Battle of Nadaun

Last updated

Battle of Nadaun
Part of the Mughal–Rajput wars
Illustrated folio from a Dasam Granth manuscript depicting the Battle of Nadaun (Hussaini Yudh) between Sikh and Mughal forces, ca.1870.jpg
Illustrated folio from a Dasam Granth manuscript depicting the Battle of Nadaun (Hussaini Yudh) between Sikh and Mughal forces, ca.1870
Datec. 1691 [1] [2]
Location
Nadaun
Result Bilaspur State victory [3] [4]
Belligerents

Bilaspur flag.svg Bilaspur State

Under Assistance of:

Akal Sena Flag.svg Akal Sena (Sikhs)		 Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg Mughal Empire
Flag of Kangra state.png Kangra State
Bijarwal State
Commanders and leaders

Bilaspur flag.svg Bhim Chand Chandel
Bilaspur flag.svg Parmanand Pandit

Akal Sena Flag.svg Guru Gobind Rai
Akal Sena Flag.svg Dayaram Pandit		 Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg Aurangzeb
Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg Hussaini Khan
Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg Wazir Khan
Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg Alif Khan
Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg Mian Khan
Flag of Kangra state.png Kirpal Chand Katoch
Flag of Kangra state.png Dayal Chand

The Battle of Nadaun, alternatively known as the Hussaini Yudh [5] [6] [7] [8] , was fought at Nadaun, between Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur (Kahlur) and the Mughals under Alif Khan. Bhim Chand was supported by Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth Sikh Guru) and the Mughals were supported by other hill chieftains, notably Kirpal Chand from Kangra and Dayal Chand from Bijharwal. [9] Bhim Chand and some hill chieftains, after conclusion of Battle of Bhangani had refused to pay tribute to the Mughal emperor which led to the battle at Nadaun. [10] The battle resulted in the victory of Bilaspur State and Sikh alliance. [11]

Contents

Different authors give the date of the battle variously as 1687, [12] [13] 1689, [14] [15] 1690, [16] 20 March 1691, [17] and 4 April 1691. [18]

Bichitra Natak , considered to be the autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh, is one of the major sources of information about the battle. However, its authorship is disputed by some scholars.

Cause

The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's Deccan campaigns against Bijapur and Golconda had put considerable strain on the Mughal exchequer. To meet these expenses, Aurangazeb ordered the Governor of Punjab, Azim Khan, to recover annual tributes from the rulers of hill states, who had been defaulting on the payment for three consecutive years. [17]

Azim Khan assigned the duty of collecting tributes to Mian Khan, the viceroy of Jammu. The duty of collecting tributes from Kangra and adjoining principalities was assigned to Alif Khan (or Alaf Khan). [19]

Alif Khan first approached Raja Kirpal Chand (or Bhim Chand Katoch [17] ) of Kangra. The Raja told him that Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur (Kahlur) was the most powerful king in the region; if he pays tribute, the others will follow. Raja Dayal of Bijarwal (or Bijharwal) was persuaded by Kirpal to meet Alif Khan's demands. At Raja Kirpal's suggestion, Alif Khan proceeded towards Bhim Chand's capital. He halted at Nadaun and sent his envoy to Bhim Chand of Bilaspur with his demands. However, Bhim Chand refused to pay the tribute.

Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur formed an alliance with the rest of the hill Rajas, and also sought the support of Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru, who was against the idea of paying tributes to the Mughals, decided to support Bhim Chand.

Description in Bichitra Natak

The author of Bichitra Natak states that Bhim Chand was aided by Raj Singh, Ram Singh, Sukhdev Gaji of Jasrot, and Prithi Chand of Dadhwal, among others. [20] He also states that the Rajputs of the Nanglua and Panglu tribes, and the soldiers of Jaswar and Guler, also participated in the battle. [21] The Mughal forces were led by Hussain Khan. [22]

Initially, the forces of Kirpal Chand overpowered Bhim Chand's forces. [23] Then, Bhim Chand recited Hanuman mantras, and called all his allies, including the Guru. [24] As the combined forces launched an attack, the enemy forces of Raja Dayal of Bijharwal and Raja Kirpal also advanced. [25] In the ensuing battle, the forces of Mughals and Kirpal Chand were driven out into the river. [26] Alif Khan and his warriors fled away. [27]

