Battle of Lahira
The Battle of Lahira, also known as the Battle of Gurusar or the Battle of Mehraj, was fought between the Mughal Empire and Sikhs assisted by the Kangra State in 1631 or 1634.
Background
One of Guru Hargobind devoted Sikhs, Sadh, was assigned to bring horses from Central Asia. According to Mohsin Fani, just after Sadh left Amritsar, he received news that his young son had fallen seriously ill and was asked to return home. However, Sadh was so dedicated to the Guru that he refused, saying that if his son died, there was enough wood at home for his cremation. He continued his journey, and although his son died, he did not turn back. Sadh first traveled to Balkh but did not find the quality of horses he was looking for. He then went to Iraq, where he bought three fine horses. On his way back, he traveled with Mohsin Fani from Kabul to Lahore. Mohsin Fani described Sadh as someone who remained happy in good times and did not lose heart in difficult situations.At Lahore, the Governor, Khalil Beg, seized two of Sadh’s horses, Dilbagh and Gulbagh. Another Sikh, Bidhi Chand, was assigned to recover them. Mohsin Fani mentions that Bidhi Chand had been a thief in his early life. The Guru often sent him to punish wrongdoers. He once told Bidhi Chand that his disciples would not have to justify their actions on Judgment Day. Bidhi Chand disguised himself and took a job in the Lahore fort, first as a groom and then as a tracker. Over time, he managed to escape with both horses, one after the other. The Guru later renamed them Janbhai and Suhela. Guru Hargobind also recruited a Pathan soldier, Paindah Khan, for five rupees a day. Paindah Khan’s mother had been the Guru’s wet nurse, and he had been a childhood friend of Hargobind. The Guru treated him well, giving him a house and a buffalo for milk.