Lehal Library

112 The Agrarian Uprising seven hundred and eighty, all severally mounted on camels which were sent out of the city for that purpose, besides about two thousand heads stuck upon poles, being those who died by the sword in battle. He was carried into the presence of the king, and from thence to a close prison. He at present has his life prolonged with most of his mu.tsadis in hope to get an account of his treasure in the several parts of his kingdom and of those that assisted him, when afterwards he will be executed, for the rest there are a hundred each day beheaded. IL is not a little remarkable with what patience they undergo their fate, and to the last it has not been found that one apostatised from this new formed religion. '2b For three months Banda was subjected to systematic tonure in the hope that he would give some clue to the wealth he was reputed to have accumulated. Eventually, on Sunday, 19 June 1716, he, his foW'•year-old son, and five of his commanders, along with another batch of Sikh prisoners, were again paraded through the streets of Delhi on their way to the tomb ofBahadur Shah in Mehrauli, eleven miles from the city. Before execution Banda was offered pardon if he renounced his faith and accepted Islam. On his refusal to do so, his son, ;\jai Singh, was hacked to bits before his eyes. A Mughal nobleman said to Banda; 'It is surprising that one, who shows so much acuteness in his features and so much of nobility in his conduct, should have been guilty of such horrors.' Banda replied: 25 Repon by John Surman and Edward Stephenson in J. T. Wheeler, Early R.tcords of British India, p. 180. Even the author of Siyar-ul-Mutakherin admitted reluctantly that 'these people not only behaved firmly during the execution, but they would dispute and wrangle with each other for priority in execution' (79). A particularly harrowing tale is told by .Khafi Khan in the Munta}mwul,. Lul>ab. One of the prisoners was a newly married young boy, the only son of a widow. The mother succeeded in obtaining a pardon from the Emperor. She brought the order of release just in time to save her son. The boy refused to be saved. 'My mother is a liar. I devote my heart and soul to my Gurus. Let me join my companions.' The boy went back to the exe01tioner and 'was enrolled among the truest of the martyrs produced by the Sikh religion.' (II, 761; reproduced in I.Aler Mughul.s.)