Bibi Harsarn Kaur
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Sikh women are always known to have responded to the call of their duty. They have not allowed hardships and dangers to stand in the way of the performance of their moral obligations. Bibi Harsarn Kaur was one of these women who faced the odds to fulfill her obligations. Guru Gobind Singh's two elder sons together with many other Sikhs, were martyred while fighting the foes at the battle of Chamkaur Sahib. Under pressure of supplications of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh was obliged to leave the place under cover of darkness. The enemy too, taking advantage of the lull and darkness, rested in the surrounding area where they had besieged the Sikhs.
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After leaving Chamkaur Sahib, Guru Ji reached the village where Bibi Harsarn Kaur lived. When he met her, she at once recognised the Guru. She bowed to Guru Ji and asked about the Sahib Jadey. She had been a nursing sister to them. Guru Ji told her about their martydom. She hurried to Chamkaur Sahib and stole on cat's paw to the battle scene and recognised the martyred Sikhs. She collected all the wood she could and piled them high. She placed the bodies of the Sahib Jadey and the Sikhs on the pile and set it afire. The big conflagration woke the enemy with consternation. All their expectations of getting prizes and honours were dashed to the ground. Now there was nothing left to show their identities of their victims.
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In the light of the fire, they were amazed to espy a female figure with a javelin in hand near the pile. They approached her and demanded to know who she was and whence she came. But nothing could make her speak. They became furious and threw Bibi Harsarn, javelin and all in the fire. Thus she too obtained martyrdom on 23rd Dec 1704.
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from the Punjabi book "Adarshak Singhnia"
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Bibi Harsharn Kaur was a brave Sikh woman who gave her life to fulfill her obligation. She faced odds and did not allow dangers to stand in her way. She is well known for responding to the call of her duty ignoring her safety. Bhai Vir Singh in his book Kalghidhar Chamatkar Part V named her Sharan Kaur Guru Gobind Singh with his two elder sons, five beloved ones and thirty-five other Sikhs, forty-three souls in all reached Chamkaur, a village sixteen kilometers from the river Sirsa, which they crossed on 21st December 1704. Realizing that the enemy was in front and in the rear, they occupied a mud-built double-storied house there. The next morning they were besieged by thousands of Mogul soldiers. Two under aged princes, Ajit Singh, and Jujhar Singh (still in their teens), and thirty-five of the remaining Sikhs laid down their lives fighting bravely at the altar of faith and freedom before the night fall when the fight ended. The Guru himself took part in the battle, and killed, and wounded many.
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Now the Guru was left with only five Sikhs who told the Guru that at that moment they were the Guru and he was the Khalsa. They ordered him to escape in the interest of the community. Three would accompany him and the remaining two would stay behind to continue the fight. Pressed by the repeated humble requests of the five Sikhs, the Guru was obliged to leave the place under the cover of darkness at midnight. Three Sikhs also left one by one. It was decided that they would meet in the garden near Machhiwara. Tired Moghul soldiers were also resting in darkness in the surrounding area. After leaving Chamkaur, the Guru reached a village where Harsharn Kaur, a baptized Sikh lady, lived. She recognized the Guru, bowed before him and asked about the princes and the other Sikhs. She had been a nursing sister to the princes. The Guru told her about their martyrdom. Hearing this, she made up her mind to cremate the dead bodies of the princes and other Sikhs. She realized that it was her moral duty to give these martyrs a decent cremation even if it cost her life.
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She disguised herself as a Muslim woman, armed herself and secretly started for the battle scene. On reaching there, she saw that the Moghul soldiers were enjoying a sound sleep in their tents as they had been burying their dead soldiers throughout the day and were tired. She gathered all the dead bodies of the Sikh martyrs at one place. She collected sufficient dry wood and bushes, and piled them high. She placed all the dead bodies on the pile, prayed with tears in her eyes, and set them on fire. Flames of fire woke the sleeping soldiers. They ran to the scene and were disappointed to find that there was no dead body left. Now they could not show the identities of their victims and thus earn prizes and honors form their superiors.
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In the light of the fire, they were surprised to find a woman. They asked her who she was and from whence she came. She did not speak, as she did not want to tell a lie. She stood without any sign of fear. They threatened her, but nothing could make her speak. When they saw that she had a sword in her hand, they became furious and one of them fired at her and injured her seriously. Now two soldiers lifted her and threw her body along with her sword in the fire. Thus she, too, obtained martyrdom on 23rd December 1704. Her soul met her martyred brothers. Her sacrifice is narrated many times.
