Lehal Library

140 The Agrarian Uprising thousand peasants armed with hatchets, swords, and spears, in his train. They had no illusions about the fate that awaited them and dressed themselves in gaudy clothes like bridegrooms going to their nuptials. Jahan Khan ordered a general mobilization of all able-bodied men in Lahore20 and proceeded towards Amritsar. The peasants intercepted his advance at the village of Goharwal but were unable to withstand trained Afghan soldiers and fresh reinforcements whichjahan Khan received in the nick of time. Deep Singh was severely wounded in the neck and was barely able to get to the Harimandir to keep his tryst with death.21 'The victorious army pursued them closely as far as their shrine,' writes "1iskin. who witnessed the battle. •At its door we saw five Sikhs standing guard. The heroes of our troops rushed up and killed Lhem.':!'.! The Harimandir was once again desec rated. A little later, the temple at Kartarpur was demolished. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia called on the misldars to avenge the death of Deep Singh and the desecration of their shrines. They found a valuable ally in Adina Beg Khan, who suspected that the Afghans wanted to lay their hands on him.'%!! The Sikhs and Adina Beg's troops met the Afghans at village Mahilpur in the district of Hoshiarpur and utterly defeated them. The Sikhs pushed on to Julhmdur, ransacked the town and its neighbouring villages. Adina Beg Khan expressed his gratitude to bis benefactors by offering a thousand rupees to the Granth and a lac and a quarter as protection money for the Jullundur Doab.2~ Prince T aimur sem twenty thousand horse and foot from Lahore to retrieve the situation. The Sikhs defeated this force 20 Miskin, folios 162-5. 21 Deep Singh is one of tht: most re\.ered heroes of Sikh history. C'.olour prints shO\\ him runrung ~ith his head on his left palm, still ~ielding his sword with his right. 22 Ta:.kirii-i-1'ahmii.sp, Miskin, 165. 23 H<-" had been persuaded co come out of hiding and 10 take the administration of the Jullundur Doab. Adina Beg accepted thr offer bill refused to accend coun in person as he suspected foul play. 24 Canela Singh, Ahmed Shah Durrani, p. 197.