Bot at 12:02, 24 December 2022

2022-12-24T12:02:26Z

New page

{{Short description|Sikh leader of the Singh Krora Misl}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=August 2016}}
{{Cleanup reorganize|date=December 2020}}
}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[Sardar]]
| name = Baghel Singh
| image = Baghel Singh.jpg
| birth_date = 1730
| death_date = 1802
| birth_place = [[Jhabal Kalan]], [[Punjab]], [[Mughal Empire]] <br> {{small|(present-day [[Tarn Taran district]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[India]])}}
| death_place = [[Hariana]], [[Singh Krora Misl]], [[Sikh Confederacy]] <br> {{small|(present-day [[Hoshiarpur district]], Punjab, India)}}
| resting_place = 1765 - 1802
| resting_place_coordinates = [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]
| spouse = Bibi Ram Kaur <br /> Bibi Roop Kaur <br /> Bibi Rattan Kaur
| children = Bahadur Singh
| known_for = * [[Battle of Delhi (1783)|Capture of Delhi and Red fort (1783)]]
* Resistance in opposition to Mughal dominion
| nationality = [[Sikh]]
}}
{{Sikhism sidebar}}

'''Baba Baghel Singh''' (c. 1730 – c. 1802) was a military general in the [[Punjab region]] in the northern part of the [[Indian subcontinent]] in the 18th century. He rose to prominence in the area around [[Sutlej]] and [[Yamuna]]. Singh joined the [[Singh Krora Misl]], one of the misls during Sikh Confederacy. In 1765, Singh became the leader of the misl.<ref>Baba Baghel Singh Museum's paintings and their brief history
ON 26 JANUARY 2K21 SINGH'S LIKE BAGHEL SINGH WON ONE MORE TIME DELHI.(NOT WON BUT SHOW KHALSA CAN DO ANYTHING . WITHOUT ANY MORDEN WEAPONS SIKH'S YOUTH MOVE TO DELHI AGAINST INDIAN GOVERNMENT, WHEN HOEL INDIA was protesting against GOVERNMENT FOR 3 FARMERS LAW.) The sikh youth move to RED FORT and hosted SIKH FLAG (NISHAN SAHIB) on the RED FORT . - Page 53</ref>

== Early life ==
[[File: Gurdwara Baghel Singh.jpg|thumb|Gurdwara Baghel Singh]]
Baghel Singh was born in village Jhabal Kalan, Amritsar District of Punjab around 1730s into a Dhaliwal [[Jat]] family.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Major Nahar Singh Jawandha|title=Glimpses of Sikhism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DQeKTUXphPMC&dq=baghel+singh+dhaliwal+Jat&pg=PA202|publisher=Sanbun Publishers|year=2010|isbn=9789380213255|pages=239}}</ref> He was the descendant of Chaudhary [[Bhai Langaha]] , the Sikh chief of 84 villages in the Majha, who along with his younger brother Bhai Pero Shah the grandfather of the famous Mai Bhago, had converted to Sikhism, during the time of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, in the 1580s.

From humble beginnings he arose to become a formidable force in the area between River Sutlej and River Yamuna. He aligned himself with Karor Singhia misl led by Sardar Karora Singh. After the early demise of Karora Singh, Bhai Baghel Singh succeeded as a leader of Karora Singhia misl in 1765. He is celebrated in Sikh history as the vanquisher of Mughal Delhi. On the 11th of March 1783, the Sikhs entered the Red Fort in Delhi and occupied the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience), where the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, made a settlement with them that allowed Baghel Singh to raise Gurdwaras on Sikh historical sites and allowed them to take six annas of each rupee (of all the Octrai duties) and any other taxes collected by the Mughal state (equal to 37.5 %).