Bibi Khem Kaur
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Khem Kaur Dhillon, Daughter of Jodh Singh Kalalvala and grand daughter of Sahib Singh Dhillon aka Bhangi of Gujrat, was married in 1816 to Prince Kharak Singh, eldest son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She survived her husband and helped Anti-British forces in the second Anglo-Sikh war (1849) for which reason her Jagirs were considerably reduced
Bibi Prem Kaur
The green Thaeri Hills were soaked in blood. The powerful Pathan Army defended the hill top against a small troop of fearless Akalee soldiers. The Pathan Army heavily outnumbered the bravest battalion of the Khalsa Army, but these warrior lions of Guru Gobind Singh did not lose faith. United, like the waves in the ocean, by their deep blue battle-dress and turbans, they fought against all the odds and faced the rain of enemy bullets, stones, and arrows. Hacking their way through treachorous terrain, they hammered their way up the hill.
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Time was running out for the Akalees, Maharaja Ranjit Singh hadn't arrived with reinforcements wereas the Pathans had won the support of thousands of local muslims by distributing pamphlets that declared this battle as a war against Islam - Jihad. The Akalees belonged to Akal, the Immortal God, and with Akal on their side who should they be afraid of? Being outnumbered didn't scare them, Guu Gobind Singh Jee had transformed them with his `khanda-batta da amrit' - the initiation amrit-nectar prepared in the indestructable iron batta-bowl and stirred by the most awesome of weapons - the double-edged Khanda sword. The words of their Guru father rang in their ears `I will make one fight against 125,000, then and only then can I be called Gobind Singh!'. The Akalees belonged to Akal, they fought for their Guru's honour and their only hope in life was to die fighting courageously on the battle-field.
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The future of the Sikh Empire, the Khalsa Raaj, depended on this battle. The Akalees marched forward led by the courageous warrior Akalee Phoola Singh , the sun reflected like bolts of lightning from the sharp bladed discus-like chakr-weapons going around his mountain peaked turban. Raising his sword his thundering voice gave power to the battle cry jaekara - `JO BAWLEH SO NIHAL', (Whoever speaks it Will be Joyous). Every single Akalee Lion roared the response `SAT SREE AKAL' (Akal Is True!). The Akalee's spirits rose, new life was injected into them with each jaekara. They faced the Pathans with rejuvenated spirits, just seeing the fire in the Akalee's eyes was enough to send the Pathans running in all directions. Advancing into an almost deserted battlefield the Akalees had captured the hill top against all the odds.
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But then, from out of nowhere, bullets and arrows started raining down on the Akalees, the Pathans had hidden in hill-caves and now charged out. Surrounding the Akalees they bombarded them with bullets and arrows. Akalee Phoola Singh took a bullet in the chest and the mighty lion fell. The great warrior Karnail Singh Bania also fell wounded by another bullet. The Akalees wanted to die fighting, but seeing their leader's serious condition they decided it was wiser to retreat. The Pathans chased them down to the foothills.
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The wounded were carried for about a mile, they marched passed their ammunition depot and reached the camp hospital. A few young Khalsa women busily nursed the wounded lions. Looking towards the hill they saw the enemy forces charging down like an avalanche. The Khalsa nurses along with the remaining Akalee Warriors, gathered their wounded and once again retreated to a safer location.
The Pathans were exhilerated by the fact that victory was almost in their ruthless hands. They marched triumphantly towards the deserted Akalee Camp with the Islamic battle cry `Allah Hu Akbar' (God is Great). Reaching the undefendend depot they desperately needed to find a mountain load of ammunition. Most of their army didn't have rifles and without them they knew they stood no chance against the Khalsa Army re-inforcements that were rapidly riding to the battle-scene. On finding thousands of rifles, their joy had no bounds and the skies reverberated with their war cries - `Allah Hu Akbar'.
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Each soldier eagerly seized a weapon, but their hearts sunk down to the lowest depths of hell when they realised there were no bullets. Searching frantically they ripped apart every storage tent and overturned every stack of crates, like thirsty men in the desert they ran in all directions looking for even a tiny clue as to where the metal messengers of death could be, finally Allah was truly merciful and they located crate after crate full to the brim with the finest bullets stuffed full of gunpowder. Once again their joy had no bounds and the valleys echoed with `Allah Hu Akbar'. Surrounded by a sea of ammunition the Pathan Army danced like drunken men waving their new found guns in the air. Without warning, an incredible explosion suddenly shocked the sky and shook the mountains. Flames shot up hundreds of feet into the sky, like an errupting volcano spewing out it's insides with all the force and fury of ten thousand angry gods. Bodies went flying in all directions like fragile rag dolls. Within a blink of an eye, the Pathans dancing heaven had turned them into black logs of charcoal feeding the flames of hell on earth.
