{{Short description|1704 battle in Punjab, India}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2022}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}{{Not to be confused with|First Battle of Chamkaur|text=the First Battle of Chamkaur, another previous battle in 1702 at the same location}}
{{Infobox military conflict | conflict = Battle of Chamkaur | partof = '''Mughal–Sikh Wars''' | image = | caption = | date = 6 December 1704<ref name="Singha 2000 page=43">{{harvtxt|Singha|2000|page=43}}</ref> | place = Near the village of Chamkaur, Rupnagar district, Punjab, India | coordinates = | map_type = | latitude = | longitude = | map_size = | map_marksize = | map_caption = | map_label = | territory = | result = Mughal and Hindu Hill Chief victory<ref>Louis E. Fenech, ''The Sikh Zafar-namah of Guru Gobind Singh'', (Oxford University Press, 2013), 66; "''The Ẓafar-nāmah in this light assumes the form of an intriguing tautology: certainly the Guru was routed by Mughal forces at both Anandpur and Chamkaur; put bluntly, he and his Sikh were militarily defeated and left scattered.''"</ref><ref name=eos /> | combatant1 = 30px Mughal Empire<br>30px Alliance of Hill States and Jammu State (c. 850–1812) | combatant2 = 30px Khalsa (Sikhs) | commander1 = 25px '''Mughal Commanders''' * 25pxWazir Khan * 25px Zabardast Khan * 25px Khwaja Muhammad{{WIA}} * 25px Nahar Khan{{KIA}} * 25px Mu'nim Khan<ref name="Fenech2013p14">{{cite book|author=Louis E. Fenech|title=The Sikh Zafar-namah of Guru Gobind Singh: A Discursive Blade in the Heart of the Mughal Empire|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aUUfAQAAQBAJ |year=2013|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-993145-3 |pages=87 }}</ref> * Ghairat Khan{{KIA}} 30px Hill State Commanders * Ajmer Chand * Fateh Shah * | commander2 = 25px Guru Gobind Singh * Daya Singh * Dharam Singh * Mohkam Singh{{KIA}} * Himmat Singh{{KIA}} * Sahib Singh{{KIA}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://sikhism.about.com/od/historicalpersonalities/tp/Panj-Pyare-The-Five-Beloved.htm |title= Panj Pyare the Five Beloved of Sikh History – Guru Gobind Singh Creates the Original Panj Pyare of 1699 |work= about.com |access-date= 27 April 2012 |archive-date= 15 April 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220415061541/https://www.learnreligions.com/panj-pyare-five-beloved-sikh-history-2993218 |url-status= dead }}</ref> * Alam Singh Nachna{{KIA}} * Ajit Singh{{KIA}}<ref>{{cite book|title= The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years|author= Raj Pal Singh|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ra19YSPDliQC&q=hargobind+jahangir&pg=PA34|publisher= Pentagon Press|year= 2004|isbn= 978-8186505465|pages= 34}}</ref> * Jujhar Singh{{KIA}} | strength1 = Unknown, but much larger<ref name="Singha2000">{{cite book|last=Singha|first=H. S|title=The encyclopedia of Sikhism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqIbJz7vMn0C|access-date=22 December 2011|year=2000|publisher=Hemkunt Press|isbn=978-81-7010-301-1|page=31}}</ref> {{small|(Gobind Singh's ''Zafarnama'' metaphorically states that the Mughal soldiers numbered 1 million)}}<ref name= ZFN >[http://www.sikhs.org/transl5.htm English Translation Zafarnamah] stanza 19 " And, what could my forty men do (at Chamkaur), when a hundred thousand men, unawares, pounced upon them? (19)"</ref><ref name = ZFN2>{{ cite web|title= Zafarnamah Hindi|url=https://www.dhansikhi.com/category/images/zafarnama-zafarnamah-%e0%a8%9c%e0%a8%bc%e0%a8%ab%e0%a8%bc%e0%a8%b0%e0%a8%a8%e0%a8%be%e0%a8%ae%e0%a8%be%e0%a8%b9%e0%a9%91-%d8%b8%d9%81%d8%b1%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%85%d9%87/|quote=“गुरसनह चि कारे कुनद चिहल नर gursaneh ch kaare kunadh chihal nar कि दह लख बरआयद बरो बेख़बर stanza १९ k dheh lakh baraayadh baro bekhhabar stanza 19”}}</ref><ref name=ZFN3>{{cite book|title= Zafarnamah (Patshahi Dasveen)|url=https://archive.org/details/zafarnamah-p-10/mode/2up| first=Sokhi|last=Jagtar Singh|page=21|quote= gursaneh ch kaare kunadh chihal nar k dheh lakh baraayadh baro bekhhabar what can forty hungry men do when ten lac strong army pounces upon them ?