Var Amritsar Ki

VAR AMRITSAR KI, also known as Var Singhan Ki, by Darshan Bhagat, a disciple of Bhai Kanhaiya is an eyewitness account of the battle fought in Amritsar between a force sent by the Mughal satrap of Lahore and the Sikhs on the Baisakhi day (29 March) of 1709. A manuscript of the poem was held under No. 2735 in the Sikh Reference Library, Amritsar, until the library was destroyed in 1984 during Operation Bluestar. Fortunatly, a published version in the anthology titled Panjabi Varan (Kalam Mandir, Patiala) is available.

As a result of the conciliatory policy of Emperor Bahadur Shah, the lands attached to the Golden Temple, Amritsar, which had been earlier confiscated were restored to the Sikhs. Mata Sundari, widow of Guru Gobind Singh, appointed Sikhs to administer the Jagir at Amritsar. Acting on a complaint made by local banker Chuhar Mall, the deputy Governor of Lahore, Aslam Khan sent Har Sahai, the revenue officer of Patti, against the Sikhs. Har Sahai was killed in the skirmish as was Chaudhari Deva of Naushehra Pannuan, also deputed by Aslam Khan.

The Var panegyrizes the bravery and skill displayed by the Sikhs in this battle. It concludes with the remark that Aslam Khan was rebuked by Emperor Bahadur Shah for having raised the sword against the House of Nanak.