The battle drums beat and horses danced. Weapons were wielded and the 'krrak' of steel against steel was heard. Fearless warriors clashed and the Nihangs roared. Swords were wielded and young warriors were laid low. Muskets fired with a 'trrak', arrows flew with a 'krrak'. Javelins found their mark with a 'srrak', long-shafted axes struck with a 'shrrak'. Warriors roared. Immovable warriors clashed. Nihangs moved about like leopards. Horses neighed and trumpets blew. Warriors reigned down blows with a 'trrak'. Other warriors endured them. Nihangs fell martyred, lying on the ground as if intoxicated with cannabis, their hair open like dreadlocked ascetics.

— Guru Gobind Singh, 'Bachittar Natak', Dasam Granth, chapter 11, verses 18–23, translation published in 'Warrior Saints: Four Centuries of Sikh Military History' (2017; Vol. I; page 18) by Amandeep Singh Madra and Parmjit Singh [28]

Aftermath

Soon after the battle, Chand patched up his quarrel with the Mughal faujdar and agreed to pay tribute to them. Guru Gobind Singh reacted to this by plundering a village in his territory. [29]

According to Bichitra Natak, Guru Gobind Singh remained at Nadaun, on the banks of the River Beas, for eight more days, and visited the places of all the chiefs. [27] Later, both the parties made an agreement and peace was established. [30]

Later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh built a gurdwara on the spot where the Guru had pitched his tent. The Gurdwara was affiliated to Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in 1935. [17] It is known as Gurudwara Dasvin Patshahi or Gurdwara Nadaun Sahib.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guru Gobind Singh</span> Tenth Sikh guru from 1675 to 1708

Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last human Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs after his father Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed by Emperor Aurangzeb. His father was the ninth Sikh Guru. His four biological sons died during his lifetime – two in battle and two executed by the Mughal governor Wazir Khan.

<i>Dasam Granth</i> Secondary scripture of Sikhism

The Dasam Granth is a collection of various poetic compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. The text enjoyed an equal status with the Adi Granth, or Guru Granth Sahib, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and were installed side by side on the same platform. The Dasam Granth lost favor during the colonial period when reformist Singh Sabha Movement scholars couldn't contextualize the reworkings of Puranic stories or the vast collection of 'Tales of Deceit' Sri Charitropakhyan.

Dal Khalsa was the name of the combined military forces of 11 Sikh misls that operated in the 18th century (1748–1799) in the Punjab region. It was established by Nawab Kapur Singh in late 1740s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anandpur Sahib</span> City in Punjab, India

Anandpur Sahib, also referred simply as Anandpur, is a city in Rupnagar district (Ropar), on the edge of Shivalik Hills, in the Indian state of Punjab. Located near the Sutlej River, the city is one of the most sacred religious places in Sikhism, being the place where the last two Sikh Gurus, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, lived. It is also the place where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699. The city is home to Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the third of the five Takhts in Sikhism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bilaspur State (princely state)</span> Princely state of British India

Bilaspur State or Kahlur State, sometimes Kahloor Riyasat, was a kingdom (697–1849) and later princely state (1849–1948) in the Punjab Province ruled by a separate branch of Chandravanshi Chandel rajput dynasty. Raja Bir Chand 697–730 was the founder of the state but it was named Kahlur only after the Construction of Kahlur Fort by Raja Kahal Chand around 890–930CE and Raja Anand Chand the 44th Raja was the last ruler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chamkaur Sahib</span> Place in Punjab, India

Chamkaur Sahib is a Sub Divisional town in the district of Rupnagar in the Indian State of Punjab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhai Mani Singh</span> 18th-century Sikh religious leader and martyr

Bhai Mani Singh was an 18th-century Sikh scholar and martyr. He was a childhood companion of Guru Gobind Singh and took the vows of Sikhism when the Guru inaugurated the Khalsa in March 1699. Soon after that, the Guru sent him to Amritsar to take charge of Harmandir Sahib, which had been without a custodian since 1696. He took control and steered the course of Sikh destiny at a critical stage in Sikh history. He was also a teacher of the Gianian Bunga, later becoming known as the "Amritsari Taksal", currently located in Sato Ki Gali.

Nadaun is a historical town and a nagar panchayat in the Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Previously a part of the princely state of Kangra, Nadaun is presently an independent small town located on NH 3 and NH 303 in the Sivalik range foothills. It is situated on the banks of the Beas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nada Sahib</span> Gurdwara in Haryana India

Nada Sahib is a Sikh gurudwara in the Panchkula district of the Indian state of Haryana. Situated on the banks of the Ghaggar-Hakra River in the Sivalik Hills of Panchkula, it is the site where Guru Gobind Singh Ji halted while travelling from Paonta Sahib to Anandpur Sahib after the Battle of Bhangani in 1688.

Fateh Shah was the Hindu Rajput king of Garhwal, a small kingdom in North India, from 1684 to 1716.

The Battle of Bhangani was fought between Guru Gobind Singh's army and Bhim Chand (Kahlur) of Bilaspur on 18 September 1686 or 1688, at Bhangani near Paonta Sahib. An alliance of Rajput Rajas of the Shivalik Hills participated in the engagement on behalf of Bhim Chand of Bilaspur State's side, including the states of Garhwal and Kangra. It was the first battle Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, fought at the age of 19.

The Battle of Anandpur was fought at Anandpur, between the armies of the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh and the Mughal forces aided by the Nawab of Bahawalpur state, Rajas of the Sivalik Hills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second siege of Anandpur</span> Battle in north-east India

The second siege of Anandpur, also known as the second battle of Anandpur (1704), was a siege at Anandpur, between Sikhs and the Mughal governors, dispatched by Aurangzeb, Wazir Khan, Dilwaar Kahn and Zaberdast Khan, and aided by the vassal Rajas of the Sivalik Hills which lasted from May 1704 to 19 December 1704.

The siege of Sirhind was fought between the Mughal Empire and Sikh forces in 1710. The Sikhs besieged, stormed, captured, plundered and razed the city of Sirhind after defeating and beheading Wazir Khan in the Battle of Chappar Chiri.

The first siege of Anandpur was a thirty-five-day-long siege at Anandpur led by the Rajas of the Sivalik Hills and the Gujar and Ranghar tribesmen against the armies of the Sikh under Guru Gobind Singh.

The Battle of Guler was fought between forces led by Sikh Guru Gobind Singh and Mughal forces, aided by the Rajas of the Sivalik Hills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhim Chand (Kahlur)</span> Raja

Bhim Chand was the Rajput King of Bilaspur state and Anandpur Sahib fell under his territorial area. He launched his first expedition against Guru Gobind Singh in 1682. In 1686 he conflicted with the armies of Guru Gobind Singh and his disciples in Battle of Bhangani. In 1692, Bhim Chand fought Battle of Nadaun against Mughals and came out victorious.

The First battle of Chamkaur was fought in 1702 between the Sikhs and the Mughals. It resulted in a Sikh victory and the Mughal General Sayyad Beg defecting to the Sikhs with some troops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akal Sena</span> First standing Sikh army created by Guru Hargobind (1606 – 1699)

The Akal Sena was the Sikh military force established by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind. It was the first standing Sikh army. It was also known as the Akali Dal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hill States–Sikh wars</span> Sequence of battles (1628–1812)

The Hill States–Sikh wars, also known as the Sikh–Pahari Raja wars, was a set of battles and conflicts fought by the Sikhs and the rajas (kings) of the Hill States located in the Sivalik Hills.

