Sirhind.

Fortress of the Mughals. Stronghold of tyranny.
A city where power was hoarded, and justice denied.
Its name carried fear and its walls, oppression.

Twice it felt the tremors of Punjab.
First at the strike of Banda Singh Bahadur.
Then at the march of the Sikh misls.

The city that once chained Punjab to imperial rule became the first step of its liberation.
And with it, came the end of Mughal dominance in Punjab.

This is the story of a city that fell - not once, but twice - and never rose again.

Lachhman Dev. Madho Das. Banda Singh Bahadur.

Villager. Ascetic. Warrior.
A man whose sword cut through oppression.
The clash of empires. A fight for justice. Unwavering conviction.

Victory came at a price: betrayal, defeat, martyrdom. His story - a blend of glory and tragedy - was etched into the pages of history. Yet it was overshadowed by the rise of the golden age.

It’s time to revisit the past and trace the roots of Punjab’s struggle for freedom.

Amritsar. 1550. Khurew.
A revered Sufi saint is born - Mian Mir.

Spirituality, Humility, Wisdom.
Transcending religious boundaries, and earning the respect of Punjabis from all walks of life.

Mughal courts to the Harmandir Sahib, Mian Mir’s life was a testament to both unity and compassion.

Beneath the rich soils of Punjab - a precious resource - salt.
The Punjabi salt trade. Centuries long. An economic backbone.

Khewra to Lahore. Jhelum to Bengal. The Grand Trunk Road.

A lifeline, a symbol of survival, and a part of Punjab’s enduring legacy.

Chalisa – 40. A name tied to devastation.

A famine that ravaged Punjab. Crops failed, rivers ran dry, hunger consumed the land.

The Mughal decline. The rise of Sikh Misls. A region caught between power struggles and nature’s wrath.

Thousands perished. Villages emptied. Those who survived carried the scars for generations. Time moved on. Empires rose, borders shifted, and the Chalisa Famine faded into obscurity.

A tragedy buried in time - until now.

Punjab remembers its warriors, honours its saints, and writes about its rulers.
But seldom pauses to remember its people - the everyday lives that existed before empires, before partition, before Punjab.

A post for those who cultivated the land that held thrones.

Lohar - Blacksmith. Loha - Iron.

Artisans inhabiting Punjab for centuries. Crafting swords, spears, shields, and supporting armies, warriors, and revolutions.

Jassa Singh Ramgarhia - a leader who carried the weight of not only iron, but the future.

The Industrial Revolution. Mass produced goods. A legacy pushed into the shadows.