Chamkaur

Build up

Guru Gobind Singh Ji reached Chamkaur, 16kms from Ropar. Here the owner of a double storeyed house with a large raised compound, offered Guru Ji shelter. The Guru and the 42 remaining Sikhs converted the mud house into a fort with great haste.

By the time it was dark on December 21, 1704, Guru Saheb had orgainzed the fortress into a stronghold. Guru Ji detailed nine men to take position on each of the four walls and to make sure the enemy did not scale the wall. While two sikhs guarded the gate, Guru Ji, Baba Ajit Singh, Baba Jujhar Singh, Bhai Daya singh and Bhai Sant Singh held the top storey to watch the enemy's movements.

The Battle

The enemy surrounded the fortress on the morning of December 22 1704. The army had just over 100,000 men whereas Guru Ji only had 42 soldiers. Bitter fighting ensued. The eager and gallant men of Guru offered tough resistence. Five sikhs went out to face the enemy who were edging their way closer to the fort. After killing several of the enemy, the first five became martyrs. The brave Mokham Singh (one of the panj piaare), following his fellow Sikhs also fell in battle, his body pierced by scores of bullets. Bhai Himmat Singh (one of the panj piaare) asked permission to go forth and repel the enemy. He too was slayed in battle but not before he had killed an uncountable amount of Mughal soldiers.

Nahar Khan, an enemy general, attempted to scale the wall but was sent to the next world by Guru Ji's arrow. Gairat Khan, another enemy officer tried to attempt to scale the wall but the result was the same. he too was pierced by Guru Saheb's arrow. After this no mughal attempted to scale the wall because they had lost countless soldiers. They planned one last rush in which they would kill Guru Gobind Singh. They utterly failed, with scores shot down by gun and bow. Next Guru Ji sent 6 more sikhs to fight the oppression. They killed scores before being fatally wounded. After this, Baba Ajit Singh requested permission from Guru Ji to go and fight. Guru Ji blessed his son and sent him to fight along with several more sikhs. These sikhs again killed innumerable mughal soldiers. But the numbers became too much and Baba Ajit Singh was fatally wounded. Following in his brother's footsteps, Baba Jujhar Singh requested permission to go and fight with the next batch of Sikhs. Guru Ji blessed his son and sent him proudly to fight the enemy. Scores of the enemy lay dead at the hands of the few sikhs which had been sent out but it was not enough, Baba Jujhar Singh attained martyrdom along with his brother, three of the panj piaare and thirty seven other sikhs. For a whole day the Sikhs had repelled the mughal army despite being outnumbered massively.

The Outcome