On September 12 1897, a
battle was fought in present day Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province by
less than two dozen soldiers of a Sikh Regiment of British Indian Army. The
bravery & valour of the soldiers resulted in their story being written in
golden letters in the history. All the 21 Sikh soldiers who laid down their lives in the Battle of Saragarhi were posthumously
awarded the Indian Order of Merit, the highest gallantry award of that time, which an Indian
soldier could receive by the hands of the British crown, the
corresponding gallantry award being Victoria Cross. This
award is equivalent to today's Param Vir Chakra awarded by the President of India.
Born
in Majha region of Punjab, these 21 sikh soldiers led by Havildar Ishar Singh
were faced with a dangerous life threatening situation.
In
August 1897, five companies of the 36th Sikhs under Lt. Col. John Haughton,
were sent to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The British had partially succeeded in
getting control of this volatile area, however tribal Pashtuns attacked British
personnel from time to time. Thus a series of forts, originally built by
Maharaja Ranjit Singh,
Ruler of the Sikh Empire, were consolidated. Two of the forts were Fort
Lockhart, (on the Samana Range of the Hindu Kush mountains), and Fort Gulistan (Sulaiman Range),
situated a few miles apart. Due to the forts not being visible to each other,
Saragarhi was created midway, as a heliographic (signalling) communication
post. The Saragarhi post, situated on a rocky ridge, consisted of a small block
house with loop-holed ramparts and a signalling tower.
On 12
September 1897, 10,000 Pashtuns attacked the signalling post at Saragarhi, so
that communication would be lost between the two forts.
The Battle – How things unfolded
Details of the Battle of Saragarhi
are considered fairly accurate, due to Gurmukh Singh signalling events to Fort
Lockhart by heliograph as they occurred.
·
Around 9:00am, around 10,000 Afghans reach the signaling post at
Saragarhi.
·
Sardar Gurmukh Singh signals to Col. Haughton, situated in Fort
Lockhart, that they are under attack.
·
Colonel Haughton states he cannot send immediate help to Saragarhi.
·
The soldiers decide to fight to the last to prevent the enemy from
reaching the forts.
·
A brave fight is put by sikh soldiers. Some are killed and some injured.
·
In an act of outstanding bravery, Ishar Singh orders his men to fall
back into the inner layer, whilst he remains to fight. However, this is
breached and all but one of the defending soldiers are killed, along with many
of the Pashtuns.
·
Gurmukh Singh, who communicated the battle with Col. Haughton, was the
last Sikh defender. He is stated to have killed 20 Afghans, the Pashtuns having
to set fire to the post to kill him. As he was dying he was said to have yelled
repeatedly the Sikh battle-cry "Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal"
Having
destroyed Saragarhi, the Afghans turned their attention to Fort Gulistan, but
they had been delayed too long, and reinforcements arrived there in the night
of 13–14 September, before the fort could be conquered. The Pashtuns later
admitted that they had lost about 180 killed and many more wounded during the engagement
against the 21 Sikh soldiers, but some 600 bodies are said to have
been seen around the ruined post when the relief party arrived.
Commemorative tablet
The tablet inscription reads;
"The Government of India have caused this tablet to be erected to
the memory of the twenty one non-commissioned officers and men of the 36 Sikh
Regiment of the Bengal Infantry whose names are engraved below as a perpetual
record of the heroism shown by these gallant soldiers who died at their posts
in the defence of the fort of Saragarhi, on the 12 September 1897, fighting
against overwhelming numbers, thus proving their loyalty and devotion to
their sovereign, The Queen Empress of India, and gloriously maintaining the
reputation of the Sikhs for unflinching courage on the field of battle."
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Saragarhi
Day (India)
Saragarhi Day, is a Sikh military commemoration day celebrated
on 12 September every year to commemorate The Battle of Saragarhi. Sikh military personnel and Sikh non-military people
commemorate the battle around the World every year on 12
September. All units of the Sikh
Regiment celebrate Saragarhi
Day every year as the Regimental Battle Honours Day.
Saragarhi Memorial
Gurudwara (temple) was built in memory of the 21 Sikh soldiers that fought at
The Battle of Saragarhi.
Saragarhi
Day (UK)
Saragarhi was commemorated by the British Armed Forces in
the UK for the first time at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, when in November
2013 the book "Saragarhi: The Forgotten Battle" by journalist Jay
Singh-Sohal was launched. The book is the first and only to authoritatively
narrate the battle using primary sources and imagery analysis, and lays to bed
many myths that have built up about it including the UNESCO claim.
Saragarhi Day was marked on the battle honour day on 12th
September 2014 at Sandhurst at another event organised by the British Army and
the leading expert on the battle Jay Singh-Sohal.
The story of
unbelievable bravery of Sikhs in Indian Army continues till date. India is
proud to be home for this small but immensely brave, cheerful, large hearted
community. From the Sikh Gurus to Sikh Soldiers of the present, they have
always set unprecedented examples of sacrificing their lives for others.
And this forgotten page of history deserves better place in our present lives.
And this forgotten page of history deserves better place in our present lives.