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By now, the `Lion Of Punjab -Shere Punjab', Maharaja Ranjit Singh, had crossed the Attock river and appeared on the horizon like the the light of the rising sun after a dark and stormy night, the rays of hope reached out in all directions in the form of Khalsa Warrior after Khalsa Warrior. Whether riding on horseback or marching on foot, each battalion was headed by the the flag bearers waving the Khalsa flags high in the sky. They whispered `Waheguru, Waheguru' with each breath, their secret power given to them when they were blessed with `khanda-batta-da-amrit'. General Hari Singh Naluwa commanded them and they rode like the wind, attacking the remaining Pathans with so much power that they ran for their lives like headless chickens. The Khalsa Army claimed complete control of the battlefield. The skies echoed with the battle cry jaekara `JO BAWLEH SO NIHAL', (Whoever speaks it Will be Joyous). Every single Khalsa Lion roared the response `SAT SREE AKAL' (Akal Is True!).
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Maharaja Ranjit Singh and General Hari Singh Naluwa looked around at the site of death and destruction, smoke was still emating from burning crates and bodies. Tha Akalee's told Maharaja Ranjit Singh that by some miracle Guru Gobind Singh jee himself had caused the explosion. They all knew that they would have suffered a total wipeout against a fanatical Pathan Army on a religious Jihad armed to the teeth with guns and bullets.
As they wandered around what used to be the camp, Maharaja Ranjit Singh noticed something, quickly dashing to the outskirts he kneeled down. The others followed him and they congregated around the dead body of a fair, innocent, young khalsa woman. She was lying face down on the ground less than 50 feet from the depot and away from the bodis of the Pathans. In her hand she was still tightly clutching a fire-torch!
It was the head nurse, Bibi Prem Kaur. This brave lioness daughter of Guru Gobind Singh Jee had given up her life to save the Khalsa Army from a humiliating defeat. While the other nurses retreated with the wounded Akalees, she had secretly gone to the depot and hidden near the bullet storage. Lighting the ammunition, the blast had blown her body away from the dead Pathans, as if to protect her innocence and honor her sacrifice.
This scene deeply moved Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his eyes were flooding with tears. Addressing her as his daughter, he gently raised her head onto his lap and tenderly wiped her face with his damp handkerchief.
The Khalsa warriors witnessed these scenes with tears rolling down their cheeks, Bibi Prem Kaur had sacrificed her own life so that her brothers would be saved. At her funeral the Khalsa Army band played on and the cannons fired in continuous salute as Maharaja Ranjit Singh and other Officers carried her coffin in a royal procession. Every Khalsa Warrior felt Bibi Prem Kaur's eternal love for Guru Gobind Singh Jee wash over them, with their heads bowed low, they said great, truly great is our father Guru Gobind Singh Jee.
The `khanda-batta-da-amrit' that Guru Gobind Singh jee used to transform the sparrows into hawks, jackals into lions, cowards into Khalsa, had now enabled Bibi Prem Kaur to make the ultimate selfess sacrifice. She was now a martyr that the Khalsa would never forget. By the Guru's infinite and unparralled grace and kindness she had single-handedly overturned a sure defeat for the Khalsa into an overwhelming victory.
Bibi Rajindar Kaur
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BIBI RAJINDAR KAUR, (1739-1791) or Rajindan, Patiala princess known for her valorous qualities, was the granddaughter of Baba Ala Singh. The only child of her father, Bhumla Singh, who had died when she was barely tour, she was brought up by her grandfather, and, in 1751, married to Chaudhari Tilok Chand, of Phagwara. Har husband died at a young age and the charge of the family estate, consistsing of over two hundred villages, fell to her. When Baba Ala Singh was arrested in 1765 by Ahmad Shah Durrani for having fallen into arrears with the tribute and was being taken to lahore, Rajindar Kaur went to her grandfather and offered to pay the money to secure his release. But the latter declined the offer saying that it was not proper to accept money from a daughter of the family. In 1778, Raja Amar Singh of Patiala, who was Rajindar Kaur's first cousin, was defeated by Hari Singh of Sialba. Rajindar Kaur came to his rescue smith three thousand soldiers marching through the territories of the chiefs who had fought on the side of Harl Singh. During the reign of the minor Raja Sahib Singh, Rajindar Kaur was again in Patiala to defend the town against Maratha onslaughts. At the head of a strong force she marched as far as Mathura where peace parleys were opened with the Marathas.
