Shaheed Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji was a steadfast, faith-filled Sikh warrior who, during the seventh invasion of India by Ahmad Shah Durrani, defended the honour of Sri Darbar Sahib, Sri Amritsar, by facing 30,000 Afghan soldiers with only 30 Singhs — and attained martyrdom in that heroic battle. This event took place on 19 Maghar 1764 CE, when Ahmad Shah Abdali launched his seventh attack on Hindustan. This time he came at the call of Najib-ud-Daulah Rohilla, to support him. Jawahar Singh Bhagatpuriya, seeking to avenge his father’s death, was preparing to attack Najib-ud-Daulah in Delhi. To achieve this goal, he sought support from both the Khalsa forces and the Marathas. The Maratha chief Malhar Rao Holkar remained largely a spectator, but Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, leader of the Dal Khalsa, marched to Delhi with 15,000 Singhs to assist Jawahar Singh. Feeling trapped, Najib-ud-Daulah sent an urgent plea to Ahmad Shah Abdali. Abdali had already received news that the Sikhs had cleansed Punjab of Durrani control. The Sikhs had captured Sirhind, the province of Lahore had acknowledged Khalsa authority, and Durrani commanders Jahan Khan and Sarbaland Khan had been badly defeated by the Sikhs in Sialkot and Rohtas. Considering these circumstances, Abdali took along the Baloch ruler of Kalat, Mir Nasir Khan (Khan of Kalat) and, raising the slogan of “Jihad against the Sikhs,” launched his seventh invasion of India. At that time, many Sikh chiefs were away on various campaigns, and central Punjab was almost empty of Sikh forces. Sardar Jassa Singh was in Delhi assisting Jawahar Singh. The Bhangi chiefs were in the Sandal Bar region. Only Sardar Charhat Singh was present in Sialkot. When he learned that Abdali had reached Lahore, Charhat Singh suddenly launched a surprise attack on Abdali’s camp. The assault was so fierce and swift that the Durrani forces were thrown into confusion and suffered heavy losses. After delivering this successful blow, Charhat Singh withdrew, waiting for another favourable opportunity. Abdali then received news that the Sikhs had moved towards Amritsar. Pursuing them, he advanced with 30,000 troops towards Amritsar. At that time, within the precincts of Sri Darbar Sahib, there were only about thirty Sikhs, led by Nihang Singh Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji. Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji was a resident of the village Leel (in the Majha region near Amritsar). He had received Amrit (Khande-di-Pahul) from Bhai Mani Singh Ji, was a strict Nitnemi, deeply rooted in Sikh discipline and rehit, and in every battle he would always be found in the front ranks. When news of Abdali’s approach towards Sri Darbar Sahib reached them, Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji and his thirty companions began preparing to defend the holy shrine. Longing for martyrdom in the Guru’s cause, they readied themselves for the final battle. They donned their weapons and armour, recited Anand Sahib, took a Hukam from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, distributed Karah Prasad, performed four circumambulations (parkarma) of Sri Darbar Sahib, bowed their heads, and offered an Ardas, as recorded by Rattan Singh Bhangu: “Harimandar ke hajoor im khar kar karee ardaas. Satigur sikhi sang nibhai sees kesan ke saath.” (Panth Prakash, verse 48) By this time, Abdali’s troops had reached the parkarma area surrounding the shrine. On one side stood just 30 Singhs, on the other, 30,000 Afghan and Baloch soldiers. Wherever the Singhs struck, they tore through the enemy ranks. One after another, the Singhs fought and laid down their lives in defence of Sri Darbar Sahib. Nihang Singh Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji kept encouraging the warriors, inspiring them to push ever forward: “Pag aagai pat ubre, pag paachhai pat jaae. Bairi khandai sir dharai, phir kya takan sahae.” (v. 58) The Durrani soldiers were covered in armour and mail, while many of the Singhs did not even have full clothing to cover their bodies. The opponents had long-range weapons — guns, arrows, spears — while the Singhs mainly carried swords and spears. Yet, in the hearts of the Singhs, there burned an intense longing to give their lives for the protection of the sanctity of Sri Harimandar Sahib: “Aap bich te kare karaar. Tuh hi te age main hog sidhaar.” (v. 52) The zeal of the Singhs shook the enemy. When many Singhs had already been martyred, Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji himself stepped forward, sword in hand, and charged directly into the enemy lines. He cut through the bodies of armoured soldiers, breaking the enemy ranks. The Afghans hid behind their shields, but Baba Ji cast aside even his shield, as if to say: “Now we must not hide the face — we must face them head-on.” The Gilzai Afghans no longer dared to come near and began to fight from a distance with bullets and arrows. Baba Ji, however, stood firm in the open battlefield. Arrows and spears pierced his body. He was struck so many times that his blood flowed like oil from a press or water gushing from a punctured leather bag, as Rattan Singh Bhangu vividly describes: The body became like a great leather bag full of holes, Spraying jets of blood on every side. Although his body was nearly drained of blood, Baba Ji continued to advance and strike. The enemy finally surrounded him from all sides. Gilzai soldiers thrust their spears from every direction. Baba Ji sank down on his knees, but even then he did not release his sword — it kept swinging till his last breath. At last, the time came, and he merged into the Lotus Feet of the Guru — attaining glorious martyrdom. Thus, for the protection of Sri Harimandar Sahib’s purity, he, along with his thirty companions, offered an unparalleled sacrifice. This heroic episode is also confirmed by Qazi Nur Muhammad, a Muslim historian who accompanied Ahmad Shah Abdali on his seventh invasion of India. Qazi Nur Muhammad, from the town of Gunjaba in Balochistan, came to Punjab in 1764 as part of the “jihadi” forces of Mir Nasir Khan of Kalat. In his work “Jangnama”, he records his eyewitness account of the battles between Abdali and the Sikhs: “When the Emperor and the royal army reached Guru Chak (Amritsar), no infidel (Sikh) was visible there. But a few men were holding a small fort (bungā), ready to shed their blood and sacrifice themselves for the Guru. When they saw the Emperor and the Islamic army, they all emerged from the fort. They were thirty in number. They did not show fear or hesitation. They had no fear of being killed, no dread of death. They attacked the ghazis and, in the clash, spilled their blood. In this way, all of them were slain (martyred).” This is Qazi Nur Muhammad’s own testimony to how only thirty Sikhs confronted the thirty thousand Afghan and Baloch soldiers of Abdali, and, fearless of death, laid down their lives in the name of the Guru. In memory of Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji and his thirty martyred companions, a Gurdwara Sahib near Akal Takht Sahib has been built. It keeps alive in Sikh hearts the remembrance of these thirty valiant Singhs and of Jathedar Shaheed Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, who, while facing Ahmad Shah Abdali’s thirty thousand strong army, preserved the sanctity of Sri Harimandar Sahib with their lives. “Jorawar Singh Tarasikka.”
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