[Text, vol. ii. p. 651.] There is a sect of infidels called Gurú, more commonly known as Sikhs. Their chief, who dresses as a fakír, has a fixed residence near Láhore. From old times he has built temples in all the towns and populous places, and has appointed one of his followers to preside in each temple as his deputy. When any one of the sect brought presents or offerings for the Gurú to the temple, the deputy had to collect them, and, after deducting sufficient for his own food and expenses, his duty was to send the balance faithfully to the Gurú. This sect consists principally of Játs and Khatrís of the Panjáb and of other tribes of infidels. When Aurangzeb got knowledge of these matters, he ordered these deputy Gurús to be removed and the temples to be pulled down.
At the time that Bahádur Sháh marched towards Haidarábád, Gobind, the chief Gurú of the sect, came to join him with two or three hundred horsemen bearing spears and some footmen. After two or three months, he died from the wounds of a dagger, and his murderer was not discovered. When the news of his death reached the Panjáb, where the bulk of the Sikhs were living, an obscure member of the sect, about the name* given to whom there are various statements, gave out that in the course of transmigration, which the Sikhs believe in and call avatár, he had taken the place of the murdered Gobind, who had come to life again as a bearded man in his body, for the purpose of taking revenge. This worthless dog, having published this statement, stirred up disaffection in the sect, and raised the standard of rebellion. By jugglery, charms, and sorcery, he pretended to perform miracles before credulous people, and gave himself the name of Sachá Pádsháh “True King.”
He began to plunder in the Panjáb and the country about Sihrind, and in the course of three or four months he gathered round him four or five thousand pony (yábú) riders and seven or eight thousand motley footmen. His numbers daily increased, and much plunder fell into his hands, until he had eighteen or nineteen thousand men under arms, and carried on a predatory and cruel warfare. He fought with two or three faujdárs who went out to punish him, defeated them and killed them. In many villages which he plundered he appointed thánádárs and tahsíldárs to collect the revenues of the neighbourhood for him, and matters came to such a pass that with three or four thousand infidels who were leagued with him, he wrote orders to the Imperial officials and the managers of the jágírdárs, calling upon them to submit to him, and to relinquish their posts.
Wazír Khán, Faujdár of Sihrind, had held the charge of the civil and revenue affairs of that district for a long time. He had some troops and treasure, and had obtained a reputation by his firm management. When he heard how districts in his charge had been ravaged and plundered, he set about collecting troops and warlike equipments. He joined with him four or five faujdárs and zamíndárs of name, prepared lead and gunpowder, mustered five or six thousand horse and seven or eight thousand musketeers (barkandáz) and archers, and with these and some artillery and elephants he marched out to give battle and to punish that perverse sect. After marching three or four kos, he came up with the enemy.
The accursed wretches had got warning of the movement of Wazír Khán, and advanced to meet him. All his followers kept shouting “Sachá Pádsháh” and “Fath daras.” The battle began, and great bravery was shown on both sides, but especially by the confederate sectarians. They advanced sword in hand against the elephants, and brought two of them down. Many Musulmáns found martyrdom, and many of the infidels went to the sink of perdition. The Musulmán forces were hardly able to endure the repeated attacks of the infidels, when a musket-ball made a martyr of Wazír Khán, and they were put to flight. Money and baggage, horses and elephants, fell into the hands of the infidels, and not a man of the army of Islám escaped with more than his life and the clothes he stood in. Horsemen and footmen in great numbers fell under the swords of the infidels, who pursued them as far as Sihrind.
