Banda Singh Bahadur (born Lachman Dev) (27 October 1670 – 9 June 1716), was a Sikh warrior and a commander of the Khalsa army. At age 15, he left home to become an ascetic, and was given the name Madho Das Bairagi. He established a monastery at Nānded, on the bank of the river Godāvarī. In 1707, Guru Gobind Singh accepted an invitation to meet Bahadur Shah I in southern India, he visited Banda Singh Bahadur in 1708. Banda became disciple of Guru Gobind Singh and was given a new name, Gurbaksh Singh (as written in Mahan Kosh), after the baptism ceremony. He is popularly known as Banda Singh Bahadur. He was given five arrows by the Guru as a blessing for the battles ahead. He came to Khanda, Sonipat and assembled a fighting force and led the struggle against the Mughal Empire.
 His first major action was the sacking of the Mughal provincial capital, Samana, in November 1709. After establishing his authority and Sikh Misl in Punjab,[page needed] Banda Singh Bahadur abolished the zamindari system, and granted property rights to the tillers of the land. Banda Singh was captured by the Mughals and tortured to death in 1715–1716.
 Banda Singh Bahadur was born as Lachman Dev in a Hindu family to farmer Ram Dev, at Rajouri (now in Jammu and Kashmir) on 27 October 1670. Sources variously describe his father as a Rajput from the Bhardwaj clan  or a Dogra Rajput, Hakim Rai's Ahwāl-i-Lachhmaṇ Dās urf Bandā Sāhib ("Ballad of Banda Bahadur") claims that his family belonged to the Sodhi sub-caste of the Khatris. However, this claim appears to have been an attempt to portray him as Guru Gobind's successor, since the preceding Sikh Gurus were Sodhis. Banda Singh’s family was quite poor. Not much is known about his early life other than the fact that Banda Singh was fond of hunting and shooting and learned the arts of horseriding, wrestling, archery, and swordsmanship at a young age and quite quickly. According to a tale about Banda Singh’s early life he was once hunting at the age of 15. The sight of the doe dying saddened Banda Singh. He was even deeply hurt when he cut the doe and found 2 of the doe’s babies dying who were not yet born. The event deeply scarred him and led to Banda Singh abandoning worldly affairs and becoming an asceitc. He came into contact of a fellow ascetic named Janaki Prasad. Prasad changed Banda Singh’s name, which at the time was Lachman Dev, into Madho Das. Banda Singh established his own Dera and took upon a following of some men.
 In 1708 Guru Gobind Singh went to the monastery of Banda Singh, at the time Madho Das. Guru Gobind Singh sat on Banda Singh’s seat where the Banda would sit as a Saint. According to some sources Guru Gobind Singh also killed the goats there. Upon hearing what happened Banda Singh was filled with rage. Banda Singh used his “magic” to flip the chair the Guru sat on, but nothing happened. Filled with rage Banda Singh made his way to the Guru. Upon seeing the Guru Banda Singh’s rage melted. After a conversation with the Guru Banda Singh converted and took Amrit becoming a Khalsa. Madho Das was named Banda Singh by the Guru. Banda Singh was taught in Gurbani and Sikh history. Upon learning of the killing of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, Banda Singh is said to have cried. Guru Gobind Singh told Banda Singh, “When tyranny had overtaken men, it was the duty off the more sensitive to fight against it and even to lay down their life in the struggle”. Banda Singh wanted to do such. Banda Singh wished to fulfil Guru Gobind Singh’s wish of punishing tyrants and saving the commoners.
 Soon after Guru Gobind Singh was stabbed by 2 Pathans sent by Wazir Khan and possibly Bahadur Shah. This is said to have sent Banda Singh into a fury. Banda Singh begged of the Guru to send him into Punjab so he can get revenge for the crimes done on Sikhs and punish the tyrants. In September 1708 Guru Gobind Singh gave Banda Singh the title of Bahadur and gave his full political and military authority to carry on the struggle. Banda Singh was given the duty of punishing wrong-doers and get revenge for the killing of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh. He was bestowed with a Nagara, Nishan Sahib, and 5 arrows of Guru Gobind Singh. He was also given Panj Pyare, Ram Singh, Binod Singh, Kahan Singh, Baj Singh, and Daya Singh to assist him. Banda Singh was also given 20 other Singh’s to accompany him. He was told by the Guru to remain honest and pure in heart, to not touch another man’s wife, see himself as a servant of the Khalsa and Guru, do all acts after an Ardas and seeking counsel of the Panj Pyare, not to call himself Guru or form his own sects, and not to get ego from victories nor sadness from losses.
