Battle of Saragarhi

About Battle of Saragarhi:

• It was fought on 12 September 1897, in the then North-West Frontier Province of British India, which was concentrated on Saragarhi post.
• On this day only 21 soldiers from the 36th Sikh (now 4 Sikh) led by Havildar Ishar Singh and a non-combatant called Daad fought against over 8,000 Afridi and Orakzai tribal militants.
• It is considered one of the finest last stands in the military history of the world.

How are the slain soldiers remembered?

• In 2017, the Punjab government decided to observe Saragarhi Day on September 12 as a holiday.
• Even today the Khyber Scouts regiment of the Pakistani army mounts a guard and salutes the Saragarhi memorial close to Fort Lockhart.
• The British, who regained control over the fort after a few days, used burnt bricks of Saragarhi to build an obelisk for the martyrs.

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Importance of Saragarhi Post for Britishers

• Saragarhi was a post, a key landmark between the two forts, Lockhart and Gulistan, which were originally built by Ranjit Singh of Punjab during his western expedition.
• It was a critical post for the British, helping to monitor any aggressive moves by the Afghans.
• Saragarhi helped to link up the two important forts which housed a large number of British troops in the rugged terrain of NWFP.

Q1. Where is the Khyber Pass located?

Ans. It is a mountain pass in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, on the border with Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The pass connects Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, with Peshawar, Pakistan.
 

Source: Why September 12 is observed as Saragarhi Day