Janamkatha at 11:32, 27 December 2025

2025-12-27T11:32:07Z

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{{Short description|Sikh warrior (died 1704 or 1705)}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Bhai
| name = Alam Singh
| honorific_suffix = Nachna
| image = Depiction of Bhai Alam Singh 'Nachna'.webp
| caption = Painting of Alam Singh Nachna
| death_date = 22 December 1704 or 1705
| birth_name = Alam Chand
| allegiance = * [[Akal Sena]]
* [[Khalsa Fauj]]
| known_for = Sikh warrior and companion of Guru Gobind Singh
| relations = Bhai Durgu (father)
}}

'''Alam Singh Nachna''' (died 22 December 1704 or 1705), also called '''Alim Singh''', was a warrior in the army of [[Guru Gobind Singh]], and was a Rajput turned Sikh. ''Sarup Das Bhalla of Mahima Prakash'' describes him as one of Guru Gobind Singh's constant and closest companions. He is also known for killing a lion single handedly.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|author=Harbans Singh|title=The Encyclopedia Of Sikhism - Volume I A-D|url=https://archive.org/details/TheEncyclopediaOfSikhism-VolumeIA-d/page/76/mode/2up|year=1995|publisher=Punjabi University|pages=76|isbn=9788173801006}}</ref>

== Biography ==

=== Name ===
He was born as Alam Chand.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Gandhi |first=Surjit Singh |title=History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist. |year=2007 |volume=2 |pages=790}}</ref> He earned the popular epithet of ''Nachna'' ([[Literal translation|lit.]] "dancer") because of his unusual nimbleness.<ref name=":0" />

=== Spiritual life ===
In-sequence, he was the nineteenth one to undergo the ''[[Amrit Sanskar|Pahul]]'' and be baptized into the [[Khalsa]] order on [[Vaisakhi]] of 1699 in [[Anandpur Sahib|Anandpur]].<ref name=":1" />

=== Military career ===
Alam Singh fought in the Battle of Anandpur (1695) against the Khanzada Rustam Khan. Rustam Khan crossed the [[Sutlej River|Sutlej]] with his troops at night, about midnight, but was spotted by Alam Singh. He immediately informed the guru and a fierce battle ensued, with the Sikhs defeating Rustam Khan.<ref name=Gandhi2007>{{cite book|title= History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E|author=Surjit Singh Gandhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vZFBp89UInUC&q=khanzada|publisher= Atlantic Publishers & Dist.|year=2007|isbn= 9788126908585|pages=736}}</ref><ref name="Peace">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AGlH7Jwv8ecC&dq=Rustam+Khan%E2%80%99s+campaign+against+Guru+Gobind+Singh&pg=PA16|title=Guru Gobind Singh: Prophet of Peace|author=Karam Singh Raju|date=1999|isbn=9380213646|pages=73|publisher=Sanbun Publishers }}</ref><ref name="Searches">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yMJypUEQkEQC&q=Khanzada+campaign+sikhs|title=Searches in Sikhism|author=Nirmal Singh |date=2008|isbn=978-8170103677|pages=45–46|publisher=Hemkunt Press }}</ref>

During June 1699 in the [[Battle of Anandpur (1699)]], two hill rajas named Alim Chand and Balia Chand ambushed the Guru when he was hunting.<ref name=Amardeep>{{Cite book|author=Amardeep S. Dahiya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UA09BAAAQBAJ|title=Founder of The Khalsa|year=2014| publisher=Hay House |isbn=9789381398616}}</ref> Alam Chand lost his right hand and fled from the battlefield.<ref name=Sagoo>{{cite book|title=Banda Singh Bahadur And Sikh Sovereignty|author=Harbans Kaur Sagoo|url=https://archive.org/details/BandaSinghBahadurAndSikhSovereignty/page/n83/mode/2up?q=balia|publisher= Deep & Deep Publications|year=2001|pages=68|isbn=9788176293006}}</ref> Alam Singh Nachna showed “bravery and courage”. He was the one who cut the hand of Alam Chand.<ref name=Macauliffe>{{Cite book|author=Max Arthur Macauliffe|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45273/page/n127/mode/2up?q=alim|title=The Sikh Religion Vol.5|year=1909|publisher=Clarendon Press|pages=120,136,171 and 188|isbn=9781108055444}}</ref>

In the [[first siege of Anandpur]], Raja Ghumand Chand of Kangra attacked [[Anandpur Sahib]]. His horse was shot by Alam Singh while he himself was killed by [[Bhai Himmat Singh]].<ref name="Prithi_PS_History">{{cite book| last = Singh | first = Prithi Pal | title = The History of Sikh Gurus | publisher = Lotus Books| year = 2007| isbn = 978-81-8382-075-2| page = 146
}}</ref><ref name=Macauliffe/>

In the [[Second Battle of Anandpur (1704)]], Alam Singh was given the command of a 500 strong garrison in Agampur Fort.<ref name=Crystal>{{Cite book|author=Ranjit Singh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ilZJDQAAQBAJ&dq=alim+singh+agampur&pg=PT89|title=Golden Crystals|year=2013|isbn=9789351130482|pages=179| publisher=Unistar Books }}</ref><ref name=Macauliffe/> On the evacuation of the town, he along with [[Bhai Daya Singh]] and Bhai Udai Singh led the vanguard. Alam Singh advanced far beyond the Sikh line of defence, making himself vulnerable to the enemy whom came to surround him.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Kulim |first=Gurcharan Singh |date=5 October 2012 |title=The Sikh Flag ~ Nishan Sahib |url=https://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikh-flag-nishan-sahib |access-date=6 September 2023 |website=SikhNet}}</ref> In the heat of battle, he was captured by the hostile forces and became a [[prisoner of war]].<ref name=":12" /> According to Sikh lore, Alam Singh had bore{{huh|date=September 2023}} the [[Nishan Sahib]] as a flag-bearer, after taunts and remarks exchanged with the local Mughal commander regarding the flag, Alam Singh was executed by beheading.<ref name=":12" />

=== Martyrdom ===
In the [[Battle of Chamkaur]], the Guru sent his son, [[Ajit Singh (Sikhism)|Ajit Singh]], to fight. He took 5 men with him, one of them being Alam Singh. He is said to have fought, “fiercely, bravely, and with much valour.” Alam Singh with the other Sikhs killed many Mughal soldiers. He fought until his last breath.<ref name=Macauliffe/>

== See also ==
* [[Nihang]]
* [[Martyrdom in Sikhism|Martyrdom and Sikhism]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nachna, Alam Singh}}
[[Category:Sikh warriors]]
[[Category:1705 deaths]]
[[Category:Date of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:17th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian people]]

Alam Singh Nachna - Revision history

Janamkatha at 11:32, 27 December 2025