r/punjab

Source: *Anti-India posters appear in Taiwan streets during local elections:* Candidate calls to expel Indian workers

https://english.bhaskar.com/clEkDzpJg3b

The Sikh Empire (1799–1849), forged under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was one of the most formidable military powers in 19th-century Asia. Its success relied on the Khalsa Army, which combined traditional fierce martial traditions with modernized, European-style infantry and artillery tactics.

The Sikh Empire consistently secured its borders and expanded its territory by defeating major regional and global empires:

1. Victories Against the Durrani Empire (Afghans)

For centuries, Afghan invaders used the Khyber Pass to launch devastating raids into the Indian subcontinent. The Sikh-Afghan Wars completely reversed this historical trend.

Key Battles: Battle of Attock (1813), Battle of Multan (1818), Battle of Nowshera (1823), and Battle of Jamrud (1837).

The Outcome: Led by brilliant commanders like Hari Singh Nalwa, the Khalsa Army permanently halted Afghan incursions, captured wealthy provinces like Kashmir, Multan, and Peshawar, and pushed the frontier back to the mouth of the Khyber Pass, sealing the gateway to India.

2. Clashes and Engagements with the Maratha Empire

The relationship between the Sikhs and the Marathas was complex, characterized more by border skirmishes, shifting alliances, and territorial containment than total existential warfare.

The Dynamics: During the late 18th century, prior to the formal declaration of the Empire, various Sikh Misls (confederacies) frequently clashed with the expanding Maratha forces under leaders like Mahadaji Shinde for dominance over the Delhi-Sutlej region.

The Outcome: The Sikhs successfully checked Maratha northward expansion. By the time Ranjit Singh consolidated the Empire, the Marathas were heavily weakened by internal strife and conflicts with the British East India Company, leading to diplomatic treaties that established the Sutlej River zone of influence.

3. The Sino-Sikh War against the Qing Dynasty & Tibet

In 1841, seeking to secure trade routes and expand into Central Asia, the brilliant Sikh General Zorawar Singh led a daring invasion into Western Tibet, which was under the suzerainty of Qing China.

The Dynamics: After early, stunning victories where Sikh forces captured crucial forts in Ladakh and advanced deep into Tibet, Zorawar Singh was killed during a brutal winter battle at high altitude. The Qing-Tibetan forces then launched a counter-offensive, invading Ladakh.

The Outcome: The Sikhs quickly reinforced their positions and decisively crushed the advancing Sino-Tibetan army at the Battle of Chushul (1842). This stalemate resulted in the Treaty of Chushul, which stabilized the northern borders and permanently integrated Ladakh into the subcontinent's sphere of control.

4. Expansion against the Gurkhas (Gorkha Kingdom)

As the Gorkha Kingdom of Nepal aggressively expanded westward across the Himalayas into the Punjab hills (modern-day Himachal Pradesh), they ran directly into the sphere of influence of the rising Sikh power.

Key Conflict: The Siege of Kangra Fort (1809).

The Outcome: The ruler of Kangra appealed to Maharaja Ranjit Singh for aid. The Sikh forces marched into the hills and decisively defeated the Gurkha army, forcing their legendary commander, Amar Singh Thapa, to retreat back across the Sutlej River. This victory permanently checked westward Gurkha expansion and established majmSikh dominance over the hill states.

The Geopolitical Legacy: By successfully defeating or containing the Durranis, Marathas, Gurkhas, and the Qing, the Sikh Empire established a highly centralized, heavily fortified state. It stood as the final major independent power on the subcontinent, acting as a massive geopolitical buffer that the British East India Company could not conquer until after Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death.

This song is not merely an emotional or devotional bhajan, but is also deeply connected with the political struggles, wars, sieges, and battles surrounding Kangra Fort, which has always remained one of the most important symbols of the Kangra region.

Kangra Fort is one of the oldest and largest forts in northern India, especially in the Himalayan region. Because of its strategic mountain location, immense wealth, and political importance, it attracted the attention of several foreign powers throughout history. Invaders and empires such as Mahmud of Ghazni, the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughals repeatedly attempted to establish control over Kangra in order to dominate the surrounding hill states and trade routes.

By the late eighteenth century, Kangra Fort was under the authority of the Mughal governor Saif Ali Khan after the region came under Mughal influence. At that time, Raja Sansar Chand of the Katoch dynasty dreamed of restoring the lost glory of his ancestors and freeing Kangra from outside control. The weakening authority in the Kangra hills had allowed the Mughals to take advantage of the situation and capture the fort. For Sansar Chand, reclaiming Kangra Fort was not only a political ambition but also a matter of heritage, prestige, and regional pride.

