13 January is not just the festival of Lohri; this day carries a great and powerful history within it. Sadly, a large portion of Punjabis remain unaware of this chapter of our past. Our Glorious History On 22 November 1848, after losing hundreds of soldiers and several top generals in the Battle of Ramnagar, the British once again decided to confront the Sikhs. On 13 January 1849, in the village of Chellianwala, both armies stood face-to-face. Under the command of Sardar Sher Singh Attariwala and Sardar Chattar Singh, the Khalsa forces entered the battlefield. The anger among the Sikhs against British occupation of Punjab was so intense that they fought with unmatched fury and bravery, creating a history that still stands out. The British suffered massive losses—both in lives and resources. More than 2,000 soldiers and over 100 officers were killed, and the British were defeated in this battle. British historians and generals themselves write that the Battle of Chellianwala was one of the most devastating battles of that era. They state that if the Sikhs had fought one more battle with the same spirit and power, the British Empire would never have dared to look towards Punjab again. General Thackwell even wrote that he didn’t believe any of his soldiers would survive the battle. But unfortunately, later on, traitors succeeded in their schemes, and the Sikh kingdom slipped away.
Please log in to comment.
