Battle of Sarsa
Part of Mughal-Sikh Wars and Hill States-Sikh Wars

Parivar Vichora gurdwara
Date21 December 1704
Location
Near the River Sarsa
Result Mughal victory [a]
Belligerents
Khalsa (Sikhs)

Mughal Empire

Alliance of Hill Rajas, including Kahlur
Commanders and leaders
Guru Gobind Singh
Bhai Jiwan Singh †
Bhai Udai Singh †
Bhai Mani Singh
Ajit Singh		 Wazir Khan (Sirhind)
Raja Ajmer Chand
General Khawaja Mohammed
General Nahar Khan
Governor Zabardast Khan
Strength
400-500[2][3]
Casualties and losses

The Battle of Sarsa was fought in 21 December 1704[4] between the Khalsa and the Mughal Empire.

Background and battle

Guru Gobind Singh's family got separated and Mani Singh, along with other Sikhs, took Mata Sundri and Mata Sahib Kaur to Delhi, whereas Gobind, the Panj Piare, Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh and a handful of Sikh warriors went to Chamkaur for the last stand.[citation needed]

Even as Mughal General Wazir Khan promised Gobind safe passage after the siege of Anandpur, he still pursued the survivors. At Shahi Tibbi, Jiwan Singh was killed and the Sikhs were destroyed while crossing the Sarsa River, with Gobind's two younger sons being captured and later extrajudicially executed. Gobind was defeated the next day at Chamkaur.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ "Despite promising Guru Gobind Singh safe passage after the siege of Anandpur, Mughal General Wazir Khan pursued the survivors. At Shahi Tibbi, Jiwan Singh was killed in a rear- guard action. The Sikhs were then destroyed while crossing the Sarsa, with the Guru’s two younger sons captured and later murdered. Gobind was defeated next day at Chamkaur (21 December 1704)."[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Jacques 2007, p. 914.
  2. ^ Gupta, Hari Ram (1939). History of the Sikhs, Volume 1.
  3. ^ Suraj Granth Rut 6 Chapter 32
  4. ^ a b Jaques, Tony (26 June 2015). "Dictionary of Battles and Sieges". friendfeed-media.com. Greenwood Press. p. 914. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2022.

Sources


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