7/17/2019 Battle of Saragrahi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/battle-of-saragrahi 1/7

Battle of SaragarhiFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An automated process has detected links on this page on the local or global blacklist. If the links are appropriate you

may request whitelisting by following these instructions; otherwise consider removing or replacing them with more approp

links.

List of blacklisted links:[show]

Coordinates: 33°33′N 70°56′

Battle of Saragarhi

Part of  irah !ampaign "ar 

Date #$ %eptember #&'(

Location irah) *orth+"est ,rontier Province) -ritish

India (modern day  Pakistan )

Result Afghan Pashtun lost battle) -ritish

Indianstrategic victory

Belligerents

-ritish India Pashtuns Afghans/

Commanders and leaders

0avildar Ishar %ingh † !ommander in

chief 12eneral2ul -adshah

Units involved

34th %ikhs of  -ritish Indian

Army

Afridis and 5rak6ais

Strength

$#[#] #7)777[$][3]

Casualties and losses

$# killed #778/[#] #&7 killed Afghan claim/[9]

:97 killed[] -ritish Indian

estimates/<

7/17/2019 Battle of Saragrahi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/battle-of-saragrahi 2/7

=any wounded[4] number

unknown/

• 477 Afghan bodies were found at the battlefield.

%ome of these were killed by the artillery fire from the

-ritish Indian relief party that recaptured the fort.[(][&]

!he map of the "attle site

The Battle of Saragarhi #as fo$%ht "efore the !irah Campai%n on &' (eptem"er &)*7 "et#eent#enty+one (ikhs of the 36th (ikhs no# the -th .attalion of the (ikh /e%iment of .ritish 1ndia,defendin% an army post, and &0,000 2f%han and rak4ai tri"esmen !he "attle occ$rred inthe North+West Frontier roince, #hich formed part of .ritish 1ndia 1t is no# named the 8hy"er+akht$nkh#a and is part of akistan

!he contin%ent of the t#enty+one (ikhs from the 36th (ikhs #as led "y 9aildar  1shar (in%h !hey allchose to fi%ht to the death 1t is considered "y some military historians as one of historys %reat last+

stands;*<

 (ikh military personnel and (ikh ciilians commemorate the "attle eery year on &'(eptem"er, as Saragarhi Day as the "attle #as %ien the hono$r of a re%imental holiday;&0<

Contents

  ;hide< 

• & (it$ation

• ' !he .attle

o '& Commemoratie ta"let

o '' rder of =erit

• 3 /emem"rance and le%acy

o 3& 1n 1ndian schools

o 3' (ara%arhi >ay

o 33 (ara%arhi >ay in the ?8

o 3- (ara%arhi Challen%e C$p

7/17/2019 Battle of Saragrahi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/battle-of-saragrahi 3/7

o 35 (ara%arhi and !hermopylae

• - F$rther readin%

• 5 /eferences

• 6 @ternal links

Situation;edit<

his section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable

sources. >nsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2011)

(ara%arhi #as a small illa%e in the "order district of 8ohat, sit$ated on the (amana /an%e, inpresent day akistan n '0 2pril &)*-, the36th (ikh /e%iment of the .ritish 2rmy #as created,$nder the command of Colonel A Cook;&&< 1n 2$%$st &)*7, fie companies of the 36th (ikhs $nder BtCol Aohn 9a$%hton, #ere sent to the North West Frontier roince 8hy"er+akht$nkh#a,stationed at (amana 9ills, 8$ra%, (an%ar, (ahtop >har and (ara%arhi

!he .ritish had partially s$cceeded in %ettin% control of this olatile area, ho#eertri"al asht$ns attacked .ritish personnel from time to time !h$s a series of forts, ori%inally "$ilt "y=aharaa /anit (in%h, /$ler of the (ikh mpire, #ere consolidated !#o of the forts #ere FortBockhart, on the (amana /an%e of the 9ind$ 8$sh mo$ntains, and Fort D$listan ($laiman/an%e, sit$ated a fe# miles apart >$e to the forts not "ein% isi"le to each other, (ara%arhi #ascreated mid#ay, as a helio%raphic comm$nication post !he (ara%arhi post, sit$ated on a rockyrid%e, consisted of a small "lock ho$se #ith loop+holed ramparts and a si%nallin% to#er

 2 %eneral $prisin% "y the 2f%hans "e%an there in &)*7, and "et#een '7 2$%$st + && (eptem"er,many i%oro$s efforts "y asht$ns to capt$re the forts #ere th#arted "y 36th (ikh re%iment 1n&)*7, ins$r%ent and inimical actiities had increased, and on 3 and * (eptem"er 2fridi tri"es, #ithalle%iance to 2f%hans, attacked Fort D$listan .oth the attacks #ere rep$lsed, and a relief col$mnfrom Fort Bockhart, on its ret$rn trip, reinforced the si%nallin% detachment positioned at (ara%arhi,increasin% its stren%th to one Non+Commissioned fficer NC and t#enty troops of ther /anks/s

n &' (eptem"er &)*7, &0,000 asht$ns attacked the si%nallin% post at (ara%arhi, so thatcomm$nication #o$ld "e lost "et#een the t#o forts

