The Revolutionary Warrior of Khalsa Raj
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716) was a fearless Sikh general and the first leader to establish Sikh rule in Punjab by defeating the Mughal Empire. He remains one of the most iconic warriors and martyrs in Sikh history.
Born as Lachman Dev in Rajouri (present-day Jammu and Kashmir), he became a Hindu ascetic before transforming into a warrior saint after meeting Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Nanded in 1708. Guru Ji renamed him Banda Singh Bahadur and gave him the mission to fight oppression in Punjab.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave Banda Singh five arrows, a Nishan Sahib, a sword, and a Hukamnama, appointing him as the commander of the Khalsa forces to punish the Mughal tyrants, especially Wazir Khan of Sirhind, responsible for the martyrdom of the Sahibzaade.
In 1709, Banda Singh led a campaign of justice. The Khalsa army marched through Samana, Shahabad, and eventually Sirhind, defeating Wazir Khan in the Battle of Chappar Chiri in 1710. This was a turning point in Sikh history.
He established Khalsa Raj by abolishing Zamindari system and distributing land to farmers. He introduced the first Sikh administrative system and minted coins in the name of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
The Mughals saw Banda Singh as a threat and launched multiple campaigns against him. Eventually, he was besieged at Gurdas Nangal in 1715 and captured after months of resistance.
In June 1716, Banda Singh Bahadur, along with over 700 Sikhs, was martyred in Delhi. He endured horrific torture but never gave up his faith or begged for mercy. His martyrdom inspired future generations of Sikhs to resist tyranny with courage.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is remembered as the first Sikh to challenge the Mughal Empire successfully and establish a sovereign Sikh rule. His rule was short-lived, but it sowed the seeds for future Sikh Misls and ultimately the Khalsa Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.