1 324 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
2 Sikhs. The imperial host, 20,000 strong, with an efficient siege train,
3 reached Karndl without the slightest opposition, and was joined there by
4 Bhagel Singh, Karora Singhia, Sahib Singh, Khundawdld, and Karam Singh,
5 Shahid. The sardars of Kalsia, the most powerful of the mis/, were re-
6 presented by Dest Singh of Kythal, who had joined the imperial party at
7 Delhi. Theinsurgent Sikhs were forced to pay a fine of three lakhs of rupees
8 to the nawdb, and pledged themselves to the payment of an annual tribute.
9 The minister, having been joined by the Sikh troops at Karndl, proceeded
10 northwards; but his progress was checked by Amar Singh, the rdjé of
11 Patidlé, who was joined by the Phulkian chiefs, Jhind, Nabhé, Bhador and
12 Malod, the Kanhias and Ramgarhias. The united forces of the Sikh con-
13 federacies made a general onset on the imperial army, which offered but a
14 faint resistance. The victorious Sikhs, after this disasterous campaign, which
15 istgenmpaign of took place in the winter of 1778-79, poured into the upper Dodb and
16 plundered it. In the whole of this expedition, Bhagel Singh, Karora Singhia,
17 figured prominently on the side of the Imperial army.
18 In the days of anarchy, when the once powerful Moghal empire was
19 rapidly sinking, the Mahrattas looked on the Panjab as the richest field for
20 plunder. The expedition of Dhara Mahratta into Patidld was a complete
21 Bagel Singh joins’ Success. The spring of 1788 witnessed the incursion of another Mahratta
22 the Mabrattas, 1788. adventurer, named Amba Rao, who penetrated into the Panjéb, supported
23 by the famous Rohilla chief, Gholam Kadar, son of Zébita Khan. The
24 first Sikh chief who welcomed the invader was Bhagel{Singh, Karora Singhia,
25 who tendered his submission to him, and became one of his most devoted
26 followers.
27 Dies. On the death of Bhagel Singh, Jodh Singh, the son of his friend and
28 Jodh Singh succeeds. associate, Sardar Gurbaksh Singh, the founder of the Kalsia family, was
29 acknowledged as the head of the Karora Singhia confederacy, though his
30 widows, Ram Kour and R4j Kour, held Chiloundi for many years; and on
31 their death, the estate lapsed to the British Government in September,
32 1845. Jodh Singh was a man of great ability. He conquered Chichroli,
33 and took possession of Dera, Bassi, Lotab and Achrak. He made encroach-
34 His conquests. ments on the Patiilé and Nabhd, territories, but was prevented from a
35 repetition of these incursions by Rajd& Sahib Sing of Patidla giving his
36 daughter in marriage to his son, Hari Singh, in 1803. At the siege of
37 Naraingarh, in 1807, the sardar rendered valuable services to Mahardjé
38 Ranjit Singh, and was handsomely rewarded by jdgirs. He died after the
39 His death, 1818, siege of Multan, in 1818, and the Karora Singhia confederacy was absorbed
40 Te contedersey is into the Kalsia family, whose chief, Bishan Singh, has now an estate yielding
41 eres tia Bs. 1,30,000 per annum, with a population of 62,000, and takes precedence
42 over all Cis-Sutlej chiefs, expect Patigld, Jhind, Nabha, Malerkotla and
43 Faridkot.
44 10.—THE SHAHID AND NIHANG J/JSZ.
45 Origin of the mist. This misl was headed by persons who claimed to be descendants of the
46 . honoured martyrs and zealots beheaded by the Mahomedans at Damdamé,
47 Pa ls west of Patiala. The Akélés, or.immortals, were fanatic priests at the temple
48 of Amritsar, who, along with their fanaticism, had a weakness for appropriat-
49 ing to themselves the property of their neighbours. The class of these
50 devotees was founded by Guru Govind, whose institutions it firmly main-
51 tained against the innovations of the Byragi faqir, Banda. They always
52 exclaim Akdl, Akdl* in their prayers, wear blue chequered clothes, put
53 ea ee a ee eee ee eee tas
54 * A, Sanskrit prefix, meaning negation ; kal, death. Thus the compo dé
55 aa : . y . @ , death, und word, did, means
56 néver-dying, or immortal, and is one of the names of the divinity. P : ,
57 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com