SANGAT SINGH

SANGAT SINGH (d. 1705), one of the forty Sikhs who were besieged with Guru Gobind Singh in an improvised fortress at Chamkaur, bore a close resemblance to the Guru in physical appearance. Both Kuir Singh and Sukkha Singh in their poetical biographies of Guru Gobind Singh refer to him as Sangat Singh Bangesar from which it appears that Sangat Singh was either a native of Bang (Bengal) or came from Bangash region (Kurram valley) on the northwest frontier of India.

On the fateful night of 78 December after all but five Sikhs had been killed in the unequal battle of Chamkaur, Guru Gobind Singh at the insistence of these five agreed to make a bid to escape. He made Sangat Singh don his dress and plume in order to beguile the enemy while the Guru along with three other survivors broke through the encircling horde under cover of darkness. The following morning when the besiegers stormed the fortress, Sangat Singh opposed them single handed and fell fighting valiantly. The enemy commanders initially took him for Guru Gobind Singh, but were soon disillusioned.

References :

1. Kuir Singh. Gurbilas Patshahi 10..Patiala, 1968
2. Padam, Piara Singh and Giani Garja Singh, eds., Guru kian Sakhian. Patiala. 1986
3. Harbans Singh, Guru Gobind Singh. Chandigarh, 1966