When 21 Sikh Soldiers Stood Against 10,000 Afghans: The Real-Life Story Of Battle of Saragarhi
The Punjabi power ¨C haven¡¯t we all heard how Sikhs have a bigger hearts than their chests. Sardars are often called super-human entities. Have you ever seen a Sardar Ji begging? Never, right? That¡¯s because the Khalsa says -- a Sikh must live on honest labour, give generously to the ones in need, because they believe whatever is given is given to the Guru. And when it comes to courage and valour, Sikh Regiment is one of the most decorated in the country.
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Apart from jokes doing the rounds about Punjab Kesari and Zubaan Kesari, when Akshay Kumar starrer Kesari had revealed, everyone was in awe of the powerful punch that it delivered.
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On Sep 12 is the anniversary?124th anniversary of the Battle of Saragarhi that was fought between British Indian Army's Sikh Regiment and Afghan tribesmen.
Did you know Randeep Hooda was supposed to play the character of Havildar Ishar Singh??
For the role, he trained himself for several forms of martial arts for the film, which was to be helmed by Rajkumar Santoshi. the film reportedly got shelved after Akshay Kumar's Kesari released and became a sleeper hit. Randeep's film never saw the light of day, but the project remains close to his heart.
Randeep was deeply hurt after his film got shelved. He even said that the story deserves a better film.?"I think the story of the Battle of Saragarhi is still begging for a better film despite all the films out there," he told HT.
Here's the real-life story of Battle of Saragarhi
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But do you know the real-life story of the epic 1897 Battle of Saragarhi that has inspired the movie? Just reading the story might send shivers down your spines.
Akshay Kumar recently said that he feels sad that Indians don't know about the battle of Saragarhi.
"It is sad that though the British celebrate Saragarhi Day, remembering the martyrs of the war, but we Indians do not know much about it. It is sad how an incident like this has got lost in the pages of history. It is hard to imagine how 21 Sikh soldiers stood strong inside a fort, knowing that 10,000 Afghan soldiers were waiting outside to kill them. Knowing that death is inevitable and continuing the fight requires a lot of bravery. That war was a pure example of that. They fought for our country, for our honour,¡± he was quoted as saying by IANS.
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For starters, the battle is as legendary as the Battle of Thermopylae ¨C the one which inspired the Zack Snyder¡¯s movie 300. Akshay Kumar plays Havildar Ishar Singh, the leader of the regiment called 36th Sikhs, which was stationed in Saragarhi, a small village which is now in Pakistan. The area was frequently invaded by Afghans. On the day of battle, 10,000 men attacked the village. Since the British headquarters said that the army will take time to arrive, the Sikh men had to take the matter into their hands.
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The battle of Saragarhi took place in the 19th century on 12th September 1897, which is called the Great Game. The name was given owing to the heightened tensions between Britain and Russia as they battled over territories in central Asia, including Afghanistan.
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Afghani troops had often been hostile on Indian borders, but this time when they attacked, the Sikh soldiers weren¡¯t prepared. They had marched down with 10,000 soldiers, it is said.
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At 9 AM, Gurmukh Singh informed the British headquarters in Fort Lockhart, via heliograph, that they were under attack. He had signalled Colonel Haughton that they were under attack and they need help, but he said that he won¡¯t be able send help immediately. So, our soldiers decided to fight and prevent the enemies from reaching the forts.
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Sepoy Bhagwan Singh was the first one to be killed. Naik Lal Singh was severely injured, but still, he along with Sepoy Jiwa Singh carried Bhagwan Singh¡¯s body to the inner layer of the post.
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Meanwhile, the enemies had managed to break the wall and get in. It is said that Afghan general had asked them to surrender but Havildar Ishar Singh didn¡¯t take a step back. From using the fire-power to using fighting with hands, they did their best.
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The last man standing was Sepoy Gurmukh Singh, the man who communicated the battle to Haughton. Before he took his last breath, he exclaimed ¡°Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal!¡±
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Afghans had destroyed Saragarhi, and then, they turned their attention to Fort Gulistan, where reinforcements had arrived already.
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It was reported that 21 Sikh soldiers had killed 600 Afghans, as 600 bodies were found after the battle. The details of the Battle of Saragarhi are considered fairly accurate as Col. Haughton, who was constantly keeping in touch with Gurmukh Singh, had himself narrated it.
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The soldiers were recognised by the British with memorials, a battle honour and a regimental holiday. All 21 soldiers were awarded the prestigious Indian Order of Merit Class III award. From that day on, Sep 12 is celebrated as the Saragarhi Day in honour of the 21 soldiers who lost their lives in the battle.
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