|date=2016–2017|publisher=Jagtar Singh Sokhi, Sokhi House ,ward no. 4 Mudki Distt Ferozepur|access-date=7 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=guru Gobind singh'sZAFARNAMAH|url=https://archive.org/details/GuruGobindSinghsZafarnamah/page/n41/mode/2up|last=Singh|first=Prof. Surinderjit|page=44|quote=Gursanah chi kare kunad chihal nar. Ki dab lak bar dyad baro bekhabar.19.What can at all do, the forty famished men, When attacked suddenly by a million foemen.19|access-date=7 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=DG>{{cite book|title=Dasam Granth Manuscript|url= http://www.panjabdigilib.org/webuser/searches/displayPageContent.jsp?ID=12774&page=1180&CategoryID=3&Searched=W3GX|publisher=Panjab Digital Library of custodian Dera Gurusar Khudda Hoshiarpur|quote= Translation written on the ANGS of Sree Dasam Granth – By Mashaqat Singh}}</ref><br>Contemporary Mughal sources state 700 cavalry and a park of artillery<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grewal |first=J. S. |title=Sikh History from Persian Sources: Translations of Major Texts |last2=Habib |first2=Irfan |publisher=Tulika |year=2001 |isbn=8185229171 |location=India |pages=97–98}}</ref> | strength2 = 40<ref name=ZFN2/><ref name=ZFN/> | casualties1 = * Khwaja Muhammad injured * Nahar Khan killed * Ghairat Khan killed * Innumerable Mughal soldiers Killed. | casualties2 = * Ajit Singh killed * Jujhar Singh killed * Mohkam Singh killed * Bhai Himmat Singh killed * Sahib Singh killed * Sangat Singh killed * 31 other Sikh soldiers killed<ref name=dalbirsingh144>{{cite book |last=Dhillon |first=Dr Dalbir Singh |date=1988 |title=Sikhism – Origin and Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=osnkLKPMWykC&pg=PA144 |publisher=Atlantic Publishers and Distributors |page=151 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917230548/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=osnkLKPMWykC&pg=PA144 |archive-date=17 September 2016}}</ref> }} {{Campaignbox Aurangzeb}} {{Campaignbox Mughal-Sikh Wars}} {{Campaignbox Hill States-Sikh Wars}} [[File:Zafarnama.jpg|300px|thumb|The Zafarnama of Guru Gobind Singh]]
The '''Battle of Chamkaur''', also known as '''Battle of Chamkaur Sahib''' or the '''Second battle of Chamkaur''', was fought between the Khalsa, led by Guru Gobind Singh, and the coalition forces of the Mughals led by Wazir Khan and Hindu hill chiefs. Guru Gobind Singh makes a reference to this battle in his letter Zafarnama.
==Preamble to the battle== After Guru Gobind Singh left Anandpur Sahib on the night of 5 and 6 December 1704,<ref name="Singha 2000 page=43"/> or 1705<ref name="Gobind Singh ,Guru">{{cite web|title= Gobind Singh ,Guru|date=19 December 2000 |url=https://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/sikh-gurus/gobind-singh-guru|access-date= 6 March 2021}}</ref> he crossed the Sarsa River with his disciples. While they were crossing, the Mughals and hill kings attacked. Guru Gobind Singh and his followers asked permission of the city chief for shelter to rest for the night in their ''garhi'' or haveli. He refused, but his younger brother allowed the Sikhs to stay in the haveli.<ref name=eos>{{cite web |url=https://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/punjab/chamkaur-sahib |title=Chamkaur Sahib |website=Encyclopaedia of Sikhism |date=19 December 2000 |publisher=Punjabi University Patiala |access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref> According to contemporary Mughal sources, namely a letter sent to Wazir Khan of the Sirhind Sarkar, the Mughals dispatched a force consisting of 700 cavalry and a park of artillery to Chamkaur, where Guru Gobind Singh was taking refuge at the dwelling of a local ''zamindar'' of Chamkaur.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grewal |first=J. S. |title=Sikh History from Persian Sources: Translations of Major Texts |last2=Habib |first2=Irfan |publisher=Tulika |year=2001 |isbn=8185229171 |location=India |pages=97–98}}</ref>