 Banda Singh was also given Hukamnamas from Guru Gobind Singh telling all Sikhs to join him in his war against the Mughal Empire. He was given the position of Jathedar of the Khalsa. Thus Banda Singh was sent to Punjab with a group of 300 cavalry following him in a distance of 8 kilometers.
 During the trip to Punjab Guru Gobind Singh died on 7 October 1708. Banda Singh used a disguise to travel for most of the trip and followed the path Guru Gobind Singh took in Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Banda Singh traveled at a rate of 16 kilometres a day. It took a year for him to reach Punjab.
 Banda Singh soon reached modern day Haryana and was soon able to win over the local people. Banda Singh advanced towards the region of Bagar and was successful in subduing local Dacoits and Robbers. He distributed what he captured from the thieves amongst the poor. This incident won Banda Singh fame. He was publicly honoured by the locals with a waving of scarf. Banda Singh was able to gain the support of local villagers and initiated people into the Khalsa. Banda Singh then advanced towards the villages of Sehri and Khanda. It was in these villages that Banda Singh sent letters to the Sikh communities in the Majha, Doaba, and Malwa regions of Punjab to join him on his campaign against the Mughal authorities. It was in these letters that Banda Singh reminded the Sikhs of the cruel deaths of Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons under the orders of Wazir Khan, the governor of Sirhind. As a result of these letters, Banda Singh began to receive support from the Sikh communities of Punjab. Banda Singh was joined by Fateh Singh along with Karam Singh and Dharm Singh.Tilok Singh and Ram Singh Phulkian provided soldiers and financial aid to Banda Singh. Ali Singh and Mali Singh, who were previously under the service of Wazir Khan, also joined Banda Singh.
 Banda Singh with a force of 500 Soliders lead an attack on Sonipat which war near the capital Delhi. The Faujdar of Sonipat was defeated by the Sikhs resulting in the town being occupied. Banda Singh looted the treasury, and the rich. He distributed the wealth amongst his own men. The conquest on Sonipat so near to Delhi was an open challenge to the Mughals. Banda Singh next set his eyes on Samana. Along the way Banda Singh lead an attack on a Mughal detachment near Kaithal that was carrying imperial treasure headed to Delhi. Banda Singh was successful in taking the treasure from the Mughal authorities. The Amil (Governor) of Kaithal was enraged by this and led an attack on the Sikhs. Banda Singh and the Sikhs fought a hard battle, but being mostly footmen compared to the Mughal cavalry were facing losses. Banda Singh executed a plan where the Sikh force ran into the forest full of thorns forcing the Mughal cavalry to abandon their horses. The Sikhs then popped out of the woods and took the horses. The Mughals were slaughtered in the battle with some surrendering. The Amil was captured by Banda Singh, but was released on the condition he would let the Sikhs keep the horses. The loot captured was distributed amongst Banda Singh’s followers.
 Banda Singh decided to head east towards Kiratpur in order to liberate Sikhs of Majha and Doaba held up in Malerkotla and Ropar. Along the way Banda Singh conquered Ghurman and Thaska. Ghurman offered minor resistance whereas Thaska surrendered without any resistance. Banda Singh then advanced upon Kunjpura which was the native town of Wazir Khan. Troops and artillery of Wazir Khan was stationed there but they were defeated by the Sikhs. Banda Singh next attacked Shahabad which was inhabited by Muslims known for rape. They were destroyed by Banda Singh and the Sikh forces. Banda Singh also ravaged Damala which was the home of the Pathans who abandoned Guru Gobind Singh in the Battle of Bhangani. Banda Singh next marched upon  Mustafabad. The Faujdar of Mustafabad sent 2,000 Imperial Troops with 2 cannons to stop Banda Singh and the Sikhs. Banda Singh and the Sikhs defeated the Mughals with them leaving behind the cannons in their retreat. The town was  plundered and the Faujdar was punished for his tyranny and oppression on the population.
 Banda Singh heard about Kapuri's Zamindar Qadam-ud-din and his reportedly immoral life and persecution of Hindus and Sikhs. He meddled with Hindu marriages and stole young brides raping them. Banda Singh immediately attacked Kapuri, and killed Qadam-ud-din capturing his fort. This victory also led to a major capture of booty and war material.
 Banda Singh’s next sight was Sadhaura. Sadhaura was ruled by Osman Khan, who tortured and killed the Muslim saint Syed Pir Budhu Shah, for helping Guru Gobind Singh in the Battle of Bhagnani. Osman Khan also committed atrocities against Hindus where the cows were slaughtered in front of their homes and forbade Hindus and Sikhs from cremating their dead and performing their religious events. All of this made Sadhaura Banda Singh’s target.