Baghel Singh set up camp in the Sabzi Mandi area of Delhi, with 4000 troops, taking charge of the police station in Chandani Chowk. He located seven sites connected with the lives of the Sikh Gurus and had shrines raised on the sites within the space of eight months (April to December 1783). Gurdwara Sis Ganj marked the spot in the main Mughal street of Chandani Chowk where Guru Tegh Bahadur had been executed at the orders of Aurangzeb and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, near the modern day Parliament House, where the Guru's body was cremated. Bangla Sahib and Bala Sahib were dedicated to the memory of the Eight Guru, Guru Har Krishan. Four other Gurdwaras Gurdwara Majnu ka Tilla, Moti Bagh, Telivara and Gurdwara Nanak Piao were also constructed during this period.

== Background ==

Guru Gobind Singh while leaving for Nanded in Southern part of India, divided the Sikhs into 12 misls and broadly allocated their areas of operation. Whereas these [[misl]]s operated independently in their own areas under the respective misldars, together they constituted Dal Khalsa under the leadership of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. Sikhs had been making incursions outside Punjab and restricting the influence of the Mughal leaders. It is narrated that the Sikhs had levied ‘Rakhi’ and ‘Kambli’ taxes as far as Saharanpur, Hardwar and beyond.

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 Misls 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 territory 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, Karor Singhia misal declared their ownership of territories now including Ambala, Karnal, Hissar, Rohtak, Chandigarh, etc. Baghel Singh took possession of portions of the Jalandhar Doab and established himself at Hariana, near Hoshiarpur. Soon after the Sikh conquest of Sirhind in 1764, he extended his arms beyond Karnal and occupied number of villages including Chhalaudi which he later made his headquarters.

Then Baghel Singh turned his attention towards the cis-Yamuna territories. Soon the Sikhs also won territories beyond Delhi and beyond, including Meerut, Awadh, collecting tribute from the Nawabs of each area.

==Military career==
Singh was a skilled political negotiator, able to create alliances with former enemies.

On disintegration of the [[Mughal Empire]] in the second half of the 18th century, due to [[Afghans|Afghan]] incursions under the [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]] leader, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] (Abdali), Sikh influence in the north of India increased. Singh's unit fought with Ahmad Shah Durrani against Mughal forces at [[Malerkotla]]. The [[Singh Krora Misl]] took [[Ambala]], [[Karnal]], [[Thanesar]], and [[Hisar (city)|Hissar]]. Singh took possession of part of the Jalandhar [[Doab]] and established himself at [[Hariana]], near [[Hoshiarpur]].

Soon after the Sikh conquest of [[Sirhind]] in 1764, Singh extended his rule beyond [[Karnal]] and occupied a number of villages including [[Chhalaudi]] which became Singh's new headquarters.<ref name="Bhagata 1993 271–282">{{cite book|last=Bhagata|first=Siṅgha|title=A History of the Sikh Misals|publisher=Publication Bureau, Punjabi University|year=1993|pages= 271–282|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BihuAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA271|quote=Baghel Singh, Baghel Singh took the leadership of karorisingha misl.}}</ref> Singh further expanded his territory into the [[Cis-Sutlej states]] including [[Meerut]], [[Saharanpur]], [[Shahdra]] and [[Awadh]]. His actions were supported by Afghan allies including [[Zabita Khan]] and [[Ghulam Qadir Khan|Ghulam Kadir]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Great Maratha Mahadaji Scindia|author=N. G. Rathod|year=1994|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPq640stHJ0C&pg=PA8|pages=31–32|isbn=9788185431529}}</ref>

===Attack on Delhi===
In February 1764, an army of 30,000 Sikh soldiers under the command of warrior leaders including Singh, crossed the [[Yamuna]] River and captured [[Saharanpur]]. They overran the territory of [[Najib ad-Dawlah|Najib ud-Daulah]], acquiring from him a tribute of eleven [[lakh]] of rupees ({{Indian Rupees}} 1,100,000).

In April 1775, Singh with two other [[sardar]]s, Rai Singh Bhangi and Tara Singh Ghaiba, crossed the [[Yamuna]] river to occupy land ruled by [[Zabita Khan]], the son and successor of [[Najib-Ud-Daulah]]. In desperation, [[Zabita Khan]] offered Singh large sums of money and proposed an alliance to jointly plunder the crown lands.

