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  1. Here is the hate filled bigotry from a mullah in pakistan. Hope this is an eye opener for those praising Pakistan. These bigots are free to make big speeches to crowds in Pakistan. Shame on them!! https://youtu.be/7dWlanixDWs
  2. Wjkk Wjkf! What is the historical source on which the Panja Sahib sakhi is based? Is there any historical sakhi or is it only a legend of oral tradition? I even read somewhere that it is the story of a Buddhist monk that people somehow confused. Should I believe the sakhi of Guru Nanak Sahib ji stopping the boulder thrown by Wali Qandhari with their hand? I could not find a source. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks! Wjkk Wjkf!
  3. https://news-communique.com/index.php/2019/11/10/gurudwaras-of-pakistan-systematic-destruction-by-islamist-radical-pakistan/
  4. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sikh-girl-abducted-and-forcefully-converted-to-islam-in-pakistan/article29307577.ece Her family say she was abducted and forced to convert, she apparently said it was her choice
  5. Shame on khalistani who support Pakistan and isi. Sikh population in Pakistan is being decimated and we refuse to speak up. Our daughters and sisters are being abducted and forcibly converted to islam. Shame on us. https://m.timesofindia.com/india/pak-suppress-voice-of-sikhs-after-kidnapping-and-forced-conversion-of-a-minor-girl-in-nankana-sahib/articleshow/70896124.cms
  6. Waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh sangat ji! I wanted to share the following video with you. For the uninitiated, this YouTube channel does some content relating to sikhi in Pakistan, tracing family lineages across India-Pak border (whole of Punjab), Punjabi culture, apart from other things. I think the sangat would appreciate it. Would love to hear what you have to say. Waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh!
  7. I had a thought recently that Imran Khan and Pakistan have basically run rings around the Indian govt by agreeing to the Kartarpur corridor and by doing so forced the Indian govt to do something worthwhile for Sikhs who we all know they are loathe to do. Due to this even though 5 Sikh soldiers died in the Pulwama attack Imran Khan and Pakistan is held in high regard to what they have done to facilitate the Kartarpur corridor. With the sabre rattled and then some dubious attacks by either side the situation could easily have changed and the Kartarpur corridor could have been sabotaged. All the Indian govt had to do was to have some sell outs like Amrinder Singh or that odious muppet R P Singh of the BJP say that they regard India above their religion and hence they do not want to have anything to do with Pakistan. Fortunately this did not happen maybe because Modi knows that Sikhs today more united behind the Kartarpur corridor than they have ever been behind any other issue. The war like situation showed how vunerable Punjab is to becoming a battlefield of the war mongers of India. All those talking heads like Arnab Goswami and Navika Kumar calling out for all out war knowing that they will not be affected and it will the Punjabis who will suffer. Whenever there is such a situation the Punjab farmers on the border have to evacuate further inland and they lose out economically. This happened during Kargil in 1999 and then again in 2002. No compensation is ever paid to them. Imran Khan currently has high kudos with our community. Other Pakistan leaders have also done much for the Sikhs, Zia Ul Haq opened up Nankana Sahib in 1979, which was an initiative of the Sikhs abroad like Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon. Imran Khan could totally change the political and military equation in the region if he agreed to give the area around Kartarpur Sahib on a lease of say 199 or 299 years for a payment of some sum possibly in the millions. This area could be say 10km x 10 km. In this area the Sikhs abroad could develop the site, build schools and colleges. The area could be demarcated so as to avoid the larger villages so that the Muslim population would stay in Pakistan. The area would stretch to the Indian border. Sikhs would be responsible for the security of the area and if Pakistan wanted they could have to area stretch lengthways along the Indian border so that in essence this area of the border would be effectively demilitarised. The reason why this would change the political and military scenario is that Sikhs would effectively have a tract that they would run. By running it in an effective manner and turning this area into an first world oasis surrounded by the third would this would electrify the Sikhs in Punjab into believing that if this tract can be turned into a first world oasis then why couldn't the Sikh turn Khalistan into such a region? The schools and colleges in this tract could offer places for Sikhs across the border. The Indians could not object especially of the corridor is opened all year round and the Kartarpur tract authorities do not ask for these Indian Sikhs to have a visa to visit. Sikhs abroad could invest in this tract and it could have an electric tramway to take the pilgrims to Kartarpur Sahib. The border especially in this area would be effectively demilitarised since both the Pakistani and Indian border guards would be divided by the 10 km tract. For Pakistan this presents an ideal opportunity to build on the kudos and support that Imran Khan and Pakistan has among the Sikhs. Nothing would irk the Indian govt more than to know that the 20 Millions Sikhs in the Punjab and bordering states support Pakistan. Pakistan would lose very little as economically the area around Kartarpur is sparsely populated. The land is not lost to Pakistan as it is on lease. The villages on the Kartarpur - Pakistan border would then also not need to be evacuated every time there is war like situation. The Kartarpur tract could become the nucleus of the Sikh pilgrimage trail. Sikhs from abroad visiting Kartarpur Sahib could then come via Lahore rather than Delhi and tie their visit to visiting Nankana Sahib and other Sikh shrines in Pakistan. The population of the tract could provide employment along with housing for Sikhs from areas of Pakistan where they are miniscule and poor economically. Also Pakistan has been at a loss diplomatically but having support from a worldwide Sikh community would help it greatly. Anyway this was just a thought that I had.
