Gurdwara Qila Lohgarh Sahib Amritsar is situated in the old Amritsar City inside the Lohgarh Gate area.
After martyrdom of Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji at Lahore, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji became the sixth Sikh Guru.
As instructed by his father, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji started raising the army of Saint Soldiers to fight against the cruelty of the mughal oppressors.
Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji built a small fort at this location called Lohgarh, now known as Gurdwara Qila Lohgarh Sahib Amritsar.
Increasing tensions erupted during a clash between a group of Sikh and mughal hunting parties.
The Battle of Amritsar started with the capture of a rare white Baz (hawk) which had been a gift to Shah Jahan from the Emperor of Persia. (The Hawk was at the time one of the royal symbols of authority).
On Vaisaki a party of Shah Jahan's troops were hunting in a royal private reserve near Gumtala village near Amritsar at the same time as some of the Guru's Sikhs.
The Guru's hawk downed a special, rare white hawk that had been a gift of the Shah of Persia. The Sikhs had picked up and tethered the white hawk unaware that it belonged to the emperor. The mughal troops, no doubt in a panic had seen the hawk fall and came looking for the Emperors prized Baz.
The mughals are said to have used some derogatory language towards the Sikhs who refused to return the hawk and this soon escalated into a small violent conflict between the two parties with the mughals leaving the fight. The mughals returned with a 7,000 strong army against 700 Sikhs. First the mini fortress of Lohgarh was attacked. The Sikhs stationed there, though small in number, provided stiff resistance.
Eventually, the battle moved to the site of Gurdwara Sri Sangrana Sahib Chabba where after further fighting Mukhilis Khan had challenged Guru Ji to a one on one duel, while the other soldiers looked on. The battle ended in a decisive Sikh victory, resulting in Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji gaining great respect with the local people. Gurdwara Sri Sangrana Sahib Chabba was built on Guru Hargobind's instructions in memory of the martyred Sikhs.
Please note there is another Qila of a similiar name called Gurdwara Qila Lohgarh Sahib Anandpur, which is associated with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, located at Anandpur Sahib.
Back to Historic Sikh Gurdwaras list
Discover Sikhs
Gurmat Gyan (Knowledge)
Larivaar
Other Gurbani Contributors
MORE
Gallery
Sikh News
ABOUT