1 The contemporary
2 Sikh chiefs envy the
3 position of Ranjit
4 Singh,
5 And form a coalition
6 against him,
7 The confederate
8 armies mect at Bhasin,
9 Ranjit Singh main-
10 tains himself against
11 the confederacy, 1800,
12 His triumphant
13 entry into Lahore,
14 Ranjit Singh marches
15 to Jammu, 1800,
16 And receives naz-
17 rdnd from the Jammu
18 chief,
19 Reduces Sidlkot and
20 Dilawargarh,
21 Receives an Agent of
22 the Briti-h Govern-
23 ment at Lahore, 1800.
24 852 HISTORY ‘OF THE PANJAB.
25 authority. ‘The success which -had hitherto attended his arms, and now
26 the capture and possession of the ‘capital of the Panjab by him, rendered
27 him an object of envy, -hatred, and uncharitableness among his contem-
28 porary chiefs. In order to wrest Léhore from him, a powerful coalition was
29 formed between Jassa Singh, Ramgarhia, Golab Singh, Bhangi, of Amritsar,
30 Sahib Singh, Bhangi, of Gujrat, Jodh Singh of Wazirdbad and Nizdm-ud-din
31 Khan of Kastr. The confederate forces, several thousand strong, left
32 Amritsar for Léhore in the early part of 1800 4.D., under the command
33 of their respective chiefs. Jassa Singh, Ramgarhia, owing to infirmity
34 and old age, was unable to join the expedition personally, but he sent his
35 sons to conduct affairs on his belalf. Ranjit Singh went out to meet them,
36 taking with him as large a force as he could collect from Lahore, as also the
37 contingent furnished by his active mother-in-law, Sadé Kour. The troops
38 of both parties lay encamped opposite each other in Mouza Bhasin, ten
39 kos, east of Lé&hore, for a period of two months; and various fruitless
40 skirmishes took place, without either party gaining the advantage. These
41 procrastinations led the Bhangi sardars to forget the object which had
42 prompted them to take joint action against the common foe. The greater
43 portion of both night and day was spent in carousing and rioting to the
44 entire prejudice of their armies and their-cause. This hard drinking proved
45 fatal to ‘Golab Singh, Bhangi, who died suddenly one night in a fit of
46 delirium tremens. The death of this sardar spread consternation through-
47 out the camp of the Bhangis, and, it being felt that the Sukerchakia chief
48 was inflexible and well prepared to keep the field, the army of the confeder-
49 ate sardars broke up, and Léhore was ever after left in the undisturbed
50 possession of Ranjit Singh.
51 Near Batdla a battle was fought between Sadé Kour, and Jodh Singh,
52 son of Jassa Singh, Ramgarhia. Ranjit Singh aided the former, and
53 the result was the total discomfiture of the Ramgarhias. After these
54 events, Ranjit Singh, now lord of Léhore, made his triumphant entry
55 into that city. He was received with great honour by the leading citizens,
56 who presented nazdrsand received rich khilats from their new sove-
57 reign. In the same year, 1857, Samvat (1800, a.p.), Ranjit Singh pro-
58 ceeded to Jammu. He first seized Mirowal, and then Narowél, the chief of
59 which place presented him with a tribute of 8,000 rupees. He then laid
60 siege ito the fort of Jassarwdl, and, having reduced it, put the defenders to
61 the sword. Advancing then with his army, he encamped within four miles
62 of Jammu, where the rdjd visited him, and thereby averted the calamity
63 which threatened his capital, by presenting him with Rs. 20,000 in
64 cash and an elephant. The invader, having restored the country to him,
65 and presented him with a dress of honour, marched ‘to Sidlkot, which he
66 reduced. He then proceeded against Dildwargarh, at that time in possession
67 of Bawa Kesra Singh, Sodhi. Jodh Singh Wazirdbadia, who had come to
68 assist the Bawa, fled in dismay, abandoning the cause of his ally, who, after
69 several encounters, seeing that prolonged resistance would avail him nothing,
70 and that his cause was hopeless, delivered himself up to the victor, and was
71 pardoned. Dildwargarh was taken possession of by Ranjit Singh, who gave
72 Shahdera to the Bawa, as jdgir, for his maintenance. After these victories,
73 Ranjit Singh returned to Léhore, where, shortly after, he was visited by
74 Eusaf Ali Khan, agent of the British Governmeut, who had come with a
75 friendly letter from that Government, and presents for the Lahore chief
76 valued at 1,000 rupees. The agent was received with due honours, presented
77 with a khilat of five pieces, and dismissed with valuable presents, the produce
78 F th itis <
79 Sri Satguru J agit oingrrfi for fagyPritish authorities dhariElibrary@ gmail.com