1 KANHIA MISL. 309
2 Mahé Singh, who, on his return from Kangrd, in 1808, imprisoned Bir Singh,
3 Dewdn Singh and Hira Singh. The Maharajé, taking the road to Rabela,
4 - went to Amritsar, and laid siege to the fort of Ram Rouni, which he took.
5 The Maharaj took city after city, and razed to the ground the strongholds
6 of the Ramgarhias to the number of a hundred and fifty, all within a very short
7 time. Adequate pensions were provided for Dewdun Singh and Jodh Singh, the
8 remnants of the once powerful Ramgarhia mist, which, like the other misls,
9 collapsed, and fell before the all-absorbing power of the future Maharaja of
10 the Panjab.
11 3.THE KANHIA JTSL.
12 The head of this misl was Jay Singh, of Mouza Kanha, 15 miles east
13 ef Lahore, which gave the mist the name it bears. One Khushali, a Sindhi
14 Jét of Ghanni, who passed his days in extreme poverty and indigence, had
15 three sons, Jay Singh, Jhandé Singh and Singha, the first of whom went to
16 Kapur Singh of Fyzullahpur, near Amritsar, and was initiated by him into
17 the Pdéhal of the Guru. Leaving Kapur Singh, he joined Amar Singh,
18 Kegra, of Khana Kacha, in the Manjha country, a robber who had numer-
19 ous followers. The most daring of his retainers were Jay Singh, his brother,
20 Jhanda Singh, Amar Singh, Bhugga,and Hakikat Singh. They were famous
21 for the manner in which they carried on their predatory excursions, and for
22 the amount of booty which they carried off. They established themselves
23 in the dense dhdk jungles near Begwal, on the Amritsar road. Neither
24 life nor property was secure against these ruffians, who infested the whole
25 country, from the foot of the hills to the neighbourhood of Lahore. In
26 17638, after Ahmad Shah had retired from the Panjab, these plunderers
27 attacked Kasur, and, after a month’s siege, captured the town and carried
28 off all the jewels, silver, gold, shawls and carpets which they could lay their
29 hands upon. Jay Singh, who now became the leader of the mst, joined
30 Jassa Sing, the carpenter of the Ramgarhia misl, and, as previously men-
31 tioned, their united forces opposed the arms of the Abdali King, Ahmad
32 Shah. He then embellished the city of Amritsar, by building in it a
33 spacious katra or quarters.
34 Jay Singh declared war against Jhanda Singh, Bhangi, assisted by Charat
35 Singh, Sukerchakia, whose interests were opposed to those of the Bhangi
36 misl, through his support of the claimant to the Jammu chiefship. Having
37 had the satisfaction of seeing his powerful rival, Jhanda Singh, removed,
38 he entered into an agreement with Jassa Singh, Ahluwalia, to expel the
39 other Jassa Singh, Ramgarhia. The chief, last mentioned, was ultimately
40 driven to the wastes of Hariana, where he lived as a robber.
41 Jay Singh then marched to Sirhind, ravaging the country as he
42 went, and was present at the great battle of Sirhind, in which Zen Khan
43 was defeated and slain. He next invaded Garota, at the foot of the hills,
44 and after a desperate fight, reduced Ezad Baksh, the chief of that place, to
45 subjection. He then led an army to Hajipur, which he annexed to his
46 possessions, and made the hill chiefs of Nurpur, Datarpur and Saepah his
47 tributaries. Next he conquered Mukeria, where he was strongly opposed by
48 the Mussalman Awans, who, after great slaughter, submitted to his authority.
49 Mukeria was pillaged by the Sikhs, who mercilessly put the inhabitants to
50 the sword.
51 Nawdb Sef Ali Khan, the killadar of Kangrd, was a nominal deputy,
52 in the hills, of the declining Moghal. He had devised to remain in
53 subjection to the Delhi throne, and his possessions were coveted by the
54 aspiring chief of Katoch, Sansar Chand, grandson of Ghamand Chand.
55 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary
56 The rise of Ranjit
57 Singh.
58 Collapse of the Ram-
59 garhia misz.
60 ay Singh founds tho
61 misl.
62 His parentage.
63 His associates in hig
64 exploits.
65 He joins the Ram-
66 garhias.
67 Embellisheg
68 Amritsar.
69 Wars against Jhandé
70 Singh, Bhangi.
71 Contrives to expel
72 Jassa Singh across the
73 Sutlej.
74 Overruns Sirhind.
75 Oonquers Nurpur
76 And Mukeria.
77 Sansar Chand chief
78 of Katoch.
79 NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com