1 Pind{ Bhatian,
2 Pothowar and Dhanui
3 taken,
4 The Maharaji forms
5 afriendship with Sardar
6 Fatteh Singh, Ahlu-
7 walia, 1201.
8 Birth of Kharak
9 Singh, 1802.
10 The Maharaja reduces
11 Daské, 1802,
12 And conquers
13 Chiniot, 1802,
14 356 HISTORY OF THE ‘PANJAB,
15 On his return from the hills, he levelled to the ground the fort of
16 Sujénpur * near Pathdnkot, where Budh Singh and Sangat Singh, two Sikh
17 sardars, had made themselves conspicuous by their military aggressions, He
18 extorted from them the four large pieces of ordnance which they possessed,
19 and having established a police post at Sujdnpur, seized the neighbouring
20 districts of Dharmkot, Sukdlgarh and Bahrémpur, the old seat of the Pa-
21 thans, From thence the Mahardjd proceeded to Pindi Bhatian, which he
22 subdued, and bestowed upon Fatteh Singh, Ahluwalia; besieged the fort of
23 Band, which surrendered after two months, made the Dhanni country
24 (famous for its breed of horses) tributary to him, and then returned to
25 Liéhore with 400 fine horses, the result of his excursions into Pothowédr
26 and Dhanni.
27 At Léhore news reached the Maharaja of the rebellion of Uttam Singh,
28 Majithia, in charge of Sitpur fort. Troops were sent out to punish the insur-
29 gent, and, the fort having been reduced, the sardar was conveyed to Lithore in
30 chains. He was, however, forgiven and reinstated on payment ofa heavy fine.
31 Haji Khan and Wdsal Khan, the Kasur hostages, were permitted to return
32 to their homes after being presented with “hilats (consisting of horses, neck-
33 laces of pearls and valuable shawls). In Bysakh of the same year, the young
34 chief having gone to bathe in the holy tank of Guru Ram Dds at Taran
35 T4ran, met Sardar Fatteh Singh, Ahluwalia, and, conceiving a friendship for
36 him, exchanged turbans with him, a ceremony symbolical of brotherhood.
37 An agreement of perpetual friendship was recorded on the Granth, to
38 which the young Maharaja and the Ahluwalia sardar fixed their respective
39 seals. The father of Fatteh Singh having died, the same year, Ranjit Singh
40 went to Kapurthalla to condole with him.
41 The year 1802 was marked by the birth of an heir-apparent to the Ma-
42 hardjd, by his wife R4j Kour, daughter of the Nakai Sardar, Khazan Singh.
43 The occasion was celebrated with great rejoicings. Valuable khilats were
44 bestowed on the sardars of the darbdr, avd each soldier in the capital
45 received a present of a necklace of gold in commemoration of the happy
46 event. Karam Singh, Toshakhania, by the Mahardja’s orders distributed
47 large sums of money among the poor of the city, and Lahore was the scene
48 of festive merriment for several weeks. The astrologers having been con-
49 sulted, the infant was named Kharak Siagh, and put in charge of Bhdi Ram
50 Singh, the family priest.
51 After the festivites were over, Ranjit Singh, accompanied by his ally, Fatteh
52 Singh, Ahluwalia, marched to Daskd, the fort of which place was reduced,
53 the killadar, or officer in charge, having fled in dismay, leaving all to be plun-
54 dered by the invader. A police post was established at Daskd, and the
55 allied chiefs returned to Lahore. Complaints having reached Ranjit Singh,
56 from Pindi. Bhatian, of the excesses committed on the zemindédrs of that
57 place by Jassa Singh, Bhangi, son of Karam Singh, Dullu, who held the fort
58 of Chiniot, the Mahardjé forthwith proceeded thither at the head of an
59 army. Jassa Singh shut himself up in the fort, which was closely besieged
60 by the Maharaja. and taken after some resistance. A small stipend was allow-
61 ed to the expelled chief.
62 * McGregor, at page 156, describes the incident thus ‘“ Bagh Singh, Bhangi, who was
63 now at the head of the Kanhia mis/, died ; and his son, who succeeded him, made war on Sadé
64 Kour. She asked for assistance from his son-in-law, who proceeded to join her. He ravaged the
65 country about Batala, and besieged Sujanpur. Heat length effected peace between Sada Kour and
66 her opponent and returned to Lahore.” ‘I'he account is wholly inaccurate. No man by the name
67 of Bagh Singh was ever at the head of the Bhangi confederacy, and how could he have headed
68 the Kanhia confederacy? As is well known, Sada Kour was herself the head of the Kanhia confe-
69 deracy. The incident evidently relates to the encroachments of the Kangra chief upon the
70 erritory of Sada Kour bordering the hills. ‘To ascribe the hill chief’s actions to the Bhangi is
71 Sri SatgGPulfagieSihgh prebisrayytend examination\| amdhariElibrary@ gmail.com