Vadda Ghallughara - Misaldaars
At this time of year we remember the ‘Vadda Ghallughara’ or Great Holocaust of 1762, when Ahmed Shah sought to wipe Sikhs off the face of the earth.
He attacked a convoy of 50,000 Sikh men, women and children.
Half of them were massacred in one day. 50 cartloads of severed Sikh heads were taken to be hung at the gates of Lahore.
Sri Darbar Sahib was destroyed and the sarovar filled with slaughtered cows and the sarovar steps smashed.
In those days, the darkest of Sikh history, with the blessing of Guru Sahib and the Chardi Kala spirit of never being broken or defeated, the Misaldaars led and inspired the Khalsa to such an extent that they took on and destroyed the previously undefeated Afghans.
It is amazing that a nation almost annihilated, rose and not only defeated the invaders but went on to take Lahore, then hoisted the Nishan Sahib at Delhi.
The Misaldaars took the throne not only metaphorically but physically, they ripped the coronation stone from the Red Fort and took it to Amritsar, to the Darbar of Guru Ram Das, where it still is to this day, in the Ramgarhia Bunga.
It is astonishing when you think the orders to behead Guru Tegh Bahadar Sahib came from the throne of the Red Fort and within a hundred years, despite holocausts and intense persecution, the Khalsa had taken that throne and ruled Punjab.
This post is dedicated to those Shaheeds, Misaldaars & Guru Ke Sikhs.
Raaj Karega Khalsa!
Some of my favourite images of The Misaldaars;
Picture 1: Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (on left) with his sons Jodh Singh and Bir Singh, Ramgarhia Misl. Pahari Sikh from workshop of Purkhu of Kangra c.1760. National Museum, New Delhi (BN Goswamy 2000)
Picture 2: Ramgarhia And Sukarchakia Misls. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Bir Singh and Jodh Singh on left. Maha Singh (father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh) with checked blanket covering chest on the right, in centre. (Warrior Saints. Madra & Singh 2013)
Picture 3: Sardar Maha Singh, Sukarchakia Misl. Father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. (Chandigarh Museum. (Lafont 2002))
Picture 4: Sardar Gurbakhsh Singh ,Kanhaiya Misl. Pahari Sikh from workshop of Purkhu of Kangra c.1785. Govt Mus. & Art Gallery. Chandigarh (Goswamy & Smith 2006)
Picture 5: Sardar Bhag Singh Ahluwalia, cousin and heir of ‘Sultan-Ul-Quam’ Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. Pahari Sikh from workshop of Purkhu of Kangra c.1785. Government Museum and Art Gallery. Chandigarh (Goswamy & Smith 2006)
Picture 6: Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia on left and Amar Singh of Patiala. Pahari late 18th century. Lahore Museum. (Warrior Saints. Madra & Singh 2013)
Picture 7: Sardar Jai Singh. Kanhaiya Misl. Pahari Sikh from workshop of Purkhu of Kangra c.1780. GMAG Chd(Goswamy & Smith)
Picture 8: Sardar Ala Singh of Patiala. Pahari c.1880. Himachal State Museum. Shimla (Goswamy 2000)
Picture 9: Sardar Gurbakhsh Singh ,Kroresinghia Misl, went on to form the Royal House of Kalsia (Mullan 2013)
Picture 10: Sardar Tara Singh Gheba. Dallewalia Misl. Pahari Sikh from workshop of Purkhu of Kangra c.1775. Government Museum and Art Gallery. Chandigarh (Goswamy & Smith 2006)
#Sikh
#SikhMisls
#SikhRaj
#Punjab
#Patiala
#Kapurthala
#kalsia
#Ghallughara
#SikhHistory
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