  8. I find her story really sad. To think that Sikhs are living in that country too. Europe is more than happy to flood itself with millions of muslim refugees and give special status to people like malala whats her name who was blown up by terrorists, but when it comes to non muslims being tortured in muslim countries the west is silent! it really amazes me!
  9. New Prime Minister of Pakistan. What does this mean for Pakistan? India? And will it have any direct/indirect impact for Sikhs?
  10. In 1984 i (Margaret Thatcher) helped my good friend Indira Gandhi kill Sikhs in Operation Bluestar. I used Sikh taxpayers money to help kill thouands of innocent Sikhs. But nobody can accuse the UK government of being racist since: Pakistan received the most official development assistance from the UK last year, with costs totalling £463m. The UK Government has given about £4 billion to the people of Pakistan just in the last 10years. Masha'Allah Besides it's a nice little reward to the Pakistani's for their Genocide of Sikhs and their terrorist activity in the UK. Meanwhile because the Siks dont demand compensation for the terrorist attacks I helped organise on them ... those Sikhs get nothing ... hahaha ... while the Pakistani's supply drugs to destroy the new Sikh generation lol
  11. Indian Punjabi woman converts to Islam after visit to Pakistan Not sure if this is true or not, however I have seen it on a lot of websites. If this is true, and I wouldn't be surprised, why? What is the reason that our people are so lenient in comparison to other South Asian religions in marrying out? This isn't only targeted against our women, our men are included as well. However, our women are usually the ones prayed on by Pakistani Muslims for marriage and conversion. I remember asking one of my fellow cousin's Sikh friend who was married to a Hindu man, how they were planning to raise the child, and she blatantly stated that" God is one, doesn't matter what religion he is," and then she continued to tell me how, "the whole family, including the child, go to the Mandir once a week." Are these cases due to a lack of education of fundamental principles, or is it the leniency of Sikh families?
  12. anyone watch these 2 documentaries that were made? if so whats your thoughts?
  13. The ringleader of the London Bridge terror attack was a former Underground and KFC worker known for his extremist views. The 27-year-old attacker, who can only be identified as 'Abdul' at the request of police, was a home-grown jihadi who came to the UK from a village near Lahore in Pakistan as a child and spent his life in Barking, East London. But in recent years he had become increasingly radical and was twice reported to anti-terror authorities, it has been claimed. He even appeared in TV documentary about British jihadis and was questioned by police after an Islamic State flag was unfurled in a park. The revelations will put further pressure on Britain's security services after Manchester bomber Salman Abedi also appeared to have slipped through the net before carrying out the atrocity. A neighbour recognised this picture of the killer in an Arsenal away shirt (Photo: AFP) Police raided a number of addresses in barking, East London, on Sunday (Photo: PA) Abdul was well-known in his local community, with one mother claiming she confronted him for trying to brainwash her children with extremist religious views in a park. A neighbour said he immediately noticed the Arsenal away shirt Abdul was wearing after being shot dead by police outside the Wheatsheaf pub on Saturday night. He said: "I looked on Twitter and saw one of the terrorists who had been shot by police and he looked 90 per cent like my neighbour - he was even wearing the same Arsenal shirt that I had seen him in at 5pm that evening." A number of arrests have been made in the Barking area today (Photo: PA) Searches are still ongoing (Photo: REUTERS) Officers unleashed a hail of bullets after the trio used a hired van to mow down pedestrians on one of the capital's busiest bridges. They then leapt from the vehicle and began knifing people at random in bars and restaurants. According to The Times, Abdul is the only one of the Pakistani attackers positively identified so far. He lived in a block of flats with his wife and two young children which was raided by police early on Sunday. Ken Chigbo, 26, who lives in the same building, described him as "really sociable" and said the killer had invited him to a barbecue just last week. "I know he was quite a devout Muslim, I heard him talking about the Koran," said Mr Chigbo. "He would preach to young Muslims at the flat. "Sometimes up to six people quite regularly.” Twelve people have been taken into custody (Photo: PA) CLICK TO PLAY WATCH NEXTSecurity guards dance with the crowd at One Love THREE SUSPECTS SHOT AND KILLED BY ARMED POLICE An online CV suggests the attacker worked for Transport for London and took a course in teaching English as a foreign language. He also worked at fast-food chain KFC but quit around two years ago, according to a friend. "He began stopping his neighbours in the street and asking them if they had been saying their prayers and when they had been to the mosque." One man who knew the killer told the BBC he had become so concerned by his extremist views he rang the anti-terrorist hotline. He claimed the attacker was not arrested and was allowed to keep his passport. Locals in Barking said they had raised concerns about the killer (Photo: REUTERS) Erica Gasparri, 42, said she had also raised concerns. She said Pakistani terrorist Abdul would sit in a park opposite Northbury Primary School in Barking with two other men and talk to local children. The mum-of-three said he would offer the kids sweets in order to groom them and claimed to be "teaching them about religion".
