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{{short description|Sikh leader in the period of Sikh Confederacy}}{{Not to be confused with|Jassa Singh Ahluwalia}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
| image = Jassa Singh Ramgharia 1760.jpg
| caption = Jassa Singh Ramgharia, c.1780 painting
| birth_date = 5 May 1723
| birth_place = Ichogill, [[Lahore]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Sikh_Courier_International.html?id=PKbXAAAAMAAJ#jassa+singh+ramgarhia+ichogill|title=Sikh Courier International|date=18 December 1999|publisher=Sikh Cultural Society of Great Britain|accessdate=18 December 2022|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Sikh_Courier_International.html?id=PKbXAAAAMAAJ#jassa+singh+ramgarhia+5+may+1723|title=Sikh Courier International|date=18 December 1999|publisher=Sikh Cultural Society of Great Britain|accessdate=18 December 2022|via=Google Books}}</ref>
| death_date = {{death year and age|1803|1723}}
| known_for = * [[Sardar]] of the [[Ramgarhia | Ramgarhia Misl]]
* [[Sikh raids on Delhi]]
| successor = [[Jodh Singh Ramgarhia]] who ceded his territories to [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]; [[Baghel Singh]]
| father = Bhagwan Singh
| relatives = Hardas Singh (grandfather)
}}
[[File:Ram Rauni.jpg|thumb|One of the very rare photographs taken of Qila Ram Rauni of Ramgarh.]]
[[File:Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgharia.jpg|thumb|Jassa Singh Ramgharia seated upon his throne, 20th century painting]]

'''Jassa Singh Ramgarhia''' (1723–1803) was a prominent [[Sikh]] leader during the period of the [[Sikh Confederacy]]. He was the founder of the [[Ramgarhia Misl]],

==Early life==
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was born into a Sikh family<ref>History of the Sikhs Vol. 4: The Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misis
Pg 276 hari ram gupta {{ISBN|978-8121501651}}</ref> with surname [[Bhamra|Bhambra]] in 1723. According to [[W. H. McLeod]],<ref name="mcleod">{{cite book |title=Historical Dictionary of Sikhism |url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio00mcle |url-access=limited |first=W. H. |last=McLeod |edition=2nd |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2005 |orig-year=1995 |isbn=0-8108-5088-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio00mcle/page/n132 102]}}</ref> his birthplace was the village of Ichogil, near [[Lahore]], whilst H. S. Singha<ref name="singha">{{cite book |title=The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism |first=H. S. |last=Singha |edition=2nd |publisher=Hemkunt |year=2005 |orig-year=2000 |isbn=81-7010-301-0 |page=111}}</ref> refers only to Lahore and [[Purnima Dhavan]]<ref name="dhavan60">{{cite book |title=When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799 |publisher=OUP USA |first=Purnima |last=Dhavan |year=2011 |location=USA |page=60 |isbn=978-0199756551 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aFvyzStjpf8C&pg=PA81}}</ref> mentions origins in either [[Guga (Punjab)|Guga]] or [[Sur Singh]], both near [[Amritsar]]. His father was named Bhagwan Singh, who himself was the son of Hardas Singh.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ANNALS OF THE RAMGARHIA SARDARS |url=http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/postgurus/ramgarhia2/ram%20Jassa%20Singh.htm |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=www.sikh-heritage.co.uk}}</ref> There is agreement among the sources that he was of [[Tarkhan (tribe)|Tarkhan]]<ref>Sikhs and Sikhism, WH Mcleod, pg102{{full citation needed|date=August 2021}}</ref> origin and was originally named Jassa Singh Thokar (Jassa Singh the Carpenter).<ref name="mcleod" /><ref name="singha"/><ref name="dhavan60" /> He had four brothers - Jai Singh, [[Khushal Singh Ramgarhia|Khushal Singh]], Mali Singh Ramgarhia and [[Tara Singh Ramgarhia|Tara Singh]] - and became head of the family when his father, Giani Bhagwan Singh, died.<ref name="diplomat">Warrior-diplomat: Jassa Singh Ramgarhia - Harbans Singh Virdi</ref>{{Page needed|date=January 2014}}

