Page 34 - PSLgurmatbook62020

The Sikhs were trapped on all sides. To protect children and women,
they cordoned (boundary) them and started to move forward. Abdali

forces wanted to have a pitched battle with the Sikhs. But they

kept on moving as they fought. They moved from village to village.
The village people gave them no shelter. They themselves were

scared of Abdali. It is estimated that about 20,000 Sikhs were
killed on this day.

By early afternoon, the fighting caravan reached a large pond.

Suddenly the fighting ceased as the two forces went to the water

to quench their thirst and relax their tired limbs. The Afghan
forces had inflicted great losses on the Sikhs and in turn many of

them were killed and wounded. They were all exhausted. From that
point on the two forces decided to go their separate ways. The

Sikhs moved on toward Barnala.

Before they could reach Barnala, their cordon was broken by

Abdali's soldiers once again. At least ten thousand Sikhs were killed
right there. The massive destruction that occurred on the February

5, 1762, is called Vadda Ghallughara or the Great Holocaust. In all,

between 20-30,000 Sikh men, women and children perished in this
slaughter.

Abdali returned to Amritsar and blew up the Harimandar Sahib

again. As a deliberate act of disrespect, the pool around it was filled

with cow carcasses. Abdali died in 1772 of cancer.

These heroic Sikhs were massacred because they had tried to rid

their country of cruel, fanatic and intolerant rulers. They were
freedom fighters in a most real sense. They were men of

unshakeable faith, unbeatable courage, unbreakable will, and
unmatchable capacity to do and suffer for their faith and ideals.

They died heroic deaths in order to create conditions in which their
countrymen could live with honor and self-respect.

Sikh History and Gurmat Sikhia Book 6 2020 Edition Page 32