  14. Having read this gem I wonder what would happen to the sikhs cleaved into two seperate communities by the total sealing of the border , No more visits to Nankana Sahib, Hasan Abdal etc , greater threat to sikhs in Pakistan especially since they have been excluded from the pakistan census . Is there anything we can do ? http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/28/asia/india-pakistan-bangladesh-borders/
  15. For more than 50 years, the Central Govt has made Panjab give away more than 50 percent of its river water, for free, to the non riparian states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. And it has costed Panjab more than 20 lakh crore rupees (£200 billion pounds). Today only 20 per cent of Panjab's water needs are being met by its own river water. In this film, Pritam Singh Kumedan, an expert and advisor to the Panjab Govt on riparian water issues, reveals, in an interview with UNITED SIKHS, how Panjab can stop giving away this water for free. Will the politicians, who Panjab is voting for on 4th Feb 2017, ensure that Panjab does not give away its water to non-riparian states anymore?
  16. Seeing the failure of simranjeet mann to get elected or get any decent voter turn out in various elections. It is high time he stepped aside and let a populist Sikh pro-khalistan leader come on to the scene and take charge. We are in a world where politics are being shifted on their head and nationalist movements and leaders are coming to power like in the west. We have seen Sikhs of punjab are very pro-khalistan even after many genocides and schemes by the state to silence them by fear, they still come out in huge numbers such as rajoana protest and sarbat khalsa 2015. So it is up to the Sikh leaders to put aside their ego's and come on one platform and fight for the panth. We know badals are dogs who are only interested in hindustan and punjabiyat, they dont see votes in Sikh causes any more. But as brexit has proved the votes are still there its just there needs to be enough motivation, awareness and anger from the people to rise up against the status quo and change the system by electing a pro-khalistan party, who will have a democratic and political mandate to create a Khalistan.
  17. Eight men have been jailed for up to 19 years for sexually exploiting teenage girls in Rotherham. The eight men were sentenced after the court heard they “sexualised” their victims and, in some instances, subjected them to acts of a “degrading and violent nature”. They were convicted on 17 October after the jury found them guilty of all 19 charges including rape and false imprisonment. One victim, now 27, told police and their MP and then home secretary David Blunkett about the abuse, before her family eventually moved to Spain to get away from the men. (Just shows you how how much the government cared/cares about these things....dally) The court heard this victim had gone to the police in 2003, saying she had been repeatedly raped by Sageer Hussain when she was 13. Judge Sarah Wright, who jailed Mr Hussain for 19 years, said he had conducted a “campaign of violent rape” against the vulnerable 13-year-old. The men jailed on Friday were Sageer Hussain, 30; Mohammed Whied, 32; Ishtiaq Khaliq, 33; Waleed Ali, 34; Asif Ali, 30; Masoued Malik, 32; Basharat Hussain, 40; and Naeem Rafiq, 33. The National Crime Agency has since said it is separately investigating more than 11,100 lines of inquiry relating to non-familial child sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2003. Professor Alexis Jay's 2014 inquiry, commissioned by Rotherham Borough Council, found at least 1,400 children were subjected to sexual exploitation in the town between 1997 and 2013. If that's the scale of things in just one town...God knows what's happening nationally. God know how many gullible Sikh girls have been involved too. Dally
  18. I'm sure most of you know the story of Bhai Lalo and living by honest means. I am trying to figure out which historical country it all occurred in, because I want to study the economy there (since Guru Nanak ji identified that Malik Bhago exploited Bhai Lalo's labour). This event occurred in Guruji's first udhasi, so it occurred between 1500-1506 in Saidpur (modern-day Eminabad, Pakistan). It couldn't have been part of the Mughal Empire since that didn't exist until ~20 years later. Can any of you figure out which historical country this took place in, because I'm lost?
  19. A Gurdwara In Pakistan Opens Its Doors For The First Time In Nearly 70 Years. The historical Gurudwara Sahib named after Bhai Biba Singh has been re-opened after over 70 years of closure, in which it was damaged by various earthquakes and abrasion. With ties dating back to Guru Gobind Singh Jis time, a Gurudwara was made by Maharaja Ranjit Singh when he discovered the location in Peshawar, Jogiwara. Sikhs are elated to have received the rights to the Gurudwara once again, after they began to work on restoration a few years ago. The Gurudwara was claimed and closed by the Pakistani Muslims, just before partition due to a dispute in which community held rights over the land, and at least one person each from the Sikh and Muslim community lost their lives in the feud. http://www.sikh247.com/uncategorized/video-beautiful-300yr-old-gurudwara-saved-re-opened-by-sikhs/
  20. PATHANKOT: Gunshots were heard near the Indian Air Force base in Punjab's Pathankot on Saturday morning in a suspected terror attack, authorities said. At least four terrorists launched an attack on the key military installation breaching the security of the base, sources said. Two of the terrorists have been killed. The gunfire started at around 3:30 am, authorities said, adding that an official car was used to launch the attack. The incident is being seen as connected to the hijacking of a police car a day ago. Gunfire is being heard from inside the air base and reports suggest the terrorists have been contained in a non-operational area of the facility. The National Security Guard has been called in, authorities said. http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/reports-of-firing-near-air-base-in-punjab-s-pathankot-1261432?pfrom=home-lateststories Terrorist had stolen Gurudaspur SP car yesterday.
