1894] 
W. Irvine —Guru Gobind Sirjgh and Bandah. 
129 
became known at Labor, the Siklis collected at their holy place, 
Amritsar, or the Nectar Lake, in the village of Chak Guru, about forty 
miles north of Labor, already renowned for its gardens and lake, and 
for the great gathering, or meld, held there in Phalgun (February) of 
every year. In this conclave, the Sikhs resolved to make an attempt 
on Labor, hoping to have the same success as at Sirhind. The imperial 
governor was then Sayyad Aslam Khan, a waulvi from Kabul. He was 
the deputy for Prince Mu‘izzu-d-dm, Jahandar Shah, the Emperor’s 
eldest son. This man made no effort to repel an attack from out¬ 
side, though in one way or another he prevented any outbreak within 
the city of Lahor itself. But parganahs such as Batfila and Kalanaur 
(where Akbar was crowned), both in Sirkar Batala, were completely 
ravaged. 1 The Sikh depredations extended even to the suburbs and to the 
Shalihmar garden, only three miles from the city. The Muhammadans 
of Labor now took the matter into their own hands. Muhammad Taqqi, 
a relation of the late Shah Sa £ dullah (i. e., Shahjahan’s greatest wazlr, 
Sa‘dullah Khan, ‘Allami), and Musa Beg, Lohani, son of Khuda Wirdi 
Beg, Aghar-Khani, specially exerted themselves to collect men and 
obtain supplies. Many traders made contributions in money. Others 
joined in person, such as the son of Sayyad Ismafil, Haji Yar Beg, 
Sayyad Tnayat, and Mulla Pir Muhammad, the preacher. The rallying 
point was the plain near the Tdgah mosque: 2 
Hearing that among the populace he had earned the reputation of 
a coward, Sayyad Aslam Khan, the governor, sent out a force of five 
hundred horse and foot, commanded by Mir ‘Ataullah, a man from down 
country, and Muhabbat Khan, Karal, zammdar of Faridabad. This ex¬ 
pedition caused the Sikhs to retreat to parganah Tappa Bharli; 3 where 
there was a small brick fort, built by Bhagwant Bay, the qanungd of 
the parganah. The fort was put in a state of defence and supplies to 
last a siege were collected. After some delay, the imperialists arrived 
and invested the place. The Sikhs were unable to come out into the 
open, but they made a good defence from the bastions and walls. After 
a time they lost heart and decamped under cover of night. The Muham¬ 
madans returned to Labor, signalizing their return by insulting the 
Hindus of the city and threatening their own rulers. 4 
Once again, the Sikhs gathered at Kotila Begam, a place near the 
1 Batala, about 60 m. N.-E., and Kalanaur, about 70 m. N.-E. of Lahor. Details 
of the attack on Batala are given in McGregor, I, 108. 
2 Qasim, fol. 27. 
3 In Sirkar Bari Duab, Atn-i-Akbari, IT, 110. For Karal, or Kharral, see, Ibbetson, 
Census, 470, 471. 
4 Qasim, fol. 95. 
