1 THE SUKERCHAKIA MISL, 341
2 ibelonging to ‘the Chattas was depopulated, and, to use the expression of a
3 ‘contemporary historian, not a grain of wheat was left in the house of a
4 zemindar. The Chattas in vain sought the aid of the Bhangi chiefs, as they
5 were at this time employed in plundering and conquering Multdén and
6 'Béhdwalpur. The besieged had now no alternative but to sue for peace,
7 and Mahd4’Singh put his seal on the Granth, binding himself not to molest
8 Pir Mahomed if he surrendered his person. The Mahomedan chief, on
9 receiving this assurance, came out unguarded, but was treacherously put
10 under arrest by Mahé Singh. His sons were tied to the mouths of guns
11 and blown to pieces by the orders of the victor, and the town of Rassul-
12 nagar was given up to plunder. Maha Singh’s fame spread throughout the
13 ‘length and breadth of the country, owing to his having captured Rassul-
14 nagar, and the reputation for valour obtained by him was so great, that
15 many sardars who had hitherto been dependent on the Bhangi misl,
16 now acknowledged the Sukerchakia sardar as their chief, and trans-
17 ferred their allegiance to him, and deemed it an honour to fight under his
18 banner. The name of Rassulnagar was changed into Ramnagar, and that
19 of Alipur into Akdlgarh. The governorship of the newly acquired territory
20 was given to Dal Singh, a lieutenant of Mahé Singh. The relics of the
21 prophet Mahomed, which fell into the hands of the victors in their sack of
22 Rassulnagar, were removed by Mahé Singh to Gujrdnwdldé, and deposited
23 ithere in proper custody.
24 Two years after the fall of Rassulnagar, on the 2nd November 1780, his
25 ‘wife, Mai Malwain, presented him with a son to whom he gave the name
26 Ranjit Singh. The occasion was marked by great rejoicings and festivities
27 to which all the Sikh sardars were invited. Thousands of rupees were
28 given away to the poor as alms. “The child, at a very early age, was
29 afflicted with small-pox of a very virulent type, by which his life was
30 greatly endangered. The father distributed alms to the poor and needy
31 most lavishly, fed multitudes of Brahmins to secure their prayers for the
32 recovery of the boy,‘and sent rich presents to the sacred temples of Kangré
33 and Jawélé Mukhi. The child recovered, though with the loss of one of
34 his eyes, while his face was so much disfigured from the marks of the
35 disease, that it rendered him, for ever after, a very repulsive looking person.
36 That this ugly-looking, one-eyed, or kénd, boy, as he was called, was destined
37 to rule over the country of the five rivers, no one, of course, knew at the
38 ‘time. :
39 Mahé Singh now began to think of the advisability of extending and
40 enlarging his dominions. The power of the Bhangi msl was effectually
41 broken by the invasion of Tymtr Shah, son of Ahmad Shah. The
42 Sikhs, under the Bhangis, were expelled both from Multdn and Bahdwal-
43 pur. ‘Mahé Singh made the downfall of the other misls the foundation
44 of ‘his own power. Taking advantage of their weakness, he marched to Pindi
45 Bhattian, pillaged that country, attacked Sabiwdl, seized Isé Khel and Musé
46 Khel, and finally sacked Jhang. All these places belonged to the Bhangi
47 sardars, and Desé Singh, the misldar, being a drunkard and a debauchee,
48 was unable to retain them. He was then joined by his brother-in-law.
49 Sahib Singh, Bhangi, son of Gujar Singh, Bhangi, one of the three rulers of
50 Lahore. In the meantime, this Sahib Singh quarrelled with his elder
51 brother, Sukha Singh, and, with the assistance of Mahé Singh, attacked
52 his brother, who was killed in the action. Gujar Singh was much afflicted
53 at hearing of his son’s death, and, being very indignant’ at Sahib’s act,
54 determined to wrest his possessions from him. He accordingly marched
55 from Léhore at the head of a large army, and, having crossed the
56 Victory of Maha
57 &ingh and capture
58 of Rassulnagar by the
59 Sikhs
60 The relics of the
61 prophet Mahomed
62 Birth of Ranyft
63 8ingh, 1780
64 Maha Singh mikes
65 War on the Bhangis
66 Fight between
67 Sukha Singh and
68 Sahib Singh, sons of
69 Gujar Singh, Bhangi
70 Maha Singh embraces
71 the cause of Sahib
72 Singh
73 1 of Ravi an
74 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J reLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com