Hari_Singh_Dhillon

Hari Singh Dhillon

Hari Singh Dhillon

Sikh warrior (died 1765)

Sardar Hari Singh Dhillon (died 1765) was an 18th century Sikh warrior and the chief of Bhangi Misl. During the formation of the Dal Khalsa (Sikh army) he was acknowledged as leader of Tarna Dal, and he was made chief of Bhangi Misl following the death of Bhuma Singh Dhillion, who he was the adopted son of, in 1748. Hari Singh made the Bhangi Misl the most powerful of all the Misls.[1] He was described as brave and fearless[2] as well as a great warrior.[1]

Biography

Hari Singh Dhillon was born in Panjwar village near Amritsar.[3] He was adopted by the chief of Bhangi Misl Bhuma Singh Dhillon and took Amrit from him becoming a Khalsa. After the creation of the Dal Khalsa in 1748 Hari Singh was made head of Tarna Dal and Bhangi Misl. Upon taking over Bhangi Misl he quickly grew its strength[1] and grew the Misl's fighting strength to 20,000 as well as ruling many Misldars under him.[2]

Hari Singh set up his headquarters in Gilwali village in Amritsar district and later Amritsar[2] where he built a fort named Qila Bhangian and captured the surrounding areas around Amritsar. Hari Singh next captured Karial and Mirowal. Hari Singh also joined other Misls in attack on Lahore in 1758 and 1760.[1]

In 1757 Ahmed Shah Abdali raided Punjab and Delhi. Hari Singh joined hands with the Martatha empire along with other Sikh Misls to counter Abdali. On March 8, 1758, the joint force besieged an Afghan force of 15,000 in Sirhind. On March 21 Sirhind was captured by the force.[4] On April 10 they captured Lahore and killed a force of 2,000 Afghans[5][6][7][8] and the prisoners were forced to rebuild the Harimander Sahib that they desecrated.[9]

In 1760 Hari Singh joined a force of Sikh Misls that captured Lahore on Diwali 1760 and plundered the surronding area. They left Lahore after receiving tribune of 30,000 rupees from the Governor.[10]

In 1761 Hari Singh joined Sikh Misls in the Battle of Gujranwala where the Sikhs, numbering 10,000, defeated the Afghan force of 12,000.[11][12] Following this Hari Singh and other Misls led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia besieged Lahore and conquered the city on October 27, 1761, where they struck their own coins, and plundered the city.[13][14]

In 1762 Hari Singh conquered Kot Khwaja Saeed, near Lahore, capturing the Afghan Governor's ammunition and 3 canons of his.[2] Hari Singh then captured the surrounding area of Bahawalpur and then plundered and conquered Jammu leading a force of 12,000.[1][15][2]

In 1763 he sacked Kasur, along with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and Jai Singh Kanhaiya. In 1764 he advanced towards Multan. At first he sacked Bhawalpur, Multan was ravaged and then he crossed the Indus river, received tributes from Baluchi Chiefs in the districts of Muzaffargarh. On his return to Gilwali he plundered Jhang, Sialkot, Chiniot and made the Jammu ruler, Ranjit Deo, his tributary.[16]: 205 

In 1764, he advanced towards Multan, At first he plundered Bahawalpur, Multan was thoroughly ravaged, He crossed river Indus and realized tribute from the Baluchi chiefs in the Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Dera Ismail Khan, while returning he received tribute from the local chief's of Pind Dadan Khan, Further on his way he plundered Jhang, Chiniot, and Sialkot, He made Jammu tributary[17]

Death and succession

He died in 1765 in battle against Ala Singh. According to Kushwaqt Rae Hari Singh was poisoned to death and was succeeded by his son, Jhanda Singh Dhillon.[16]

Battles

  1. Battle of Gujranwala (1761)
  2. Sikh Occupation of Lahore (1761)
  3. Battle of Kup (1762)
  4. Battle of Kasur (1763)
  5. Battle of Sirhind (1764)
  6. Battle of Chenab (1764)
  7. Battle on the Sutlej (1765)

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Singh, Dr. Sukhdial (2010). Rise Growth And Fall Of The Bhangi Misal. Punjabi University.
  2. [2]
    Singh, Bhagat (1993). A History Of Sikh Misals (1st ed.). Publication Bureau Punjabi University, Patiala. pp. 89–102.
  3. [3]
    Singh, Khushwant (18 November 2004). A History of the Sikhs: Volume 1: 1469-1838. Oxford University Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-19-908060-1.
  4. [4]
    Advanced Study in the History of Modern India
  5. [5]
    Mehta, J.L. (2005). Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707–1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 260. ISBN 978-1-932705-54-6. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
  6. [6]
    Gupta, Hari Ram (13 June 2021). Marathas And Panipat. Panjab University, 1961.
  7. [7]
    Narayan, Jagadish (1976). A Study Of Eighteenth Century India Vol. 1. p. 343.
  8. [8]
    Sardesai, Govind Sakharam (2020). New History Of The Marathas (3 Vols. Set). Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Limited. pp. Vol.2, pg- 402. ISBN 978-81-215-0065-4.
  9. [9]
    Singh, Patwant (18 December 2007). The Sikhs. Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-307-42933-9.
  10. [10]
    Narayan, Jagadish (1976). A Study Of Eighteenth Century India Vol. 1. pp. 343–344.
  11. [11]
    Gupta, Hari Ram (2007). History Of Sikhs Vol. 2 Evolution of Sikh Confederacies. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal. ISBN 81-215-0248-9.
  12. [12]
    Kakshi, S.R.; Pathak, Rashmi; Pathak, S.R.Bakshi R. (1 January 2007). Punjab Through the Ages. Sarup & Sons. p. 15. ISBN 978-81-7625-738-1. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  13. [13]
    Grewal, J.S. (1990). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. p. 91. ISBN 0-521-63764-3. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  14. [14]
    Kakshi, S.R.; Pathak, Rashmi; Pathak, S.R.Bakshi R. (1 January 2007). Punjab Through the Ages. Sarup & Sons. p. 15. ISBN 978-81-7625-738-1. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  15. [15]
    Hutchison, John; Vogel, Jean Philippe (1994). History of the Panjab Hill States. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-0942-6.
  16. [16]
    Hari Ram Gupta (October 2001). The Sikhs Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Sikh Misls. Munshilal Manoharlal Pvt Ltd. ISBN 81-215-0165-2.
  17. [17]
    Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India:Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
Preceded by Third leader of Bhangi Misl
–1765		 Succeeded by
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