Wadda Ghallughara, meaning the ‘Great Massacre’ or ‘Sikh Genocide,’ took place in 1762 when Muslim forces brutally attacked the Sikhs. Ahmad Shah Durrani, also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali, had invaded India in January 1761. After winning the Third Battle of Panipat against the Marathas, he plundered and devastated Delhi.

As Durrani began his return to Afghanistan, the Sikhs relentlessly attacked his forces along the route, from the River Sutlej to the Indus. In the process, they rescued 2,000 women captives and seized much of his looted wealth. Enraged by these losses, Durrani resolved to return with an even larger army to eliminate the Sikhs. Consequently, in August 1761, he sent a force of 12,000 men to crush them, but the Sikhs defeated it. A few months later, in October, they overpowered Lahore’s governor, Obaid Khan, and took control of the city.

Determined to exact revenge, Durrani launched a massive invasion on 3 February 1762. Understanding the looming danger, the Sikhs quickly vacated Lahore and decided to relocate their families to the Lakhi Jungle in Malwa. Around 40,000-60,000 Sikhs, including women and children, began their journey across the Sutlej River. However, Durrani moved swiftly, sending 30,000 horsemen from the west, while the forces of Sirhind and Malerkotla encircled them from the east.

On 5 February 1762, the battle erupted near Rohira, close to Kup, where Gurudwara Wadda Ghallughara Sahib now stands. At this crucial moment, the Sikhs formed a defensive ring spanning 4 km to protect their families. Despite being heavily outnumbered and attacked from all sides, they fought with extraordinary bravery throughout the day. Today, a government-built memorial exists near the gurdwara, but visiting the sacred site itself remains the most significant way to honor their sacrifice.

As night fell, the surviving Sikhs reached a pond near Kutba and Bahmania, about 25 km west of Rohira, where Gurdwara Wadda Ghallughara Sahib Kutba is located. Exhausted after relentless fighting, Durrani’s forces finally paused. By then, around 30,000 Sikhs had been martyred. Sardar Jassa Singh bore 22 wounds, while Sardar Charat Singh (grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh) suffered 19. Nearly every Sikh warrior carried injuries from defending their people.

In the aftermath, the remaining Sikhs retreated towards Barnala. Recognizing the difficulties of pursuing them into the semi-desert, Durrani decided to withdraw. Back in Lahore, he displayed 50 cartloads of Sikh heads and constructed gruesome pyramids from the slain. Many Sikhs were taken captive. Tragically, two original volumes of the Guru Granth Sahib from Amritsar and Damdama Sahib fell into Afghan hands.