==Battle== Despite giving assurance of safe conduct, the Mughal soldiers were looking for Guru Gobind Singh, to take his head as a trophy. After learning that the party of Sikhs had taken shelter in the haveli, they laid siege upon it. The actual battle is said to have taken place outside the haveli where Guru Gobind Singh was resting.<ref name=eos/> A council of ''Panj Piare'' was convened during the battle, whom ordered Guru Gobind Singh to leave the battlefield to preserve his life and continue leading the Sikhs, a request which the Guru obeyed.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Sandhu |first=Gian Singh |title=Who Are the Sikhs? An Exploration of the Beliefs, Practices, & Traditions of the Sikh People. |publisher=Archway Publishing |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-6657-3953-5 |chapter=34. Who are the current panj pyare? |oclc=1376370414 |quote=At crucial moments of Sikh history, the panj pyare have collectively acted as supreme authority for the Sikhs. For example, during the battle of Chamkaur, the last five surviving Sikhs constituted themselves into the Council of Five, and they commanded Guru Gobind to leave the fortress and save himself to reassemble the Sikhs. Before Guru Gobind Singh passed away, he ended the line of living gurus. Through the institution of the panj pyare, the Guru envisioned a continuing society that would conduct itself democratically and choose its leaders based on merit.}}</ref> Negotiations broke down and the Sikh soldiers chose to engage the overwhelming Mughal forces, thus allowing their Guru to escape. Another Sikh who resembled the Guru, Sangat Singh, donned the Guru's clothes and remained with the soldiers. The next morning the remaining Sikhs were killed by Mughal forces.<ref name="Dogra">{{cite book |last1=Dogra |first1=R. C. |last2=Mansukhani |first2=G. S. |title=Encyclopaedia of Sikh Religion and Culture |year=1995 |publisher=Vikas Publishing House |isbn=0706983688 |page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000dogr/page/100 100] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000dogr/page/100 }}</ref>
==Aftermath== The Guru emphasised how he was proud that his sons had died fighting in battle, and that he had 'thousands of sons – the Singhs'. He also said that he would never trust Aurangzeb again due to the broken vow he took on the Quran.<ref name="ZN3">{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Guru Gobind|title=Zafarnama stanza 45|url=http://www.zafarnama.com/Download/zafarnama.pdf|publisher=zafarnama.com|access-date=24 September 2013}}</ref>
==Zafarnama== Zafarnama or "Epistle of Victory" is a letter that was written by Guru Gobind Singh to the then Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Zafarnama vividly describes what happened at Chamkaur, and also holds Aurangzeb responsible for what occurred and promises he broke.
After his escape from Chamkaur, the exhausted Guru is said to have been carried by two Pathans (Ghani Khan and Nabi Khan) to Jatpur where he was received by the local Muslim chieftain. He later went to Dina, and stayed at Mai Desanji's house, where he wrote "Zafarnama" in Persian, in 111 verses.<ref name="ZN3" />
== Dating == According to Hari Ram Gupta, the battle of Chamkaur was fought on the Bikrami date of Magh Shudi 7 Samvat 1761, which corresponds to 22 December 1704 in the Gregorian calendar. However, according to Pal Singh Purewal, this date conversion by Hari Ram Gupta was an error and the true date of Poh 8 corresponds to 7 December. According to Purewal, Gupta likely converted the date using a modern ''panchangs'' rather than a historical one corresponding to that era, historical shifts in calendar dates were not accounted for.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Purewal |first=Pal Singh |url=https://www.purewal.biz/convprob.pdf |title=The Problem of Date Conversions in Sikh History |year=2008 |pages=1–5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Purewal |first=Pal Singh |date=2018 |title=Nanakshahi Calendar corrects historians' goofs, simplifies dates |url=https://www.theworldsikhnews.com/mool-nanakshahi-calendar-corrects-historians-goofs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301072437/https://www.theworldsikhnews.com/mool-nanakshahi-calendar-corrects-historians-goofs/ |archive-date=1 March 2021 |access-date=10 November 2025 |work=The World Sikh News}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070701000619/http://www.singhsabha.com/battle_of_chamkaur.htm Battle description at singhsabha.com]
{{coord missing|Punjab (India)}} {{Guru Gobind Singh}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamkaur, Battle Of}} Category:Conflicts in 1704 Category:Conflicts in 1705 Chamkaur Category:1704 in India Category:1705 in India Chamkaur Category:1700s in the Mughal Empire