As Banda Singh advanced on Sadhaura the locals and peasants joined him in revolt. The angry mob became uncontrollable and destroyed all. The Sayyeds and Shaikhs were killed. Osman Khan was hanged to death and Sadhaura was captured.
 Wazir Khan had found out that the Sikhs from Majha had assembled at Kiratpur Sahib to join Banda Singh. When the Sikhs reached Ropar, Sher Mohammad Khan along with Khizar Khan, Nashtar Khan and Wali Mohammad Khan were there to block the Sikhs passage and offer them a battle. The Mughals had weapons and a superior number of horses while the Sikhs had a small army with insufficient weapons. Both sides faced off in a bloody battle. As they were fighting, there came a bad dust storm which forced both parties to withdraw for the night. On the next day, a fresh contingent of Sikhs arrived to reinforce the remaining Sikhs. Immediately a bullet struck Khizar Khan in the head which caused confusion. Nashtar and Wali Mohammad Khan tried to retrieve the dead body of Khizar Khan but were killed while doing so. Sher Mohammad Khan fled away due to being seriously wounded. With most of their leaders killed, the remaining force retreated back to Sirhind. The Sikh force in Ropar later grouped with Banda Singh Bahadur to prepare for the attack on Sirhind.
 The Sikhs were planning to crusade against the city of Sirhind, its governor Wazir Khan and dewan Sucha Nand, to avenge Mughal oppression and the execution of the two young children of Guru Gobind Singh. This was the main goal of Banda Singh. B
 Before the battle began, Wazir Khan and Sucha Nand sent Sucha Nand's nephew with 1000 men to Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in a plot to deceive the Sikhs, by falsely claiming to have deserted the Mughals and have come joined the Sikhs for their cause. Wazir Khan had a large well-armed army, which included the Ghazis, along with a number of artillery, muskets, and elephants. Khan's army was larger than 20,000. 
 On the other hand, Banda Singh's army was ill-equipped with long spears, arrows, swords, without artillery and elephants and insufficient amount of horses. According to Ganda Singh, Banda's army consisted of three classes of men where the first class were the devoted Sikhs imbued to crusade against the enemies of their country and religion, the second being the paid recruited soldiers sent by the chieftains of the Phul family, who sympathized with Banda Singh's cause. The third were the irregulars who were professional robbers and dacoits, eager to seize the opportunity to plunder the city. They were also the most unreliable allies as they would desert when fearing a sign of defeat. Hari Ram Gupta writes that Banda's army consisted of three groups, the first being Sikhs fighting purely to punish Wazir Khan, the second being Sikhs intent on plundering and punishing enemies of their faith. The third being Hindu Jats, Gujars and Rajputs intent on plunder alone.
 Both sides faced off in Chappar Chiri on 12 May 1710. Upon the firing of artillery by the Mughal army, the third class of Banda's army, consisting of robbers and irregulars fled, and soon after Sucha Nand's nephew along with his 1000 men took to flight as well. Baj Singh informed Banda Singh of this. Banda Singh decoded to personally entre the frontlines of the battle leading the charge against the Mughals. This motivated the Sikh force who shouted, "Waheguru ji ki Fateh" as they charged against the Mughals and their elephants. With only swords two elephants were killed by the Sikhs. The Mughals suffered heavy casualties with the governor of Malerkotla, Sher Mohammad Khan, being killed. He was followed by Mughal general Khawaja Ali. Wazir Khan attempted to rally his men as he fired arrows, but was confronted by Baj Singh. Wazir Khan threw a spear at Baj Singh. Both men dueled with Baj Singh injuring Wazir Khan's horse. Wazir Khan shot Baj Singh in the arm with an arrow and reached for his sword to kill him. Fateh Singh charged at Wazir Khan and decapitated Wazir Khan before he could kill Baj Singh. According to Suraj Granth and Maculiffe Wazir Khan was instead killed by Banda Singh who shot him with an arrow from the Guru. As soon as Wazir Khan died the Mughal force fled. Wazir Khan's body would later be tied to an animal and dragged around before being hung onto a tree.
 The retreating Mughal force left behind all of their horses, cannons, tents, and ammunition which was all captured by the Sikhs. Sikhs yelled out war cries of "Sat Sri Akal" as they fell upon Sirhind. Sikhs reached Sirhind by nightfall. The gates had been closed and guns had been placed to stop the Sikhs. The Sikhs rested for the night. Wazir Khan's family with other Mughal officials had fled to Delhi. On the 13th 500 Sikhs were killed attempting to take Sirhind. By the 14th Sikhs entered Sirhind.
