The story of Guru Gobind’s relations with the Rajput chiefs of the Punjab Hill States constitute one of the most significant chapters in the history of Punjab in particular and the history of India in general. It was the nature of these relations that gave the peculiar mould to the history of the period. Had the hill chiefs chosen to co-operate with Guru Gobind Singh in a common cause against the fanatic government of the Mughals, instead of opposing him, the history of not only Punjab but also of the Northern India would have been much different from what it actually turned out to her.
After the martyrdom of Guru Teg
Bahadur in 1675 A.D., his nine year old son, Gobind Rai, then at Makhowal, ascended
to the Guruship with a determination not only to avenge the brutal murder of
his father but also to liberate the country from the oppressive and tyrannical
yoke of the Mughals. As such, soon after his accession to the gurugaddi, he started the programme of
military preparations. He not only revived the programme of his grand-father,
Guru Hargobind, but gave it a further impetus on a much larger scale.
He gave a call to the Sikhs in all
the directions to come and join the ranks in his army and thus organized a
strong army and strengthened his resources. The Guru had even started beating
of a big drum called ‘Ranjit Nagara’
at Makhowal which in those days was considered as a symbol of sovereignty. The
Guru made an appeal to the hill chiefs for a joint front against the Mughals,
but in vain.
The warlike preparations of the
Guru and the ever growing strength of his army coupled with the beating of
drum, created a sense of alarm in the mind of Bhim Chand, the ruler of
Bilaspur, who observed not only an infringement of his authority by these
activities of the Guru, but also a danger to his own existence. It was all the
more so because Bhim Chand was a vassal of the Mughal emperor and could not
allow an abode enemy of the Mughal government to openly make war-like
preparations against the paramount power, except at the risk of inviting a
Mughal invasion to his own territory which was so closely situated to the
Mughal territory in the plains.
As such, Bhim Chand became eager to
oust the Guru from his territory as early as possible on one pretext or the
other. He was also annoyed with the Guru who refused to part with a trained
elephant and a costly carpet presented to the Guru by his devotees from Assam
and which Bhim Chand wanted ostensibly for the marriage of his son, but in
reality keeping them with him permanently. Thus relations between Guru Gobind
and Bhim Chand were further estranged and an armed conflict was not a remote
possibility between the two. However the crisis was averted for the time being
because of the Guru’s mother and well-wishers, who advised him moderation and
patience. Moreover, he also got an invitation from Medini Prakash, the ruler of
Nahan, who had a boundary dispute with Fateh Shah, the neighbouring hill chief
of Srinagar. The Guru’s services were required by the Nahan chief to act as a
mediator. Most possibly, he also wanted to impress upon the neighbouring ruler
the fact that the Guru with his newly raised army was his friend.
Guru Gobind decided to retire
further to the hills. He had his own reasons behind it:
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Firstly, in view of his tender age and meager
resources, he needed a sense of security and time to make elaborate
preparations for fighting against the mighty and resourceful Mughals, by
remaining at an arm’s length, so that to avoid an immediate attack from them.
The interior of the hills, situated distantly from the Mughal territories, was
an apt place for such retirement.
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Secondly, the Guru hoped that by doing
so, he would persuade the hill chiefs, by cultivating intimate relations with
them, for making a common cause against the Mughals.
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Thirdly, the rugged and uneven territory
of the hills with its steep valleys along with high and low peaks, was the most
suitable topographical area for the type of military training which he aimed at
imparting to the soldiers.
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Finally, Guru Gobind also aimed at
carrying further the work of propagation of the mission of Guru Nanak, which
condemned casteism, idolatry and false conventionalism—a mission which had
hitherto been, somewhat, remained abeyance in the hilly region ever since the
days of Nanak’s travels in the North.
With these objectives, Guru Gobind retired from Makhowal to the State of
Nahan, where Medini Prakash allotted a beautiful spot to him, on the banks of
river Kalindri (Yamuna), now called Paonta Sahib.
Here at Paonta, Guru Gobind
indulged in the activities which brought him into clash with other hill chiefs.
The activities of military preparations of Guru Gobind caused a feeling of fear
in the minds of the hill chiefs. It was felt that he wanted to establish an
independent State in the midst of them. So, it was natural that they could not
tolerate the increase of any external influence in their territories. Moreover,
Guru Gobind represented a faith with liberal ideas, and much against the
contemporary Hindu social order, which was based on orthodoxy. It was not liked
upon by the orthodox Hindu chiefs of the Punjab hills. Moreover, most of the
followers of Guru Gobind were Jats, who were looked down and hated by the
Rajput chiefs and considered as an ‘inferior race’. Thus, as Dr. I. B. Banerjee
observes, “political privilege, social exclusiveness and tribal pride—all combined
to induce the Hill chiefs to present a united front against the Guru.”
