Sher Singh Attariwala and the Battle of Chillianwala

Recently a friend of mine visited Pakistan as part of the Jatha or Pilgrimage troupe. He visited the Sikh holy shrines and also made a visit  to Chillianwala. Where is Chillianwala? It is a small village about 85 miles north west of Lahore and was the scene of a bloody battle between the Sikh Fauj and the East India Company army. I asked him how he manged to go to Chillianwala, as Indians are not allowed to go to places other than the holy shrines. He told me that he had now a Canadian passport as he had migrated to Canada.
He told me that all that remained at Chillianwala were the graves of the fallen English soldiers. There  was also a small memorial to them, but sadly there was nothing to commemorate  the fallen Sikhs.

I wonder why the Pakistan Government does not build a memorial to the Sikhs.After all with a Sikh in the Pakistan army the Sikhs there are as much part of Pakistan as others. Coming to Chillianwala the name that crops up is of General Sher Singh Attariwala. He was the commander of the Sikh fauj. Sadly not many have heard of him. Sher led a force of almost 30000 soldiers and 60 guns against the English who were led by Lord Gough. Gaugh had more men in numbers as well as cavalry and 66 guns.

The battle fought on 13 January 1849 was a bloody affair.It is on record that in 3 days of fighting General Sher Singh held of theEnglish charge and more than 3000 British soldiers died that day. Sher Singh's army held a line 6 miles long and it could not be breached. Ultimately Gough called of the campaign and retreated. It was a bloody nose for the British.

The battle had its repercussions and Lord Gough was relieved of his command and replaced by General Charles Napier. Frankly it was not Goughs fault, as he had come up against an expert general in Sher Singh. I  for one salute this great soldier. Now that the time has elapsed I cannot help feeling that Chillianwala needs to be remembered, not as a saga of Sikhs but as a military article of bravery of the sub-continent. Will the Pakistan Government make a memorial there ?