Lohgarh is a historic town in Bilaspur tehsil of Yamunanagar district of Haryana in India. It was the capital of the Sikh state under Baba Banda Singh Bahadur from 1710 to 1716.
Locations
It is situated on an elevated summit at the steps of Himalayas, about halfway between Nahan in Himachal Pradesh and Sadaura in Haryana about 21 miles from Sadaura, it could be approached only by curly rocks and ravines. From Chandigarh to Raipur Rani, Sadhaura, Bilaspur, Haryana, Kapal Mochan, Lohgarh Sahib. From other parts of Haryana of Uttar Pradesh, proceed to Sadhaura. [Now, in 2018, a 40 feet wide road has been built from village Bhagwanpur to Lohgarh].
History
The Lohgarh Sahib Fort (meaning Iron Fort) about 30 kilometres from Sadaura was made by Bhai Lakhi Rai Wanjara under instructions from Guru Hargobind Sahib. Its construction began sometimes in 1620s and was finally completed in 1710. It was made capital of Khalsa kingdom in February 1710 by Banda Singh Bahadur who had earlier captured Samana in 1709 and later also captured Sadaura in Battle of Sadhaura in 1709 after Mughal had declared jihad against the forces of Banda Singh Bahadur. He captured Sirhind on May 12, 1710, after victory in the battle of in the Battle of Chappar Chiri on May 10, 1710. He abolished Zamidari system and gave legal ownership of the land to cultivators. Boundaries of his reign had Sivalik Hills in the north, Yamuna in the east, Tangri river (tributary of Ghaggar river) in the west, and south boundary was Karnal-Thanesar-Kaithal-Samana. After the death of 10th Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh at Nanded in 1708, Banda Singh Bahadur left Nanded marched 1700 km across Maharastra and Rajasthan that were in revolt against Mughals and to reach near the forest of Khanda and Sehri (in Kharkhauda Tehsil of Sonepat district of Haryana) a year later in 1709. He established the Khalsa Raj headquartered at Lohgrah fort. The entire treasury acquired in his expeditions, including treasure worth 2 crore won in Sirhind, was deposited here in Lohgarh Sahib. The coins in the name of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh were minted and issued from here. He was brave in battles. He was brave when executed in Delhi by Mughals. He punished local Mughal chief of Sadaura, Usman Khan, to avenge the killing of Pir Budhan Shah. The historical book, "Twarikh Khasa" chronicles, "Nawab usman Khan of Sadhora was so cruel and fanatical that he used to have cows slaughtered and uneatable parts of cows he would have them thrown into the Hindus homes. He never allowed them to cremate their dead and forcibly matched Hindu brides to Musalmen. The Jazia was collected in most humiliating ways so that they might be more easily converted to Islam."
In 1710 AD, Banda Singh Bahadur also killed infamous Faujdar of Sirhind Wazir Khan (real name Mirza Askari) who had ordered the execution of Guru Gobind Singh's young sons, 6 years old Sahibzada Fateh Singh and 9 years old Sahibzada Zorawar Singh), in 1705. Wzir Khan was beheaded by the Sikh army led by Banda Singh Bahadur outside the Sirhind city in the Battle of Chappar Chiri in May 1710. Recently, Punjab government created Fateh Burj to commemorate the victory of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Chhappar Chiri, close to Ajitgarh also called Mohali.
Sikh rose in armed conflict after the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan was arrested, tortured and martyred on 30 May 1606 on the orders of Mughal Emperor Jahangir on his refusal to convert to Islam. His successor Guru Hargobind, was the sixth of the Sikh gurus. He was eleven years old when he became Guru on 30 May 1606, after the execution of his father, Guru Arjan, by the Mughal emperor Jahangir. He is remembered for initiating a military tradition Miri piri within Sikhism to resist Islamic persecution and protecting the freedom of religion.
Battle of Lohgargh
Near the fort is a trench. Mughal King Bahadur Shah I himself led the army to Sadaura and sent his army to besiege the fort of Lohgarh Sahib. Khalsa army men fought here for one month under Baba Banda Singh. The fort was destroyed by the Mughal artillery, Banda Singh had a narrow escape and could not be captured alive. At last they disappeared towards upper hills of Nahan through this trench. Mogul army could not find them.