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 How
the vast Afghani Empire on Punjabi soil
disappeared in Kasur, Multan, Kashmir
and Peshawar is a subject closely associated
with the campaigns of Sardar Hari Singh
Nalua, the Marshal of the Khalsa and
terror for the Afghans. Being the 'Murat
of the Khalsa' as he was appropriately
called by Sir Henry Griffin, the famous
British dignitary and a prominent writer
of significant treatise on the Sikhs,
his name figures among those patriots
who participated bravely rather passionately
in almost all battles fought constantly
against the Afghans during the Sikh
rule under Maharaja Ranjit Singh for
a period of three decades from A.D.
1807 to A.D. 1837.
Sardar Hari Singh Nalua, the typical
product of his age was born at Gujranwala
now in the West Pakistan in A.D. 1791
in Uppal family in the house of Sardar
Gurdial Singh to Dharam Kaur. He was
the only son of his parents. The ancestors
of Nalua sardars were originally from
Majitha town situated in the vicinity
of Amritsar. His grandfather Sardar
Hardas Singh engaged in the service
of Sukarchakia Misl was killed in an
expedition undertaken by the Misl in
A.D. 1762. Gurdial Singh, the father
of Sardar Hari Singh Nalua followed
the profession of his father and took
part in various campaigns of Sukarchakia
Sardars - Charat Singh and Mahan Singh
in the capacity of Deradar . He expired
in 1798 when Hari Singh was only seven
years of age and was thus looked after
with care and caution by his maternal
uncle who took him to his house. In
those days training in the feats of
war was deemed necessary and physical
education attracted much attention.
Accordingly, Hari Singh who was physically
quite stout and strong and impressive
too in appearance when grew up, learnt
the art of warfare. It is said that
he was indefatigible and could sit on
horse back for long hours. Hari Singh
received his preliminary education in
languages of Gurmukhi, Urdu, Persian.
Baron Charles Hugel states that Hari
Singh besides his general knowledge
about the statistics of many of the
European states, was well versed in
Persian. He immpressed him extremelly
with his overall achievements.
Hari Singh was administered Pahul when
grew up and assumed the responsibility
of supervising the affairs of his father's
jagir. Hari singh presented himself
before Maharaja Ranjit singh in his
open darbar which he used to hold for
a week or so on the eve of Basant fair
every year. The Maharaja was so immpressed
by the feats of chivalry shown by him
that he was taken in the royal service
as a personal khidmatgar or an attendant.
Maharaja commissioned him in 1804 A.D.
by granted him a command of 700 footmen
and horses with the honour of Sardar.
Why Hari singh is called "Nalua"
and not Uppal. The reason is that he
came to be know by the said title by
way of an incident which took place
during the early days of his joining
the service of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
During the course of hunting expedition
he happened to be a victim of a sudden
attack of a tiger. The attack was so
suttle and unexpected that he did not
gain time to pull out his sword. Sardar
Hari Singh Nalua faced the crucial situation
with such boldness that he managed to
catch hold of the jaw of the beast forcefully
with his hands and pushed it away with
the prowess of arms arranging thus to
kill it with his sword. Baron Charles
Hugel says he was called Nalua for 'having
cloven the head of a tiger who had already
seized him as its pray'.
The Sikhs often passing through a series
of vicissitudes, first establish themselves
as a political power in the Punjab in
1765 A.D. But their mode of fighting
then was desultory and hardly suited
to the requirements of a well-settled
state, However Maharaja Ranjit Singh
'Built up a strong , centralised and
effectively controlled military system
by amalgamating the best elements in
foreign with best elements found in
the indigenous fighting mechanisms.
Hari Singh Nalua's significant military
campaign was that of Kasur, the so called
'mythological rival of Lahore', in 1807
A.D. Hari Singh Nalua along with Sardar
Jodh singh Ramgarhia, Sardar Nihal Singh
Attari,Baba Akali Phula Singh, Fateh
Singh Ahluwalia, Dhanna singh Malwai,
and Sardar Fateh singh Kalianwala marched
on to Kasur to subjugate its Afghani
owner Kutab-ud-din Khan. Sikhs laid
siege for three months after which Kutab-ud-din
Khan surrendered. Hari Singh Nalua,
of course, was the first to march inside
the city gate of Kasur with his division
called 'Sher-Dil-Rajman.' The troops
under him caught Kutab-Ud-Din alive
and presented him before Maharaja Ranjit
Singh. Maharaja Ranjit Singh made him
retire to a territory of Mamdot as a
jagir, subject to his supplying 100
horsemen for service when required.
