Introduction

The Karorsinghia Misl (also historically designated as the Panjgarhia Misl) occupies an illustrious chapter in 18th-century South Asian military history. Under its most celebrated general, Baba Baghel Singh, the confederacy transformed from a resilient guerrilla force into a continental power that dictated terms to the Mughal Empire. In March 1783, Baghel Singh led 30,000 Khalsa cavalry into the heart of Delhi, seized the Red Fort (Lal Qila), and leveraged total military supremacy not for imperial crowns, but to resurrect and memorialize the sacred shrines of the Sikh Gurus across the imperial capital.

Genesis under Sham Singh and Karora Singh

The confederacy originated with Sardar Sham Singh of village Panjgarh, a fierce contemporary of Nawab Kapur Singh who relentlessly ambushed the rear columns of Persian emperor Nadir Shah during his 1739 plunder of Delhi:

  • Following Sham Singh's martyrdom, Sardar Karora Singh of Barki (Lahore) consolidated the misl, giving it his enduring name. He expanded the misl's influence across Hoshiarpur and the Shiwalik foothills.
  • Following Karora Singh's death at the Battle of Taraori in 1761, supreme command passed to his brilliant deputy, Baba Baghel Singh of village Jhabal (Amritsar).

Strategic Domination of the Indo-Gangetic Plains

Baba Baghel Singh possessed exceptional geopolitical insight:

  • He established formidable bases across eastern Punjab and modern Haryana (Karnal, Thanesar, Rohtak, and Panipat).
  • Crossing the Yamuna River, Baghel Singh subjected the wealthy Gangetic Doab—including Meerut, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Aligarh—to regular incursions, levying the Rakhi (protection tribute) on Mughal nobles, Rohilla Afghans, and Maratha garrisons alike.
  • Working in tandem with Sultan-ul-Qaum Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Baghel Singh coordinated the Dal Khalsa's southern spearhead toward Delhi.

The Conquest of Delhi and the Fall of the Red Fort (March 1783)

By 1783, the Mughal empire under Emperor Shah Alam II was crippled by bankruptcy and factional intrigue. Seizing the strategic moment, Baba Baghel Singh mobilized a formidable army of 30,000 Khalsa warriors:

  1. Camp at Tis Hazari: The massive Sikh army encamped on the open plains just north of the walled city of Shahjahanabad. To this day, the area retains the name Tis Hazari (literally, "The Place of the Thirty Thousand").
  2. Storming the Citadel: On March 11, 1783, Sikh forces breached the Kashmiri Gate and Ajmeri Gate, overwhelmed the royal imperial guard, and marched into the Red Fort.
  3. The Nishan Sahib over the Lal Qila: Khalsa warriors entered the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience). The saffron Nishan Sahib was hoisted triumphantly over the Red Fort, symbolizing the total reversal of historical fortune: the community marked for extermination by Aurangzeb had conquered his imperial throne room.
  4. The Marble Throne of Oppression: Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia detached the imperial marble throne slab—upon which Mughal emperors sat while issuing decrees for the persecution of Sikh Gurus—fastened it to ropes behind his horses, and transported it back to Amritsar, where it remains on display in the Ramgarhia Bunga.

The Historic Delhi Treaty and Gurdwara Construction

Terrified of an outright sack of the city, Emperor Shah Alam II sued for peace through his trusted diplomat Begum Samru. Demonstrating extraordinary panthic integrity, Baba Baghel Singh spurned the Mughal throne and agreed to withdraw on three non-negotiable conditions:

  • The Mughal treasury would assign 37.5% (six annas per rupee) of all octroi duty revenues of Delhi to the Sikhs.
  • Baba Baghel Singh would remain stationed in Delhi with a 4,000-man cavalry detachment to identify all sacred locations associated with the Sikh Gurus and construct grand historical Gurdwaras.
  • No imperial authority would interfere with the construction or policing of these sacred sites until completion.

The Seven Landmark Gurdwaras of Delhi

Over the following eight months, utilizing municipal records and the oral testimonies of elderly Muslim and Hindu residents, Baba Baghel Singh pinpointed the exact locations and erected seven monumental shrines:

  1. Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib (Chandni Chowk): The sacred site where the Ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, was publicly beheaded on November 11, 1675, defending universal religious freedom.
  2. Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib: The residence of Bhai Lakhi Shah Vanjara, who burned his own mansion to secretly cremate the Guru's headless body.
  3. Gurdwara Bangla Sahib: The palatial estate of Raja Jai Singh of Amber where the Eighth Guru, Guru Har Krishan Ji, healed plague victims in 1664.
  4. Gurdwara Bala Sahib: The sacred cremation site of Guru Har Krishan Ji and Mata Sundari Ji.
  5. Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla: Sanctified by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and later Guru Hargobind Sahib on the banks of the Yamuna.
  6. Gurdwara Moti Bagh: The location from which Guru Gobind Singh shot arrows into the Red Fort to announce his arrival to Prince Mu'azzam (Bahadur Shah I).
  7. Gurdwara Damdama Sahib: The site of the historic meeting between Guru Gobind Singh and Bahadur Shah in 1707.

Enduring Legacy

Having completed the construction of the shrines and secured perpetual royal endowments, Baba Baghel Singh honored his word, dismantled his encampment, and marched back to Punjab. He passed away in 1802 at Amritsar Kalan (Haryana). His heroic entry into Delhi is commemorated internationally every year as Delhi Fateh Diwas, celebrating the ultimate triumph of righteous valor over imperial tyranny.

References

  1. Ganda Singh (1976), Baba Baghel Singh and the Conquest of Delhi, Patiala: Punjabi University.
  2. Hari Ram Gupta (1978), History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Commonwealth (Vol. IV), New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal.
  3. Khushwant Singh (1963), A History of the Sikhs: Vol. 1, Princeton: Princeton University Press.
  4. Giani Gian Singh (1898), Twarikh Guru Khalsa, Patiala: Languages Department Punjab.