Banda Singh Bahadur was a man born with a valour heart and a fearless attitude. In his journey to heroism, he led a troop that took down the Mughal Empire and hence established his authority in Punjab. One of the major highlights of his reign was his act of abolishing the zamindari system. A system which prevented the tillers of the land from acquiring their right to property.
A heroic Sikh Soldier in the true sense of the term, he is an inspiration to many, even today. July 3, marked the 300th martyrdom anniversary and to pay tribute to the martyr, honourable Prime minister, Shri Narendra Modi attended the commemoration event in New Delhi on Sunday, July 3, reported the tribuneIndia.com.
PM Narendra Modi on Sunday, July 3 said, "life of the warrior who lived on the edge of the sword is an inspiration for all."
He was a man with the utmost love for his religion. Till date, there are various nerve-wreaking stories on his execution by the Mughals. Banda Sigh Bahadur's death is a matter of debate. While some believe that his eyes were being gouged out, others said, his limbs being severed. But, the debate regarding his death ended with a singular statement, that he did not give up his faith despite all sorts of torture. A War Memorial in his memory was inaugurated on November 30, 2011, by then Chief Minister of Punjab, Shri Prakash Singh Badal.
Banda Singh Bahadur Statue. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Several battles like Battle of Sonepat, Battle of Lohgarh were fought by Banda Bahadur and his army, which included members of all communities. Recounting this act of selflessness, PM said "This showed his organisational ability and skill to carry them forward. He gave rights to poor, farmers and reflected socialist thinking by his administration. He believed in being an administrator without seeking any benefit for himself."
Continuous chants of 'Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal' were heard from the members during the anniversary commemoration event, reported Tribune.com. Shri Narendra Modi also released a coffee table book on Banda Singh Bahadur, this book was brought out by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. Additionally, there was a set of commemorative coins issued earlier to mark the occasion.
-This article is modified by Karishma Vanjani, an intern at NewsGram.
ALSO READ: