First Raj of the Sikhs

First Raj of the Sikhs
Author: Harish Dhillon
Publisher: Hay House, Inc
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2013-05-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9381398399

Banda Singh Bahadur appeared in Sikh history for a relatively short period (1708-1716) but, after the Sikh gurus, influenced it more significantly than any other individual. Banda Singh Bahadur is among the most colourful and fascinating characters in Sikh history. From an ascetic he was transformed into Guru Gobind Singh’s most trusted disciple. So much so that when the seriously injured guru could not lead his Sikh army against the Mughal forces, he appointed Banda Singh Bahadur as his deputy. As proof of this appointment he gave Banda his sword, a mighty bow, arrows from his own quiver, his battle standard and his war drum. Banda rode out from Nanded (where Guru Gobind Singh passed away; now in Maharashtra) at the head of a small band of Sikhs, which, by the time it reached the Punjab, had grown into a formidable army. Over the next few years his exploits against the Mughal rulers, both in pitched battles and in skirmishes, became the stuff of legends. He became the first of many legendary Sikh generals, famous both for their personal heroic courage and their skill in warfare. His many encounters with the Mughal rulers eroded the very foundation of the Mughal empire and ensured its quick demise. As he said when questioned on what he had achieved: ‘I have ensured that never again will the crown sit easily on the Mughal emperor’s head.’ He also prepared the coming generations of Sikhs for future conflicts, which later greatly helped Maharaja Ranjit Singh in creating a Sikh empire. Banda was a true leader who led from the front, not only in the battlefield but also in civil administration. He established a secular government which swept aside 700 years of slavery and the myth of domination by foreign powers, proclaimed freedom of worship, allowed the people to follow professions of their choice and stopped forcible marriages even while recovering abducted women for return to their families. His land revolution abolished zamindari in parts of North India, thereby redistributing land equally amongst the tillers. This book seeks to tell the story of this remarkable and brave man and his equally remarkable ahievements. Perhaps, the finest of Banda Singh Bahadur’s biographies.

The Legend of Banda Bahadur

The Legend of Banda Bahadur
Author: Harish Dhillon
Publisher: UBS Publishers' Distributors
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2004
Genre: Indic fiction (English)
ISBN: 9788174764584

Banda Bahadur remains one of the most enigmatic and hence fascinating characters in Sikh history. On the one hand, there is a perception based on contemporary Muslim writers which makes him out to be a bloodthirsty savage. On the other hand is the perception based on grandmothers' tales which idolizes him as a saint. One is left wondering as to who the real Banda Bahadur was. This book seeks to bring him alive as a flesh and blood character.

The Hawk Hunters

The Hawk Hunters
Author: Pushpendra Singh
Publisher: One Point Six Technology Pvt Ltd
Total Pages: 283
Release: 2015-09-24
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9352013395

"High on the Imamgarh battlements, Jalal-ud-Din, Mughal Commander of Samana Fort, was hauled by Khalsa soldiers to the massive cannon and lashed to its muzzle. His insolent glare dissolved into dread at the order ‘Fire!’ His eyes dilated – white pupils starkly visible for an instant. Then he was blown to smithereens. This was the first assault against the tyranny of foreign invaders in over five centuries. As the cannons blew the condemned criminals to oblivion, their roar thundered in Wazir Khan’s council chamber and reverberated thoughout Muzzam’s Mughal Empire. Several years earlier, Wazir Khan, the Mughal Governor of Sirhind, had snared and then brutally executed Guru Govind Singh’s two young sons, sending a shock-wave of revulsion that ignited a raging inferno in the Punjab. The Guru had commanded Banda Bahadur to liberate the Punjab from the Mughals’ tyrannical yoke. Banda set out from Nanded with only twenty-five soldiers, but as he entered Punjab, thousands thronged to rally the Nishan Sahib. Banda Bahadur hurled these unstrained Punjabi volunteers against Wazir Khan’s powerful army. Among them was Shamsheer, a Sikh peasant-warrior, who too threw himself whole-heartedly into the fierce struggle for freedom; going on to become a celebrated Cavalry Commander of the Khalsa Army. Amidst the strife and turmoil Shamsheer and a young Muslim nobleman from Sirhind fell deeply, helplessly in love. Would he succeed in winning her hand? Would Banda Bahadur’s raw, ill-equipped sparrows be able to hunt down the mighty Mughal hawk? ‘The Hawk Hunters’ tells their story in this fast-paced, action-packed saga of great courage, nobility and supreme sacrifice. Above all, it is a celebration of the triumph of the human spirit over ruthless brutality and personal tragedy. "

