarh forts, mark the visit of Guru Nanak patshah in Lohgarh zone. Khazan Singh , History of the Sikh Religion – Volume 1 , page 107) . The construction of fort Lohgarh was significantly aided by the Banjara Sikhs, who were associated with Lakhi Shah Banjara’s Tanda. It is worth noting that the construction of Lohgarh fort was initiated during Guru Nanak’s period. Consequently, in January 1710 _AD, General Banda Singh Bahadar declared the Lohgarh fort as the capital of the Khalsa kingdom.