Wadda Ghalughara

Ghallughara word is similar to english word Holocaust.Literal meaning of Ghallughara or Holocaust is to destroy everything.In sikh history second sikh Holocaust or wadda ghallughara occured on 5th February 1762 at a place named as Kup approx 12 Km north of Malerkotla in Punjab state of India. On receiving information from His informer Akal Das of Jandiala Ahemd Shah Durani during his sixth inavsion of India came to attack and destroy sikhs with their roots.Ahmedshah reached Lahore on 3rd Feb 1762 with a large army,huge armaments and artillery.Recognizing the need of hour ,S Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and S. Charat Singh Sukarchakiya the sikh chiefs left Lahore and proceeded towards Malwa after crossing Satluj.Singhs were 40000 in number at that time including 10000 of women ,children and elderly folk.Singhs wanted to carry their women folk to Bikaner for safety.Ahmed Shah instructed Zain Khan his subedar of Sirhand to keep singhs engaged till his arrival.They will kill them altogether the next day." Aur shah pe gaye halkare,Singh aaye hain daye hamare;ham itt wal teh rakhen gher,tum in maro hot saver"( Sri guru Panth Prakash, Bhai Ratan singh Bhangu,ed. 1994, page 451)Bhikhan Khan of malerkotla also joined Zain Khan. On the day of holocaust i.e. feb 5th ,1762 Zain khan attacked with his 20000 men and artillery.Abdali also joined attack with 30000 horsemen.S. jassa Singh and s. Charat singh ordered to encircle their womenfolk and keep proceeding towards Barnala as a war strategy.Singh's only aim was to save their women folk somehow and fight with enemy to inflict maximum losses on their end.In this process singhs suffered heavy casualities.Nearly 25000 to 30000 of singhs lost their lives.S. Jassa Singh was inflicted with 22 wounds and S. Charat Singh with 19.Every one of sikh warriors had been wounded in this fight.Bhai Kahn singh of Nabha writes that Sri Guru Granth Sahib volume of Damdama sahib wali could not be saved in this battle field.But singhs never lost morale even after such a holocaust in which more than 70 pecent of them lost their lives.They reorganized themselves very soon and during july 1762 were again able to surround and besiege Lahore.