  21. Pak body warns against 'Indian' intervention in Sikh affairs Amritsar: Reacting sharply to the "Indian" intervention in its internal religious affairs, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) condemned Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for making circumstances "difficult" for Pakistani Sikhs and suggested that it stay away from their matters. PSGPC's controversial general secretary Gopal Singh Chawla, who was in news in the recent past for his close relations with Jamaat-ud-Daawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of Mumbai's 26/11 terror attack, in a message posted on social media on Tuesday warned Makkar against meddling into the Sikhs affairs in Pakistan. Chawla was reacting to Makkar's reported statement of forming a panel to look into the allegations against former PSGPC president Mastan Singh, who was recently arrested under blasphemy charges. Mastan was arrested on December 18 by Nanakana Sahib police under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 23A and 295 A. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has already come out in support of Mastan. "We are taking suggestions from legal experts and would even go up to the extent of moving international court to free Mastan Singh," DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK told TOI. He said Mastan had stopped Khalistan supporters from delivering venomous speeches against India from the religious stage during the recently concluded birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Chawla had claimed that Khalistani voices were raised at much higher pitch than in earlier years. "Mastan Singh is one of us. We will get him out of jail, but will not allow SGPC to interfere in the affairs of Sikhs of Pakistan," he said in his video post. A day after Mastan's arrest, a large number of his supporters, including members of newly-constituted body Singh Style, held a meeting and later gheraoed the Nankana Sahib police station. They had also protested against the officials of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), including its chairman Siddique-ul-Farooq blaming him for grabbing gurdwara properties. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Pak-body-warns-against-Indian-intervention-in-Sikh-affairs/articleshow/50295045.cms
  22. Who are you supporting? Who should we support as sikhs?
  23. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Hindu-girl-tells-Supreme-Court-she-would-rather-die-than-convert-to-Islam-24358.html Hindu girl tells Supreme Court she would rather die than convert to Islam by Jibran Khan Seized by an influential Muslim, with the "political cover" of an elected official, 19 year old Rinkel Kumari launches a desperate appeal to the courts. “Justice is denied Hindus in Pakistan” and therefore asks to" kill me here "in the courtroom. The family, after reporting to police, forced to leave the village in Sindh. Each year there are 300 forced marriages and conversions Islamabad (AsiaNews) - "In Pakistan there is justice only for Muslims, justice is denied Hindus. Kill me here, now, in court. But do not send me back to the Darul-Aman [Koranic school] ... kill me". This is the desperate, heartbreaking outburst of Rinkel Kumari, a Hindu girl aged 19, who has entrusted her heartfelt appeal to the judges of the Supreme Court in Islamabad. Her story is similar to that of many other young women and girls belonging to religious minorities - Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis - kidnapped by extremist groups or individuals, most of the time lords or local mafia, which convert them by force and then marry them . And that is what the girl said on 26 March, before the judges of the capital's court. The drama of Rinkel Kumari, a student of Mirpur Mathelo, a small village in the province of Sindh, began the evening of February 24: A handful of men seized her and delivered her a few hours later into the hands of a wealthy Muslim scholar, the man then called her parents, warning them that their daughter "wants to convert to Islam." Nand Lal, the girl's father, a teacher of an elementary school, accused Naveed Shah, an influential Muslim, of kidnapping his daughter. The man has the "political cover" provided by Mian Mittho, an elected National Assembly Member, suspected of aiding and abetting. After identifying the perpetrators of the kidnapping of his daughter, he was forced to leave the area of origin to escape the threats of people affiliated with the local mafia. The father found refuge and welcome in Gurdwara in Lahore, in Punjab province, with the rest of his family. As often happens in these cases, even the judiciary is complicit: a local judge ordered that the girl should be given to the Muslims, because her conversion is "the result of a spontaneous decision" and also stated the marriage was above board. A claim that was repeated on February 27, at the hearing before the court, after which the girl was "renamed" Faryal Shah. However, the story of Rinkel is not an isolated case: every month between 25 and 30 young people suffer similar abuses, for a yearly total of about 300 conversions and forced marriages. Hindu girls - but also Christian - who are torn from their family and delivered into the hands of their husbands / torturers. On March 26, she appeared before the judges of the Supreme Court in Islamabad, while the Hindu community waited with bated breath for the girl's statements in court. To avoid pressure, the presiding judge ordered the courtroom cleared and - later - the dramatic testimony was relayed: in Pakistan, "there is no" justice, "kill me here but do not send me back" to the kidnappers. Speaking to AsiaNews Fr. Anwar Patras, the Diocese of Rawalpindi, condemned "with force" the kidnapping and forced conversion. "The Hindus in Sindh - adds the priest - live a hard life. The reality is getting harder for them, they are forced to migrate because the state is unable to protect them and their property.
