CHAPPAR CHIRI

CHAPPAR CHIRI (30° 45`N, 76° 40`E), Ban and Chhoti (senior and junior), are twin villages in Ropar district, along KhararBanur road, now officially named Banda Singh Bahadur road. This area was the scene of a historic battle. Gurdwara Baba Banda Bahadur is situated between the two villages by the side of the metalled link road joining them. The battle took place around here on 12 May 1710 between the Sikhs led by Banda Singh Bahadur and Wazir Khan, the imperial faujdar of Sirhind. The latter was killed and the Mughal army routed.

The Sikhs occupied Sirhind on 14 May 1710. No memorial, however, existed to commemorate the historic event till the 1950`s when the two villages jointly established a Gurdwara. In the 1970`s was added a new hall in which the Guru Granth Sahib is now seated. The old building is being used for a primary school. Another small room constructed recently is meant for Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Library. The Gurdwara is managed by a committee representing the two villages.

References :

1. Ganda Singh, Life of Banda Singh Bahadur. Amritsar, 1935
2. Harbans Singh, The Heritage of the Sikhs. Delhi, 1983