Tempo:
Ahmed Shah Abdali
139
transporting the plundered wealth of Delhi to Lahore, Ala Singh, in concert with other Sikh robbers, had barred his path at Sanawar (between A.mbala and Patiala) and robbed him of half his treasures, and again attacked and plundered him at Malerkotla. So great had been the success of these brigands that rumor had magnified it into the prince's captivity and even death at their hands.' 1<1 Abdali took further precautions, but even so he was not allowed to go unscathed. Sikh bands slew his guards and pillaged his baggage at many points. When he arrived at Lahore, he was in a black mood. He could not lay his hands on the elusive Sikhs, so he spent his fury on the city of Amritsar. The Harimandir was blown up and the sacred pool filled with the entrails of slaughtered cows. Abdali assigned the Punjab to his son, Taimur, and left the prince an army of ten thousand men under General Jahan Khan. He also bestowed on Ranjit Dev, the Raja of Jammu, several parganas. By this gift, the Afghan assured himself of the collaboration of a powerful chief in whose territories Sikh bands often sought refuge. AbdaJi resumed his journe" homewards. Sikh bands led hy Charbat Singh Sukerchakia reappeared on the flanks of his army and continued to harass him up to the river Indus. A clash between Prince Taimur's Afghans and the Sikhs was inevitable. The destruction of the Harirnandir had caused a lot of heartburning among the Sikhs. Deep Singh, the leader of one of the mists entrusted -v.ich the care of the temple, felt that it was up to him to atone for the sin of having let foreigners desecrate the shrine. He emerged from scholastic retirement (he had been making copies of the Granth) and proclaimed his intention of rebuilding the temple. As he went from one hamlet to another, many villagers joined him. By the time Deep Singh reached Taran ten miles from Amritsar, he had over five 19 H. R. GupLa, History oft~ Sik~. I, 100. Not accepted by Canda Singh, AhmLd Shah Durrii11i, p. 188.
139
transporting the plundered wealth of Delhi to Lahore, Ala Singh, in concert with other Sikh robbers, had barred his path at Sanawar (between A.mbala and Patiala) and robbed him of half his treasures, and again attacked and plundered him at Malerkotla. So great had been the success of these brigands that rumor had magnified it into the prince's captivity and even death at their hands.' 1<1 Abdali took further precautions, but even so he was not allowed to go unscathed. Sikh bands slew his guards and pillaged his baggage at many points. When he arrived at Lahore, he was in a black mood. He could not lay his hands on the elusive Sikhs, so he spent his fury on the city of Amritsar. The Harimandir was blown up and the sacred pool filled with the entrails of slaughtered cows. Abdali assigned the Punjab to his son, Taimur, and left the prince an army of ten thousand men under General Jahan Khan. He also bestowed on Ranjit Dev, the Raja of Jammu, several parganas. By this gift, the Afghan assured himself of the collaboration of a powerful chief in whose territories Sikh bands often sought refuge. AbdaJi resumed his journe" homewards. Sikh bands led hy Charbat Singh Sukerchakia reappeared on the flanks of his army and continued to harass him up to the river Indus. A clash between Prince Taimur's Afghans and the Sikhs was inevitable. The destruction of the Harirnandir had caused a lot of heartburning among the Sikhs. Deep Singh, the leader of one of the mists entrusted -v.ich the care of the temple, felt that it was up to him to atone for the sin of having let foreigners desecrate the shrine. He emerged from scholastic retirement (he had been making copies of the Granth) and proclaimed his intention of rebuilding the temple. As he went from one hamlet to another, many villagers joined him. By the time Deep Singh reached Taran ten miles from Amritsar, he had over five 19 H. R. GupLa, History oft~ Sik~. I, 100. Not accepted by Canda Singh, AhmLd Shah Durrii11i, p. 188.
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