Battle of Kasur (1763)
| Battle of Kasur | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Afghan-Sikh wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Buddha Dal |
 Durrani Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Hari Singh Dhillon Jhanda Singh Dhillon Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Jai Singh Kanhaiya Charat Singh Tara Singh Ghaiba |
Usman Khan † Muhiuddin Khan † Hamid Khan (POW) | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
24,000[3] 8,000 (Sikh Sources)[4] | 1,200,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | 500[3] | ||||||
The Battle of Kasur (also known as the Sacking of Kasur) took place in May 1763, where the Sikh Misls united their forces against the Afghan forces of Kasur. The Sikhs successfully infiltrated Kasur and defeated the Afghan army. The Sikhs would sack the town after the battle with many of its Muslim residents being put to the sword.
Background
All the Sikhs gathered in Amritsar on April 10th, 1763, to celebrate the Baisakhi festival. During their time there, some Brahmins from Kasur came to complain about how the Afghans were treating Hindus in their town. They particularly pointed out Usman Khan, who had taken one Brahmin’s wife, made her convert to Islam, and mistreated her [5]
Hari Singh Bhangi, the leader of the Taruna Dal, quickly agreed to help the Brahmins. However, others disagreed, citing several concerns. The Pathans were strong, with twelve forts full of weapons, and they might get help from other Afghan forces. Despite these worries, Hari Singh remained firm. Later, Charat Singh also supported his plan but suggested they first consult their sacred Granth. They opened the book at random, and the first lines they read urged them to keep their promises.[5]
Battle
The Taruna Dal then left Amritsar, and as they traveled, more people joined their cause. By the time they reached Kasur, their group had grown to 24,000. Some Sikh scouts had already reached Kasur disguised as merchants and reported that the town was unaware of the Sikhs’ plans. They also informed the Sikhs that the Afghans were staying in underground cells to escape the heat of May. The Sikhs took advantage of this information and entered the town at noon, catching the people off guard. They quickly took control of the gates, locked them, and cut off communication, which allowed them to loot the town.[5]
Usman Khan and 500 of his men were killed, and the Brahmin woman was returned to her real husband. Ghulam Muhiy-ud-din Khan, the leader of the Pathan chiefs, died in battle. His nephew, Hamid Khan, begged for his life at Sardar Jhanda Singh’s feet, offering four lakh rupees as payment. The town was looted and burned with many of its Muslim residents being put to the sword and mosques being desecrated. The Sikhs found large amounts of treasure, including gold, silver, jewels, and pearls, making them very rich. It is said that Jassa Singh Ramgarhia gathered so much wealth that four strong men had to carry it on a large bed. He later buried the treasure in a forest near Amritsar but forgot the location and lost it forever.
The Ramgarhia and Kanhiya Misls worked together and shared the loot equally. However, during this event, Jassa Singh kept all the treasure for himself, which led to tension and bad feelings between the two leaders [5]
References
- ^ Singha,Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India:Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
- ^ Gupta, Hari Ram (1939). History of the Sikhs, Volume 1. S.N. Sarkar, 1939. ISBN 9788121502481.
- ^ a b Gupta 1939, p. 184.
- ^ Bhangu, Rattan Singh (1914). Panth Prakash Vol.2 English Translation.
- ^ a b c d Gupta 1939, pp. 183–184.