Under these circumstances, the
allied troops of the hill chiefs under Bhim Chand attacked the Guru at Bhangani
in 1686 A.D. (1688 A.D. by some other scholars), between Yamuna and its
tributary, Giri. A very fierce battle ensued. Both the sides fought with great
courage and bravery. But ultimately, the hill men were put to flight and the
Guru achieved a complete victory.
After Bhangani, a new chapter
opened in the relations of the Guru with the hill chiefs. The latter became
friendly to the Guru rather than opposing him. Bhim Chand again invited the
Guru to make his headquarters at Makhowal. Here the town of Anandpur was
founded and the forts of Anandgarh, Lohgarh, Keshgarh and Fatehgarh were
constructed.
The immediate outcome of these
friendly relations between Guru Gobind and the hill chiefs was that the latter
stopped paying their annual tribute to the Mughal Emperor. Consequently, an
army was sent under Alif Khan to realize the tribute. He succeeded in subduing
the chiefs of the Kangra tract. When he approached Bhim Chand, he refused to
pay it and gave a call to the Guru and all the allied chiefs to participate in
the attack on Alif Khan, who was then at Nadaun. Guru Gobind gave a practical
demonstration of his friendship. Alif Khan was defeated and put to flight.
These relations were further
estranged when the chiefs at the instance of Bhim Chand reconciliated with the
Mughal government without giving any intimation to Guru Gobind. However, the
Mughals were resisted by the Rajput rulers of Guler and Jaswan. Guru Gobind
also supported them in their struggle of repeated Mughal expeditions. The Guru
also felt that he must depend on his own resources rather than the hill chiefs,
who were no more reliable.
In 1699 A.D., Guru Gobind Singh created
the Khalsa Panth—religious in foundation and military in discipline. The
immediate result of the Khalsa was that its military character terrified the
hill chiefs and its creation came upon them like a bomb-shell. They felt that
as long as the Guru is present amidst them, he was a standing menace to their
princely order. Also, the increasing followers of the Guru had created many
problems regarding the essential supplies in the hills. Bhim Chand could not
tolerate it and sent a messenger asking for the evacuation of Anandpur or to pay
rent for it. However, Guru Gobind Singh refused to accept any of these terms
and once again the relations of mutual warfare started between the Guru and a
confederacy of the hill chiefs.
The allied troops of the hill
chiefs besieged Anandpur and a battle was fought in 1701 A.D., which lasted for
many days. At last, when the hill chiefs found no chance of victory, they made
peace with the Guru, and assured him of their friendship if he left Anandpur
for some time. As Guru Gobind Singh did not want to waste his energy and
resources against the hill chiefs, he decided to retire to Nirmoh, near
Kiratpur.
At Nirmoh, there were skirmishes here
and there, and in one of these Sahib Chand was killed, resulting to a battle,
which ended in Khalsa victory. Finding it impossible to crush the Sikh power,
Bhim Chand sought help from the Mughals, and made a joint attack on the Sikhs
with the support of the Governors of Lahore and Sirhind. Here also, the army of
the Guru got a remarkable victory.
At the request of the ruler of
Basoli, the Guru shifted his headquarters to his territory. Bhim Chand’s army
was again put to flight. The Sikhs also defeated many a times the villagers who
had often skirmishes with the Sikhs. The result was that Bhim Chand was very
much frightened with these repeated successes of the Sikhs, and made peace with
the Guru. He even invited the Guru to stay at Anandpur and some time passed in
peace.
Soon, the hill chiefs became
jealous at the increasing power of the Guru and formed a confederacy against
him, ordering him to leave Anandpur. On his refusal, they got assistance from
Lahore and Sirhind, and declared war against the Guru. Even the Gujjars and the
Banghars were brought in to join the battle against the Sikhs. Initially the
Sikhs were successful, but ultimately, their position became very critical when
the siege of Anandpur was laid. Finally, the Guru had to leave Anandpur with
his Sikhs and the family. Although the Hindu chiefs and the Mughals had assured
the Guru ‘of safe conduct if he left Anandpur’, but when they got news of the
evacuation, they violated their promises and set themselves in pursuing the
Guru wherever he went.
Thus it is clear from the above
study that the hill chiefs were never friendly towards the Guru. They were
jealous of his rising power and regarded him as a danger to their existence,
although the Guru had no such motives in his mind. He was never offensive
against the hill chiefs, but had to resort to arms against them only to defend
himself and his Sikhs. He had no political objectives, but to oust the tyranny
from this soil. The hill chiefs established many a times the relations of
friendship and cordiality with the Guru, but never stuck to it for long.
However, Guru Gobind Singh performed as a true friend every time. He, in fact,
did not want to come to open hostilities with the hill chiefs, but instead
wanted to come to an understanding with them. His relations, however, failed
him in this direction.