Sardar Hari Singh Nalua's next significant
military achievement was to reduce to
submission Sardar Jiwan Singh, the ruler
of Sialkote who was asked by the Maharaja
to surrender his possessions. Jiwan
Singh gave tough fight for two days
after which he raised his hands in peace.
The strategic significance of Sialkote
lay in the fact that it was a very fertile
tract extending its dimensions upto
Jammu. Moreover, Maharaja Ranjit Singh
after bringing to submission a major
part of the Central Punjab made it a
centre of his further political aggrandisement.
Hari Singh Nalua's next significant
military achievement was the conquest
of Multan. before annexing Multan in
1818 A.D., six expeditions were sent
by the suzrain of Lahore. Resultantly
tribute was collected everytime, annextion
was never visualized and attempted.
Hari Singh contributed in all of these
six campaigns as well as conquest of
Multan. Multan had a great commercial
and strategic importance having been
the gateway of Afghanistan. It is stated
that working boats from the Jhelum,
Ravi and Chenab were forced to work
for invariable supply of provisions.
Illahi Bux of the artillery forces of
Ranjit Singh made conspicuous arrangements
for battering the forts of Multan. During
Mughal rule it was an important headquarter
and fell into Afghan custody after the
fall of empire. After Multan, Sardar
Hari Singh also subjugated the territories
of Mitha Tiwana, Rajauri, Naushera,
etc. from which strip tribute was realized
for the kingdom of Lahore.
Then Maharaja turned towards Kashmir.
Hari Singh Nalua's regiment was in forefront
in campaign to get back Shah Shuja from
the Governor of Kashmir, Shah Shuja's
wife Wafa Begum had promised Kohinoor
Diamond for Maharaja if her husband
was to be freed from prison of Kashmir.
In 1814 A.D., Hari Singh forces routed
Kashmiris forces. Shah Shuja gave Ranjit
Singh kohinoor Diamond, from that day
on till his death Maharaja Ranjit Singh
wore that Diamond on his right shoulder,
it was his pride. Hari Singh Nalua was
appointed Governor of Kashmir. Immediately,
he ordered to ban cow slaughter, such
was an effect that to this day, Kashmiri
Muslims don't eat beaf. Jaziya, etc
, the taxes which Hindu and Sikh population
had to pay to their Muslim rulers for
"not being a Muslim" were
eradicated. For these obvious reasons,
several Muslim historian had labelled
Hari Singh Nalua as a tyrant. His rule
they called "Sikha Shahi"
or the "Rule of Sikhs." But
no matter what, Hari Singh Nalua and
his forces never destroyed any Mosques
or abducted Muslim Women, etc. all those
atrocities which Mughals and Pathans
had committed on the local non-muslims
population. (It was around 1700's A.D
that majority of Punjabi population
became Muslim oweing to the atrocities
by Aurungzeb the sixth Mughal emperor)
.
The Afghanis of North West region across
river Indus around Peshawar were divided
into several tribes (They still are).
They were sort of savage people which
would not obey any rule. From time to
time the Punjabi forces from Lahore
were sent there to put them down. Each
time they would offer some tribute and
then again revolt. To totally take control
of these areas Maharaja Ranjit Singh
give command to Hari Singh Nalua. Also
to stop the attacks of Afghanis on Punjabi
soil, Maharaja Ranjit Singh and others
decided to put a series of forts to
built up the defenses of the Punjabi
frontier. From Attock to the Khyber
Pass series of small forts were built
under Hari singh Nalua to keep Afghanis
in check. The most important part of
this fortification was to put a complete
halt at invaders who had attacked India
entering from Khyber pass in West, starting
with Greeks in 500 B.C.. So after 2300
Years of constant defeat and humiliation
of Punjabi and Indian people Maharaja
Ranjit Singh was able to totally shut
down this historic route of invasion
into India. It had been used by Greeks,
Turks, Arabs, Mughals, Mongols, Tatars,
Afghanis, etc. And on top of that there
is no denying fact that Maharaja Ranjit
Singh was quite conscious of the significance
of North West frontier province for
the defense of his territorial acquisitions.
A significant battle was fought here
by Hari Singh Nalua when he defeated
and caught the self styled Rajput chief
Ghulam ali and send him over to Lahore.
