Page 89 - Lohgarh

Banda Singh Bahadur’s Actions from the Lohgarh Fort w 89

the Sikh faith (but, after the martyrdom of Banda Singh, most of them
again returned to the Hindu fold). 28 Likewise, some Muslims too
embraced Sikhism in order to taste the fruit of power. Among these
was also Mir Nasir-ud-Din (named as Nasir Singh) and Dindar Khan, son
of Jalal Khan Ruhia, (named as Dindar Singh). After the fall of Banda
Singh’s rule, this Dindar Singh again joined Islam. In 1713, he joined
hands with the Sayyad brothers and played an effective role to install
Farukhsiyar as the Emperor at Delhi, an again in 1719, it was he who
dragged Farukhsiyar from his palace, blinded him and later killed him.

Sikh Expeditions in Deoband, Saharanpur and Jalalabad

The Sikh victories inspired some people beyond the Yamuna River too,
and they joined Sikh faith. When Jalal-ud-Din, the Muslim chief of this
area, came to know that some Muslim residents of Unarasa (Deoband
pargana) had embraced Sikhism, he arrested and tortured them in
prison. One, Bhai Kapur Singh had been preaching Sikh mission in this
area; when he got the news of the plight of these Sikhs, he sent a
message to Banda Singh.
After making preparations, Banda Singh attacked Deoband and
captured it. He wanted to attack Jalalabad too, but before marching to
the stronghold of Jalal-ud-Din, he thought of taking over Saharanpur.
In those days, Saharanpur too was a major state like Sarhind and Hissar-
Firoza; it consisted of 28 Parganas; Sayyad Ali Mohammed Khan Kanauji
was the Chief of Saharanpur. Banda Singh sent a message to him asking
him to surrender and pay tribute. But, the coward Kanauji, instead of
fighting or negotiating, chose to flee from the city along with his family
and wealth. He appointed his son Dindar Ali Khan as his successor and
he fled to Delhi.
When he was gone, some Muslim clergy tried to raise the bogey of
jehad (holy war). They were joined by some umraa (aristocracy) and
ministers. They closed the doors of the walled city and stationed security
men on the towers of the wall. When the Sikh soldiers reached there,
these guards welcomed them with a volley of arrows and gunshots.
But, this could not last long and did not frighten or dishearten the Sikhs.