When the Guru left the fort, the generals broke their oath and the army attacked him with all their might. To make conditions worse for the Sikhs, the nearby river Sirsa was in flood. While fighting and crossing the river, many Sikh lives were lost and those who could cross the river were dispersed. Guru Gobind Singh with his two elder sons and only 40 Sikhs reached a nearby village called Chamkaur where they occupied a mud house called garhi, a mini fort.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji crossing the overflowing Sirsa River with his family and army of starving Sikhs. In the river lots of treasure of manuscripts, paintings and jewels etc. were lost and the family split up.
The pursuing forces in great numbers tented around it and
challenged the Guru that he would not be allowed to leave alive. With
the hope of arresting the Guru they attacked the Garhi. The Guru would
send a small band of Sikhs to go out and fight the enemy to keep them
away from the gate of the Garhi and not let them enter it. The Guru
himself sat at the top shooting arrows to check the attacking columns of
soldiers. One of the army generals lost his life while attempting to
get near the Guru to kill him. The fast arrow shot by the Guru hit the
general in the chest, and brought him down from his horse, killing him
then and there. This struck fear in the army, which quickly retreated.
Afterwards, they moved forward very cautiously and slowly towards the
Garhi.
Shooting his deadly arrows at the enemy from the battlements of Chamkaur Ghari
When the fighting was at its height, Baba Ajit Singh, the eldest son
of the Guru, then only 18 years of age requested that his father let him
join the defending Jatha. The Guru gladly agreed to permit him to fight
the army to keep them away from the Garhi. Having been blessed by his
father, Baba Ajit Singh armed himself and went outside the Garhi along
with other Sikhs. He fought bravely and fearlessly. He exhibited great
fighting skills, which surprised the enemy soldiers. The Guru saw all
that with his own eyes, and was very satisfied at the bravery of his
son. Finally, Baba Ajit Singh fell in the battlefield and thus attained
martyrdom.
The Guru thanked the Almighty that his children attained martyrdom before his own eyes. They gave their lives so that other children could live in peace and freedom from oppression by the state. The resistance offered by the fearless and brave Sikhs was so great that the soldiers could not enter the Garhi during the daylong fighting.
At night the Guru along with three Sikhs left the Garhi and passed safely through the army camps to finally defeat the army at Mukatsar five months after that. This unique and great sacrifice by the sons of the Guru would be remembered forever by the people who respect human rights and freedom to worship
The Guru before leaving the Garhi of Chamkaur, put his attire and his plume on Bhai Sant Singh (Sangat Singh), who looked like the Guru. The Mughals thought they were fighting the Guru, while the Guru escaped after challenging them
BATTLE OF MUKTSAR
The Battle of Khidrāne Dee Dhāb took place in 1705, following the siege of Anandpur. In 1704, Anandpur was under an extended siege by the allied forces of the Mughals and the hill chiefs.
The forty deserters from Anandpur lived in the Majha region in Punjab. A woman, Bhag Kaur (also known as Mai Bhago) who also lived in the village, convinced the deserters to fight with her at Khidrāne Dee Dhāb, where they fought and died under the leadership of Guru Gobind Singh, who blessed them for their service and the place, later, was renamed as Muktsar, literally meaning The Pool of Liberation.
Mughal forces failed in capturing or harming Guru Sahib and fled from battlefield. After the battle was over, Guru Ji visited the battlefield. One of the 40 Sikhs, Sardar Mahan Singh was about to die, Guru Ji took his head in his arms and asked what did he want? Sardar Mahan Singh requested Guru Ji to tear the paper (Bedawa), they had given to him at Anandpur Sahib ‘you are not our guru and we are not your followers’. On this Guru Ji tore the bedawa . These 40 Sikhs were henceforth called 40 Muktas. The city that grew at the site of the battle was called Sri Muktsar Sahib after them. Mela Maghi, a famous fair of Punjab, is celebrated at Sri Muktsar Sahib on next day after Lohri every year as a tribute to those 40 Sri Muktsar
Sahib.
GURUDWARA CHAMKOR SAHIB JI
Guru Gobind Singh uproots a plant and says, "This spells the end of the Mughal Empire
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