Maharaja was so happy that he allowed
Hari Singh to strike a coin in his name
in Kashmir. Then in the tract of Pakhli
and Dhamtur Nalua with his usual sagacity
and vision, was able to pacify a revolt
against the Lahore court arising in
the region. This is also acknowledged
by Syed Mohd. Latif, a biased famous
Punjabi Muslim historian. Henry Lepel
Griffin in connection with Sardar Nalua
in Pakhli states "obedience was
not an easy to Hari Singh for wild mountaineers
to the number of 20,000 opposed to his
passage, on this way to mankera and
at Pakli he was compelled to halt with
his force of 7,000 men. Pakli has long
been a spot dreaded by merchants, for
the hillmen of that place were accustomed
to demand a toll on shawl, wood and
other merchandise. Hari Singh after
vain efforts to induce the enemy to
yield him a passage, attacked them with
vigor, and storming their blockades
defeated them with great slaughter.
After this he imposed a fine of Rs 5
on each house in the district.
Since virtually peace in Punjab was
only possible by sealing the border
of Kabul, and Peshawar being geographically
situated in its close proximity was
an indispensable asset for Maharaja
Ranjit Singh. Thus, ultimately the strip
of Peshawar became the bone of contention
between Maharaja and Afghanis. After
the conquest of Attock, Maharaja's solid
and concrete target of conquest was
Peshawar as the exigency of time so
demanded.
The murder of Wazir Fateh Khan of Kabul
in A.D. 1818 provided Maharaja the desired
opportunity to attempt the conquest
of Peshawar as consequent to his murder
the two major factions of the Afghans-The
Sadazui's and Barqzai's-came to be seen
at dagger's drawn with each other. Moreover,
the possession of Peshawar except as
a step to further acquisitions, does
not appear to have been advantageous
to Ranjeet with additional evil of leading
Sikhs into constant collision with the
savage tribes of Afghanis.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh availed himself
of anarchy in Kabul and made as invasion
of Peshawar, the South-West-Eastern
frontiers of Peshawar with Punjab having
been neglected by Sultan Yar Mohammed
Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan, the then
Afghan governors of Peshawar who found
themselves helpless and vacated the
city. Punjabi forces with Mian Ghausa
and Diwan Mohkam Chand leading the charge
With Sardar Nalua as general of Cavalry
didn't had to face any fight what so
ever. Maharaja appointed Jahan Dad Khan,
ex governor of Attock as new governor
of Peshawar in November 1818.
Then in 1822, Dost Mohammad Khan and
Yar Mohammad Khan were able to expel
the Maharaja's nominee Jahan Dad Khan
from Peshawar and thus another expedition
was undertook by Punjabi forces. This
time the forces were being led by cavalry
by Sardar Hari Singh Nalua, Foot soldiers
by Dhanna Singh Malwai, and Jagat Singh
Attariwala, Artillery by Mian Ghausa.
Dost Mohammad Khan managed to reconcile
by paying a handsome nazrana to Maharja
and by accepting the submission to Khalsa
kingdom rather than to kingdom of Kabul.
In Jan 1823, Muhammad Azim, the Kabul
wazir occupied Peshawar with the assistance
of large army. Ranjit Singh sent another
expedition, the battles of Jahangira
and Naushera were fought in March 1823
where Sardar Nalua, Akali Phula Singh,
Gorkha Bal Bhadra, Mian Ghausa, Misr
Diwan Chand, Sardar Attar Singh marched
in the battle field at the head of their
divisions and gave a defeat to the Afghans
in the battle of Jahangira but a more
serious and awe inspiring battle was
fought at Naushera which is also known
as the battle of Tibbi Tehri. General
Allard and Ventura's participation in
this battle with their divisions and
trained army of Lahore kingdom with
Akali division of the army had absolutely
no match for untrained militia who although
surpassed in sheer numbers, Afghans
after a great massacre submitted and
Naushera was captured. Albeit, the Lahore
troops lost an indispensable commander,
Akali Phula Singh whose dashing feats
of warfare had surprised one and all.
Hari Singh Nalua played a conspicuous
role first by inflicting a crushing
defeat upon the enemy and secondly by
pursuing the enemy after the defeat
in order to be sure about the victory
of the Lahore troops. The battle of
Naushera made it evident to the frontier
tribesmen that the Afghan militia was
weaker than those of Lahore troops.
This battle sealed the further prospects
of Muhammad Azim of Kabul and established
the Sikh supremacy over Peshawar.
In 1827, Sayed Ahmad Bareli who claimed
himself to be the messenger of Prophet
Mohammad inspired the tribesmen by fervent
appeals to recover their territory from
the "kafir" or "Infidel"
kingdom of Lahore. Yar Mohammad Khan
also joined these crusaders. These forces
captured the Peshawar. Maharaja Ranjit
Singh sent Hari Singh Nalua to recapture
the Peshawar as well as major parts
around khyber pass. Sardar Hari Singh
Nalua gave blow to the rising power
of Syed Ahmad Bareli Griffin states
that when Sayed Ahmad roused all the
fanatic power of Yusafzais for a holy
war against Sikhs and was joined by
the Barkazi chief of Peshawar, Sardar
Hari Singh Nalua with his 25,000 men
prevented Syed Ahmad from crossing Indus.
