Birth and Early Life:

Banda Singh was born Lachhman Das on October 27, 1670, in the village Rajauri of district Punchh, Kashmir. His father Raam Dev Sodhi, a devout Rajput farmer, fed and sheltered holy men who wandered by. The young farm-boy Lachhman Das grew to be an avid sportsman and enjoyed wrestling, riding, and weaponry. While hunting one day, he slew a doe. As he went to gut her, he discovered that the doe had been pregnant and watched in horror as her unborn fawns spilled from her womb and died an agonizing death.

The incident affected the 15 year old so greatly that he left his parents and departed from home in search of penance.

Bairagi:

After leaving his family home, Lachman Das met a wandering holy man, Janki Das, and became a follower of the bairagi Raam Daas. Having renounced his former life, the lad took a new name, Madho Das, and became a wandering renunciate like his master. Madho Das traveled about with a troupe of holy men until he met, and became the disciple of, the esthetic Aughar Nath. He settled for about five years near Nasik of Maharashtra until Aughar Nath died. During that time, Madho Das fervently practiced meditation, yoga and wrote scripture. By the time he reached the age of 21 he had acquired the supernatural powers of a mystic.

Mystic:

After the death of Aughar Nath in 1691, Madho Das relocated to the Godavari riverbank at Nanded and set up himself up as the head of a hermitage where he accepted and trained disciples. Madho Das continued his spiritual practice of yoga and meditation.

As his supernatural powers increased, his fame as wise man and miracle worker grew as did his pride in his accomplishments. Madho Das believed himself superior to all others in penance, power and piety. Thus he lived for 16 years until September 3, 1708, when the 38 year old Madho Das received a visit from Tenth Guru Gobind Singh.

Pride:

The Guru arrived at the hermitage during Madho's absence and sat down upon a divan which Madho Das had reserved for his own use. Upon his return, the prideful Madho Das attempted to use his powers to over turn the divan and unseat the Guru. By showing off his superior supernatural strength Madho Das intended to teach his visitor a lesson in humility and subjugation. The Guru sat calmly unperturbed. He lovingly addressed Madho Das asking, "Dear one, are you not he that I have come to see, do you not recognize me?"

Humility:

Madho Das recognized in the guru a deep well of humility sprung from the divine, which far surpassed, in depth, the well of his egoistic pride. He had an instantaneous and complete change of heart. Casting off his mantle of pride he fell humbly transformed at the feet of the guru, and replied, "I acknowledge you as my guru. Please accept me as your servant Banda and instruct me how I may be of service to you." From that time on, Guru Gobind Singh always referred to his new disciple as Banda meaning, "One who serves."

Khalsa Warrior:

Guru Gobind Singh talked at length with Banda about the grievous atrocities which had been inflicted on the Sikhs, Hindus and even Muslims by tyrannical Mughal rulers. The guru's martyred father, mother and sons had been mercilessly tortured and killed. All throughout the country, people of every faith had suffered, and continued to be harassed. The guru urged Banda to become a Khalsa warrior and prepared Amrit for his initiation into the order. Banda received the name Gur Bakhs Singh meaning, "endowed by the Guru." However, everyone ever after knew him as Banda Singh Bahadar, meaning the "Guru's courageous servant."

Endowments of Authority:

The Guru endowed Banda Singh with his own sword, his bow, five of his arrows, and presented Banda with a nishan battle standard and dhol, a two headed drum to rally troupes. In addition to these symbols of authority, the guru gave Banda Singh charge of five initiated Khalsa warriors to help muster troupes and accompany him into battle:

• Baj Singh,
• Binod Singh
• Daya Singh
• Kahan Singh
• Raam Singh

Soon after, an assassin wounded Guru Gobind Singh as he lay sleeping in his tent. The guru succumbed to his wounds October 7, 1708. He named Guru Granth Sahib as his successor and left Banda Singh Bahadar head of the Khalsa warriors.

Battles and Victories:

Banda Singh's army undertook major conquests:

• November 26, 1709 - Sack of Samana, Jalal ud-Din, and annihilation of executioners who had beheaded Guru Teg Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh's two youngest sons.
• 1710 - Capture of Ghuraham, Thaska, Shahabad and Mustafabad.
• 1710 - Demolition of Kapuri.
• May 12, 1710 - Battle of Chappar Chiri, and death of tyrant Wazir Khan.
• May 14, 1710 - Capture of Sirhind.
• Summer, 1710 - Capture of Saharan Pur.
• July 11, 1710 - Capture of Nanatauta, Batalia, Kalanaur and Bhiloval, and occupation of regions Majha and Riarki surrounding Lahore.
• October 3, 1710 - Capture of Rahon, Jalandar.

Rise of Khalsa Raj:

Banda Singh Bahadar gathered forces, mounted opposition, and won important victories wiping out rulers responsible for the martyrdom of Tenth Guru Gobind Singh's father (Ninth Guru Teg Bahadar), mother and sons. Banda Singh issued a new calendar and circulated coins honoring First Guru Nanak Dev and Tenth Guru Gobind Singh bearing the words Deg (sustenance) and Teg (sword). Banda Singh eliminated the serf system and established laws giving property rights to those working the land. He granted clemency to people of all faiths and guaranteed not only Sikhs, but Hindus and Muslims the right to gather and worship according to their individual beliefs.

Opposition:

Banda Singh Bahadar obliterated the cruel Mughal tyrants responsible for atrocious crimes committed against Sikhs, the gurus, their families, and the people of Punjab. Banda Singh's destruction of the corrupt Mughal society greatly angered those Mughal rulers who remained in power. A great force assembled and laid siege to the Khalsa strongholds.

Banda Singh and his army suffered a series of sieges, defeats, and capture:

• December 10, 1710 - Siege of Fort Loghar. After a long siege and desperate battle, Banda Singh escaped.
• June, 1711 - Baharam Pur, Jammu. Banda Singh retreated after a valiant fight.
• February 28, 1712 - Dheli. Death of Emperor Bahadar Shah created confusion over Mughal succession and allowed a reprieve for Banda Singh and his warriors.
• 1713 - Delhi. Farrukh Siyar succeeded to the Mughal throne and mounted a severe campaign against the Sikhs.
• December 7, 1715 - Gurdas, Nangal. An eight month siege ended with the capture of Banda Singh and thousands of starving Sikhs.
• February 27, 1716 - Delhi. Mughals imprisoned Banda Singh, two dozen of his generals and 740 warriors. The opposition beheaded thousands of fallen and captured Sikhs, filling seven hundred carts with their heads, impaling on stakes the severed heads of 2000 more Sikhs, and in just seven days beheading another 694 Sikhs.

Martrydom:

Banda Singh displayed great valor and courage while resisting conversion to Islam.

• June 9, 1716 - Qutb Minar, Dheli, India. Banda Singh refused forced conversion to Islam. His Muhgal captors brought his his four year old son before him and dismembered the child. They blinded Banda Singh, severed his hands and feet, tore chunks of flesh from his body with red hot iron tongs, and severed his limbs.

Despite retaliation, the weakened Mughal Dynasty never completely recovered and continued to decline in power.

Dates given as per the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism by Harbans Singh.

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