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Charhat Singh Sandhu
was grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
He was eldest of the four Sons of Sardar
Naudh singh Sandhu. He took to arms
while still very young and started taking
part in the raids and expeditions led
by his father. He also fought in the
Sikh's skirmishes with the Afghan invader
Ahmad Shah Durrani. After the death
of his father, he broke away from the
Faizullapuria Misl and determined to
acquire territory for himself. He left
his ancestral village of Sukkarchakk
and established his headquarters at
Gujranwala, where he had gathered a
considerable following within a short
time.
One of his constant companions was,
Amir Singh, who was known in the area
for his valour. In 1756, Charhat Singh
married Desan, the eldest daughter of
Amir Singh. This united the resources
of the two families and added considerably
to the importance of the young Sukkarchakkia
chief. Charhat Singh attakhed Eminabad,
killing the faujdar and plundering the
town . He next captured Wazirabad. His
most significant victory was at Sialkot,
where in August 1761 he besieged Ahmad
Shah Durrani's general, Nur ud-Din Bamezat.
He pressed the Afghan general hard and
forced him to flee the town. He had
now to face Khwaja Ubaid Khan, the Afghan
governor of Lahore, who marched upon
Gujranwala to chastise him. The town
was besieged, but Charhat Singh fought
with courage and surprised the besiegers
by his night sallies. In the mean time,
other Sikh sardars, under the leader
ship of Jassa Singh Ahluvalia, came
to his rescue. Ubaid Khan was forced
to retreat, leaving behind siege guns,
ammunition and stores. In the Vadda
Ghallughara or Great Holocaust of 5
February 1762, when the Sikhs were involved
in a pitched battle with Ahmad Shah
Durrani, Charhat Singh fought with great
skill and courage.
no sooner had Ahmad Shah returned to
Afghanistan than the Sikhs reappeared
all over the Punjab. Charhat Singh and
the Bhangi Dhillon sardars sacked Kasur
in April 1763. In November 1763 he engaged
at Sialkot the Shah's commander-in-chief,
Jahan Khan, who had been especially
sent to punish the Sikhs, and inflicted
upon him a severe defeat. The Shah who
came out himself was forced to return
home harassed by the pursuing Sikh bands.
Charhat Singh swept across Rachna and
Chaj Doabs and reached Rohtas. The Afghan
commander of the fort, Sarfaraz Khan,
offered stiff resistance, but was overcome
near Attock. Charhat Singh defeated
Sarbuland Khan, governor of Kashmir,
who was on his way to meet the Afghan
ruler at Lahore. He followed these victories
with the occupation of a large portion
of Dhanni and Pothohar areas. He then
took Pind Dadan Khan, and built a fort
there. The Salt Range of Kheora and
Miani was the next to fall to him.
Charhat Singh's rapid successes, especially
in the Salt Range and Pind Dadan Khan,
aroused the animosity of the Bhangi
Dhillon sardars who had always reckoned
these areas within their sphere of influence.
Their antagonism came into the open
when Charhat Singh and the Bhangi sardars
took up sides in the family dispute
at Jammu. Its ruler, Ranjit Deo, wanted
to pass on the succession to his younger
son, but was opposed in this attempt
by Brij Raj Deo, the elder son, who
managed to secure the active support
of Charhat Singh and of the Kanhaiyas.
Ranjit Deo enlisted the support of the
Bhangis. The rival armies marched into
Jammu in 1770. Charhat Singh was fatally
wounded in the skirmishes that followed
hy the bursting of his own gun.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © Harbans Singh "The
encyclopedia of Sikhism."
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