Hello, Namaste and Satsriakal, 🙏
As you know I'm from INDIA. India ain't just another country, it's a feeling, it's love and pride.
It ain't just the land of priests and Gods but is also the land of warriors, not some normal warriors, warriors who changed the world history and their names are engraved in gold in the History.
This series' purpose is to shed some light on lesser-known but some of the bravest warriors of India. My aim with this series is to compile a list of heroes of India that should be given much more recognition and respect in our history textbooks.
This is the first episode of the series, we will talk about one of the bravest warriors Hari Singh Nalwa.
Hari Singh Nalwa
Many of you have heard about The Great Alexander, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon but I'm sure that a few may know about Hari Singh Nalwa. The only person in history who conquered Afghanistan and expanded the Sikh empire to the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains.
Post of India, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons
Born in 1791 in Gujranwala district in Punjab state present days in Pakistan.
A battle was going on in my mind about the new content and I wasn't sure what to share with you guys and suddenly a name stuck Hari Singh Nalwa ain't it a coincidence that when I was thinking about him it was the same day when he got martyred i.e April 30, 1837.
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Why is he called NALWA?
At the age of 13, he joined the Khalsa army. And during a hunt, he was attacked by a tiger. He killed that tiger bare handedly and got the name Baghmar(means Tiger killer) and Nalwa(which is derived from the King Nal of Epic Mahabharata).
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Battle achievements
He unified Kashmir, Pakistan and Afghanistan and merged them into the Sikh empire.
He was commander in chief of the Khalsa army from 1825 to 1837. He had fought more than 19 battles and never lost anyone.
He defeated afghans in the Battle of Pakhli, Mankera, Peshawar, Kasur, Attock, and Nowshera.[source]
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Sleep otherwise Hari Singh will come
He was so brave, fierce that afghans were so scared of him and never tried to attack the fort of Jamrud which is in Afghanistan.
It is believed that Afghan women used to use his name to make their children sleep by saying "Sleep otherwise Hari Singh will come" and this happened after his death.
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In 1837 when the wedding of his grandson, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was organised in Amritsar, Afghans planned to attack Jamrud as they thought Hari Singh might be in the wedding but Hari Singh was in Peshawar fort got the information and came back to Jamrud being outnumbered the presence of Hari Singh made chaos in the Afghan army.
Though he was badly injured in that battle, he asked his soldiers not to let the news out about his conditions until the reinforcement arrived. Afghans didn't attack the fort for more than 1 week and when the Khalsa army arrived they took their steps back.
This was how much they were afraid of Hari Singh.
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The former US President Barack Obama also had a picture of Hari Singh Nalwa hung in his office because of his bravery and valour.
He was not like other warriors who fought battles to conquer the world. He fought with those who were exploiting the civilians. Killings, rapes, unnecessary taxes, and the kidnapping of women were the main problems. Sikhs have teachings by the Guru (teachers) "Never exploit and not to tolerate".
Hari Singh's Moral Values
It is believed that when Hari Singh was in Jamrud, an Afghan woman named Bibi Bano came to see him and had the intention to marry him and wanted a son from him. Hari Singh refused as he was already married.
While leaving, the woman said, "I have heard that no one goes empty-handed from Guru Nanak's house and this is his house and I'm leaving empty-handed?"
Hari Singh told the lady that u wants a son like me! being married I won't be able to give you a son but from today onwards I'm your son and you will be known as my mother. [source]
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India is full of these noble warriors who fought for their country and people.
I'll bring more stories about them very soon.
So, stay tuned for upcoming episodes...
Notes
- All the content is mine unless otherwise stated.
- Constructive criticism is always appreciated.
- Text dividers are from @cryptosharan.