Page 72 - Lohgarh

72 w Lohgarh : The World’s Largest Fort

Quran that such a sin would never be committed again. Banda Singh
said, “Well, those who enter the mansion of Pir Budhu Shah will be
spared.” Hearing this, all those who were the real culprits ran towards
the mansion. Their number was between 100 and 150. When they had
gone into the mansion, Banda Singh asked them to lock it from inside.
Now, Banda Singh also put a lock outside the mansion and ordered that
the building be put to fire. Thus, all the conspirators were burnt to
death. This exemplary punishment proved a deterrent for others. After
this, no one could even dream of committing treason.
The Sikhs did not trouble any innocent resident of the town. They
did not desecrate any Muslim shrine. Even today the tomb of Kutub-ul-
Aqtab (Shah Abdul Wahab) and Ganj-i-Ilum still exist as they were in
December 1709. 19
After the victory, the Sikhs hoisted blue 20 flag on the Fort of
Sadhaura. The Sikhs established a Khalsa Panchayat for the administration
of the town. The events of Sadhaura were reported to Bahadur Shah,
the Mughal Emperor, when he was at Toda town; and he wrote letters
to the Governors of Sarhind and Lahore to take action against the Sikhs.
Banda Singh renamed Sadhaura as Ajaibgarh. 21

Banda Singh Declares Lohgarh as the Capital of the Sikh Kingdom
Having captured Samana, Ghurham, Sanaur, Thaska Miranji, Kunjpura,
Shahbad, Dahmala, Mustafabad, Kapuri and Sadhaura, In December
1709, Banda Singh declared Lohgarh as the capital of the Sikh kingdom.
As mentioned in the first chapter, Lakhi Rai Vanjara, under instructions
from the Gurus, had built the Fort Lohgarh. Sikhs had already built
defensive walls, raised bastions and set up entrenchments. They
constructed buildings for the stores of the wealths, weapons, food and
other things as well as a residence for the families of the soldiers. Banda
Singh transported all treasures and weapons to this Fort.
This Fort was surrounded by dozens of steep hills, gorges and forests;
hence it was not easy to capture this Fort easily. This area was also
22
known as Dabar. Dabar word was first used by Iradat Khan in Tarikh-i-
Iradat Khani.