Lehal Library

107 Banda Bahadur dreaded Banda turned to chagrin when it was discovered that 'the hawk had flown and they had trapped an owl instead.' Bahadur Shah spent his wrath on the handful of prisoners who were taken and on the innocent Raja of Nahan, into whose territories Banda had escaped. The Raja and the heroic G11lab Singh were put in iron cages and sent to Delhi. Other prisoners, including thirty retainers who had accompanied the Nahan Raja to plead for their ruler, were banded over to the executioner. Within fifteen days of his escape from Mukhlisgarh, Banda began to send hukamnamas exhorting the people to liberate the Punjab once more and tojoin him at Kiratpur in the Shivalik hills. He decided to secure the sub-mountainous hinterland before descending on the plains. His first victim was the tonnentor of his guru, Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur. The ageing Bhim Chand did not have the stamina to fight the tireless Banda. Bilaspur capitulated and was sacked. Mandi, NJlu, and Charnba submitted of their own accord. In the spring of 1711, Banda came down into the plains again. Early in June 1711 an engagement was fought at Bahrampur near Jammu, in which the Mughals were worsted. Banda took Bahrampur and Raipur and then sacked Batala. TI1e Emperor came in hot pursuit and Banda again retreated into the hills. Once again Bahadur Shah (who had begun to show symptoms of a deranged mind) wreaked his vengeance on innocent men and women: an order was issued for the wholesale massacre of Sikhs. 1R The Emperor reached Lahore in August 1711. For the next five months his courtiers fed him on stories of Mughal victories over Banda's rabble. But as the days rolled by with Banda still free, still defiant. the Emperor became a depressive melancholic. He died on 28 February 1712. The battle for succession between the Emperor's sons began immediately. It was too good an opponunity for Banda to miss. He descended on the plains, reoccupied Sadhaura, and once more sent out proclamations. 18 Khusbal Chand, Tiirikh-1,-Mohammtd Sha/ii, 224-A