References

  1. ↑ Jacques, Tony (2006). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. Greenwood Press. p. 704. ISBN   978-0-313-33536-5. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Jacques, p. 704
  3. ↑ Singh, Kartar (1967). Guru Gobind Singh and the Mughals. Chandigarh: Guru Gobind Singh Foundation. p. 55. OCLC   49259.
  4. ↑ Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. p. 35. ISBN   9788186505465.
  5. ↑ Kaur, Madanjit. "Guru Gobind Singh and His Mission". Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh (sikhinstitute.org). Retrieved 27 February 2023. In the Dasam Granth this battle is referred to as the Hussaini Yudh after the name of the Mughal commander Hussain Khan who was heading the Mughal troops.
  6. ↑ Kaur, Madanjit (2007). Guru Gobind Singh : historical and ideological perspective. Chandigarh, India: Unistar Books. p. 6. ISBN   978-81-89899-55-4. OCLC   294940899.
  7. ↑ Singh, Teja; Singh, Ganda (1950). A Short History of the Sikhs: 1496-1765. Orient Longmans. p. 65.
  8. ↑ Kaur, Daljit (2003). A Case Study of Khanzada Expedition and Hussaini Yudh against Guru Gobind Singh - Punjab History Conference, thirty-fifth session, March 6-8, 2003 : proceedings, English & Punjabi. Sukhadiāla Siṅgha, Punjabi University. Department of Punjab Historical Studies. Patiala: Publication Bureau, Punjab University. p. 95. ISBN   81-7380-885-6. OCLC   63386918.
  9. ↑ J.S. Grewal (2019). Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708). OUP India. p. 62. ISBN   9780190990381.
  10. ↑ Singh, Raj Pal (2003). The Sikhs: Their Journey of Five Hundred Years. Bhavana Books & Prints. ISBN   978-81-86505-46-5.
  11. ↑ Singh, Kartar (1967). Guru Gobind Singh and the Mughals. Chandigarh: Guru Gobind Singh Foundation. p. 55. OCLC   49259.
  12. ↑ Malik, Arjan Dass (1975). An Indian guerilla war : the Sikh peoples war, 1699-1768. New York: Wiley. p. 22. ISBN   978-0-470-56576-6. OCLC   1339733.
  13. ↑ Johar, Srinder Singh (1976). The Sikh gurus and their shrines. Vivek Pub. Co. p. 87. OCLC   164789879. A fierce battle was fought at Nadaun in 1687.
  14. ↑ Mansukhani, Gobind Singh (1965). The Quintessence of Sikhism. Amritsar: Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. p. 46. OCLC   2654849.
  15. ↑ Seetal, Sohan Singh (1968). Prophet of Man, Guru Gobind Singh. Ludhiana: Seetal Pustak Bhandar. p. 179. OCLC   115772. This battle of Nadaun was fought in November, 1689.
  16. ↑ Singh, Gopal (1979). A History of the Sikh People, 1469-1978. New Delhi: World Sikh University Press. p. 275. OCLC   6330455. This is known as the battle of Nadaun and was fought probably late in 1690
  17. 1 2 3 4 Avinash Dani (7 November 1999). "Little-known gurdwara of Nadaun". Sunday Reading. The Tribune . Retrieved 6 December 2007.
  18. ↑ "Temples in the District: Gurudwara sahib Nadaun". NIC Hamirpur. Archived from the original on 20 December 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2007.
  19. ↑ Singh, Prithi Pal (2007). The History of Sikh Gurus. Lotus Books. p. 138. ISBN   978-81-8382-075-2.
  20. ↑ Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 3-4 Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 16 Archived 9 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ↑ Kaur, Madanjit. "Guru Gobind Singh and His Mission". Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh (sikhinstitute.org). Retrieved 27 February 2023. In the Dasam Granth this battle is referred to as the Hussaini Yudh after the name of the Mughal commander Hussain Khan who was heading the Mughal troops.
  23. ↑ Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 4-5 Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 6 Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  25. ↑ Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 7 Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ↑ Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 19 Archived 9 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  27. 1 2 Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 22 Archived 9 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ↑ Madra, Amandeep Singh; Singh, Parmjit (2017). Warrior Saints: Four Centuries of Sikh Military History (Volume 1) (2nd ed.). Kashi House. p. 18. ISBN   9780956016850.
  29. ↑ Grewal, J.S. (8 October 1998). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. p. 74. ISBN   9780521637640.
  30. ↑ Bichitra Natak . Chapter 9, Chaupai 23 Archived 9 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine

31°47′N76°21′E / 31.783°N 76.350°E / 31.783; 76.350

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.