(Aad Granth Sahib - Page 396)

Born on Katak Sudi 13th 1727 Bikarmi in the house of a Rajput called RamDev in Rajouri(Jammu), Baba Banda's early name was given as LachmanDev.

As a young man he enjoyed hunting and learning martial arts. However, during one hunting session, he accidently killed a pregnant deer which made him give up all the worldly pleasures altogether.

Following the teachings of Sadhu JankiParshad, he became a vegetarian and changed his name to MadhoDas (Giani Gian Singhji has written his name as NarayanDas in Panth Parkash).

While pilgrimming around the country, MadhoDas/NarayanDas reached Dakkhan where he was impressed by its beautiful and serene scenery near the river Godavari. Thus he set up his camp there and continued with his Tapasya(Praying ritual) there.

It is recorded in Panth Parkash that NarayanDas was such a religious person that his ashram(residence) radiated so much peace and serenity that even the animals, such as peacocks, snakes, tigers and sheeps, all lived together in an amazingly peaceful manner:

In 1765 Bikarmi when Sri Satguru Gobind Singh Ji Blessed the land of Sri Abchal Nagar (Nander), He also Visited the ashram of MadhoDas.

Just as Satguruji were Traveling towards the direction of MadhoDas's ashram, a Sadh approached Him and requested Him to be careful of one MadhoDas Bairagi who was unfriendly to all other Sadhus and Holy-Men. Satguruji, however, Assured the Sadh that He Possessed The Mantra of Guru Nanak infront of which all other Jantra-Mantras are of no use. Guruji then Traveled on to MadhoDas's ashram.

Satguruji Sat on the very manji(bed) upon which MadhoDas used to meditate, with His Sikhs nearby. This caused much anger to MadhoDas who used all his Ridh-Sidhs(astronomical powers) against The Guru but was unsuccessful to cause any damage even when he sent 12 of his 52 Birs(magical/invisible desciples/slaves) to flip the bed upon which Sat The SatGuru!

-*Regretfully many recent writers have included fabrications such as Guruji killing all of MadhoDas's sheeps and lifestock etc., in order to make him angry. These fabrications are absolutely baseless and impossible since MadhoDas was a Vaishnav(Vegetarian) hence there was no reason for him to keep any lifestock for consumption. This is just another fabrication used by the meat-eating groups of singh sabha who try to use this as a point to suggest that consumption of meat is allowed by Sikhs' Gurus!*-

Not much later did MadhoDas finally realize Who he was dealing with and at last fell at His Divine Feet admitting himself to being His 'Banda'(Man/Servant).

-*At this point, as recorded in Johar Khalsa by Kartar Singh Klaswalia, Sri Satguru Gobind Singh Ji is said to have Given The Holy Gurmantra to MadhoDas and made him a Lion-hearted Sikh.

Other writers, such as Bhai Kahn Singh of Nabha, claim that MadhoDas was Given Amrit and his name was changed to Gurbaksh Singh.

This is, as one would discover, one of the many controversies about this great 'Bahadur' Banda*-

After Making Banda His Sikh, The Guru Who knew Banda was a man of astronomical powers, Told him all about the incidents that took place, i.e. His Sons' Martyredom, and Ordered His Banda to march towards Punjab and butcher the heartless muslim officials as a revenge for His 4 Precious Sons. Satguruji also Gave Baba Banda 5 Hukams(Orders) and 5 Singhs(Binod Singh, Kahn Singh, Baj Singh, Bijae Singh, Ram Singh) to accompany him.

With The Partap(Blessings/Support) of The True Guru, Baba Banda successfully took revenge for The Sahibzadas(Sons of The Guru), badly damaged the muslims' rule and became the very first person to have established The Sikh Raj.

However, with the coming of honor and fame, Banda was unable to follow all of The Guru's Hukams that were Given to him.

Yet, he remained a Loyal Sikh of The Guru and even changed The Khalsa's Salutation from:

To:

As a representation of his Respect towards Sachay Sahib, Sri Satguru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

Baba Banda had much control over Punjab and he made the Singhs responsible for running certain parts of his kingdom. Thus creating a very strong Sikh Kingdom.

With Baba Banda's Fateh(Victory), the muslim ruler, FarukhSiar, began to lose his sleep over the calamities he caused.

He at once ordered all his subjects to be present in his court and discussed a way to capture or kill Banda Bairagi.

