Cite
MLA
“Battle of Harnaulgarh.” Hindu History, 2026, https://www.hinduhistory.in/battles/battle-of-harnaulgarh-1762/. Accessed .
APA
Hindu History. (2026). Battle of Harnaulgarh. Retrieved , from https://www.hinduhistory.in/battles/battle-of-harnaulgarh-1762/
The Afghans were driven off and Zain Khan was made to pay the Sikhs a penalty.
01After the Ghallughara
In February 1762 Abdali, guided by Zain Khan of Sirhind and the Malerkotla chief, caught the Sikh families on the march near Kup and slaughtered them in the Vadda Ghallughara. In April he blew up the Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar. The Khalsa did not break. By May, while Abdali was still at Lahore, the jathas had gathered again south of the Sutlej. They began by plundering the baggage of Zain Khan’s troops.
02Harnaulgarh
Zain Khan came out with his Afghan troops and was brought to battle at Harnaulgarh, some thirty miles from Sirhind. The Sikhs, fighting in their usual way, broke the Afghan force and drove it from the field. Zain Khan, beaten, bought peace by paying the Dal Khalsa a penalty for his part in the persecution. It was a small battle, but it came so soon after Kup that it showed Abdali the Sikhs could not be crushed by one massacre.
Harnaulgarh began the Sikh recovery after the Vadda Ghallughara. Within two years the misls took Sirhind and Zain Khan was killed.