The Battle;edit<

7/17/2019 Battle of Saragrahi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/battle-of-saragrahi 4/7

=em"ers of the &&th (ikh /e%iment in &)60

>etails of the .attle of (ara%arhi are considered fairly acc$rate, d$e to D$rm$kh (in%h si%nallin%eents to Fort Bockhart "y helio%raph ;&'<as they occ$rred;&&<

•  2ro$nd *:00am, aro$nd &0,000 2f%hans reach the si%nalin% post at (ara%arhi

• (ardar D$rm$kh (in%h si%nals to Col 9a$%hton, sit$ated in Fort Bockhart, that they are

$nder attack

• Colonel 9a$%hton states he cannot send immediate help to (ara%arhi

• !he soldiers decide to fi%ht to the last to preent the enemy from reachin% the forts

• .ha%#an (in%h "ecomes the first in$red and Bal (in%h is serio$sly #o$nded

• (oldiers Bal (in%h and Ai#a (in%h reportedly carry the dead "ody of .ha%#an (in%h "ack to

the inner layer of the post

• !he enemy "reaks a portion of the #all of the picket

• Colonel 9a$%hton si%nals that he has estimated "et#een &0,000 and &-,000 asht$ns

attackin% (ara%arhi

• !he leaders of the 2f%han forces reportedly make promises to the soldiers to entice them to

s$rrender

• /eportedly t#o determined attempts are made to r$sh open the %ate, "$t are $ns$ccessf$l

• Bater, the #all is "reached

• !hereafter, some of the fiercest hand+to+hand fi%htin% occ$rs

• 1n an act of o$tstandin% "raery, 1shar (in%h orders his men to fall "ack into the inner layer,

#hilst he remains to fi%ht 9o#eer, this is "reached and all "$t one of the defendin% soldiersare killed, alon% #ith many of the asht$ns

• D$rm$kh (in%h, #ho comm$nicated the "attle #ith Col 9a$%hton, #as the last (ikh

defender 9e is stated to hae killed '0 2f%hans, the asht$ns hain% to set fire to the post to killhim 2s he #as dyin% he #as said to hae yelled repeatedly the (ikh "attle+cry E.ole (o Nihal,

(at (ri 2kalE (ho$t 2lo$d in cstasy !r$e is the Dreat !imeless ne E2kal,E meanin%1mmortal, "eyond death, the ($preme Creator Dod $n"o$nd "y time and non+temporal

9ain% destroyed (ara%arhi, the 2f%hans t$rned their attention to Fort D$listan, "$t they had "eendelayed too lon%, and reinforcements arried there in the ni%ht of &3G&- (eptem"er, "efore the fortco$ld "e conH$ered;&< !he asht$ns later admitted that they had lost a"o$t &)0 killed ;-< and manymore #o$nded;6< d$rin% the en%a%ement a%ainst the '& (ikh soldiers, "$t some 600 "odies;)<are saidto hae "een seen aro$nd the r$ined post #hen the relief party arried ho#eer, the fort had "eenretaken, on &- (eptem"er, "y the $se of intensie artillery fire, ;7< #hich may hae ca$sed many

7/17/2019 Battle of Saragrahi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/battle-of-saragrahi 5/7

cas$alties !he total cas$alties in the entire campai%n, incl$din% the .attle of (ara%arhi, n$m"eredat aro$nd -,)00

Commemorative tablet;edit<

!he ta"let pict$red ri%ht, inscription readsI

?he 2overnment of India have caused this tablet to be erected to the memory of the twenty one non+comm

Order of Merit;edit<

 2ll the '& (ikh non+commissioned officers and soldiers of other ranks #ho laid do#n their lies in the.attle of (ara%arhi #ere posth$mo$sly a#arded the 1ndian rder of =erit, the hi%hest %allantrya#ard of that time, #hich an 1ndian soldier co$ld receie "y the hands of the .ritish cro#n, thecorrespondin% %allantry a#ard "ein% Jictoria Cross !his a#ard is eH$ialent to todaysaram JirChakra a#arded "y the resident of 1ndia

!he names of the '& recipients of the %allantry a#ard are:

& 9aildar  1shar (in%h re%imental n$m"er &65 ;&3<

' Naik Bal (in%h 33'

