Page 65 - Lohgarh

Banda Singh Bahadur’s Journey from Nanded to Lohgarh w 65

the Sikhs attacked the mansions of the ruling families as well as the
cruel officials. The umraa began firing, arrow-shooting and throwing
burning wood on the Sikh soldiers from the roof-tops of their houses.
When this continued for long, the Sikhs had no option but to set fire to
their mansions; hence a good number of Sayyads and Mughals were
burnt alive in their own houses, and, those who tried to come out and
fight their way were slain. The fighting continued till evening. Some
Mughals and Sayyads fought bravely, but before dusk almost all of them
were dead or had fled the city to save their lives. The number of dead
had been assessed between five and ten thousand. Besides, all the big
mansions had been reduced to ashes.
By the evening, the Sikhs were in possession of the town and the
main Fort. Now, no young member of the Mughal or Sayyad families
was found in the town; there were only old men, women and children
or some of the families of the workers whom the Sikhs did not disturb
because the Sikhs did not touch any female, child, old man and those
who surrendered. Besides, the Sikhs did not touch even a single Muslim
grave or mosque (a dozen of these are still in existence even after 300
years). 9
In Samana, the common people, in fact, had been angry with the
umraa of the town, because they had been treating them as their
bonded labour. So, the workers too, took their wrath upon the umraa
by killing some of those who had perpetrated atrocities on them. Besides
these Muslim common folk, the Hindus too took part in attacks on the
umraa. The acts of burning mansions and looting, etc. were carried
mostly by the aggrieved residents as a consolation; they were intent on
taking revenge from the umraa.
At Samana, the Sikhs had captured a very large number of weapons,
horses, gold, diamonds, silver and other valuables. Now, they were well
equipped with arms and were capable of attacking any stronghold. In
the battle of Samana, major role had been played by (Bhai) Fateh Singh,
so, Banda Singh appointed him as the Governor of Samana. After leaving
a unit of the Sikh soldiers there, Banda Singh decided to capture other
Forts around Sarhind.