1 Extends the posses-
2 slons of the Ramgarhias.
3 Tari Singh and
4 Malla Singh, the
5 brothers of Jassa
6 Singh.
7 War between the
8 Tamegarhias and the
9 Kanhias.
10 Batila and Kalanaur
11 lost to the Ramgarhias.
12 Jassa Singh is driven
13 across the Suticj.
14 He ravages the
15 country up to Delhi.
16 War between the
17 Kanhias and the Suker-
18 chakias,
19 (The latter call Jassa
20 Singh to their aid.
21 Jassa Singh recovers
22 his lost possessions.
23 Dies, 1816.
24 Jodh Singh succeeds,
25 An is, on his death,
26 Ricceelod by Hira
27 Bingh.
28 308 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
29 a large street close to it. Ghamand Chand, the deputy of Ahmad Shah,
30 in Katoch, and other Rajput chiefs of the hills, became his tributaries, and
31 his possessions now comprised almost the whole country between the Sutlej
32 and the Bids towards the hills, including a vast tract of the Bist Jalanday.
33 Jassa Singh, now in the height of his power, gave Batdla, with the
34 neighbouring country, to his brother Malla Singh, and Kalanaur to his other
35 brother, Tdérdé Singh, keeping the rest himself.
36 A quarrel arose between the Kanhia misl, headed by Jay Singh,
37 Kanhia, and the Ramgarhia misl, regarding the division of the revenue
38 of some lands. Batdla was besieged by Gurbaksh Singh, son of Jay
39 Singh. Malla Singh, who held charge of the city, was a great tyrant,
40 -and, in consequence, was disliked by the people, who supplied the in-
41 vading Kanhias with provisions and money to prosecute their plans.
42 He was arrogant and haughty, and often killed people for mere amuse-
43 ment. One day, during a terrific storm of thunder and lightning, Malla
44 Singh vauntingly sent a bullet whizzing through the elements, when a
45 stone, falling from the clouds, struck him on the head. He retreated to
46 the fort, but was turned out by the indignant, multitude, who opened the
47 gates to the besiegers. Malla Singh fled. Gurbaksh Singh was put in
48 charge of the city by Rdjd Singh, and Deva Singh, the governors of the
49 district, and Taré Chand, the Brahmin. The Kanhia misl, under Gurbaksh
50 Singh, soon after this, took possession of Kalanaur, expelling Taérd Singh
51 and wresting the whole country to the Sutlej from the Ramgarhias.
52 Jassa Singh, by his bravery and skill, recovered Batdla, where he
53 established a police post, and surrounded the city with a brick wall, 30
54 feet high and 21 broad. But an attempt to recover Kalanaur failed, as
55 Jeymal Singh, son of Hakikat Singh, Kanhia, made a stout resistance.
56 The fight between the Ramgarhias and the Kanhias continued unabated,
57 and thousands were killed on both sides. Armed bands of the Sikhs preyed
58 upon the country, and the rival misls carried off cattle, sheep and goats from
59 each other’s territory. Jassa Singh was at last overpowered by Jay Singh,
60 and driven to the other side of the Sutlej, where he collected a large body
61 of irregular horse, and, carried on his old profession of freebooting.
62 Here he was aided by Amar Singh, Phulkia, and, establishing himself in the
63 country of Hissar, extended his ravages up to the very walls of Delhi. Once
64 he penetrated into Delhi itself, and carried off four guns from the Moghal
65 arsenal. The Mirath Nawab agreed to pay him Rs. 10,000 a year on his
66 consenting to leave his district unmolested. He sacked Hissar, to punish the
67 governor, who had forcibly carried away two daughters of a Brahmin, and
68 had the girls restored to their father. A war subsequently broke out be-
69 tween Jay Singh and Maha Singh, the rising chief of the Sukerchakia misl,
70 which induced the latter to call to his aid, Jassa Singh from the country
71 across the Sutlej. .A bloody battle took place between the allied forces of
72 the Sukerchakias and Ramgarhias on the one side, and the Kanhias on the
73 other, the result of which was the overthrow of the last named misl. Gur-
74 baksh, son of Jay Singh, was killed in the battle. Jassa Singh’s possessions
75 were restored, and for several years he enjoyed the fruits of his adventures
76 in peace. On the death of his brothers, Malla Singh and Taré Singh, Jassa
77 Singh retired to Rabela on the Bids.
78 Jassa Singh died in 1816, leaving two sons, Jodh Singh and Bir Singh,
79 the former of whom succeeded him. Jodh Singh was a man of no activity,
80 and his possessions were encroached upon by his more active cousin, Dewdn
81 Singh, son of Tard Singh. Jodh Singh died, leaving a son, Hira Singh, but
82 all the possessions of the isl were now seized by Ranjit Singh, son of
83 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com