Warrior Bibi Sharanagat Kaur
This week’s Sakhi is about a Great Sikh Woman –
Sharanagat Kaur Ji was born in a Hindu Family in the Pathan, located west of Punjab. The area was under the Sikh Raj, by General Hari Singh Nalwa (To Read more about General Hari Singh Nalwa – Click Here)
To completely understand how Sharanagat Kaur Ji became a courageous Daughter of Khalsa, we need to trace back to her wedding day. After a successful wedding ceremony, Bibi Ji and her groom, with the wedding party, travelled to their village. On the way to her in-laws home, Bibi Ji and her newly husband were attacked by dacoits. Crying for help, and fighting back with all their strength, the dacoits ordered all the people to surrender their cash and valuables. The helpless party had no choice; they were not carrying any weapons, and did not have the means to fight back. They gave up everything, all the valuables and cash that they were carrying on that special day were taken away from them by the dacoits. But that was not the worse part; the dacoits demanded that beautiful bride to come with them...
Her husband was upset, and did not know what to do. Right after the incident, he went straight to General Nalwa, the governor of the Pathan province. Bibi Ji’s husband told the General exactly what had happened that awful day. The General listened closely, however he was distracted while sitting in his court. He was listening to what Bibi Ji’s husband was saying, but while he was listening he observed two individuals behaving suspiciously near the door. The General suspected the individuals to be friends of the dacoits. What happened next was surprising. After the husband finished his story, General ordered out loud, for the two individuals who he suspected were dacoits to hear, “Put this man in Prison. He did not care to protect a helpless woman, who was his own wife.” The Husband was shocked; the General did not know believe him.It turned out that the two individuals that the General did suspect were associates of the dacoits. When they heard that the General order this man to be imprisoned they were quite pleased. They could not hide their excitement; for them they were pleased, they did not have to go search the hide-outs of the dacoits. They came into General court with glowing eyes and wide smiles on their faces. While in court, they assured the General of their complicity in looting the marriage party and carrying away the bride.
The General was accurate when he suspected the two individuals of the dacoits. Soon after the individuals received the orders from the General that Bibi Ji’s husband would be imprisoned for a false complaint they went straight to dacoit’s hide-out. The men reported that the General was angry with the cowardly behaviour of the groom; the associates of the dacoits assumed the whole ordeal would be forgotten. As they discussed more about the General reaction to the situation, they became happier. But the joyful atmosphere did not last for long. Soon, the ten Sikh soldiers that General ordered to follow the two suspected individuals surrounded the dacoits and ordered them to put their hands up. The dacoits were shocked, dumbfounded, and upset. The General tricked them into believing he did not care, and did not believe Bibi Ji’s husband
Bibi Ji (the beautiful bride) was rescued, and brought before the General. Once he got a glimpse of Bibi Ji, he asked her “What is your name?” She replied, “I am nobody. I would have been dead had you not saved my life. Now I am under your ‘sharan’ (protection)”. The word 'sharan' voluntarily coming out of the mouth of a helpless, scared woman gave her the popular name Sharanagat Kaur. The General was pleased with Bibi Ji’s response.
When the husband received notice that his bride was saved he came running to the General’s court. Once he reunited with his wife, the General returned everything, including the valuables and cash. The General with great gratitude asked that, the newly couple should go home. However, Bibi Ji, and her husband, begged the General to allow them to stay with him.
The General was excited, and agreed. He could not refuse two individuals who wanted to become Guru Ji’s Sikhs. Bibi Ji and Husband in the mean time, shaaked Amrit, and were allowed to stay with the General.
Just imagine, the day Bibi Ji and her husband were attacked. If they were part of the Panth, they would of the spiritual strength, and physical strength to fight back against the dacoits who robbed them, and kidnapped Bibi Ji.
While his visit to Jamrod Fort, Hari Singh Nalwa fell seriously ill. The area was surrounded with the Pathan population unfriendly towards him. Knowing that the General was sick and was not in any physical condition to engage in battle, they all rebelled against his rule.
To send the message that he was hale and hearty, the General, bravely, went up to the upper story of the fort from where he could be seen by all the people outside. Seeing him moving about on the fort, the rebels retreated quickly.
However, one of them aimed his gun at him and shot him. Unfortunately, the General was hit and died of the bullet wound.
The news of the Generals death was shocking. The situation in the fort became very tense, and everyone was depressed when realizing the General was dead, and there was no one else to replace his bravery, his dedication, and his intelligence.
Like a true Sikh woman, Bibi Ji, kept her composure. She did not allow herself to cry over a death of the General. She knew, the General was in the Darshan of Akal Purak, and no one should be upset.
She try to help those around her, Bibi Ji, thought for some time and said, “This is not the time to feel worried or scared. Let us face this critical moment, with courage and confidence. I have a plan to the save us from the rebels”. Her plan was thoughtful, and dangerous. A plan, that General surely would have been proud. Bibi Ji decided to leave the fort. To do this, she tied a rope on the back of the fort, and slid down to the ground. She disguised herself was a Pathan woman. Once she did this, she headed towards Peshawar, to inform the army there about the situation taking place in their village.
Her journey was difficult. Bibi Ji needed to be strong, and smart in order to fight against the obstacles she face while travelling to Peshawar. She had to travel through a hilly route that covered twenty miles, swarming with Pathan rebels. There were wild animals in the forest through which she had to walk at night, and she could easily become their prey. It was a very risky journey. It looked impossible for a woman to reach Peshawar alive under those conditions and give the sad news to the army and request their help.
The brave, daring, and young Sikh Woman did reach there by walking and running through dense forest the whole night.
Without losing any time, she asked the best horsemen to get ready quickly and ride their horses. The Sikh soldiers were under the guidance of Bibi Sharanagat Kaur, they traveled as fast as they could to reach Lahore. They covered their long arduous journey quickly and reported the episode to Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.
After hearing the death of a Great General who raised the honour of the Khalsa army to the skies, he felt very sad. Assessing the situation to be critical, he himself left for Peshawar. Knowing that the Maharaja had personally come to punish the rebels, the Pathans immediately surrendered without fighting and promised to remain friendly thereafter.
The Khalsa Raj of Punjab, founded with the statesmanship of a woman, Sardarni Sada Kaur (Click Here to Read More about Bibi Sada Kaur), was thus saved from being dismembered, by the bravery of another Sikh woman, Bibi Sharanagat Kaur. She was honoured by the Khalsa Panth with the title of "Brave Daughter of the Punjab."
Sikh women can successfully face all kinds of critical and risky situations like any good general and statesman. Like other brave Sikh Woman, Bibi Sharanagat Kaur Ji kept her composure during a difficult ordeal, the loss of the General created many Sikhs to be upset. However, Bibi Ji was determined not to give up the legacy of the General. The General worked his whole life, to maintain, a pure Sikhi life with guidance of the Guru Ji’s Bani, and Guru Ji’s Code of Conduct. Dhan Dhan Guru De Sikh!! No matter what type of situation they are in, they willing and ready to fight back with the strength they have gained by doing Naam Simran.
*Edited *
Comments:
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11:42 AM
, at
11:42 AM
Waheguru Ji Ke Fateh
You can send info or contact at
Faujkaur@hotmail.com or daughtersofthekhalsa@yahoo.ca (recently created)
Have started with "DECODING - JAPJI". Have just started the same ... posted just 2 topics.
Would love to have as many daughters of the khalsa getting involved in that.
-by
Son of Khalsa. :)
Waheguru ji ka khalsa Waheguru ji ke fateh ji.