Banda the Brave

Banda the Brave
Author: Of Gujranwala Sohan Singh
Publisher: Franklin Classics
Total Pages: 172
Release: 2018-10-14
Genre:
ISBN: 9780343120184

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Banda bahadur

Banda bahadur
Author: KHUSHWANT SINGH
Publisher: Amar Chitra Katha Pvt Ltd
Total Pages: 36
Release: 1971-04-01
Genre: Comic books, strips, etc
ISBN: 8184820445

Inspired by Guru Gobind Singh, Banda Bahadur led the Sikh rebellion against the Mughal Empire. For eight years, he ravaged the whole of North India. The havoc he created in the Indo-Gangetic plain was of such magnitude that the Mughals could never restore their administration. Invasions by the Persian tyrant, Nadir Shah and the Afghan, Ahmed Shah Abdali hastened the decline of the once mighty empire. This helped the Sikhs to emerge as the rulers of Punjab. Banda Bahadur thus paved the way for the foundation of the Sikh Kingdom.

The Sikhs

The Sikhs
Author: Patwant Singh
Publisher: Image
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2007-12-18
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0307429334

Five hundred years ago, Guru Nanak founded the Sikh faith in India. The Sikhs defied the caste system; rejected the authority of Hindu priests; forbade magic and idolatry; and promoted the equality of men and women -- beliefs that incurred the wrath of both Hindus and Muslims. In the centuries that followed, three of Nanak's nine successors met violent ends, and his people continued to battle hostile regimes. The conflict has raged into our own time: in 1984 the Golden Temple of Amritsar -- the holy shrine of the Sikhs--was destroyed by the Indian Army. In retaliation, Sikh bodyguards assassinated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Now, Patwant Singh gives us the compelling story of the Sikhs -- their origins, traditions and beliefs, and more recent history. He shows how a movement based on tenets of compassion and humaneness transformed itself, of necessity, into a community that values bravery and military prowess as well as spirituality. We learn how Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Guru, welded the Sikhs into a brotherhood, with each man bearing the surname Singh, or "Lion," and abiding by a distinctive code of dress and conduct. He tells of Banda the Brave's daring conquests, which sowed the seeds of a Sikh state, and how the enlightened ruler Ranjit Singh fulfilled this promise by founding a Sikh empire. The author examines how, through the centuries, the Sikh soldier became an exemplar of discipline and courage and explains how Sikhs -- now numbering nearly 20 million worldwide -- have come to be known for their commitment to education, their business acumen, and their enterprising spirit. Finally, Singh concludes that it would be a grave error to alienate an energetic and vital community like the Sikhs if modern India is to realize its full potential. He urges India's leaders to learn from the past and to "honour the social contract with Indians of every background and persuasion."

Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty

Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty
Author: Harbans Kaur Sagoo
Publisher: Deep and Deep Publications
Total Pages: 324
Release: 2001
Genre: India
ISBN:

Seeks To Study Banda Singh Bahadur`S Role Objectively-His Life And Achievements. An Account Of His Struggle Against The Mughals. Emphazises That Banda Had The Acumen To Plan And The Ability To Excente. Presents His Role In Raising The Mighty Struggle For The Establishment Of A Sikh State In Punjab. Has Eight Chapters And Is Lavishly Illustrated.

Empire of the Sikhs

Empire of the Sikhs
Author: Patwant Singh
Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers
Total Pages: 343
Release: 2013-08-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0720615240

The definitive biography of Ranjit Singh, contemporary of Napoleon and one of the most powerful and charismatic Indian rulers of his ageRanjit Singh has been largely written out of accounts of the subcontinent's past by recent Western historians, yet he had an impact that lasts to this day. He unified the warring chiefdoms of the Punjab into an extraordinary northern Empire of the Sikhs, built up a formidable modern army, kept the British in check to the south of his realm, and closed the Khyber Pass through which plunderers had for centuries poured into India. Unique among empire builders, he was humane and just, gave employment to defeated foes, honored religious faiths other than his own, and included Hindus and Muslims among his ministers. In person he was a colorful character whose his court was renowned for its splendor; he had 20 wives, kept a regiment of "Amazons," and possessed a stable of thousands of horses. The authors make use of a variety of eyewitness accounts from Indian and European sources, from reports of Maratha spies at the Lahore Durbar to British parliamentary papers and travel accounts. The story includes the range of the maharaja's military achievements and ends with an account of the controversial period of the Anglo-Sikh Wars following his death, which saw the fall of his empire while in the hands of his successors.