 Filled with rage and revenge Sikhs began to destroy and razed Sirhind to the ground. Sucha Nand was captrued and killed. All the booty of Sirhind was captured by Banda Singh. He further abolished the zamindari system (feudal system) and distributed land among the farmers. Banda Singh had ordered that the ownership of the land should be given to the farmers and to let them live in dignity and self-respect. 
 The entire province of Sirhind and its 28 parganas was under the control of Banda Singh. It extended from the Sutlej to the Yamuna and from the Shivalik hills to Kunjpura, Karnal and Kaithal. All of it yielded 3,600,000 rupees annually. He appointed Baj Singh as the governor of Sirhind and Ali Singh of Salaudi as his deputy, and struck coins. Fateh Singh was made governor of Samana, and Ram Singh governor of Thanesar.
 Banda Singh had become well known at this time as, "The defender of the faith and the champion of the oppressed."
 Banda Singh Bahadur developed the village of Mukhlisgarh and made it his capital. He then renamed it to Lohgarh (fortress of steel) where he issued his own mint. The coin described Lohgarh: "Struck in the City of Peace, illustrating the beauty of civic life, and the ornament of the blessed throne".[citation needed]
 He briefly established a state in Punjab for half a year. Banda Singh sent Sikhs to the Uttar Pradesh and Sikhs took over Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and other nearby areas.
 The rule of the Sikhs over the entire Punjab east of Lahore obstructed the communication between Delhi and Lahore, the capital of Punjab, and this worried Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah He gave up his plan to subdue rebels in Rajasthan and marched towards Punjab.
 The entire imperial force was organized to defeat and kill Banda Singh Bahadur. All the generals were directed to join the Emperor's army. To ensure that there were no Sikh agents in the army camps, an order was issued on 29 August 1710 to all Hindus to shave off their beards.
 Banda Singh was in Uttar Pradesh when the Moghal army under the orders of Munim Khan marched to Sirhind and before the return of Banda Singh, they had already taken Sirhind and the areas around it. The Sikhs therefore moved to Lohgarh for their final battle. The Sikhs defeated the army but reinforcements were called and they laid siege on the fort with 60,000 troops. Gulab Singh dressed himself in the garments of Banda Singh and seated himself in his place.
 Banda Singh left the fort at night and went to a secret place in the hills and Chamba forests. The failure of the army to kill or catch Banda Singh shocked Emperor, Bahadur Shah and on 10 December 1710 he ordered that wherever a Sikh was found, he should be murdered.
 Banda Singh Bahadur wrote Hukamnamas to the Sikhs to reorganize and join him at once. In 1712, the Sikhs gathered near Kiratpur Sahib and defeated Raja Ajmer Chand, who was responsible for organizing all the Hill Rajas against Guru Gobind Singh and instigating battles with him. After Bhim Chand's dead the other Hill Rajas accepted their subordinate status and paid revenues to Banda Singh. While Bahadur Shah's four sons were killing themselves for the throne of the Mughal Emperor, Banda Singh Bahadur recaptured Sadhaura and Lohgarh. Farrukh Siyar, the next Mughal Emperor, appointed Abdus Samad Khan as the Subahdar of Lahore and Zakariya Khan, Abdus Samad Khan's son, the Faujdar of Jammu.
 In 1713 the Sikhs left Lohgarh and Sadhaura and went to the remote hills of Jammu and where they built Dera Baba Banda Singh. During this time Sikhs were being persecuted especially by Mughals in the Gurdaspur region. Banda Singh came out and captured Kalanaur and Batala(both places in modern Gurdaspur district which rebuked Farrukh Siyar to issue Mughal and Hindu officials and chiefs to proceed with their troops to Lahore to reinforce his army.
 In March 1715, the army under the rule of Abd al-Samad Khan, the Mughal governor of Lahore, drove Banda Bahadur and the Sikh forces into the village of Gurdas Nangal,6 km to the west of city Gurdaspur, Punjab and laid siege to the village. The Sikhs defended the small fort for eight months under conditions of great hardship, but on 7 December 1715 the Mughals broke into the starving garrison and captured Banda Singh and his companions.