  24. Recently a member brought to my attention a thread on this forum which aims to denote the factual integrity of Saraghari as a myth. The essential crux, of this denotation, is that the British and Sikhs always re-wrote their losses in order to exhibit a sense of victory and self-proclaimed glory. In short, the initiator of the myths and facts analysis believes that the battle has been considerably hyped at the expense of his poor, yet silent suffering race. I could not resist going back to the history books again, and have written a rebuttal (if you may) to our doubting friend. I have used several significant military sources, all with proven credibility, and other verified texts in constructing the below article. If, however, some members feel I might have overstepped the mark then please inform me. 'Strength down to half but good news! Each one of us has now two rifles.' -Dispatch from the battle at Saraghari, 1897 A.D. (1) Leonidas and his 300 Spartans established a new and unique military doctrine at Thermopylae. Named after the locus of their last stand, the Thermopylean conflict is a sporadic occurrence in military pragmatism. Fundamentally it pits a much superior offence against an inferior defense (although anomalies exist). Leonidas and his 300 men themselves faced a much superior force of 100-150,000 Persians during their last stand. (2) Their main aim was to detract or delay the foe until a much poignant rival force could be collated from mainland Greece. In this they succeeded, although by forfeiting their own lives. A step-by-step surgical analysis of their strategy inaugurates the following: -The defense will often be an archetypal last stand. Its constituents will be foolhardy in the defense of their aims, but not to the extent of heedlessness. -The offence will be forced to blunt it's initial thrust, or establish a new stratagem, as the defense will occupy a much better strategically placed locus. At Thermopylae Leonidas placed his men in a narrow passage. The Persians were forced to re-vamp their initial tactic and faced a Spartan picket bristling to the teeth. -The offence will be forced to utilize a tidal technique, although this is not necessary. A well ensconced, and established defense, cannot be attacked with a straight-forward march and confront technique. Often attrition will have to be adopted as a principle Modus operandi, and the defense will be assaulted by different companies in a repetitive fashion. -The foremost aim of the defense is to either buy time for reinforcements or a collation of forces on an unprecedented scale. If it succeeds in this, despite forfeiting itself, it has succeeded in it's designs and desires. -Technological, geographical, intelligence and disciplinary ingenuity all play a pivotal role in a Thermopylean conflict. If possessed by the defense, then a plausible modicum of success is ensured although to what extent is determined by it's own subsequent conduct in the engagement itself. These doctrines were well established in the mind of Lt. Col John Haughton, of the 36th Sikhs, as he marched towards fort Lockhart in the Samana ranges of the Hindu Khush. An avid veteran of Afghani warfare his mission was clear. To neutralize any plausible ally of Czarist Russia, in the North-West Frontier, via utilizing several companies of his battalion efficiently and fluidly. His forward base was to be at Fort Lockhart, neighbored by it's sibling Fort Gulistan in the present day North-Western Frontier. Initial intelligence briefings indicated that local Islamic leaders had been whipping up a pandemonium in the regional Afghani Afridi and Orakzai tribesmen. Haughton ordered his officers to be on their guard whilst simultaneously dispatching a small task-force towards Saraghari. The latter was a military outpost, constructed for helicographic contact between Lockhart and Gulistan. Despite their immediate vicinity, both forts were separated by rugged and mountainous terrain and were not immune to elemental disruption. The helicograph became a pivotal tool for keeping both in contact, a fact which did not escape Afghani watchers. On September 3rd, 1897 A.D., 5,000 Orakazai horsemen attacked Gulistan. The 130 Sikhs, occupying the fort, under Maj. C.H. Desvoeux and Lt. A.K. Blair offered exceptional resistance forcing the Orakazais to retreat. (3) Five days later a more substantial force of tribesmen returned. Two days later they were forced to retreat via Haughton himself, who arrived with 150 Sikhs from Lockhart. (4) Realizing that Saraghari might be a potential target, Haughton reinforced the communications outpost until at full strength it possessed one NCO and 20 OR's (other ranks). The ingenuity of the tribesmen was to however obfuscate him soon, and thrust him into dire straits. On 12th September, the 19 year oldhelicograph operator, Gurmukh Singh, reported a mass movement towards the outpost, to his superior Havildar Ishar Singh. Both men ascended to a higher platform and attempted to analyze the situation. The Havildar finally gauged that it was potent sign of war. Waves upon waves of Afridi and Orakzai tribesmen were marching towards Saraghari. Calmly ordering Gurmukh Singh to inform Haughton and request reinforcements, Ishar Singh prepared to be besieged. Haughton's reply has not been properly established. Two conflicting versions have been put into play. The initial states that he sent a reliving force towards Ishar Singh but it encountered marauding tribesmen, whereas another states that his resources were stretched. The former seems more likely. Under the aegis of Gul Badshah, the tribesmen were striving to