Lehal Library

Banda Bahadur 103 Mukhlisgarh, in the safety of the Himalayas, his headquarters. Thus, Banda the bairagi-hermit, who as a military commander had become Banda bahadur-the brave, assumed bis third incarnation as Banda padsah, the Emperor. He introduced a new calendar dating from his caprure of Sirhind. He had new coins struck to mark his reign, bearing the names of Guru Nanak and Gobind. His seal had inscribed on it not only the names of the gurus but also the two things which had contributed most to the popularity and power of the Sikhs and their churchthe deg!], or cauldron in the Guru·s langar and the tegh, the sword of the Khal~a. 1~ At Mukhlisgarh, Banda leamed that Bahadur Shah, after subduing his brother in the Deccan, was contemplating the subjugation of Rajaslhan and not likely to return to Delhi before the monsoons. Banda decided to utilize the opportunity to destroy the remaining vestiges of Mughal rule in northern India In the height of summer, when the river bed was almost dry, Banda crossed the Jumna and invested Saharanpur. His arrival was a signal for Gujjar herdsmen to rise against the nawabs and zamindars, who had oppressed them for many decades. They declared themsel\'es Nanakprasth (followers ofNanak) andjoined 12 The PerSJan mscripuon on Banda's com<, was as follows: OBVERSE Siklw uuJ hnr do iUam ~-1-,.Viinnlt sii}nb rut Jauh GouiiuJ Singh iiih-i-illhiin frul-i-sacii siUub nfl, Coin~ struck for the two worlds with che sword of "lanak and the victory granted b) the grace of Gobind Singh, King of Kings and the tme Emptror. Rl."\'t.RSJ:. Zarb ba amlin-ud-dahar masavara/ ialwr zit10l-ul-talth1-i-muba1·nlt ba4hl. Struck in the ha\'en of refi.tge, the beautiful cit}', the ornament of the blessed throne. The inscription on Banda's seal became a model for future inscriptions on Sikh coins and seals: dti!l o ltill o Jruth o nusra1+bttl1ang yafl a.t Nanak guni Golmid Singh. Through hospir.ahty and the sword to unending victory l.ranted by Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh.