Page 251 - Lohgarh

Bibliography w 251

procession on 29 th February 1716 when Banda Singh and other Sikh
prisoners were paraded in the streets of Delhi. It is he who had recorded
the statement of Banda Singh about his reasons for the declaration of
war against the Mughal regime. He is the first to refer to the Sikhs’
coining of the slogan of fateh darshan.
Mirat-i-Wardat (written by Mohammed Sufi Warid, in 1734) has
also given some detail of Banda Singh’s march from Nanded to
Kharkhauda, battle of Chappar Chiri, killing of Wazir Khan and some
later events. This work is important because it gives details of the
implementation of an egalitarian system by Banda Singh after victory
of Sarhind.
Tarikh-i-Mohamamedshahi (written by Khushal Chand) has referred
to Banda Singh’s initiation into Sikh faith as well as the description of
the execution of the newly wedded Sikh boy who refuses to save his life
by declaring himself a Hindu and not a Sikh as his mother tries to present.
His account almost resembles the account given by Khafi Khan.
Muasar-Ul-Umraa (written by Shah Nawaz Khan Shamas-Ud-Daula,
completed in 1757-58) gives information about the officers of the
Mughal Darbar, from the time of Akbar (1556) up to 1757 (i.e. A period
of about two hundred years). Shah Niwaz had access to the record of
the Mughal Darbar; hence he has given precious details of the role of
these officials. These officers include Governors, Faujdars, Diwans and
other officers of Lahore and Sarhind too. From these details one gets a
lot of information about their dealings with the Sikhs. This book was
translated into English by Asiatic Society of Bengal, in 1888.
Three latest books about Banda Singh Bahadur have rich information
about the period between 1710 and 1716. These are: 1. Banda Singh
Bahadur: Farsi Sarot (in Punjabi), compiled by Balwant Singh Dhillon
(published in 2011 by Singh Brothers Amritsar) 2. Muhammed Qasim
Aurangabadi’s Ahwaal-Ul-Khawakeen, edited by Dr Balwant Singh
Dhillon (published in 2012, by Singh Brothers Amritsar) 3. Rajasthani
Documents on Banda Singh Bahadur, compiled by Balwant Singh Dhillon
(published in 2016 by Singh Brothers Amritsar).