conquer Gulistan. (5) The latter would have been a mass improbability if Saraghari had been reinforced by Lockhart. Thus it seems Haughton's substantiated refusal was justified not by a lack of manpower, but by a stringent blockading of his passage towards Ishar Singh. Ultimately, whatever the vindication Ishar Singh found himself solely confronting a murderous horde of blood thirsty tribesmen. Whilst Havildar Singh called a Chinese Parliament* and attempted to form a course of action, Gurmukh Singh repeatedly cast up to date minutes to Haughton. At 9.00 am he signaled the arrival of Afridis and Orakzais. Subsequently battle was joined. The 20 men under Ishar Singh refused to surrender to the foe. The ancestors of the latter had indulged in religious bigotry, and rapine on their sacrosanct land of Punjab. Their own ancestors had refused to give or take any quarter from them, and they too wanted to emulate this valorous tradition. By the time the first shot had been fired, all 21 men inside the post had determined to die defending their mission. The location of Saraghari prevented Gul Badshah from employing the tried and tested tactic of foolhardy charges. He was forced to adopt attrition as a means of achieving his goal. Organizing his men in batches of 150-180 companies (6) he dispatched them towards the communications post. The Havildar meanwhile had been witnessing these proceedings and gauged the inferiority of the tribal artillery. Armed with the newest Martini-Henry rifle, effective up to 600 yards, the 21 besieged waited until the tribal waves were in range and then fired. (7) Their murderous volley repeatedly dwindled the attackers until finally, before midday, Gul Badshah himself came to the fore. An astute negotiator, Badshah brought his entire skill set to the fore. He argued with Ishar Singh that resistance was futile and the deaths of his 20 men would achieve nothing. If all 21 emerged from the fort then he would let them leave unharmed, whilst Haughton would vindicate them due to the numerical foe they faced. Both Singh, and he, were leaders of men and thus knew the intricacies of the battlefield and leadership. The aphorism live to fight another day would serve them both well. Singh, with an emphasized candor, rebutted his offer word for word and a resigned Badshah summarily left. The battle then recommenced. Haughton meanwhile was attempting to gauge the numerical superiority of Badshah. Along with his men, veterans of earlier Afghan campaigns, he identified 14 religious ensigns. Bringing his past experience to the fore, he summarily concluded that Ishar Singh faced 10-12,000 tribal's out of which only less than 200 were able to engage the Sikhs at any given time. (8) The unequal locus of Saraghari was too narrow for an en-massed assault, and too open for a lightening skirmish. Ishar Singh, so far, had utilized the battlefield well but would he be able to hold out until a much superior relief arrived? The fate of Gulistan, and neighboring British protectorates, was no longer in his (Haughton's) hands. Only time would tell if a single NCO, and his 21 men, proved successful or not. Gurmukh Singh continually kept on relaying up-to-date briefings to Lockhart. By now more than 3-4 hours had elapsed since first contact and the 21 Sikhs had eaten no food or drunk water. They had fought off two assaults and suffered two casualties. Still, they continued to operate like clockwork fixedly targeting the offenders and either forcing them to retreat or killing them. Their own numbers were also beginning to dwindle. Bhagwan Singh was the first to be killed thus reducing the strength of the defenders to 20. Ammunition was also beginning to run out. Gurmukh Singh signaled to Haughton, asking for more ammunition, the Lt. Col attempted to disperse the masses swirling on the Lockhart-Saraghari rout with no success. He signaled back his inability. (9) By now Badshah himself was in desperate straits. Saraghari's location made his favored stratagem of a massed charge obsolete. The defenders were not willing to surrender, and his remaining numbers were becoming swiftly disgruntled as more time elapsed since the initial engagement. Despite breaching two pickets, the communication post still stood defiantly. Discipline was lacking among his men, who preferred the commands of different leaders simultaneously, and moral was low. Then, he spied a chance at victory. Sending his non-fighters to the scrub bordering the outpost, he had them set it on fire thus blinding the defenders (who, by now, it is believed had only less then eight men). He then sent two men to make a breach on the defender's wild side. Haughton, and his men, watched with increasing trepidation as the blinded defenders attempted to put out what they perceived as being an internal fire. This allowed several tribesmen to make a breach and enter the outpost. (10) With misery the Lt. Col watched as Ishar Singh took a last minute decision to continue fighting. Via Gurmukh Singh's relays, Haughton learnt of the Havildar's final decision. Ishar Singh ordered his men to fall back to the outpost's inner layer, whilst taking a bayonet and jumping into the mass of the bloodthirsty foe himself. In fierce hand-to-hand fighting he was wounded several times before finally being killed. His action, and sacrifice, allowed Gurmukh Singh enough time to relay to Haughton that the stampede which the defender's now faced itself was constrained by the outpost's size. Ultimately the inner layer itself was breached. The remaining Sikhs fought back with intense gusto until their last breath in an emulation of their Havildar. The 