21 Sikhs v/s 10,000 tribesmen – Battle of Saragarhi

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."

 

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.