Bibi Rajindar Kaur died in 1791 at Patiala after a short illness. She was cremated in the royal cemetery known as Shahi Samadhan.
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from the Punjabi book "Adarshak Singhnia"
Griffin. Sir Lepel writer of the The Rajas of the Punjab, writes “Rani Rajinder Kaur was one of the most remarkable of her age. She possessed all the virtues which men pretend their own, courage perseverance, and sagacity, without any mixture of the weaknesses which men attribute to women.”
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She is called Rani (Queen) as she was the granddaughter of Baba Ala Singh, the famous ruler of the Patiala State. She was the only child of her father Bhuma Singh, who died in 1742 when she was only four years old. She was broughtup by her grandmother Rani Fatto. In 1751, she was married at the tender age of 13 to Tilok Chand, chief of Phagwara, a city near Julllundur. Her husband died in the prime of his life and she became in charge of the family estate consisting of about two hundred villages. She managed it efficiently.
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In 1765, Baba Ala Singh was arrested by Ahmad Shah Durran as Baba had failed to pay his tribute regularly and Durrani wanted to collect the whole amount in one installment. The Baba was taken to Lahore. Rajinder Kaur went to her grandfather and offered to pay the amount to secure his release. But, the Baba refused to accept the offer saying it was not proper to take money from the daughters of the family. Later on, his wife managed to get him free.
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In 1778, Amar Singh, the ruler of the Patiala state was defeated by Hari Singh, chief of Sailba. Rajinder Kaur could not tolerate the humiliation of Amar Singh, her first cousin, who had invited help from his relatives. She had also a grudge against Hari Singh who had eloped with a lady of her family. According to Hari Ram Gupta, a well known historian, she was a great commander. With a force of 3000 men, she marched from Phagwara to Patiala. She ravaged the country of Hari Singh and her supporters falling on her way. Hari Singh was defeated and had to pay a large tribute to Amar Singh. Amar Singh was succeeded by his six years old son Sahib Singh in 1781. During his minority, his grandmother Rani Hukman appointed Nanum as his Prime Minister, but the situation of the state was delicate. It was a complete mess and there were intrigues and conspiracies all around. The state could have been disintegrated into small states, but was saved by able and faithful Nanum Mal. He was also severely wounded in an engagement. The ladies of the imperial household put him into prison in 1783 and got themselves busy in plundering the treasury. Sikh chiefs seized as many villages of the state as they could.
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Rajinder Kaur could not tolerate the ruin of her parental state. She collected a force, hurried from Phagwara to Patiala, set free Nanum Mal and restored him to his old position in 1785. She and Nanum Mal, with the help of Dhar Rao, Maratha chief recovered the lost territory of the state and reestablished Sahib Singh’s rule. The Maratha chief was given a huge amount with thanks for his help.
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In 1790, another Maratha general Rana Khan advanced towards Patiala and demanded eight hundred thousand rupees as tribute. Bibi Rajinder Kaur could not tolerate this, but knew that the state could not defeat the huge Maratha army. At the head of a military guard, she along with Nanum Mal visited the Maratha camp. She induced Rana Khan to retire and promised to pay the amount after personally settling the amount with his chief Mahadiji Sindhia who was camping at Mathura. She marched as far as Mathura where she was treated most respectfully. She settled the amount with the Sindhia and came back.
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In the absence of Rajinder Kaur and Nanum Mal, other ministers and chiefs poisoned Sahib Singh’s mind against them. Foolish Sahib Singh played in their hands. Nanum Mal’s dismissal was followed by the fall of Rajinder Kaur due to the conspiracies of intrigues of the palace. She returned from Mathura after four months and wished to see Sahib Singh, who declined a meeting. All her privileges were withdrawn. All her previous esteem and respect were gone. This ingratitude for her most selfless service to the state broke her heart. Thus, disgraced, she became ill at Patiala and after a brief sickness died in 1791. She suffered greatly from the stupidity of Sahib Singh and left his world in despair.
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