19 year old Gurmukh Singh, then himself jumped into the fray. According to Haughton, he signaled a request to enjoin the fray. The Lt. Col granted him his last desire with a heavy heart. (11) Saraghari had finally fallen. It is not known what subsequent course Badshah took next. His men, it seems, were mutinous and wanted to rest. His initial incentive had been to seize Gulistan but he had failed in this respect. Paramount discipline, and an efficient chain of command, was also lacking among his men. They preferred the commands of several different tribal chieftains at a time. Thus he was forced to give in and wait. By the next day however he found himself besieged. A potent relief force had been collated and attacked the resting tribesmen on the night of the 13th. Clockwork discipline again played a part, and Badshah was routed. Thus ended the Afghani attempt at conquering Gulistan. Havildar Ishar Singh, and his men, had succeeded in their mission. An Analysis. Despite more than a century elapsing since the battle of Saraghari, it is still being passionately debated in academic and military circles. The below points are often raised whenever the battle is studied: 1.) Did the Afghans gain a Phyrric victory? 2.) What was their ultimate goal? 3.) Is it possible for 21 men to face an onslaught by 10,000 men? 4.) What allowed Ishar Singh to hold out for the better part of a day? 5.) How accurate is Haughton's initial assessment of 10-12,000 attackers? 6.) How many casualties were incurred by the tribesmen on the 12th and the 14th? A.1.) Did the Afghans gain a Phyrric victory? A Phyrric victory is a victory gained at such a cost that any subsequent actions/courses are rendered obsolete by the reduction in the victor's forces. The Afghani incentive was to conquer Gulistan. They did not succeed thus a Phyrric victory is out of the question as they cannot be deemed as being the victors at Saraghari. A.2.) What was their ultimate goal? Gulistan, but what they intended to do subsequently is a mystery. Most historians promulgate that after Gulistan, Lockhart would have been the second target. Again, this might or might not be related to the factual truth. The swiftness with which Gul Badshah lead his men indicates that either he wanted to pursue a Fabian strategy, i.e. collate resources and men until they outnumbered Lockhart and thus force Haughton into submission; or launch a massed strike against it as well. A.3.) Is it possible for 21 men to face an onslaught by 10,000 men? Military history does not propose 'what happened' but 'what could, should or would have happened.' If we surgically analyze Saraghari we will see several different elements supporting the Sikhs. 1.) They were well entrenched and experienced soldiers. 2.) They could easily counter any decisive assault due to their location which would have been narrow for 200 men or more. 3.) They occupied higher terrain, thus they were well placed to witness any raid forming and counter it. 4.) They possessed a superior range in firearms. Their Henry Martini rifle reached up to 600 yards, thus giving them a longer reach. 5.) One has to remember that Haughton estimated there to be 10-12,000 attackers based on the banners and tactics of the tribesmen. How many actually attacked the outpost at a single time (the tidal wave theory) has not been established. Contemporaneous Afghani sources state 150-180, although these would probably have dwindled as the attackers reached the terrain on which Saraghari was situated. One also has to remember that the classic Charge-Trench ideologue did not exist at Saraghari. This was not Beersheba where horsemen charged trenches. Saraghari was a well fortified structure thus blunting the Afghani offensive. A.4.) What allowed Ishar Singh to hold out for the better part of a day? An able NCO, Singh was already a prior veteran of Afghanistan. Subsequently he was also well versed in military strategy and adaptive, essential traits which assist all military leaders. He utilized the high vantage of Saraghari, the instruments at his disposal and the training of his men. High Vantage- This would have considerably reduced the number of foes approaching, slowed their ascent and also given him time for a counter-offensive. Instruments at his disposal- The Martini-Henry rifle possessed an accurate range of 600 yards (548.64 m). Ishar Singh is said to have ordered 'fire'when the tribesmen passed the 300 yard (274.32 m) mark. Although the tribesmen possessed their own arsenal, this was not as advanced as the Sikh rifles. Combined with the clockwork precision of his men, the superior Martini would have played a cardinal role in Singh's strategy which was to delay the foe. Training of men- Via Gurmukh Singh's briefings, it has been theorized that Ishar Singh utilized a clockwork plan of action. This called for equal teams of soldiers firing upon the charging foe. Given his own prominence in the affair he would have divided his 20 men team (Gurmukh Singh was signalling) into either 4 lots of five or 5 lots of 4. The former would have seen three teams firing from their own respective positions in the outpost. One team would then have been replaced by another fresher team, while it reloaded and reinforced another. The fourth relieving team would have also reinforced another simultaneously, thus ensuring a rapidity in the assaulting fire. Via the 5 lots of 4 a similar pattern would have emerged although it's effectiveness is debatable. A.5.) How accurate is Haughton's initial assessment of 10-12,000 attackers? Valor aside, the British military was not as obdurate as is cast. It rapidly adapted to the