Most of his subjects were afraid of the name Banda Bairagi and were discouraged from doing anything against him. However, a few of them also came up with a plan to 'Divide and Rule':

At this specific time when Banda had a vast following and power, The Guru's Mahal(Wife), Mata Sundriji, was somewhat unpleased with Baba Banda's assumption of control over Punjab.

The mughal ruler was therefore advised to use Mata Sundriji's hatred towards Banda in order to control Baba Banda's movements.

According to the original Panth Parkash by Rattan Singh Bhangoo, Diwan Nand Lal is said to have been sent by Mata Sundriji to Baba Banda carrying a forged hukamnama that claimed to have been signed by Satguru Gobind Singh Ji Ordering Baba Banda to stop hurting the mughals. Baba Banda, however, at once realised the hukamnama to be fabricated (This incident strongly indicates that he must have been, as it was believed by his followers and many Sikh writers, secretly in touch with Guru Gobind Singh Ji after the incident in 1708 A.D.), and thus he did not stop The Singhs from ruining the mughals' peace of mind:

With Baba Banda's response and the influence of Farukhsiar, Mataji's followers who called themselves 'Khalsa-Dal', were given an order to prepare for war against Baba Banda. They renamed themselves 'tat-khalsa' and the scheme to rid Punjab of Bandai Khalsa(Khalsa of Banda Bairagi), was chalked out.

-*At this very moment, as recorded by Gianni Gian Singhji, Diwan Nand Lal is said to have played an important role in trying to stop Mataji from fighting against The Sikhs. But Mataji were too influenced by the mughals to distinguish right from wrong:

Gianniji had infact very clearly written how the emperor influenced Mataji and wrongly accused Banda for committing various crimes which caused Mataji to become even more agitated with Banda:

*-

As the tat-khalsa was getting ready to cut its own life-support-system by attacking the Bandeis for the first time, Farukhsiar had sent Munyam Khan with a strong army to fight Baba Banda.

Munyam Khan badly lost the battle forcing the emperor to again send his 4 trusted muslim sardars(leaders) to face Banda. After a long battle, The Sikhs again defeated the muslims.

Then Rustam Khan of Lahore was sent to do it right. But again Rustam Khan could not handle Banda's army and just as his army was losing, another high ranking muslim officer, Nazim Wazir Khan of SarHind came to his rescue, but to no avail.

Wazir Khan started to read namaaz right in the battle field and Baba Banda's soldier, Nahar Singh, seized the opportunity to behead the pathan and presented it as a trophy to Baba Banda. Needless to say, the muslim army ran away after their leader was beheaded.

Farukhsiar, after losing a lot of his soldiers and trusted men, finally sent his top officials to persuade the newly formed tat-khalsa into attacking the Bandai-Khalsa.

The muslims successfully brain-washed the tat-khalsa by promising them the allowance of 10,000 Rupees per year.

During this time, Baba Banda was leading his army to attack Lahore and a great battle was taking place near Shalamar when suddenly, the muslim-influenced tat-khalsa sent 2,000 of its soldiers to help the muslims fight against Sikhs!

Kahn Singh's son, Miri Singh, led the tat-khalsa into attacking Bandai-Khalsa causing both confusion and sorrow to the Bandai Khalsa who saw their own brothers attacking them.

Forgetful of The True Rahet(Rules/Orders of Satguru) Given to him by The Guru, Banda was, at this time, powerless. He pronounced The Mantra and shot an aero, but nothing happened. Finally he and his soldiers were forced to retreat towards Gurdaspur into the fort now famously known as 'Duni-Chand Di Hawayli'(The fortress/house of Duni Chand).

Seeing what was happening infront of him, Baba Banda sent a few of his messengers to negotiate with the nihangs of tat-khalsa. But the brain-washed nihangs refused to resort to any negotiation.

The badshah(Farukhsiar) was informed of the Sikhs' division and the latest update on the Bandais' retreat. He at once ordered his subjects to be made present in his court. He put forth 'the order of capturing Banda Bairagi' but no officer of his dared to touch it. Then finally the badshah's suba of lahore, Abdul Samand Khan picked up the order and led the troops towards Gurdaspur where Banda was later surrounded even more tightly with Samund Khan's army.

