The Battle of Sri Muktsar Sahib (Muktsar) or Battle of Khidrāne Dee Dhāb took place on 29 December 1705, (29
Poh) following the siege of
Anandpur Sahib. In 1704, Anandpur Sahib was under an extended siege by the allied forces of the
Mughal
Mughal or Moghul may refer to:
Related to the Mughal Empire
* Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries
* Mughal dynasty
* Mughal emperors
* Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia
* Mughal architecture
* Mug ...
s and the
Hill States of Shivalik.
History
During the siege 40 Sikhs, led by Maha Singh, wrote letters of ''bedava'' (abandonment of a Sikh from his Guru
) to
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
ji. They arrived in the village of
Jhabal
Chabhal Kalan (also known as Jhabal Kalan) is a town in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab, India and is located away from Amritsar city.
History
It was the birthplace of Maharaja Baghel Singh, Mai Bhago Ji, and Bhai Langah. Under the Mugh ...
where a Sikh woman named
Mata Bhag Kaur, upon hearing their tale of
desertion
Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ...
, motivated them into returning to Guru ji at Anandpur Sahib.
The 40 deserters with Mai Bhag Kaur returned to seek out Guru Gobind Singh ji, and joined him near ''Khidrāne Dee Dhāb'' preparing for battle against the Mughals. They fought the Mughals and died in the following battle. The guru, finding the dying Maha Singh on the battlefield after the battle, forgave him and his compatriots, tore up their letters of ''bedava'', and blessed them for their service. The place was later renamed
Muktsar
Sri Muktsar Sahib ( ), often referred to as simply Muktsar, is a historical city and district headquarters in Punjab, India. The 2011 census of India put the total population of Sri Muktsar Sahib municipality at 117,085, making it the 14th larg ...
, literally meaning ''The Pool of Liberation''.
Mai Bhago survived the battle and stayed on with Guru Gobind Singh ji as one of his bodyguards. The
Mela Maghi is held at the holy city of Sri Muktsar Sahib every year in memory of the forty Sikh martyrs.
See also
*
Women in Sikhism
The principles of Sikhism state that women have the same souls as men and thus possess an equal right to cultivate their spirituality with equal chances of achieving salvation. Women participate in all Sikh religious, cultural, social, and secul ...
References
{{Guru Gobind Singh
Conflicts in 1705
Muktsar
Sri Muktsar Sahib ( ), often referred to as simply Muktsar, is a historical city and district headquarters in Punjab, India. The 2011 census of India put the total population of Sri Muktsar Sahib municipality at 117,085, making it the 14th larg ...
Mukhtsar
1705 in India
1700s in the Mughal Empire