foe's tactics and learnt lessons from near defeats and victories on the battlefield. The First and Second Anglo-Afghan Wars (ranging from 1839-1880 A.D.) had taught it several new principles of Afghani warfare. Haughton himself, a Lt. Col, would have engaged in the Second Anglo-Afghan war and thus observed the proceedings. Afghani tribes, and even military leaders, preferred an en-mass cavalry charge against strategic locations. The psychological effect of seeing a mass body of horsemen, bearing down upon them, would have petrified many opposing forces into surrender. Afghani cavalry tactics often called for 150 men or more (12) to line up in equal lines and charge the foe. Not only did this provide momentum but also immediate relief if required. Whilst confronting such a horde the British would often dismount and then engage. The massed attacks on the 3rd of September, and afterwards, corroborate Haughton's estimates. On the aforementioned date it was estimated that at least 5,000 tribesmen, or upwards, attacked Lockhart. Whilst engaging forts, Badshah would have been well aware of the need of continuous momentum, and rejuvenated men. Cast as crude, his strategy, if looked at from a new light makes profound sense. He would have utilized the tidal theory. 10,000 men divided into 150 companies would have given him 66-67 attacking formations. Their large number would have allowed for continuous momentum, replacement of men and also simultaneous action if they would have been confronted by a joint task force from both Gulistan and Lockhart. He would have reinforced his initial 5,000 with double that number to be on the safe side. A.6.) How many casualties were incurred by the tribesmen on the 12th and the 14th? Upon capturing the field, the relieving force accounted 450 bodies. The latter were the tribesmen who had been killed on the 12th,13th and 14th. Gul Badshah would initially state that Ishar Singh and his men killed 150 of his tribesmen although he would soon change the number to 180. (13) British estimates varied. Given that the attacker often forfeits more men then the defender (14), it can safely be said that at least 30-40% of the casualties would plausibly have been inflicted by Singh and his men. The British estimated there to be at least twice as many wounded tribesmen. The latter never ventured to release the official number of their dead and wounded given their ironic defeat. Upon learning of their gallantry, the British government gloriously applauded the actions of the 21 deceased at Saraghari. Entranced by their valor Queen Victoria awarded each of the Sikhs the Indian order of Merit (the sub-continent's then highest military honor) and allotted a pension and land grant for their next of kin. Presently the battle has been reduced to military textbooks, but it's legend still abounds. These 21 men engraved an unique niche in historicity along with Leonidas and the countless others who engaged in a Thermopylean battle. In death they serve as an inspiration beacon, forever proclaiming 'duty onto death!' The deceased: Havildar Ishar Singh (regimental number 165). Naik Lal Singh (332). Lance Naik Chanda Singh (546). Sepoy Sundar Singh (1321). Sepoy Ram Singh (287). Sepoy Uttar Singh (492). Sepoy Sahib Singh (182). Sepoy Hira Singh (359). Sepoy Daya Singh (687). Sepoy Jivan Singh (760). Sepoy Bhola Singh (791). Sepoy Narayan Singh (834). Sepoy Gurmukh Singh (814). Sepoy Jivan Singh (871). Sepoy Gurmukh Singh (1733). Sepoy Ram Singh (163). Sepoy Bhagwan Singh (1257). Sepoy Bhagwan Singh (1265). Sepoy Buta Singh (1556). Sepoy Jivan Singh (1651). Sepoy Nand Singh (1221). Sources and footnotes: *Chinese Parliament- A military congregation where rank is not customary or obligatory. Any decision manifested is entirely democratic. 1.) Accessed from http://magellanclubforkids.com/2012/09/20/against-all-odds/ 2.) Cassin S.J; (1977) The Greek and Persian Wars 500-323 B.C. Osprey publishers, pg. 11. It is customary to acknowledge that whereas modern scholars give this figure, contemporaneous scholars estimated at least a million Persian soldiers to be present. 3.) Sidhu S.D, Virdi A; The Battle of Saraghari, The Last Stand of the 36th Sikh Regiment. Gyan Khand Media, India, pg. 3. 4.) ibid, pg. 3. 5.) ibid, pg. 4. 6.) Badsey S; (2008) Doctrine and Reform in the British Cavalry, 1880-1918, Barnes and Nobles, UK, pg. 150. Additionally see 3,000 years of Warfare for a profound exegesis of Attrition. 7.) Accessed from http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/History/First150/238-Defending-Saragarhi.html 8.) Accessed from http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/military-history/12117-battle-saragarhi-21-sikhs-versus-10-000-pathans.html 9.) Accessed from http://khalsa-raaj.blogspot.co.nz/2011/09/battle-of-saraghari.html 10.) Accessed from http://swordarm.in/?page_id=21 11.) Accessed from http://magellanclubforkids.com/2012/09/20/against-all-odds/ 12.) Badsey S; (2008) Doctrine and Reform in the British Cavalry, 1880-1918, Barnes and Nobles, UK, pg. 150. 13.) Maj. Gen. Jaswant Singh Letter to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II Institute of Sikh Studies (1999). 14.) Singh; A (2010) The Last Sunset, Roli Publishing a division of Lotus Books. See sub-section titled First-Anglo Sikh War. http://tisarpanth.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/21.html?view=magazine The question and answer component was done with the aid of a military historian. If you possess any questions on it then please post them below, and I will forward them to him. Thank you.
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