Battle of Sarsa

Background

After their defeat of their allied army in 1699, the hill chiefs appealed to the Emperor of Delhi for help against the Khalsa. Aurangzab, who was then in Dakhan (south India), ordered the viceroys of Sarhind and Lahore to march against the Guru. The Sikhs fought as they had never fought before and held their ground for three years against the repeated attacks of Hindu hill chiefs and Muslim armies. By the winter of 1704, all supplies were cut off, and the Sikhs were suffering the great hardships due to hunger and thirst. 40 Sikhs who could not bear the hardhip and left.(they later returned to Guru Ji's side at the Battle Of Muktsar and are know known as the 40 liberated ones). The remaining Sikhs chose to stay with the Guru. The Guru's mind was as firm as ever in his determination to hold the ground, but the repeated appeals made by his mother and other Sikhs, and the exhortations made by the enemy under oath on their Holy Quran and Gita for a safe exit, moved them to leave the town. They left on the night of December 20, 1704.

When Guru Saheb departed from Anandpur, the entire camp was divided into two groups. The Guru's mother, wives, two younger sons and other women of the household, along with all the manuscripts prepared by the Guru and their scholars, left in the first group. The brave Uday Singh was given the responsibility to protect them with 200 armed horsemen under his command. They were to follow the direct road to Ropar, where Guru Saheb was to join them. Guru Gobind Singh Ji left soon afterwards with his two elder sons, the panj piaare, and 400 other soldiers.

The Battle

The Guru's camp had not yet reached the bank of the river Sarsa (15km from Anandpur) when they were attack by a very large and strong Mughal force. While the Guru's group was heavily engaged in the battle, another contingent launched an assault on the first group, halting them on the river bank. Fierce fighting ensued in the midst of rain, cold, and darkness. Total confusion prevailed. When the allied troops attacked the rear Guard of Baba Ajit Singh, Uday Singh recieved permission to relieve him. He fought fiercely but eventually was surrounded by a large number of enemies andbecame a martyr. Seeing the mughal forces advancing, some daring Sikhs pushed their horses in the swirling waters of the Sarsa and carried the Guru's family safely across the river separating themselves from the Guru. In the confusion that ensued, all the Guru's baggage, including some very precious manuscripts, were lost in the waves of the Sarsa.

Guru Saheb suffered heavy losses. Most of their soldiers had been killed in the battle, and many perished in the passage of the river. When Guru Ji had reached the other bank, he was left with his two elder sons, the panj piaare, and 35 other sikhs - just 42 had survived, out of the 400 brave SIkhs who had accompanied the Guru. From there Guru Ji proceeded to Ropar (23km from Sarsa) where news reached Guru Ji that a mughal force of 100,000 was advancing from Sarhind and Sarsa. Upon hearing this, Guru Ji prepared a fort with his 42 Sikhs and the battle of Chamkaur Sahib took place.