Singh set up an [[Octroi]] post (taxation office) near [[Subzi Mandi railway station|Sabzi Mandi]] to collect tax on goods imported into the city. The money was used for the construction of [[Sikhism|Sikh]] Gurdwara's.

In March 1776, the Sikhs defeated the forces of the Mughal emperor [[Shah Alam II]] near [[Muzaffarnagar]].<ref> Gupta, Hari Ram, History of the Sikhs, vol. III. Delhi, 1979 </ref><ref> Sital, Sohan Singh, Sikh Mislan. Ludhiana, 1952 </ref>

===Battle of Ghanaur===
In 1778, Shah Alam II sent an army of about 10,000 soldiers in a [[counter-attack]] against the Sikhs. The Mughal force was led by the [[Vizier|Wazir]] [[Mirza Najaf Khan]] (Nawab Majad-Ud-Daula) under the banner of the crown prince. The Mughal forces and the Sikh forces met in battle at [[Ghanaur]], near [[Patiala]]. The Mughal army lost the battle and surrendered.

==Rise of Sikh power==
In 1783, Singh entered [[Delhi]].<ref name="google1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6sg_9N_AHbMC&pg=PA89 |title=Views and Reviews |first=Jasbir Singh |last=Sethi |isbn=9788190825986 }}</ref><ref>Hari Ram Gupta, ''History of the Sikhs: Sikh Domination of the Mughal Empire, 1764–1803,'' second ed., Munshiram Manoharlal (2000) {{ISBN|978-8-12150-213-9}}</ref><ref>Ram Gupta, ''History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misls'', rev. ed., Munshiram Manoharlal (2001) {{ISBN|978-8-12150-165-1}}</ref><ref name="randhir">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BCyYDQAAQBAJ&q=1783&pg=PT62 |title=Sikh Shrines in India |first=G.S |last=Randhir |year=1990|isbn=9788123022604 }}</ref>

Singh and the Mughal Emperor contracted that 12.5% of the "octroi" (trade tax) of Delhi would be sent to Singh. In return, he would ensure that the Sikhs did not attack the capital again.<ref> Harbans Singh, The Heritage of the Sikhs. Delhi, 1983 </ref>

==Sikh Gurdwara's in Delhi==
Singh is credited with establishing several [[Gurudwara]]s (Sikh Gurdwara's) in Delhi, including:{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}
* [[Gurdwara Mata Sundri]]
* [[Gurdwara Bangla Sahib]]
* [[Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib|Gurdwara Rakab Ganj]]
* [[Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib|Gurdwara Sis Ganj]]
* Gurdwara [[Majnu Ka Tilla]]

==Death==
Singh died in about 1802 in Hariana in Hoshiarpur distt of punjab India.<ref name="FenechMcLeod2014">{{cite book|author1=Louis E. Fenech|author2=W. H. McLeod|title=Historical Dictionary of Sikhism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xajcAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA54|date=11 June 2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-4422-3601-1|pages=54–}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Guru Tegh Bahadur]]
*[[Nawab Kapur Singh]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Gian Singh, Giani, ''Panth Prakash'' [Reprint]. Patiala, 1970
* Bhahgu, Ratan Singh, ''Prachin Panth Prakash'' [Reprint], Amritsar, 1962
* Sital, Sohan Singh, ''Sikh Mislan''. Ludhiana, 1952
* Harbans Singh, ''The Heritage of the Sikhs''. Delhi, 1983

==External links==
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060305/society.htm#2 News article on Baghel Singh ]
* [http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/asian/TheFalloftheMoghulEmpireofHindustan/chap10.html The Fall of the Moghul Empire of Hindustan]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh Dhariwal, Baghel}}
[[Category:1730s births]]
[[Category:1800s deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:People from Amritsar district]]
[[Category:Sikh warriors]]

Baghel Singh - Revision history

Bot at 12:02, 24 December 2022