1 MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH. poo
2 Singh, Bhangi, of Gujrat, interceded with the Mahardjd for her son with
3 such effect that the sardar, who had been expelled from his estates, was
4 invited to return, and the territory of Bajwant, with a revenue of a lakh of
5 rupees, was restored to him, Bhag Singh, Hallowalia, was also set at liberty,
6 and endowed with jégirs, The Sikh high priests, Mulak Raj and Jamiat
7 Singh, sat in dharna* on Ranjft Singh, for the insult offered to them in
8 arresting Nidhdn Singh, after they had become personal guarantees for his
9 safe conduct and good treatment, and the Mahardjd found himself compelled
10 to yield to this religious demonstration and set the prisoner at liberty. An
11 offer of a jdgir was made to Nidhdn Singh, but the indignant sardar refused
12 the offer and left forthwith for Kashmir, where he took employment under
13 the Governor, Fateh Khan, Barakzai.
14 In January, 1811, Fateh Khan, the Sdhiwdl chief who had been put in
15 irons in the previous year, was also liberated, an Uddsi faqir having inter-
16 ceded with the Maharaja for his release. A jdgir of Rs. 14,400 was given
17 to this chief, at Jhang, on the condition of bis supplying fifty horsemen to
18 the State. He returned to Lahore in the year 1812, after a three years’
19 absence fromthe court, and, finding that the wind had again ceased to
20 blow in his favour, went to Mankera to live with the great Bilich chief,
21 Muhammad Khan. Ultimately he retired to Bahdwalpur, where he died
22 of grief, in the town of Ahmadpur, in the year 1820.
23 _ _ Dharm Singh, the ejected chief of Dharmkot, in the Jalandar Dodb,
24 which had been annexed in 1806, was again taken into favour and endowed
25 with a jdgir. In February, the Mahardjd marched in the direction of the
26 salt mines between the Jhelum and the Indus, and, in the vicinity of Pind
27 Dédan Khan, captured three forts, At the close of the same month, intel-
28 ligence was received of the advance of Shah Mahmid of Kabul, at the head
29 of 12,000 Afghans, in the direction of the Indus, which he had crossed,
30 creating great consternation in the country visited. Ranjit Singh forthwith
31 proceeded to Rdwalpindi and took up a position there. He also deputed his
32 Secretary, Fakir Aziz-ud-din, to the Shah’s camp, to make enquiries as to the
33 object of his majesty’s expedition. The Shah had, however, already
34 instructed his agents to state that his only object in visiting the country
35 was to punish or overawe Ata Muhammad Khan, the governor of Kashmir,
36 and the governor of Atak, for aiding Shah Shujd-ul-mulk in his late attack
37 on Peshawar. The Mahardjd’s apprehensions being removed, a ceremonial
38 interview between the two chiefs took place, in the course of which presents
39 were exchanged and promises of friendship made. On his return to Lahore,
40 the Mahardja sent Dewdn Mohkam Chand to reduce the country between
41 Multan and the Mdnjha, held by Kanh Singh, Nakai, who was charged with
42 oppressing his Mahomedan subjects of Hujra Shah Mukim, under Shah
43 Abdul Razak and Shah Din. Prince Kharak Singh was put in nominal
44 command of the expedition. The country having, without resistance, fallen
45 before the active general, a jdgir, valued at Rs. 15,000, was bestowed on
46 Sardar Kanh Singh, in the neighbourhood of Bhairowal. The dewdn was
47 then sent to the hills north of Gujrat, from the Rajput chiefs of which he
48 exacted Rs. 40,000. About the same time, Sardar Desd Singh, Majithia,
49 was sent to reduce the fort of Kotla, in Iléka Tilok Nath, half way between
50 Kangré’ and Nurpur, the services of Ghous Khan, commandant of the
51 Maharaja's artillery, being put at the disposal of the sardar. The fort was
52 held by Dhian Singh, at one time wazir of the rdj& of Goler, who, trusting to
53 * Dharna means a way of threatening, or invoking the Divine wrath on a person who re-
54 ’ fuses to grant a favour asked by sitting at his doorway and refusing food. It is now punishable
55 under the Indian Penal Code with imprisonment and fine,
56 A jagir betowed on
57 the head of the Bhangi
58 clan.
59 Release of Bhag
60 Singh, Ahhluwalia, and
61 Nidhan Singh, Hattu.
62 Release of Fatteh Khan
63 of Sahiwal, 1811.
64 His death, 1820,
65 The Maharaja visita
66 the Salt mines,
67 Shah Mahmud ot
68 Kabul crosses the
69 Indus,
70 Ranji{t Singh meets
71 the Shah, 1811,
72 The country between
73 Multan and Manjaha
74 reduced, 1811,
75 Capture of the fort
76 of Kotla, 1811,
77 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com