ਸ੍ਰੀਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕੀਫਤਹ

Saturday 22 May 2010

Akali Nihang Sadhu Singh - A legend of the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa

Continued from the last post...........

The Nihang Singhs troops under Akali Phoola Singh and Akali Baba Sadhu Singh were key Generals in the campaigns of the Maharaja, such as those of Kasur (1807), Multan (1818), Kashmir (1819) and Nowshera (1823). In 1818 Maharaja Ranjit Singhs forces surrounded the Afghan impreganable fortress of Multan. Maharaj Ranjt Singh had shoot at the Fortress walls but had not made a breech.

The oral tradition is that Akali Baba Sadhu Singh
Nihang hand picking Nihang warriors made a fervent dash on one of the walls. He managed to blow open the wall and breech it, killing anyone who dared to face him. Keeping open the breech Akali Nihang Sadhu Singh and the other Nihang Singhs kept the breech open to take the fort.

Henry Thoby Prinsep writes:

While matters continued in this state, an Akalee fanatic, Sadhoo Singh, on the 2d of June, \ advanced without orders with a few companions, and attacked sword in hand, the Afghans in the Dhool-kot, who, being at the time asleep or negligent, were overpowered. The men in the Sikh trenches, seeing this, advanced simultaneously on the impulse of the moment to support the attack, and the entire outwork was carried with a slaughter of those defending it. Flushed with this success, the assailants attempted the fort, and found ready entrance by the breaches made,- the garrison not expecting assault, nor being prepared for a consistent and determined resistance. The citadel was thus suddenly carried, Mozuffur Khan with his four sons, and household, made a final stand at the door of bis residence, but fell covered with wounds. Two of his sons, Shah Nuwaz Khan and Huq Nuwaz, were also killed on the spot, and a third was left badly wounded. Surfuraz Khan, the fourth, who had been vested by his father with the government under himself, was found in a vault or cellar, and taken prisoner. The citadel was now sacked, and an immense booty fell to the troops engaged in the assault.

This was also noted by Sir Lepel Griffin and other commentators.

Dhan Akali Baba Phoola Singh and Akali Baba Sadhu Singh ji we bow to the feet of the Shahids! Gurbar Akal!

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