Jatha

Sikhs in the past and present use armed squads called Jatha's. Jatha's are significant in the Sikh tradition, and have been around for just over 300 years at the beginning of the Khalsa.

Sikhs are considered lions by the name 'Singh'(Sher in Punjabi), in history Sikhs were commonly referred to as Akalis(meaning reckless and immortals)being well known for their martial skills, freedom in speaking their minds and their daredevil courage. During the Mughal rule, it was illegal to be Sikh and therefore against the law at the time, Sikhs were considered outlaws, as they lived in the Jungles of Punjab and their daily activities consisted of weapons training, deep medication, lion hunting and Combat Arts of the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa. The Khalsa was the Sikh army, there were many Sikhs from allover and the Khalsa army was subdivided into Jatha's. These Jatha's were from their own villages and they built many forts and places of worship such as, Harmandir Sahib, Hazur Sahib and many others around Punjab. Sikhs were and are a minority and became necessary to join one or the other jatha to fight against the oppressors.

Despite the small number of Sikhs, they became victorious in hundreds of battles and narrated by many Sikh, Muslim, Hindu and Persian native accounts including historians, with the odds of the Sikhs and Muslims in battle with a ratio of 1:5, but when the Sikh army would march into battle, they would preparer a huge war drum with a loud and thundering beat and would rise the Nishans(Sikh flag) high and the opposing forces would know the Khalsa were coming. While the Singhs spirit was boosting, the opposing forces would get more worried. The Sikhs abolished the Muslim forces and Mughal Empire in the whole province in one stroke and where the first to destroy the Mughal Empire, starting with Sirhind, and set upon the Sikh Empire.

Sikh takeover of Mughal Rule

During the 1700's, the rise to power and a Sikh Empire began when the tenth master or guru of Sikhism, Gobind Singh, sent his brave Sikh general, Banda Singh, along with some hundred Singhs to punish those who had committed atrocities against Pir Buddhu Shah and avenge the murder of his young sons. Banda Singh with a large group of Sikhs advanced towards the main Muslim Mughal city of Sirhind and followed the instructions of the Guru and punished all the culprits, taking over the city. Soon after the Invasion of Sirhind, the news of the death of Guru Gobind Singh Ji reached Banda Singh and the Khalsa army. After this the Singhs took over many Muslim and Mughal lands, establishing a Sikh Empire.

Other existing Muslim Emperors proclaimed a jihad or a holy war against the Banda and the Khalsa. However many Muslim army’s and their Emperors fled in dismay and despair after Wazir Khan's head was stuck up on a spear and lifted high up by a Sikh who took his seat at Sirhind, Muslim troops on beholding the head took alarm. Many Muslims embraced Sikhism and became Khalsa. However the concept of jihad was proclaimed and took over 60,000 Muslim troops to capture 400 Sikh warriors and Banda Singh, where he was tortured. Soon after the death of Banda Singh, the Sikh Empire was crowned a new King or Maharajah, called Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The new king and Sikh Misls rose to power in a series of sweeping military and diplomatic victories. Increasing the number of Sikhs and spreading the Empire further. His vast empire comprised almost 200,000 square miles of what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India.

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Portrait of young Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

The Empire of the Sikhs and King was widely feared by many natives including Muslims, Hindus, Persians and many Asian countries. Even many Pathans who had previously lived their during the Islamic rule, attempted many times to attack the Empire with over 20,000 troops, in which case Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent his most bravest Sikh warrior, named Akali Phula Singh Nihang(at the age of 65) and a few hundred Singhs to deal with the Invading Pathans and bring them under control. Eventually in a battle, a Pathan, who was hiding behind a boulder, shot Akali Phula Singh from close range during a battle with a number if Pathan soldiers. Akali Phula Singh was found bullet ridden.

Fall of the Empire; The Sikhs remained control of the Empire and Muslims accepted their loss and were not harmed living within the Empire, the Sikhs were and are only 2% of the population, yet they controlled and contributed to over 85%. They faced many odds and over come them, however another challenge was to come. In the East, the British Empire took over thousands of square miles of land, including India, and many Asian countries soon reaching the Sikh Empire, where the British would also meet their biggest challenge during their Conquest.

Both British and Sikh sides lost many troops and heavy number of materials in various battles, such as the Anglo Sikh Wars, for the first time during the British Conquest the British were unable to invade and resulted in both sides having to stop and come to terms. Narrated by Mohanlal Kashmiri, Secretary to Sir Alexander Burnes, Maharaja Ranjit Singh replied to the British, "As long as I'm alive, the British will never conquest here." This led to further Anglo Sikh Wars and further loss on both sides. In 1839, the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Empire fell on the shoulders of his son, Maharaja Duleep Singh(at the age of 11). The Empire had fallen. The British Commission General describes Maharaja Ranjit Singh, "was by all accounts a fierce and revered conquerer."