1 The military expedi-
2 tions of Tard Singh.
3 Ranjit Singh reduces
4 the mis7.
5 Origin of the mis?.
6 Its military strength.
7 Mokham Chand, the
8 general of Ranjit Singh,
9 reduces the mis?.
10 Kapur Singh founds
11 the mits?
12 His great influence
13 over the people of his
14 sect.
15 He is by them called
16 Dnawab.
17 322 WISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
18 that rich Pathan city. He converted Gohar Dass, the influential Choudhri
19 of Gang, to the Sikh religion, and the Choudhri’s example was followed by
20 -the whole people over whom his influence was exercised. Thus strengthen-
21 ed, Téré Singh attacked Sirhind, with the other Sikhs, and helped in the
22 devastation of that town, which had been re-populated after the great havoc
23 committed by the Byragi Band& He conquered Fattehdbad and the whole
24 country east of the Sutlej, the troops under his control numbering between
25 7,500 and 10,000. When Ranjit Singh was in the zenith of his'power, he
26 sent an expedition, under the command of Fatteh Singh, Ahluwalia, against
27 the Daliwdlias. The result of this invasion of the territories of the Dalf-
28 wdlia chief was that his entire possessions were confiscated; that his misl
29 ceased to exist any longer as a body, and that he himself became a refugee.
30 On the death of Tard Singh, certain villages east of the Sutlej were
31 bestowed in jdgir on his sons, Duswandha Singh and Chanda Singh, but
32 these were finally included in the jdgir of Bikarma Singh Bedi, the
33 spiritual leader of the Sikhs, and thus the msl collapsed.
34 ”.—THE NISHANWALA ASL.
35 This mist was founded by Sangat Singh and Mohar Singh, Jéts, the
36 standard-bearers of the Dal, or assembléd Jhdlsé army, whence the name
37 Nishdnwalé, given to the msl. They committed their depredations on the
38 other side of the Sutlej, and carried their predatory inroads to the ‘remotest
39 parts of the country. Once they fell on the populous town of Mirath and’
40 pillaged it, considerably enriching themselves thereby. Their chief town
41 was Ambala, where they kept their military stores and supplies, the number
42 of troops under their control being 12,000. Mohar Singh' became the head
43 of the mist on the death of Sangat Singh. Mohar Singh died without
44 issue ; and Ranjit Singh, who was then encamped on the other side of the
45 Sutlej, hearing of his death, deputed his dewdén, Mohkam Chand, at the
46 head of an army, to reduce the mési, Ranjit’s troops soon drove the
47 Nishdéuwalds from the field, terminating the existence of this misl. Their
48 treasures, goods and effects were taken possession of by Mohkam Chand.
49 After the treaty with the British, when the Sutlej] was declared to be the
50 line of demarcation between the Sikh and British dominions, Ambala
51 lapsed to the British Government, while Shahdbad, belonging to subordinate
52 chiefs, remained under protection, and thus the mis) became extinct.
53 8.—THE FYZULPURIA ASL.
54 This més is also called Singhpuria. The founder of the confederacy
55 was Kapar Singh, a Jét zemindar, who wrested the village Fyzullapur, near
56 Amritsar, from its Mahomedan founder, Fyzullah, and, conquering the
57 country round, gave the chief village the name of Singhpuria, whence the
58 name given to the family Singhpuria, though it is frequently called Fyzul-
59 puria. The Dal of the Khdlsd, or the army of the theocracy of Singhs,
60 whose foundation was laid in the times of Farrukhseer, reached the height of
61 their power under the leadership of Kapur Singh, who really organised this
62 Dal, or multitude of soldiers. He was undoubtedly the most distinguished
63 of the Sikh leaders who paved the way for the greatness of the nation as an
64 independent ruling power. His followers, who numbered thousands; gave
65 him the title of nawéb, as a compliment to his genius, this being almost
66 ss only instance of a Sikh assuming a Mahomedan title. He converted
67 eee number of people, Jéts, carpenters, weavers, Jhiwars, Chhatris and
68 others to the persuasion of Govind, and the religious respect in which he
69 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com