Lehal Library

100 The Agrarian Uprising do was to ride on the crest of the wave of violence that he had let loose. He co,11rl not, nor did he try to, direct its course, knowing full well that he who rides a tiger cannot afford to dismount. Banda left the neighbourhood of Delhi and travelled northwards along the Grand Trunk Road. He entered Sonepat, looted the state treasury and the homes of the rich, and distributed whatever he got among his men. He sent a column to take Kaithal and led another to Samana. Kaithal fell without much resistance and was spared. But a grim fate awaited Samana, a wealthy town with many palatial buildings and mosques. It was also the home of the exeOJtioners of the ninth guru, Tegh Bahadur, and Gobind's two sons. The town was stormed on 26 November 1709. The frenzied folJowers of Banda overcame resistance by sheer weight of numbers. The defenders did not expect to receive any quarter from the attackers. They fought on for three days until all that remained was a heap of smouldering ruins and ten thousand corpses strewn about the streets.6 Samana was the first notable victory to Sikh anns. 7 The fate of Samana left no doubt in the mind of Wazir Khan, the subedar of Sirhind, of the real objectives of Banda. Armed peasants from all over the central districts of the Puajab were reported to be converging towards Sirhind. Wazir Khan sent urgent messages for help to Bahadur Shah and took the only chance he had of holding out by preventing the Majbail peasants north of the Sutlej from crossing the river and joining the men 6 Sohan Lal, Umdiit-ut-Tawiml!h., T, 78. 7 'It is unnecessary to state the partirulars of this memorable invasion which, from all accounts, appears Lo have been one of the severest scourges with which a country was ever afflicted. Every excess that the most wanton barbarity could commit, every cruelty that an unappeased appetite of revenge could suggest, was inflicted upon the miserable inhabitants of the provinces through which they passed. Life was only granted to those who conformed to the religion and adopted the habits and dress of the Sikhs.' (Sir J. Malcolm, Sutch of lM Sikhs.) The tales of atrocities are supported by Sikh historians, Gyan Singh in Samsir Khiilsa and Raum Singh Bhangu in Prii.cm Panth Prakiii.