Worldclass memorial at Lohgarh to commemorate Banda Bahadur’s legacy

After his victory over Sirhind, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur established Lohgarh as his capital (Sikh state capital) between 1710 and 1716.

The area of the fort (Lohgarh Fort) of his capital was spread in Haryana’s present Yamunanagar district and Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district.

Now, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Trust has decided to build a world-class memorial in the name of Banda Bahadur in Lohgarh to commemorate his legacy.

The memorial will highlight the story of perseverance of the Khalsa kingdom under his brave leadership and showcase the glorious heritage of the Sikh community for future generations.

This historic memorial will be constructed on about 20 acres in Lohgarh of Yamunanagar district which has been provided by the gram panchayat of Bhagwanpur village (now Lohgarh area of Haryana side is a part of Bhagwangarh panchayat).

A grand event was organised by the trust in Lohgarh on his birth anniversary on October 27. The event was attended by Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar as the chief guest.

On this occasion, Khattar laid the foundation stone for the construction of a state-of-the-art museum, marking the formal commencement of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur memorial project.

Addressing the gathering, Khattar had said that the memorial at Lohgarh would not only immortalise the indomitable courage and sacrifice of Banda Bahadur, but would also serve as a centre to showcase the glorious heritage of the Sikh community for future generations and as a hub of Indian culture.

“After the victory at Sirhind, he made Lohgarh his capital and laid the foundation of the Khalsa Raj from there. During this period, he abolished the zamindari system and provided relief to farmers,” Khattar had said at the programme. He said that this memorial would become a place of faith and inspiration not only for the people of Haryana but also for devotees from across the country and the world. “He fought bravely against injustice and sacrificed his life for religion and justice. His sacrifice continues to be a source of inspiration for future generations,” said Khattar.

In the event, former Haryana Cabinet Minister and founder member of the trust, Kanwar Pal Gujjar, described it as an important link in the region’s development and said that this memorial would open doors to prosperity for the people.

To spread more information about Banda Bahadur and to make people aware, a Facebook page of the trust was inaugurated and its ‘logo’ was launched by Khattar in Chandigarh in September. A number of politicians, businessmen and other persons have announced donations to the trust. Besides others, Haryana’s Public Health Engineering and Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Minister Ranbir Gangwa, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana and Randeep Singh Jauhar of Jamna Auto Industries, Yamunanagar, donated Rs 21 lakh each to the trust.

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