Battle of Pipli Sahib
The Battle of Pipli Sahib also known as Battle of Amritsar was a battle fought by the Sikh Misls and the Durrani Empire. This battle is also referred to as Badla Singhan Da (Revenge of the Sikhs) and was fought after the great Sikh holocaust (Vadda Ghalughara).
Battle of Pipli Sahib | |||||||
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Part of Afghan–Sikh Wars and Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
60,000[1][2] | 50,000[3] |
Background
After the Battle of Kup, the Sikhs decided to get revenge for the dead and avenge their defeats.[4] Ahmad Shah Abdali had returned to Lahore.[5] He sent an ambassador to negotiate peace with the Sikh leaders and prevent further losses of his ken which the Sikh were desperate to do. However, when this ambassador arrived at the Sikh camps the Sikhs plundered him and his followers and after drove them away.[6] Abdali furious quickly arrived at the outskirts of Amritsar.[7]
Battle
The Sikhs had gathered around at Amritsar to celebrate Diwali which was on October of 17 that year. The Sikhs attacked the Afghans, “…vehemently and didn't care about their own lives at all”.[8] The battle was fought under a total solar eclipse.[9] The battle went on furiously from early morning till late night.[8] Both sides decided to stop fighting for night and resume fighting in the morning, but during the night Ahmad Shah Abdali and his forces decided to retreat to Lahore.[6]
Aftermath
The Shah left Lahore on December 12, 1762, and Kabuli Mal was appointed the new governor of Lahore.[9] The Sikhs crossed the Sutlej River and slipped into the Lakhi Jungle.
References
- Gupta, Hari (2007). History of the Sikhs Vol II Evolution of the Sikh Confederacies. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 978-81-215-0248-1.
- Gupta 1939, p. 191.
- Dhamija, Sumant (6 October 2014). "The forgottten hero of Punjab". Indian Defence Review. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- Gupta 1939, p. 190.
- Cunningham, Joseph Davey (1918). A History Of The Sikhs From The Origin Of The Nation To The Battles Of The Sutlej. p. 101.
- Singh, Ganda (1959). Ahmad Shah Durrani,father of modern Afghanistan. Asia Publishing House, Bombay. pp. 286–287.
- Singh, Khushwant (2004). A History of the Sikhs: 1469-1838. Oxford University Press. pp. 155–156.
- Gupta 1939, p. 192.
- Singh 2004, p. 156.
Works cited
- Gupta, Hari Ram (1939). History of the Sikhs, Volume 1. S.N. Sarkar, 1939. ISBN 9788121502481.