Then Lahore troops crossed Indus and
invaded Peshawar, Syed Ahmad and his
crusaders were butchered. Hari Singh
gave Sayed a great setback. Peshawar
was pillaged, Palaces were destroyed,
tribute of Peshawar was increased and
the son of Yar Mohammad Khan was carried
away by Hari Singh as hostage. Then
again, in 1830, Maharaja had to sent
Prince Sher singh to Peshawar to get
tribute from Sayed Ahmad which was paid.
Hari Singh was put to call of duty
in 1834 A.D for annexing Peshawar to
the dominion of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
On 6th May 1834, Peshawar was made part
of Punjab and Hari Singh Nalua was made
his first non-Muslim governor. But most
of Hari Singh time was spent at Lahore,
his division was situated in Lahore.
A year after annexation of Peshawar,
Dost Mohammad, now the Afghan ruler
of Kabul attempted to regain his supremacy
over strip of Peshawar. Tribesmen from
Yusafzai, Mohmmand and Khatak tribes
of the vicinity were appealed in the
name of religion to jump into holy war
or jehad against Sikhs in order to oust
them from their region. But due to unknown
reasons these Afghan troops retreated
long before confrontation.
Dost Mohammad Khan did not rest contented
and after mobilizing all his resources
dispatched his son Akbar in A.D. 1837
to recover Peshawar which he did. Resultantly,
Sardar Hari Singh Nalua was sent at
the head of Lahore troops to face Afghans.
He got his forces to Peshawar. Jamrud
turned out to be the field of battle
this time where a formidable battle
was fought. Sardar Hari Singh Nalua
had earlier build a fort on the entrance
of Khyber pass called fort of Jamrud,
this fort was being commanded by Sardar
Mahan Singh Mirpura. For want of man
and war material Nalua strove extraordinary
hard, inspite of this he did not loose
his heart. Urgent messages were sent
to Lahore and Peshawar for materials.
For want of timely help the Sardar was
of course, killed but the Afghans could
not dislodge the 500 Punjabi troops
from the fort of Jamrud. General Hari
Singh Nalua give his last command to
his men to not to disclose his death
and continue giving enemy a good fight.
 Sir
Lepel Griffin, gives a detailed and
comprehensive account of Sardar Nalua's
campaign of Jamrud. He points out that
Sardar was directed to build a fort
at Jamrud situated at the entrance of
Khber pass from the walls of which Maharaja
might glance Jalalabad in Afghanistan.
Sardar got built a small port which
was quite impregnable to the artillery
fire and could hold on for several weeks
of pounding. The Dost Mohammad Khan,
with 7,000 horse, 2000 matchlock men
and 18 guns. His three sons with their
forces and a force of 12,000 to 15,000
of Khaibiris joined the main force and
started pounding the fort. Mahan singh
Mirpura requested help from Peshwar
where Hari singh Nalua was ailing with
fever. While giving an account of the
march of Sardar Hari Singh Nalua at
the head of Lahore troops to give fight
to the Afghans at battle of Jamrud,
Sahai singh Ragi in Punjabi states:
Hari immediately sent some horsemen
to Lahore for more reinforcement and
he along with his soldiers went to Jamrud.
Reinforcement under Hari Singh Nalua
give a new life to the garrison and
attack of Afghanis was repulsed with
vigour. Grifin further states that when
Hari Singh Nalua along with about five
of his companion went outside of the
fort to inspect a breach in a wall,
he was struck by two balls, one in the
side and the other in stomach. Inspite
of them understanding that he was mortally
injured, the Nalua sardar managed to
ride as far as his camp lest the troops
be discouraged. Then laying on floor
he gives his last order to his few trusted
men, that was to not to disclose the
secret of his death. Qadryar a famous
Ragi sings this in Punjabi :
Hari Singh further imparted instructions
to his soldiers to cover his dead body
after lifting it from the ground and
placing it on a cot.
Thus the great Sardar Hari Singh Nalua,
with the terror of whose name Afghan
mothers used to quiten their fretful
children attained his martyrdom.
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Salute to Great Sikh Warrior, Marshall
of the Khalsa Sardar Hari Singh Nalua
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © Dr G.S. Nayyar"Marshall
of the Khalsa."
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