ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>FATEHN&#256MAH 1</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i>FATEHN&#256MAH</i>, by Bh&#257&#299 Dy&#257l Si&#7749gh, is a versified account of the victory (<i>f'ateh</i>, in Persian) of the Sikhs in the battle fought on Sunday, 22 Bais&#257kh 1854 Bk/30 April 1797, against Sh&#257h Zam&#257n's forces led by one of his generals Ahmad <u>Kh</u>&#257n, also called Shah&#257ñch&#299 <u>Kh</u>&#257n, in which the latter got killed and his forces fled the field. Nothing is known about the poet who, judging from his diction, belonged to the western parts of the Punjab. The poet showers special praise on the Sikh warrior, S&#257hib Si&#7749gh Bha&#7749g&#299, chief of Gujr&#257t, which indicates that he may have been a relation of his or a protege. Although there is no internal evidence to date the work, it seems from the details of the battle to be a near-contemporary work. The poem comprises 15 <i>pau&#7771&#299s</i> or stanzas followed by two <i>savaiyy&#257s</i>, with two <i>dohir&#257s</i> at the end. The opening stanza is by way of invocation to the Almighty "who at His will controls everything and by whose aid victory is achieved." The poem briefly touches upon Sh&#257h Zam&#257n's capture of Lahore and the adjoining areas of the Punjab and the Sikhs' dispersal towards the hills. However, the Sikhs reassembled as the Af<u>gh</u>&#257n king returned to K&#257bul to quell a revolt there. Shah&#257ñch&#299 <u>Kh</u>&#257n, whom Zam&#257n Sh&#257h had left behind to deal with the Sikhs, marched towards Gujr&#257t and camped on the bank of the River Chen&#257b. A fierce battle took place in which Sikhs were at a disadvantage at one stage but, inspired by S&#257hib Si&#7749gh and "helped by the divine powers of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh" (11), they re-entered the field with redoubled zeal and won the battle. The poet attributes the Af<u>gh</u>&#257ns' defeat to their obliviousness of God (15).</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Dharam Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>