Sihrind was an opulent town, with wealthy merchants, bankers, and tradesmen, men of money, and gentlemen of every class; and there were especially learned and religious men in great numbers residing there. No one found the opportunity of saving his life, or wealth, or family. When they heard of the death of Wazír Khán, and the rout of his army, they were seized with panic. They were shut up in the town, and for one or two days made some ineffectual resistance, but were obliged to bow to fate. The evil dogs fell to plundering, murdering, and making prisoners of the children and families of high and low, and carried on their atrocities for three or four days with such violence that they tore open the wombs of pregnant women, dashed every living child upon the ground, set fire to the houses, and involved rich and poor in one common ruin. Wherever they found a mosque, a tomb, or a gravestone of a respected Musulmán, they broke it to pieces, dug it up, and made no sin of scattering the bones of the dead. When they had done with the pillage of Sihrind, they appointed officers to collect the rents and taxes in all the dependent districts.
Accounts of the calamity which had fallen upon Sihrind reached 'Alí Muhammad Khán, Faujdár of Saháranpúr, and he was terror-struck. Although a number of gentlemen and Afgháns gathered round him and urged him to act boldly and to put his fortifications in a state of defence, it was of no avail; he went off to Dehlí with his property and family. The men of the town assembled, and, moved by one spirit, they threw up breastworks all round. When the villainous foe arrived, they made a manful resistance, and fighting under the protection of their houses, they kept up such a discharge of arrows and balls, that they sent many of their assailants to hell. Many men of noble and respectable families fell fighting bravely, and obtained the honour of martyrdom. The property and the families of numbers of the inhabitants fell into the hands of the enemy, and numerous women, seeing that their honour was at stake, and captivity before them, threw themselves into wells. A party of brave gentlemen collected their wives and families in one spot, and kept up such a manful resistance that they saved the lives, the property, and the honour of their families.
After a large booty of money, jewels, and goods of Sárangpúr had fallen into the hands of the enemy, they took measures to secure the surrounding country, and they sent severe orders to Jalál Khán, Faujdár of Jalálábád, who had founded the town and built the fort, and was famed for his boldness and valour throughout the country. When the letter of the accursed wretches reached him, he ordered the bearers to be exposed to derision and turned out of the place. He set his defences in order, collected materials of war, and did his best to protect the name and honour of those around him, and to get together a force sufficient to oppose the infidels. Intelligence was brought in that the enemy were only three or four kos distant, and they had attacked and surrounded two villages dependent on Jalálábád, the forts and houses of which were full of property belonging to merchants.
Jalál Khán sent out three or four hundred Afghán horse, and nearly a thousand musketeers and archers, under the command of Ghulám Muhammad Khán, his own grandson, and Hizbar Khán, to relieve the besieged places and drive off the infidels. Their arrival greatly encouraged the people who were assailed. Four or five hundred brave musketeers and bowmen and numbers of peasants, armed with all sorts of weapons, and with slings, came forward boldly to oppose the enemy, and the battle grew warm. Although the enemy fought with great courage and daring, and Hizbar Khán with a great many Musulmáns and peasants were killed, the repeated attacks of the Afgháns and other Musulmáns of name and station routed the enemy, and they fled, after a great number had been slain. Several fights afterwards took place between Jalál Khán, and the infidels received two or three defeats; but they still persevered with the investment of Jalálábád.
At length seventy or eighty thousand men swarmed together
from all parts like ants and locusts. They brought with them
two or three hundred movable morcháls made of planks, on which
they had placed wheels as upon carts, and with them surrounded
Jalálábád as with a ring. It is impossible to relate in full
all the brave deeds done by the Afgháns in their conflicts with
the enemy. The assailants advanced their morcháls to the foot
of the wall, when they discharged arrows, musket-balls, and
stones, and raising their cry of “Fath daras,” they strove in the
most daring way, with four or five hundred pickaxes and other
implements, to undermine the wall, to pass over it by ladders, and
to burn the gate. The Afgháns threw open the gate, and went
out with their drawn swords in their hands, and shields over their
heads, and in every attack killed and wounded a hundred or
two of the infidels. Many Musulmáns also fell. Attacks were
also made upon the enemy at night. For twenty days and nights
the besieged could get neither food nor rest. At length the infidels,
having lost many thousand men and gained no advantage,
raised the siege. They went off to reduce Sultánpúr and the par-