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 Baghel
Singh was born in village Jhabal, District
Amritsar in a Dhaliwal Jutt family around
1730's. From humble beginnings he arose
to become a formidable force in sutlej
to Yamuna area. He aligned himself with
Karor Singhia misl led by Sardar Karora
Singh and suceeded as a leader of Karora
Singhia misl in 1765 after early demise
of Karora Singh. Karora Singhia misl
had 12,000 fighting men according to
Syed Ahmad Latif, a muslim historian.
As well as being a good soldier, Baghel
Singh was a very good political negotiator
and was able to win over many an adversary
to his side. The Mughals, The Ruhilas,
the Marathas and British sought his
friendship. In the wake of decay of
Mughal authority in the Punjab owing
to Ahmad Shah Durrani's successive invasions
during the latter half of the eighteenth
century, the Sikhs began extending their
influence. Baghel Singh's KarorSinghia
misl fought head on with Ahmad Shah
Durrani (also known as Abdali), along
with other Dal Khalsa Misals near Kup
at Malerkotla, where in one day of battle
alone 30-40000 of Women, Children and
old Sikhs were martyred.
After Durrani's invasion, Sikhs started
consolidating the territories between
Yamuna and Indus by incorporating into
Misls and misls reporting to Chief of
Dal Khalsa Jassa Singh ahluwalia about
terriroty won at Akal Takht Amritsar.
Whereas Sukarchakia misal (of Ranjit
Singh) won the territory of Gujranwala,
and other areas of Ravi and Chenab Doab
and Ramgarhia Misal won the areas of
Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Bhangi around Lahore
and Kasur, KarorSinghia misal declared
their ownership of territories now including
Ambala, Karnal, Hissar, Rohtak, Chandigarh,
etc. Soon after the Sikh conquest of
Sarhind in 1764, he extended his arms
beyond Karnal and occupied number of
villages including Chhalaudi which he
later made his headquarters.
Then Baghel Singh Dhaliwal turned towards
cis Yamuna territories and Sikhs were
soon invading territories beyond Delhi
and into areas like Meerut, Awadh, and
collecting tribute from these Nawabs.
In February 1764, Sikhs in a body of
40,000 under the Command of Baghel Singh
Dhaliwal and other leading warriors
crossed Yamuna and captured Saharanpur.
They overran the territory of Najib
ud-Daulah, the Ruhila Chief, realizing
from him a tribute of eleven Lakh of
rupees. In April 1775, Baghel Singh
with two other Sardars, Rai Singh Bhangi
and Tara Singh Ghaiba, crossed the Yamuna
to occupy that country, then ruled by
Zabita Khan, son and successor of Najib-ud
Daulah. Zabita Khan in desperation offered
Baghel Singh large sums of money and
proposed alliance jointly to plunder
the crown-lands. In March 1776, Baghel
Singh's forces defeated Imperial Mughal
Army near Muzaffarnagar. The whole of
Yamuna-Gangetic Doab was not at their
mercy.
In April 1781, Mirza Shafi, a close
relative of Prime minister of Mughals,
captured the Sikh military post at Indri,
10km south of Badavi. Baghel Singh retaliated
by attacking Khalil Beg Khan of Shahabad
who surrendered with 300 horse, 800
foot and 2 pieces of cannon. On 11 March
1783 Sikhs entered Red for in Delhi
and occupied the Diwan-i-Am, the Mughal
Emperor, Shah Alam II, made a settlement
with them agreeing to allow Baghel Singh
to raise Gurdwaras on Sikh historical
sites and realize six annas in a rupee
of all the Octrai duties and tax collected
by state (37.5 %). Baghel Singh stayed
in Sabzi Mandi area of Delhi, with 4000
troops, and took charge of the police
station in Chandani Chowk. He located
seven sites conencted with the lives
of the Gurus and had shrines raised
thereon within the space of eight months,
from April to November 1783. Gurdwara
Sis Ganj marked the spot in the main
Mughal street of Chandani Chowk where
Guru Tegh Bahadur had been executed
under the fiat of the emperor. Gurdwara
Rikabganj, near modern day Parliament
House, where the body was cremated.
Bangla Saheb and Bala Sahab commemorated
the Eight Guru, Guru Har Kishan. Three
other Gurdwaras were built at Majnu
ka Tila, Moti Bagh, and Telivara.
Baghel Singh died probably in 1802,
at town of Hariana, in present day Hoshiarpur
district. A Samadh enshrining the memory
of one of the more picturesque Misal
Sardars still stands in the town.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © Harbans Singh "The
encyclopedia of Sikhism."
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