Miquel41G60448 at 19:55, 4 November 2025

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{{Short description|Sikh general (1768–1832)}}
[[File:Painting of Desa Singh Majithia.jpg|thumb|Painting of Desa Singh Majithia]]
'''Desa Singh Majithia''' (1768–1832) was a Sikh jagirdar, military general, and statesman.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Nadiem |first=Ihsan H. |title=Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia: As Seen by His Contemporaries |publisher=Dyal Singh Research & Cultural Forum |edition=2nd |pages=16–18 |chapter=A Glimpse of The Unsung Hero From Punjab, Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=12 November 2024 |title=Lot 196: The Sikh polymath, inventor, soldier and statesman, Lehna Singh Majithia (d. 1854), riding past a walled city, possibly Lahore, besides a flowing river |url=https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29724/lot/196/the-sikh-polymath-inventor-soldier-and-statesman-lehna-singh-majithia-d-1854-riding-past-a-walled-city-possibly-lahore-besides-a-flowing-river-lahore-probably-from-the-workshop-of-imam-bakhsh-lahori-circa-1830-40/ |access-date=24 November 2024 |website=Bonhams}}</ref> He was perhaps one of the earliest [[Sikh art|Sikh patrons of artwork]] through the employment of [[Pahari painting|Pahari artists]] during the period of 1810–30 when he served as governor of the [[Hill States of India|hill states]] of the Punjab Hills.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ikeda |first=Atsushi |title=Portraying the Guru: Art, Devotion and Identity in Sikhism |date=Sep 24, 2024 |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |isbn=9781837652389 |pages=31 |chapter=Introduction}}</ref> Desa served as a jagirdar from 1788 to 1832.<ref name=":0" />

== Biography ==

=== Kanhaiya Misl ===
[[File:Painting of Desa Singh Majithia receiving a deputation from a State court in the Punjab Hills, ca.1775.jpg|thumb|Painting of Desa Singh Majithia receiving a deputation from a state court in the Punjab Hills, ca.1775]]
Desa was born in 1768 to Naudh Singh,<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Hasrat |first=B. J. |title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism |publisher=Punjabi University, Patiala |year=2002 |isbn=8173801002 |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Harbans |edition=4th |volume=1: A–D |pages=555–556}}</ref> a feudal retainer of Amar Singh Bagga of the [[Kanhaiya Misl]].<ref name=":2" /> After the death of his father in 1788, Desa took over the familial ''[[jagir]]'' (estate).<ref name=":2" /> Desa would then serve Buddh Singh Bagga, who himself had succeeded Amar Singh Bagga for some years.<ref name=":2" />

=== Sikh Empire ===
Desa eventually joined the army of Ranjit Singh.<ref name=":2" /> In 1804, Desa was given command over 400 ''[[sowar]]s''.<ref name=":2" /> In 1809, Desa Singh Majithia served in the military expedition to Kangra, which pushed the Gurkhas under the command of [[Amar Singh Thapa]] out of the Punjab Hills region.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> Thus, Desa was promoted to position of the governor of Kangra and the city of Amritsar.<ref name=":1" /> Desa took over the role of governor of Kangra from Wazir Naurang, who had been the governor under Raja Sansar Chand.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Joshi |first=Shriniwas |date=14 September 2019 |title=Sher-e-Punjab and Pahari Shahanshah |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/himachal-tribune/sher-e-punjab-and-pahari-shahanshah-832449/ |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=The Tribune}}</ref> Land formerly under [[Sada Kaur]] was bestowed to Desa Singh.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Yasmin |first=Robina |title=Muslims under Sikh Rule in the Nineteenth Century: Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Religious Tolerance |date=Jan 13, 2022 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9780755640348 |pages=56–57}}</ref> In 1813, the area of Haripur, formerly under Raja Bhup Singh, of [[Guler State]], was taken over by Desa.<ref name=":3" /> In 1818, Desa served in the Multan campaign.<ref name=":1" /> [[Lehna Singh Majithia]] was the eldest of the three sons of Desa, and succeeded Desa to the administrative positions after Desa's death.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

== References ==
<references />
{{Sikh Empire}}

[[Category:1768 births]]
[[Category:1832 deaths]]
[[Category:Sikh generals]]

Desa Singh Majithia - Revision history

Miquel41G60448 at 19:55, 4 November 2025