1 Jassa Singh is the
2 result of the union.
3 He is blessed by Mai
4 Sundri, the widow of
5 Guru Govind Singh.
6 Is adopted by Sardar
7 Kapitr Singh, Fyzul-
8 puria, as his son.
9 Becomes a political
10 leader.
11 Succeeds to the chief-
12 ship of the mis?.
13 Is regarded as 2
14 religious preceptor.
15 Founds the Kapitr-
16 thalla reigning family.
17 Establishes his head-
18 quarters at Dalfwal on
19 the Ravi.
20 Is defeated by Adina
21 Beg Khan, 1743.
22 3814 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
23 the modern village of Ganj. Finding no relief here, he weut to Fyzullapur,
24 and was there initiated into the Péhal of the Guru by Kapfr Singh, the
25 head of the Fyzulpuria misl, who, from Bhagu, changed his name into Bhag
26 Singh. Bhdg Singh soon became a man of note. Robbers and cut-throats
27 were not scarce in those days in the Panjéb, nor were they slow in recog-
28 nising those talents in Bagu which so well fitted him to become a leader
29 of these desperadoes. All who desired to enrich themselves at the expense
30 of their neighbours, rallied round his standard, and, with him, plundered
31 the country in all directions.
32 Bhag Singh had great respect for Kapér Singh, and never did any-
33 thing contrary to his wishes. Badr Singh married Bhag Singh’s sister,
34 who presented him with a son, Jassa Singh, in 1718. When the boy was
35 five years old, Badr Singh died. The widow then took the boy to Mai
36 Sundri, widow of Guru Govind Singh, the Guru having died before Jassa
37 Singh’s birth, and the Madi blessed the little boy, and presented him with
38 a silver mace, predicting that he would become a great man, and that he and
39 his descendants would have mace-bearers to attend them. The mother and
40 the child lived at Jalandar with Bhag Singh. Once, when Kapfr Singh
41 went to Bhag Singh’s house, he was greatly pleased at seeing the latter’s
42 widowed sister playing on the rwbdb, with her long loose hair dishevelled,
43 singing ballads in adoration of the Guru, her beautiful little son, Jassa
44 Singh, playing by her side. Kapur Singh blessed her for her devotion to
45 the faith, and asked her to give him the little boy, whose features gave
46 promise of a brilliant future. The mother, acceding to the wishes of the
47 Sikh chief, gave him charge of the boy, and from that moment Kapur
48 _ Singh treated Jassa Singh as his own son. When he grew up, Kapir
49 Singh conferred on him high office, and he distinguished himself so greatly
50 under that chief, that he soon came to be looked upon as a political leader.
51 He also conducted the business of his uncle, Bhég Singh, who, however,
52 was killed soon after in a fight with the Imperial troops at Hariana.
53 Bhag Singh having died without issue, the sardari of the msl devolved
54 on his sister’s son, Jassa Singh, as the only person fit to be the head of the
55 confederacy. Jassa Singh, being a man of great enterprise, and possessing
56 a knowledge of military tactics, soon acquired a great reputation. His
57 political talents, religious zeal and lofty aspirations combined, rendered him
58 one of the most powerful federal chiefs of the Panjab, The Sikhs regarded
59 him as their religious leader. Most of the leading sardars of the time took
60 their Pdéhal from him, among them being Amar Singh, son and successor
61 of Ala Singh, the chief of Patidlaé. He claimed descent from the Rajputs of
62 Jasselmer (though called a kaldl, or distiller), and became the founder
63 of the Kapurthalla reigning family, which to this day is known by the title
64 of the Ahluwalias. Like his predecessor, he respected the possessions of
65 the Fyzulpuria chief, and joined him in many of his expeditions,
66 _ On the invasion of Nddir Shah, Jassa Singh fled, and, with the other
67 Sikh chiefs, took refuge in Muktesar, in the Ferozepur district ; but, on the
68 Shah’s return, he appeared again and built the fort of Daliwal on the
69 bank of the Ravi, where he established his head-quarters. In 17438, he, with
70 a large body of horsemen, attacked Dewan Lakhpat Rai, the deputy of
71 Nawdb Zakaria Khan, commonly known as Khan Bahddur, son of Nawab
72 Abdul Samad Khan, who was carrying treasure from Emnabad to Léhore,
73 put the dewan to death and -carried off the treasure. The Léhore viceroy
74 ordered Adina Beg Khan, ‘governor of Bist Jalandar, to punish the Sikhs.
75 Jassa Singh thereupon fled to the Sutlej; but the Sikhs were defeated
76 With great slaughter, and hundreds of them were brought in chains daily
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