Gorgin Khan (also known as Griogor Harutyunyan) was the commander of the Bengal army and is national hero of India.
For participation in the significant liberation struggle of the Indian people against Britain Armenians received great respect from their Hindu allies.
In the days of victory over the enemy in the cities and villages of India along with Indian banners flags with a cross in honor of Armenians were raised.
The tradition continues until today, as along with the Indian military flags on the Independence Day of India an “Armenian military banner” rises.
The traditional “phobia” of British politicians towards Armenians, which does not weaken to this day, becomes understandable because it was in some measure Armenians’ help that did not allow British trading companies to plunder the resources of East India.
Gorgin Khan is the only Christian who was honored to be buried in the Sikh military rite. There is a square in Delhi named after Gorgin Khan. It also has a second name of “Square of courage”.
6 thoughts on “Gorgin Khan – Armenians of India”
Could you please let me know who is the artist of this visual? When was it made and where can it be found?
Thank you!
I don’t think that this picture and the content of this article, especially the part about flags and Sikhs, is true. Grigor Harutyunyan, as well as his older brother Petros and younger brother Barsegh (Barsik), were really very famous in XVIII century in Bengal and they really played a significant role in the history of Bengal. Armenian writer Joseph Emin (Hovseph Emin) who lived that time in Bengal even called them “the ministers of revolutions”. It is not possible to write about Harutyunyan brothers in such a short article. And, in my opinion, the author of this article should not post fake images and fake information about one of them – Gorgin Khan. It is disrespectful to the memory of Gorgin Khan and his brothers.
It is quite obvious that the purpose of this publication is to record the existence of a person, in this case, Gorgin Khan, as well as to record a huge layer that has not yet been studied and described in the history of the Armenian presence in India. If you know the history of the Armenians of India so well, please write everything you know and I will gladly publish an article under your name. Everyone can criticize and do nothing. Thank you!