Battle of Muktsar

Battle Of Muktsar

Date	8 May 1705 (21 Vaisakh 1762 Bikrami calendar)
Location	Near the pool of Khidrānā (later Muktsar)
Result	40 Sikhs killed, one survived and fled. Mughals were held off, Wazir Khan (Sirhind) was repulsed.

Belligerents

Mughals

Khalsa

Commanders and leaders

Nawab Wazir Khan

Guru Gobind Singh

Mahan Singh †

Strength

unknown

Casualties and losses

unknown

The Battle of Muktsar or Battle of Khidrāne Dee Dhāb took place on 8 May 1705, (21 Vaisakh 1762 Bikrami calendar) following the siege of Anandpur. In 1704, Anandpur was under an extended siege by the allied forces of the Mughals and the hill chiefs.

During the siege 40 men, led by Bhai Maha Singh Bhai Maha Singh, Puar Rajput Sikh by caste , son of Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh , Diwan of the Tenth guru and Jathedar of Amritsar during tenth guru , wrote letters of bedava (abandonment of a Sikh from his Guru) to Guru Gobind Singh. They arrived in the village of Jhabal where a Sikh woman named Mai Bhago, upon hearing their tale of desertion, motivated them into returning back to Guru Ji at Anandpur Sahib.

The 40 deserters with Mai Bhago returned to seek out Guru Gobind Singh, and joined him near Khidrāne Dee Dhāb preparing for battle against the Mughals. They fought, defeated the Mughals and died in the following battle. The guru, finding the dying Maha Singh on the battlefield after the battle, forgave him and his compatriots, tore up their letters of bedava, and blessed them for their service. The place was later renamed Muktsar, literally meaning The Pool of Liberation. Mai Bhago survived the battle and stayed on with Guru Gobind Singh Ji as one of his bodyguards.

The Mela Maghi is held at the holy city of Muktsar Sahib every year in memory of the forty Sikh martyrs. The Maghi Mela is held on 1 Magh in January due to Sikhs already gathering in Gurdwaras on Maghi since the third Guru Amar Dass Ji established Maghi as a Sikh festival.

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Wikipedia