3 Naik Chanda (in%h 5-6

- Bance Naik ($ndar (in%h &3'&

5 Bance Naik /am (in%h ')7

6 Bance Naik ?ttar (in%h -*'

7 Bance Naik (ahi" (in%h &)'

) (epoy 9ira (in%h 35*

* (epoy >aya (in%h 6)7

&0(epoy Aian (in%h 760

&& (epoy .hola (in%h 7*&

&'(epoy Narayan (in%h )3-

&3(epoy D$rm$kh (in%h )&-

&-(epoy Aian (in%h )7&

&5(epoy D$rm$kh (in%h &733

7/17/2019 Battle of Saragrahi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/battle-of-saragrahi 6/7

&6(epoy /am (in%h &63

&7(epoy .ha%#an (in%h &'57

&)(epoy .ha%#an (in%h &'65

&*(epoy .$ta (in%h &556

'0(epoy Aian (in%h &65&

'&(epoy Nand (in%h &''&

Remembrance and legacy ;edit<

!he epic poem E8halsa .ahad$r E is in memory of the (ikhs #ho died at (ar%arhi ;&-<

!he "attle has "ecome iconic of eastern military ciili4ation, .ritish empire military history and (ikhhistory;&5< !he modern (ikh /e%iment contin$es to cele"rate the day of the .attle of (ara%arhi each

&' (eptem"er as the Regimental Battle Honours Day !o commemorate the men the .ritish "$iltt#o Saragarhi Gurudwaras: one in 2mritsar  ery close to the main entrance of the Dolden !emple,and another in Fero4ep$r Cantonment, #hich #as the district that most of the men hailed from

In Indian shools;edit<

!he 1ndian military, in partic$lar the 1ndian 2rmy hae "een p$shin% for the "attle to "e ta$%ht in1ndias schools !hey #ant it ta$%ht d$e to the heroism sho#n "y the 1ndian soldiers to acts asinspiration for yo$n% children G in the field of  "raery !here #ere articles like these, printed in the$na"s lon%est+esta"lished ne#spaper, The Tribune in &***: Ethe military action at (ara%arhi ista$%ht to st$dents the #orld oer and partic$larly to st$dents in FranceE ;&6<  2ltho$%h there seems to"e no eidence for this claim it is not, for e@ample, on Frances national school c$rric$l$m ;&7< thene#s #as eno$%h to prooke political de"ate, and the "attle has "een ta$%ht in schools in the$na" since '000:

he decision to include the battle story in the school curriculum was taken last year during a public rally p[#&]

Saragarhi Day;edit<

Saragarhi Day

!fficial name %aragarhi Fay

!bserved by India [3] also observed by %ikhsworldwide/

"y#e national G international

Significance 0onors the $# military %ikh soldiers who died at the -attle of %aragarhi

7/17/2019 Battle of Saragrahi

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/battle-of-saragrahi 7/7

!bservances Parades) school history proCects) government buildings

Date #$ %eptember or nearest weekday/

Related to @emembrance Fay

Saragarhi Day, is a (ikh military commemoration day cele"rated on &' (eptem"er eery year tocommemorate !he .attle of (ara%arhi;3< (ikhmilitary personnel and (ikh non+military peoplecommemorate the "attle aro$nd the World eery year on &' (eptem"er 2ll $nits of the (ikh/e%iment cele"rate (ara%arhi >ay eery year as the /e%imental .attle 9ono$rs >ay

(ara%arhi =emorial D$r$d#ara temple #as "$ilt in memory of the '& (ikh soldiers that fo$%ht at!he .attle of (ara%arhi ;&*<

Saragarhi Day in the !";edit<

(ara%arhi #as commemorated "y the .ritish 2rmed Forces in the ?8 for the first time at /oyal

=ilitary 2cademy (andh$rst in Noem"er '0&3

(ara%arhi >ay #as marked on the "attle hono$r day on &' (eptem"er '0&- at (andh$rst

Saragarhi Challenge Cu#;edit<

!he .ritish and 1ndian armiesK polo teams commemorated the "attle in '0&0, "y holdin% the(ara%arhi Challen%e and raisin% money for the .ritish 2sian !r$st !he competition #as only heldonce a%ain in '0&&;*<

Saragarhi and Thermo#ylae;edit<

!he "attle has freH$ently "een compared to the .attle of !hermopylae,;&5< #here a small Dreek forcefaced a lar%e ersian army of Ler@es (480 BC)

!he comparison is made "eca$se of the oer#helmin% odds faced "y a tiny defendin% force in eachcase, and the defenders "rae stand to their deaths, as #ell as the e@tremely disproportionaten$m"er of fatalities ca$sed to the attackin% force

1t is important;clarification needed < to note that d$rin% the .attle of (ara%arhi, the .ritish did not mana%e to %et arelief $nit there $ntil after the '& had fo$%ht to their deaths 2t !hermopylae, the 300 (partans andtheir allies also stayed after their lines had "een o$tflanked, to fi%ht to their deaths