The Battle of Amritsar was fought between Durrani Empire and Shaheedan Misl of Dal Khalsa on 11 November 1757.
Date :- 11 November 1757
Location:- A village named Gohalwar near Amritsar.
Result :- Shaheedan Misl Victory
Belligerents:-
Shaheedan Misl Vs Durrani Empire
Commanders and leaders
Baba Deep Singh Vs Timur Shah Durrani , General Attal Khan , General Jahan Khan and General Jamal Khan
Strength:-
5,000 Shaheedan Misl Soldiers And 20,000 Afgani Pathan’s Army.
Casualties and Losses :-
Shaheedan Misl leader Baba Deep Singh killed And General Jamal Khan killed.
The Battle :-
Ahmad Shah Durrani had finished raiding Hindustan and was returning to Afghanistan after sacking Delhi in January 1757, but on the way his army was attacked by Baba Deep Singh. He managed to escape along with his remaining army and in retaliation for the attack, he attacked Amritsar and desecrated the Golden Temple, the holiest site of the Sikhs, by having waste poured into the pool along with entrails of slaughtered cows in order to hurt the religious sentiment of the Sikhs. Upon his return to Kabul, Abdali sent his son Timur Shah Durrani to chastise the Sikhs. The news of the desecration of the holy Golden Temple had reached Baba Deep Singh so Baba Deep Singh vowed to avenge the desecration of the holiest Sikh site and promised to clean and defend the temple even if it meant sacrificing his own life. Baba Deep Singh, along with an army of 5,000 volunteers set off and began marching towards Amritsar. The Afghan Army met with the Shaheedan Misl Army and a battle was fought at the village Gohalwar where the Misl Soldiers drove off the Afghans. Baba Deep Singh, the leader of the Shaheedan Misl, was killed during the battle.
References :-
- a b c Lansford 2017, p. 20.
- a b Jacques 2006, p. 400.
- Hoernle& Stark 1906, p. 113.