At this time, some of the Sikhs were afraid that Baba Banda would use his Ridh-Sidhs and fly out of the fortress leaving them behind. So they, along with Baj Singh approached Baba Banda who assured them he'd stay with them till the end as recorded in Panth Parkash:

The muslims did not allow the Sikhs to come out of the fort in order to find food. At one point, about 400 Singhs who were sent by Baba Banda to get them food were all mercilessly martyred in a battle.

Later, when the pathan saw that The Sikhs had grown weaker and weaker from lack of nutrition, he allowed food to be supplied to The Sikhs and promised The Sikhs they could come out and retreive the food without being persecuted.

None of The Singhs accepted any food from the muslims. They all remained faithful to their leader, Baba Banda, and their Satguru - Sachay Sahib Sri Guru Gobind Singh. They all remained strong and meditated upon The Holy Naam and proudly stood against the muslims' temptations:

Seeing The Singh's bravery and the sufferings they were going through, Baba Banda Bahader finally ordered for the fortress's gates to be opened.

The turks(muslims) rushed in but none dared to risk his life and get near Baba Banda. Babaji therefore tied himself up and only then did the muslims muster the courage to capture and put him into an iron cage.

Babaji and The Sikhs were captured and transported to Delhi on bullock-carts. On the way, The Singh's Spirit was not at all decreased by their fate. They continued singing The Shabads throughout the entire journey.

While the bullock-carts were passing through SirHind, the muslim civillians who hated The Singhs for ruining their kingdom started to throw rocks at them. The Singhs also threw back the rocks they caught and some muslims were mortally wounded there.

Though Baba Banda was tightly chained and confined in the iron cage, the emperor Farukhsiar was still fearful of him. Upon reaching Delhi, he sent his officer to ask Baba Banda how he wanted to be martyred.

Baba Banda requested himself to be killed in the same manner the emperor wanted to be killed!

The emperor was furious and ordered for the ropes that were used to strap Baba Banda to be even more tightly tied.

At Chandni Chawk, as recorded by Gianni Gian Singh, the Singhs along with Baba Banda were set to face their Martyrdom.

In bands of 20s, The Singhs were martyred. They were all given the choice of condemning their Faith and becoming muslims by which they were promised to be freed. But none of them gave up their Faith. They were fighting one another to be the first to die and were most thankful for becoming Shaheeds on the very Blessed Land where Sri Satguru TeghBahader Sahib Ji Sacrified His Body to Save Hindustan:

After The Singhs, Baba Banda's turn finally came.

For the past 3 days his skin was torn away bit by bit with iron pinchers. However, Baba Banda did not even show any sign of pain. He sat through the entire merciless torture, smiling:

When badshah Farukhsiar became aware of this, he sent his officer to Banda and asked him the following questions:

Question 1 (in brief): "How could you remain so calm and even smile when your skin was being torn away?"

Banda's Answer (in brief): "I am related to by body just as a man is related to his house. When he leaves the house he does not feel any of its attachments physically. I am strongly bonded to Brahma(Akal Purakh/Sachay Sahib) and not my body. Thus I do not feel any pain. My only thought is of God and hence I am happy."

Question 2 (in brief): "You are such a holy man and near to Khuda(God) and yet you have killed so many muslim children and old people and destroyed many masjids(mosques). Why?"

Banda's Answer (in brief): "You people have commited a lot of crime. You have mercilessly Martyred The Sahibzadas and thus you must pay for your wrong doings. Yet it is also true that I have overdone what I was Ordered by God and thus I am now paying for it. This is Karam(Karma) and no one can change it."

Question 3 (in brief): "How did a man like you, who possess such Shakti(Astronomical Powers), succumb to our troops?"

Banda's Answer (in brief): "It is my fault that I overdid what was Given to me as Hukam from my Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. I was given 5 Orders:

1) To remain a celibate.
2) To always speak The Truth.
3) To never break up with the other Snghs.
4) To never create my own separate Panth(Sect).
5) To never be disrespectful towards The GurBani.

I have become oblivious to my Guru's Hukam and thus I am facing the consequences. Otherwise what threat could you people have ever posed to me?"

The officer went back and reported his interview with Banda to the emperor. The emperor, perhaps wanting such a great man as Baba Banda to serve him, ordered the officer to go back and tell Babaji that if he agreed to become a muslim, his freedom would be guaranteed.

Baba Banda was approached by the muslim officer in a compassionate manner asking him to embrace islam. Babaji, however, spit on the ground and asked the officer to lick it. He then said that because of the same reasons he(the muslim officer) could not lick his(Banda's) spit, he too could not resort to embracing islam!

