Battle of Taragarh

The Battle of Taragarh was a battle fought between the Sikh forces led by Sahibzada Ajit Singh and the Rajas of the Sivalik Hills.

Battle of Taragarh
Part of First Siege of Anandpur
Date29 August 1700
Location
Taragarh Fort, Anandpur Sahib, Punjab
Result Sikh Victory
Belligerents
Khalsa (Sikhs) Chandel of Kahlur
Rajas of the Sivalik Hills
Commanders and leaders
Guru Gobind Singh
Sahibzada Ajit Singh
Bhai Udai Singh
Bhai Sangat Singh †
Bhai Kalyan Singh †
Bhai Ishar Singh †		 Raja Ajmer Chand
Raja Ghumand Chand (WIA)
Raja Bhup Chand
Strength
100+[1] Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

Background

The hill chiefs were alarmed by the success of Guru Gobind Singh. In a meeting of the hill kings, they all decided collect high contingents of troops from every raja and attack the Sikhs in Anandpur.[2] They besieged Anandpur. The Sikhs took position in the 5 forts at Anandpur.[3] The Defence of Lohgarh was entrusted to Sher Singh and Nahar Singh, Udai Singh took charge of Fatehgarh and Sahibzada Ajit Singh took command of force defending Taragarh.[2]

Battle

Taragarh was the first fort to be attacked by the hill chiefs.[4] Ajmer Chand made a forceful attack on Taragarh but was pushed back by the determinded resistance of Ajit Singh.[2][3] Raja Ajmer Chand was overcome by the number of casualties the Rajputs had suffered and was ready to sue for peace. However, Raja Bhup Chand won the argument to keep fighting against the Sikhs.[2] Some Sikh warriors like Bhai Sangat Singh, Bhai Kalyan Singh and Bhai Ishar Singh embraced martyrdom.[5][6] A hill chieftain Raja Ghumand Chand suffered severe wounds in the battle.[3]

Aftermath

The next day, Ajmer Chand again mounted fierce assault on the fort named Fatehgarh.[3] For 4 days the chiefs attacked the fortresses without success.[7] They decided to isolate the forts and prevented people from entering or exiting them.[2]

See also

References
  1. Macauliffe, Max Arthur (1909). The Sikh Religion Vol.5. pp. 129–130.
  2. Amardeep S. Dahiya (2014). Founder of the Khalsa. ISBN 9789381398616.
  3. Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 816. ISBN 9788126908585.
  4. Harban Singh (1992). The Encyclopedia Of Sikhism - Volume I. p. 33.
  5. Harajindara Siṅgha Dilagīra (1997). The Sikh reference book. p. 230. ISBN 9780969596424.
  6. Harajindara Siṅgha Dilagīra (2000). Who are the Sikhs. Sikh Educational Trust. p. 106.
  7. Ashok, Shamsher Singh. "AJIT SIHGH, SAHIBZADA (1687-1704)". Encyclopaedia of Sikhism. Punjabi University Punjabi.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.