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A Saga of Sacrifice & Struggle |
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On their way back from river Attak, the Singhs looted Gujrat, Sialkot, Sirhind and Malerkotla turn by turn, these states were protectorates of Abdali.
Getting
the message of Aqil Dass, Abdali reached Lahore on 3rd February,
1762 A.D. He sent messages to the Commanders of Sirhind and
Malerkotla (Son of the same Nawaab Sher Khan of Malerkotla who had
tried to protect the 'Chhote Sahibzade) to block the passage of
Sikhs. On the 5th February, Abdali mounted an attack on the Sikhs
near village Kup. The Commander of Sirhind, Kasam Khan blocked the
passage of Sikhs. When the Sikhs give a befitting reply, he ran
towards Malerkotla. The Sikhs had hardly advanced 3 miles when Jain
Khan, the Governer of Sirhind and Shah Wali Khan came forward. With
that raid, the Sikhs were uprooted. Their wall of safety around the
familes (women and children) was broken due to which a large number
of families were killed. Inspite of these losses, the Singhs
did not lose courage. They continued to march towards Barnala with
the caravan. By evening, they reached the village Kutabe Bahmani,
there the Sikhs started to quench their thirst from the pool. When
the army tried to reach the pool to drink water, the Singhs stood in
their way. They did not allow the army to pass until the whole of
the caravan had quenched their thirst and moved forward. After the
Sikhs had gone, the army was able to reach the pool. During the
time, Abdali's army was drinking water from the pool, the Sikhs had
gone far away. Due to the night fall, Abdali abandoned to pursue the
Sikhs. Moving ahead even during the night, the Sikhs went towards
Kotkapura and Faridkot. In this greater holocaust, ten to twelve thousand Singhs attained martyrdom and about twenty thousand women and children were murdered. Every Singh had suffered some injury that day. Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia had 64 wounds on his body. In only three months Sikhs avenged this defeat by attacking Abdali's general, stationed at Amritsar and massacring his 20,000 troops, 5-10,000 troops that surrendered were forced to clean up Golden Temple and other Gurdwaras.
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