Bhai Bidhi Chand Chhina

Bidhi Chand (Gurmukhi: ਬਿਧੀ ਚੰਦ; 26 April 1579 – 30 August 1638 or 1640) was a Sikh religious preacher and military commander. He was a disciple of Guru Arjan and served Guru Hargobind for most of his life. He is remembered for recovering two horses named Dilbagh and Gulbagh for the sixth Sikh guru.

Biography

Early life He was born into a Jat Sikh family of the Chhina clan. As a young man, Bidhi Chand was an inhabitant of the Sur Singh village of Lahore district and had fallen into bad company and taken banditry. He was one of the first four commanders of the Akal Sena, the first standing Sikh army which was started by Guru Hargobind.

Dilbagh and Gulbagh A Sikh sakhi narrates a story involving the recapture of two horses, which had been forcibly taken from the Sikhs by the Mughals, by Bidhi Chand.

Military service

All of the events associated with Dilbagh and Gulbagh led to the Battle of Lahira where over 35,000 Mughals were dispatched by Shah Jahan under the governor of Kabul to finish off the Sikhs. 500-1500 Sikh soldiers were placed under Bidhi Chand's command during the battle. Bidhi Chand faced the Mughal general Shamas Beg who had 7,000 soldiers under him. The battle between the two forces lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes. Shamas Beg's entire force of 7,000 was killed with Beg being cut in half by Bidhi Chand in a duel. Later in the battle Bidhi Chand fought another Mughal general, Kabul Beg, who managed to gain the upper hand and injured Bidhi Chand. At the end the battle was a Sikh victory.

Dilbagh later died on the banks of the Sutlej river, due to wounds sustained in the battle, during the journey and relocation of Guru Hargobind and his retinue to Kiratpur.

Bidhi Chand also participated in the Battle of Kartarpur. He along with Baba Gurditta were given the lead responsibilities of defending Kartarpur. He was eventually sent into the battle when the Mughal governor of Peshawar, Kale Khan, advanced with 20,00 troops. He along with Jati Mal held off the 20,000 Mughal soldiers. A Mughal general, Anwar Khan, was killed by an arrow fired by Bidhi Chand.

Missionary work Page 151 of a Guru Granth Sahib manuscript prepared by Bhai Bidhi Chand under the guidance of Guru Hargobind Sahib from the Sur Singh Wala Collection. Guru Hargobind instructed Bidhi Chand to travel to the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent to act as a missionary to spread the teachings of the Sikh faith.