According to Dr Ganda Singh, the battle was fought between May 12, and May 14, 1710, around the village Chappar Chirri, nearly 10 miles from Sirhind. Wazir Khan was killed and his body was dragged into the streets of Sirhind and then hanged on a tree. The palace of Wazir Khan and the houses of his nobles like Sucha Nand were ransacked. Money and valuables along with horses, elephants, arms and ammunition were looted by the Sikh army. After obtaining a complete surrender of the people, Banda Bahadur selectively punished the villains. Hindus and Muslims were treated alike and no hatred was displayed towards people of other beliefs. He allowed the Muslims to pray in the mosques.
Banda Singh Bahadur met Guru Gobind Singh in a dramatic way on September 3, 1708, and within weeks, the Guru had selected him for an urgent mission to Punjab. Guru Ji gave Banda Singh five arrows from his quiver along with his own standard and a battle drum. Guru Ji also sent five Sikhs with him and issued Hukamnamas to the Sikhs to join Banda Bahadur’s force as volunteers in his mission. The response to the Hukamnamas was instantaneous and overwhelming. Sikhs found it an opportunity to display love for their beloved Guru. Many people, who had been suffering at the hands of oppressive Mughal administrators and had been tortured by the bullies of the Mughals, joined Banda Bahadur with great enthusiasm. These included Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims. Peasants from Malwa, Majha and Doaba came in well-organized groups, bypassing armed Mughals, who tried to block their movements. They all headed towards Kiratpur. Sikhs also came from far-off places like Multan, Kandhar and Iran.
With an organized army, Banda Bahadur reached the outskirts of Delhi. He looted the state treasury at Sonepat and also groups of Mughal army carrying treasury at
Kaithal. He secured cash and horses in these exploits. With more organized support he attacked Somana toward the end of November 1709. The enemy casualties were beyond 10,000 and good quality of cash and horses came his way. Later on, the administrative blocks of Kapori and Mustafabad were ransacked.
Banda Singh Bahadur specially organized himself to attack Sadhaura, where Usman Khan was the Faujdar, a villain who had earned Guru Gobind Singh’s displeasure for killing Pir Budhu Shah and his followers. The latter had come to the support of Guru Gobind Singh along with his two sons and followers in the battle of Bhangani. After the battle, Guru Ji honoured his contribution profusely.
For some time Banda Singh had avoided confrontation with Wazir Khan because he was waiting for the armed Jathas coming from Kiratpur. As soon as these Jathas joined him, with combined strength he advanced towards Sirhind.
When Wazir Khan learnt about the advancing Banda Bahadur, he started preparing for defence. He roused Muslim religious leaders by raising the cries of Jehad. With full force, he moved out ten miles and arranged his army with guns positioned on one side. On the other side, he placed elephants in the formation of a strong wall so that the Sikhs could not attack him from the flanks.
In the first part of the battle, there were large-scale desertions of dacoits and thieves, who had joined with the aim of plunder. Sensing weakness, Baaj Singh informed Banda of the situation. Banda was furious and brought himself to the front line to attack Wazir Khan with full force. At that moment Wazir Khan was struck by an arrow. Banda’s man pounced upon the injured Wazir Khan and killed him with
a long spear. Another attack by Fateh Singh’ssword cut him through his shoulders. Then Fateh Singh lifted the body of Wazir Khan and brought it before Banda Bahadur.
Losing their leader, Wazir Khan’s army ran back leaving the field. Sikh army chased them all the ten miles and entered Sirhind as victors. Banda Bahadur selectively punished the villains. Wazir Khan’s personal wealth was taken over by the Sikh army. Dewan Sucha Nand’s house was also ransacked and he was punished because of his ugly role in the martyrdom of the younger children of Guru Gobind Singh.
After the victory at Sirhind, Sikhs in other parts of Punjab gathered courage. They rose in large numbers in Jalandhar, Doaba and threw away the forces of Faujdar Shamaz Khan from Rahon. Banda Bahadur also advanced towards Gangetic valley and successfully attacked Saharanpur, Ambheta and Nanauta. When Bahadur Shah realized Banda’s growing strength, he decided to move personally and brought a big army. The Mughal army displaced the Sikhs from Sonepat and some other towns. Banda Singh withdrew towards Shivalik hills to consolidate his position in the hills. He attacked Raja Ajmer Chand of Kehlur, who had helped in a consolidated attack on Guru Gobind Singh in 1704. Other hill rulers also laid down arms and the Raja of Chamba married his daughter to Banda Singh Bahadur.
Bahadur Shah’s death early in 1712 at Lahore brought some respite to Banda, who tried to consolidate his gains. Baaj Singh was appointed the Governor of Sirhind. Fateh Singh, son of Baaj Singh was made the chief of Samana. Ram Singh, younger brother of Baaj Singh and Binod Singh was made the chief of Thanesar and the territory surrounding this town. He appointed Sikhs from low castes like scavengers, washermen, cobblers, etc, as Thanedars and Tehsildars. Zamindari was abolished and the cultivator was handed over the land, without any caste distinction of Hindu, Muslim or Sikh. However, Sikh ruling groups were warned to follow a strict code of conduct.
Bahadur Shah’s death in 1712 had brought only temporary respite. In another year, Farrukhsiyar became the Emperor and he decided to stop Banda’s advance with added vigour. For some time Banda Bahadur had to limit his movements along the foothills. When Banda Bahadur was surrounded by the Mughal army at Gurdas-Nangal towards the end of 1715, he did not accept the sound advice of Binod Singh to cut through the besieging force and adopt guerrilla warfare. This was a major failure in Banda’s approach. He, thus, was captured along with a large Sikh force and courted martyrdom at Delhi on June 9, 1716, like a brave soldier.