However, the fort was considered nearly impossible to capture because of its powerful fortifications and difficult mountain terrain. Realizing that he could not conquer it alone, Sansar Chand sought military support from Sikh misls. In exchange for their help, he reportedly promised money and political alliances.

Among the important Sikh misls involved were the Kanhaiya misl led by Jai Singh Kanhaiya and later by his son Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya, along with other Sikh forces from the Doaba region. Together, the allied armies surrounded Kangra Fort and laid siege to it for a long period. As the siege continued, conditions inside the fort became increasingly difficult because of declining food supplies and growing military pressure.

During the siege, Saif Ali Khan died, and his son Jiwan Khan took control of the fort. According to several historical interpretations, after the death of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya directly negotiated with Jiwan Khan. This political move created tension and mistrust within the alliance and weakened Sansar Chand’s position in the struggle for Kangra Fort.

The “Garba Singh” mentioned in the bhajan is widely believed to refer to Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya. Through oral tradition and local pronunciation, “Gurbaksh” gradually became “Garba” or “Garbh” Singh.

These events deeply angered Sansar Chand. After this, he formed new alliances with influential Sikh misls in order to challenge both the Kanhaiya misl and the Mughal forces. One of these allies was the Sukerchakia misl led by Mahan Singh Sukerchakia, who was the father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Another important ally was the Ramgarhia misl led by Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.

This rivalry eventually led to the fierce Battle of Achal in 1785 near present-day Batala. During the battle, Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya was killed in combat, which became a major turning point in the political struggle of the region.

After years of warfare, negotiations, and shifting alliances, an agreement was finally reached around 1786 that allowed Sansar Chand to reclaim Kangra Fort. Recovering the fort became one of the greatest achievements of his reign and marked the revival of Katoch authority in the Kangra hills. Under Sansar Chand’s rule, Kangra later experienced a major cultural and artistic revival, especially in temple patronage, literature, and the world-famous Kangra miniature painting tradition.

Even today, this story survives through this bhajan, oral traditions, and devotional singing across Kangra dedicated to Maa Bajreshwari of Nagarkot. The song is not remembered merely as a folk song, but as a living memory of Kangra’s history, its struggles, political rivalries, battles, devotion, and the deep emotional connection of the people with Kangra Fort and their goddess.

https://bijlipunjab.in

The website is very easy to use but it doesn't look official because of UI and ads. Moreover, there is no official announcement regarding this website. Still, it's a good thing.

1. Sare shehr ch gandd pao
   (Litter the whole city)

2. Apnia demands manvao
   (Forcefully get your demands approved)

3. Sara saal aakad ke ghummo
   (Have attitute and literally do anything)

4. Agle saal fr eda karke navi demands manvao
   (Repeat the same again next year for new demands)

And the cycle keeps repeating itself.

Don't know how our country will grow/rise/excel when basic things aren't being taken care of.

On top of it, can't say/do anything cuz this community literally threatens to jam, burn, or halt the whole country, like we aren't already behind.

Will this ever end? Or leaving the country is the only option left?

Maybe women want equality because women are human beings too. Wanting equal dignity, safety, opportunity, and respect is not “wanting to become men.” It’s wanting to be treated like a full human being. Men and women are both half of humanity. Your gender alone is not a personality trait or an accomplishment. Become the best version of yourself instead of worshipping an accident of birth. The “opposite gender” he looks down on is the same gender that literally gave birth to him.

People who genuinely achieve things take pride in their character, skills, hard work, knowledge, or contributions to society. People with nothing of their own to be proud of often cling to gender, caste, race, or religion to feel superior. And being a beneficiary of historical privilege does not make someone inherently better. Much of history’s achievements came from people who had access to wealth, education, power, and opportunities others were denied. That says more about systems than superiority.

Also funny how some men boast about being the “risk-taking gender” while men overwhelmingly dominate violent crime statistics, wars, m-rders, ass-ults, prison populations. But of course I won't generalize on the basis of this that women are superior. It's silly.

Punjab is leading the way in firearm customization. The craftsmanship coming out of the region is genuinely next level. Absolutely breathtaking work.

For the curious: this is Nanda Cheetah chambered in the legendary 7.62×25mm Tokarev (also known as 30 bore in India).