Baba Banda was so faithful to his Satguru that he was certain his Guru's Words would never be wrong and that he was sure to meet demise from the hands of the muslims.

In the State of Mast(Ecstasy), Banda also denounced the many evils and wrong doings of the muslim rulers infront of the officer.

The officer reported the entire story to the emperor who furiously held his congregation and asked them what should be done to The Guru's Banda. His men suggested that a man such as Banda who viewed himself to be no less than God and is a big threat to the muslim rule should be strapped to an elephant's foot and die the painful death of being dragged and stepped on by the beast.

The emperor approved the merciless treatment and Baba Banda was Martyred in 1773 Bikarmi.

-*Regarding the method of execution used for Baba Banda, the british writers, who may have had the time and opportunity to watch the muslims' cruelty first hand, have written it completely different than what's written in Panth Parkash. They have written Baba Banda's son, Ajai Singh(Not recognized by older Sikh writers including Bhai Kahn Singh of Nabha.) to be killed infront of Babaji and that Babaji's arms and legs were cut off prior to being butchered mercilessly by the executioner.
This later method of execution supported by the english writers, however, is also not recognized by the Bandai Sikhs who claim that Babaji used his Yoga-related powers to remain alive even after the elephant's stampede and was litterally 'resurrected' and restored to health by a muslim faqir. The Bandai Sikhs also claim that Babaji, persuaded by the Sikhs, later got married to a woman belonging to Khatri Caste and had a son called Ranjit Singh in 1785 Bikarmi. They claim Babaji to have left his body on Jeth Sudi 14th 1789 Bikarmi. Babaji's Dera was also later constructed and his alleged son, Ranjit Singh, was the first Mahant.*-

After the removal of Banda, The Bandei Sikhs were strongly persecuted. The tat-khalsa, led by Miri Singh, was sent under the influence of muslims to kill all the Bandai Sikhs where ever they were to be found!

As recorded in Panth Parkash, The Bandai Khalsa were sorrowful to see their own brothers attack them. They collectively folded their hands and asked the tat-khalsa soldiers to re-think what they were doing and to stop butchering them for they too were Singhs. But the tat-khalsa leader, Miri Singh, rejected their request and expressed his desire to exterminate them:

Such was the influence of muslim subas who controlled the tat-khalsa via Mata Sundriji that the Bandai Sikhs were nearly put to extinction.

After the Shaheedi(Martyrdom) of Baba Banda, badshah Farukhsiar became ill and his mental capabilities were affected. His once trusted officers therefore removed him from power and made Muhammad Shah the new Badshah instead. Farukhsiar was blinded and imprisoned.

After sometime, Farukhsiar was helped by his servants to run away from prison and headed towards Ayodhya. On the way, he was caught and tortured in the very same way Baba Banda was tortured; by tearing his skin using iron pinchers.

After his sufferings, he was imprisoned as before but his servants continued to take him out riding a horse from time to time.

But one day just as he was taken to ride a horse by his servants, luck finally ran out on Farukhsiar. The horse went out of control and out of the reach of his servants. Farukhsiar was dragged and stomped by the beast until he was dead. The emperor finally got to taste his own medicine.

The tat-khalsa were given their promised 'reward' in cash everyday from the nawab(muslim governer). However, as Baba Banda was removed and the Bandais persecuted, the 'reward' became lesser and lesser and finally stopped.

When Miri Singh tried to get some cash from the suba of Lahore, the officer gave him the eye-opening reply that the tat-khalsa would be paid whenever the mughals would feel the need to use them!

The tat-khalsa itself was to blame for cutting its own legs. After rejecting to pay them, the mughals also decided to remove all the tat-khalsa officials from their positions and thus were many tat-khalsa royals left penniless and powerless. Only then did the entire panth realize what an important role Banda and the Bandai Khalsa played and how foolish they were to have butchered their own brothers who had worked so hard to establish a Sikh Raj.

-*Some writers had wrongly accused Baba Banda of proclaiming himself to being Guru and wrote that he went to Amritsar and put up his gaddi(seat/throne) there. However this is entirely untrue and Gianni Gian Singhji had also mentioned specifically regarding this issue in his Panth Parkash's foot-note section clarifying that since Baba Banda never even went to Amritsar, it was therefore impossible for him to have put up any throne or commit any of the crimes that the tat-khalsa writers had fabricated.*-