Latest / Aurangzeb: The Emperor Who Expanded and Broke the Mughal Empire — Fexingo History / Aurangzeb's Sikh War: Guru Tegh Bahadur and the Rise of the Khalsa
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Aurangzeb's wars in the Deccan, his policies on taxes and music, his temple demolitions. But there's one conflict that really escalated under him — the showdown with the Sikhs. And it starts with a very specific event in 1675. Luna: You mean the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur? Lucas: Exactly. The ninth Sikh guru was arrested on Aurangzeb's orders and brought to Delhi. And the public beheading in Chandni Chowk — right in the heart of Shahjahanabad — became one of the most defining moments in Sikh history. But also a huge turning point for the Mughals, because it backfired spectacularly. Luna: Backfired how? I mean, the guru was killed — that sounds like the emperor got what he wanted. Lucas: On the surface, yes. But the execution radicalised the Sikh community in a way that Aurangzeb probably never anticipated. Guru Tegh Bahadur's son, Gobind Das, became the tenth guru at just nine years old — and he would go on to create the Khalsa, a militarised order that fought the Mughals for decades. So this one execution lit a fuse that burned for a century. Luna: Before we go deeper — and I know this is a bit of a pivot — it strikes me that we're talking about a moment where an emperor's policy created a long-term resistance movement. And this show, these conversations we have, they only exist because listeners like you help keep them ad-free. If you've been following our episodes on Aurangzeb, or any of the South Asian history we cover, and you'd like to support the work that goes into these deep dives, you can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep the show going for anyone who finds value in it. Lucas: Absolutely. And speaking of resistance — let's go back to that execution. The Sikh chronicles, especially the Bachittar Natak attributed to Guru Gobind Singh himself, describe the events in vivid detail. Guru Tegh Bahadur had been in Malwa, in present-day Punjab, when Aurangzeb's officials arrested him. The charge was that he was spreading anti-Islamic teachings and refusing to convert to Islam. Luna: But there's also a story about Kashmiri Pandits, right? Lucas: Yes. A key part of the narrative is that a group of Kashmiri Pandits came to the guru and asked for his help because Aurangzeb was pressuring them to convert. Guru Tegh Bahadur reportedly said he would sacrifice himself to protect their right to practice their faith. That story isn't in Mughal sources, but it's central to Sikh tradition. And it frames the execution not as a political move, but as a religious martyrdom. Luna: So what do the Mughal sources say? The maasir i alamgiri must mention this. Lucas: It does, but briefly. The chronicle records that in 1675, Aurangzeb ordered the execution of a 'rebel' named Tegh Bahadur — no mention of Pandits or religious motivation. It says the guru's 'followers caused disturbance' and that he was 'put to death to prevent further mischief.' So the imperial court saw it as a law-and-order issue, not a religious persecution. But the Sikh accounts paint a very different picture. Luna: And the execution itself — how did it happen? Lucas: According to Sikh tradition, the guru was brought to Chandni Chowk in Delhi, a large open square. The Mughal executioner beheaded him in public, along with three of his followers who were killed earlier. The body was left on display for a while, but then it was secretly taken away by Sikhs and cremated near the site. That spot later became Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, one of the most important Sikh shrines in Delhi. Luna: So within hours, the place of execution became a sacred site. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the problem for Aurangzeb. You can't control how people remember an event. The Sikhs turned a place of imperial punishment into a place of pilgrimage. And the new guru, Gobind Das, who took the name Gobind Singh, started organising the community into a military force. In 1699, he founded the Khalsa — a brotherhood of initiated Sikhs who were required to carry weapons and fight for justice. Luna: That's when Sikhs started wearing the five Ks, right? Kesh, kangha, kara, kirpan, kachera. Lucas: Precisely. The Khalsa was a direct response to Mughal persecution. And from then on, the Sikhs became a major military power in the Punjab. By the time Aurangzeb died in 1707, the Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh had already fought several battles with Mughal armies. The conflict didn't end until the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century. Luna: So in a way, Aurangzeb's execution of one man helped create the Sikh Empire. Lucas: Yes, in a very real sense. It's a classic case of overreach. Aurangzeb was trying to impose religious uniformity, but he ended up creating the conditions for a powerful resistance movement. And it's not just about the Sikhs — the very same policies that led to the Sikh conflict also fuelled the Maratha wars and the Rajput rebellions. The empire was simply stretched too thin. Luna: And the timing — 1675 — is right in the middle of the Deccan campaigns too. Lucas: Right. In 1675, Aurangzeb was deeply involved in the Deccan, trying to annex the sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda. The Sikh rebellion was a distraction, but one he couldn't ignore. He sent imperial forces to the Punjab repeatedly over the next three decades, but they never managed to crush the Sikhs. The war continued long after his death. Luna: I've read that Guru Gobind Singh actually wrote a letter to Aurangzeb near the end of his life, the Zafarnama — the 'Epistle of Victory'. Lucas: That's right. The Zafarnama is a Persian-language poem that Guru Gobind Singh sent to Aurangzeb in 1705, after a series of battles. In it, he condemns the emperor for breaking his oaths and persecuting the innocent. The guru says, 'When a ruler breaks his promises, the sword becomes the true king.' It's an incredible document — a direct challenge from a rebel leader to the most powerful man in India. Luna: Did Aurangzeb ever respond? Lucas: Not directly. But according to some accounts, the emperor read the letter and was moved by it. There's a story that he invited Guru Gobind Singh to meet him in the Deccan, but the guru never made it — he was assassinated in 1708, possibly on Aurangzeb's orders. So the meeting never happened. But the Zafarnama remains a symbol of Sikh defiance and moral authority. Luna: It's fascinating how a single execution can ripple through centuries. Lucas: And it's a reminder that political violence doesn't always work the way rulers intend. Aurangzeb was a brilliant administrator and a tireless campaigner, but his heavy-handed approach to religious diversity created enemies that outlasted his empire. The Sikhs, the Marathas, the Rajputs — all of them eventually contributed to the Mughal collapse. And the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur is a pivotal moment in that story. Luna: I'm glad we covered this. It adds a whole new dimension to how we think about Aurangzeb's legacy. Lucas: And it's a reminder that history is never just one story. The Mughal chronicles tell us one thing, the Sikh sources tell us another. And somewhere in between, you find the real complexity of the past.