Saragarhi War Cry

SARAGARHI

August 6, 2016:

September 12,1897, 9:00 am

Signal man Gurmukh Singh came running down from the watch tower of Saragarhi fort after spotting 10,000 Afghans marching towards the fort.

“Janab, there are too many of them.”

How many?

“10,000-12,000 janab.”

Send signal to Lockhart Fort for help.

“Signal already sent, help denied.”

Every face present in the fort looked upto Hawaldar Ishar Singh. They were not sure what was upon them as for them they had never been in situation where they were outnumbered so heavily.

Time froze, instead of verbal communication a glance of eye was enough to tell the situation of every mind present. More than the ranks of Hawaldar, Lance Naik and Sepoy they shared a brotherhood.

They were the men of 36 Sikh regiment.

Finally Hawaldar Ishar Singh spoke:

“I know the state of your mind, and what you might suggest. We are outnumbered heavily and odds are against us. We can retreat or surrender and no one will question our decision.”

He took a long pause before he spoke again

“But surely everyone will question his words.”

Every face had a confusing look.

Ishar Singh continued:

“Yes, words of our father who once said:

ਚਿੜੀਯੋਂ ਸੇ ਮੈਂ ਬਾਜ਼ ਲੜਾਊਂ

ਗਿਦੜੋ ਸੇ ਮੈਂ ਸ਼ੇਰ ਬਨਾਊਂ

ਸਵਾ ਲਾਖ ਸੇ ਏਕ ਲੜਾਊਂ

ਤਬੇ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਮ ਕਹਾਊਂ “

(It is only when I make sparrows fight hawks,
Mould jackals into Lions
Make every sikh fight a hundred thousand
Only then I shall be called Gobind Singh.)

“If we move away from this now, we'll leave an everlasting blot on his turban. Sikhs have faced many holocausts but never have we turned our backs on what we stood for. It is upon us to decide our fate, fate of the thought that Badshah Darvesh propagated, fate of blood that runs in our community. It is upon us my brothers.”

His voice grew loud and stronger.

“ਦੇਹ ਸਿਵਾ ਬਰੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਇਹੈ ਸੁਭ ਕਰਮਨ ਤੇ ਕਬਹੂੰ ਨ ਟਰੋਂ ॥ਨ ਡਰੋਂ ਅਰਿ ਸੋ ਜਬ ਜਾਇ ਲਰੋਂ ਨਿਸਚੈ ਕਰਿ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਜੀਤ ਕਰੋਂ ॥ ਅਰੁ ਸਿਖ ਹੋਂ ਆਪਨੇ ਹੀ ਮਨ ਕੌ ਇਹ ਲਾਲਚ ਹਉ ਗੁਨ ਤਉ ਉਚਰੋਂ ॥ ਜਬ ਆਵ ਕੀ ਅਉਧ ਨਿਦਾਨ ਬਨੈ ਅਤਿ ਹੀ ਰਨ ਮੈ ਤਬ ਜੂਝ ਮਰੋਂ॥ “

(O Power of Akaal, give me this boon. May I never ever shirk from doing good deeds
That I shall not fear when I go into combat. And with determination I will be victorious.
That I may teach myself this greed alone, to speak only of Thy (Almighty Lord Waheguru) praises.
And when the last days of my life come, I may die in the might of the battlefield.)

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The Saragarhi fort roared with the battle cry of:

“Jo Bole so Nihaal, Sat Shri Akal”
(Blessed is person who utters the Almighty is truth.)

Those 21 brave soldiers fought bravely till their last breath to uphold the legacy and held the fort for strategic time delaying the Afghans from advancing to other forts, while the reinforcements arrived.

Every soldier was posthumously awarded Indian Order Of Merit.