  Banda Singh Bahadur was put into an iron cage and the remaining Sikhs were chained. The Sikhs were brought to Delhi in a procession with the 780 Sikh prisoners, 2,000 Sikh heads hung on spears, and 700 cartloads of heads of slaughtered Sikhs used to terrorise the population. They were put in the Delhi fort and pressured to give up their faith and become Muslims.
 The prisoners remained unmoved. On their firm refusal these non-converters were ordered to be executed. Every day 100 Sikh soldiers were brought out of the fort and murdered in public. This continued for approximately seven days. Banda was told to kill his four-year-old son, Ajai Singh, which he refused to do. So, Ajai was murdered, his heart was cut out, and thrust into Banda's mouth. However, his resolution did not break under torture, and so he was martyred. After three months of confinement, on 9 June 1716, Banda's eyes were gouged out, his limbs were severed, his skin removed, and then he was killed.
 The execution of Banda Singh Bahadur and 700 of his followers by the Mughals in the spring of 1716 at Delhi was observed by a European visitor to the city on official business who was an East India Company diplomat to the Mughal Empire. This European recorded his thoughts on the execution of the Sikhs in a letter he sent to the governor of Fort William in Calcutta. It is one of the earliest accounts of the Sikhs from the perspective of a Westerner.
 Banda Singh Bahadur is known to have halted the Zamindari and Taluqdari system in the time he was active and gave the farmers proprietorship of their own land. It seems that all classes of government officers were addicted to extortion and corruption and the whole system of regulatory and order was subverted.
 Local tradition recalls that the people from the neighborhood of Sadaura came to Banda Singh complaining of the iniquities practices by their landlords. Banda Singh ordered Baj Singh to open fire on them. The people were astonished at the strange reply to their representation and asked him what he meant. He told them that they deserved no better treatment when being thousands in number they still allowed themselves to be cowed down by a handful of Zamindars. He defeated the Sayyids and Shaikhs in the Battle of Sadhaura.
 In 1714, a resolute effort was envisaged by Farrukh Siyar to suppress Banda's rebellion, who was evading capture despite significant Mughal endeavors and investment of resources. At first, Mata Sundari (Guru Gobind's widow) was asked to persuade Banda to stop his lawlessness and expedition against the Mughals in exchange for jagirs and recruitment for Sikh soldiers into the imperial army. Banda declined on account of his lack of trust in the government. The Emperor had then imprisoned both of Gobind's widows, prompting Sundari to write to Banda again to get him to submit. Banda had again declined, leading the Emperor to tighten the restrictions on the widows, culminating in the excommunication of Banda Singh Bahadur by Mata Sundari for refusing to submit to the Emperor as per her demands. She further accused him of reigning over the Sikhs as their "Guru", and reprimanded his followers in a hukam-nama. This dispute led to two separate factions of the contemporary Sikh community, the Tat Khalsa; who were allied to Mata Sundari, and the Bandais; who were allied to Banda Singh Bahadur. Mata Sundari's intervention led to half of Banda's followers (approximately fifteen thousand) abandoning him prior to the siege of Gurdas Nangal. Disputes between the Tat Khalsa and the Bandais primarily included topics including Banda's abandonment of the traditional blue robes in favor of red ones, his insistence on vegetarianism, his observance of caste rituals, and his replacement of the prescribed Sikh slogan with "Fateh Darshan", as well as concerns over excesses committed by Banda's troops during their campaign of retribution against the Mughals. Banda's excommunication impeded his ability to counter the Mughals and contributed to his eventual capture and execution. 
 Modern Sikh tradition speaks of at least two different Khalsas; the Tat Khalsa adhering to the polity and injunctions of Guru Gobind Singh, and the Bandais; those who adopted the principles of Banda Singh Bahadur.
 However the authenticity of the excommunication of Banda Singh Bahadur by Mata Sundari has been questioned by Historian Ganda Singh who mentions that there is no contemporary or near contemporary writers or sources that make any mention of Banda Singh Bahadur being excommunicated, or that Farrukh Siyar had come into negotiations with Mata Sundari. Historian Surjit Singh Gandhi also claims that there is no contemporary sources that make any mention of an excommunication occurring between Banda Singh and Mata Sundari. Historian Sukhdial Singh further notes that there is no hukam-nama issued by Mata Sundari that addresses Banda Singh.
 A war memorial was built where Battle of Chappar Chiri was fought, to glorify heroic Sikh soldiers. The 328 feet tall Fateh Burj was dedicated to Banda Singh Bahadur who led the army and defeated the Mughal forces. The Fateh Burj is taller than Qutab Minar and is an octagonal structure. There is a dome at the top of the tower with Khanda made of stainless steel.