01-14-2004, 09:02 PM
I am not sure if this is considered pre-modern or post-modern but the guerilla warfare of 1600s-1700s, improvisation by the warriors is worth some discussion.
Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru after martyrdom of his father Guru Arjan Dev at Lahore on the orders of Mughal emperor Jahangir, started a unique concept in India. Calling it Meeri (political) and Peeri(spiritual) he ordered all his Sikhs (Sikh means disciple i.e. Shishya and Guru means teacher) to only come to his prescence with a horse and a weapon. He organized military training right in front of Golden Temple and created another building that he namd Akal Takht i.e. "Eternal Throne". Bouts of wrestling, swordship, mock battles, etc were daily routine. He created a small army of 700 foot and 300 riders as well as 4 cannons. A small fort in the vicinity of Golden Temple was created that he called "Lohgarh" i.e. "Iron Fort".
People started calling him "Sacha Padishah" i.e. "True King" as oppose to Mughals who were "false kings". Then one day Jahangir and his hunting party in the vicinity of Amritsar/Lahore came in contact with the Sikhs who were also hunting there., a skirmish broke out and Mughals fled to Lahore, only to return to Amritsar for a revenge. Mughals were defeated again. Guru Hargobind with his family and other Sikhs started moving east towards current day Jalandhar, Mughals kept sending small detachments to harass Guru. In one such battle where his Son Tyag Mall showed an excellent swordship Guru renamed him calling him "Tegh Bahadur" i.e. "brave of the sword" who later became ninth Sikh Guru as well as Martyr at Delhi to protect the Kashmiri Brahmins. Guru Hargobind started the war cry of Deg Teg Fateh. i.e. Deg means "langar or a utensil full of food" Tegh means "Sword" and Fateh means "victory".., meaning "Victory to the whole organized battle along with supplies".
He preached all over North India and in one such expedition at Haridwara he met a Maratha saint. ???Das questioned Guru Hargobind that being from the line of a saint like Nanak why is he keeping all these soldiers. It is said that Guru Hargobind's answer astonished the Maratha saint and immpressed him so much that back in Maharashtra was one of the principle forces behind Shivaji.
Then he was invited by Jehangir to Delhi where he was arrested and jailed at the fort in Gwalior for about 2 years. Released when ailing Jehangir thought that the reason for his disease was the arrest of Guru Hargobind, Guru Hargobind refused to come out of the jail asking Jehangir to release all the 52 prisoners (Hindu kings from all over India) who were also released along with Guru Hargobind.
Then.. rest of the Sikh history is mostly wars with Mughals, Afghanis, Nadir Shah and British. Guru Hargobind gave
1. Organized battle plans through "Degh Tegh fateh".
2. Emphasis on Practice, discipline and physical fitness.
In 1720s for the Guerilla warfare of Sikhs a unique concept was improvised by Jathedar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and his ilks., calling it
Dhai Phatt, i.e. "two and a half strikes". Small bands (100-200) would attack a strategic location on the moving column of Nadir Shah or Abdali to free up the slaves or snatch back the booty being sent to Afghanistan. They would attack then retreat and then attack again to massacre the enemy soldiers following them. In such operations, Sikhs released many slave girls and sent them back to their families. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was aptly named "Baandi chhor" i.e. "deliverer of the women slaves" when in one such raid he released 2200 women from the baggage train of Abdali. These Sikh bands were 100% riders with muskets and double edged swords.
The Sikh riders in the area between Indus and Jamuna were revered by villagers calling them "Sardars" i.e. "Leaders". Since then
all Sikhs in India have been called "Sardars".
Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru after martyrdom of his father Guru Arjan Dev at Lahore on the orders of Mughal emperor Jahangir, started a unique concept in India. Calling it Meeri (political) and Peeri(spiritual) he ordered all his Sikhs (Sikh means disciple i.e. Shishya and Guru means teacher) to only come to his prescence with a horse and a weapon. He organized military training right in front of Golden Temple and created another building that he namd Akal Takht i.e. "Eternal Throne". Bouts of wrestling, swordship, mock battles, etc were daily routine. He created a small army of 700 foot and 300 riders as well as 4 cannons. A small fort in the vicinity of Golden Temple was created that he called "Lohgarh" i.e. "Iron Fort".
People started calling him "Sacha Padishah" i.e. "True King" as oppose to Mughals who were "false kings". Then one day Jahangir and his hunting party in the vicinity of Amritsar/Lahore came in contact with the Sikhs who were also hunting there., a skirmish broke out and Mughals fled to Lahore, only to return to Amritsar for a revenge. Mughals were defeated again. Guru Hargobind with his family and other Sikhs started moving east towards current day Jalandhar, Mughals kept sending small detachments to harass Guru. In one such battle where his Son Tyag Mall showed an excellent swordship Guru renamed him calling him "Tegh Bahadur" i.e. "brave of the sword" who later became ninth Sikh Guru as well as Martyr at Delhi to protect the Kashmiri Brahmins. Guru Hargobind started the war cry of Deg Teg Fateh. i.e. Deg means "langar or a utensil full of food" Tegh means "Sword" and Fateh means "victory".., meaning "Victory to the whole organized battle along with supplies".
He preached all over North India and in one such expedition at Haridwara he met a Maratha saint. ???Das questioned Guru Hargobind that being from the line of a saint like Nanak why is he keeping all these soldiers. It is said that Guru Hargobind's answer astonished the Maratha saint and immpressed him so much that back in Maharashtra was one of the principle forces behind Shivaji.
Then he was invited by Jehangir to Delhi where he was arrested and jailed at the fort in Gwalior for about 2 years. Released when ailing Jehangir thought that the reason for his disease was the arrest of Guru Hargobind, Guru Hargobind refused to come out of the jail asking Jehangir to release all the 52 prisoners (Hindu kings from all over India) who were also released along with Guru Hargobind.
Then.. rest of the Sikh history is mostly wars with Mughals, Afghanis, Nadir Shah and British. Guru Hargobind gave
1. Organized battle plans through "Degh Tegh fateh".
2. Emphasis on Practice, discipline and physical fitness.
In 1720s for the Guerilla warfare of Sikhs a unique concept was improvised by Jathedar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and his ilks., calling it
Dhai Phatt, i.e. "two and a half strikes". Small bands (100-200) would attack a strategic location on the moving column of Nadir Shah or Abdali to free up the slaves or snatch back the booty being sent to Afghanistan. They would attack then retreat and then attack again to massacre the enemy soldiers following them. In such operations, Sikhs released many slave girls and sent them back to their families. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was aptly named "Baandi chhor" i.e. "deliverer of the women slaves" when in one such raid he released 2200 women from the baggage train of Abdali. These Sikh bands were 100% riders with muskets and double edged swords.
The Sikh riders in the area between Indus and Jamuna were revered by villagers calling them "Sardars" i.e. "Leaders". Since then
all Sikhs in India have been called "Sardars".