Jassa Singh rose to command the Sikh misl that became later known as Ramgarhia and built a fort called [[Ram Rauni]] and [[Ramgarhia Bunga]] (watchtower) at Amritsar. He joined forces with [[Adina Beg]], who appointed him a [[risaldar]] (commander), but switche Beg's siege and, in 1752, rebuilt the damaged fort. The edifice was renamed Ramgarh, from which he took his new name.<ref name="mcleod" /><ref name="Hawks">{{cite book |title=When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799 |publisher=OUP USA |first=Purnima |last=Dhavan |year=2011 |location=USA |page=81 |isbn=978-0199756551 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aFvyzStjpf8C&pg=PA81}}</ref>{{efn|The suffix ''-garh'' is translated as ''fort''.}}

Jassa Singh's policies were in contrast to those of other misl leaders. The large size of Jassa Singh’s territory aroused the jealousy of the other Sikh Misls. They did not want him to become too powerful and the ruler of a big region. At the height of his power, Jassa Singh's territory in the Bari Doab included Batala, [[Kaldnaur]], Dinanagar, Sri Hargobindpur, Shahpur Kandi, Gurdaspur, Qadian, Ghuman, Matteval, and in the Jalandhar Doab, Urmur Tanda, Sarih, Miani, Garhdivala and Zahura. In the hills Kangra, [[Nurpur]], [[Mandi]] and [[Chamba]] paid him a tribute of two lakh of rupees.
==Military career==

In 1758, After the death of [[Adina Beg]] he collaborate with Jai Singh Kanhaiya, He capture [[Sri Hargobindpur]], and Miani and established his headquarters at Sri Hargobindpur

In 1763, he sacked [[Kasur]] along with [[Jai Singh Kanhaiya]] and [[Hari Singh Dhillon]], the Ramgarhias and kanhaiyas share all their booty equally, on this occasion he tried to keep all the booty for himself, As a result his relationship with Jai singh Kanhaiya deteriorated.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Sikhs Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Sikh Misls |author=Hari Ram Gupta|isbn=81-215-0165-2|publisher=Munshilal Manoharlal Pvt.Ltd}}</ref>

In 1765, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] invaded [[India]] for seventh time in the winter of 1764-1765, During this campaign he constantly harassed by [[Sikhs]], Qazi Nur Muhammad who was present in the Afghan army discribes the numbers of engagements between Sikhs and Afghans, a battle was fought on the western bank of the Satluj opposite Rupar, it was morning and the Afghan army was hardly gone 3km from the western bank of the [[Satluj]], when they attacked by the Sikhs, The Afghans immediately stopped marching and got into regular formation of battle, Ahmad Shah Durrani was in the center with 6,000 choice soldiers, Shah Vali Khan, Jahan Khan, Shah Pasand Khan, Anzala Khan and others at the head of 12,000 troops were on the right Nasir Khan with 12,000 Baluchis was on the left, The [[Dal Khalsa (Sikh Army)|Dal Khalsa]] also organised themselves in regular battle army
[[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]] ''fearlessly stood like a mountain'' in the center close by him was Jassa Singh ''Thokah, looking like a lion in stature,'' the Qazi says that Ramgarhia has his own flag and war drum<ref>{{cite book|title=History Of The Sikhs Vol II Evolution of Sikh Confederacies|publisher=Munshilal Manohorlal, Pvt Ltd|first= Hari Ram |last=Gupta|authorlink= Hari Ram Gupta}}</ref>

In 1767, Ahmad Shah Durrani Invaded India for the eight time, while ahamed shah was crossing river [[Beas]], his passage was obstructed by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia a fierce contest took place in which Ahluwalia was severely wounded he retired Cis-Satluj areas Ramgarhia who had succed [[Hari Singh Dhillon]] as a leader of Taruna Dal took command of [[Dal Khalsa (Sikh army)|Dal Khalsa]]<ref name="auto"> Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India:Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.</ref>

In 1770, he led Plundering expedition into the hills, he defeated Raja Ghamand Chand, the most powerful hill Raja in battle of [[Talwara]] on the banks of river [[Beas]], Raja Ghamand Chand and other Raja's of hills become tributary to him, He realised tribute of about two lakhs of rupees from [[Kangra district|Kangra]] hill states.<ref name="auto"/>

In 1778, Jai Singh Kanhaiya and Haqiqat Singh Kanhaiya supported by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia attacked him and exiled him to the desert of [[Hansi]] and [[Hisar district|Hisar]]<ref>Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India:Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.</ref>

==Death and legacy==
[[File:Statue of Jassa Singh Ramgharia.jpg|thumb|Statue of Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgharia mounted on a horse and holding a sword]]
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia died in 1803 at the age of 80
An [[equestrian statue]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://equestrianstatue.org/ramgarhia-jassa-singh/|title=Equestrian statue of Jassa Singh Ramgarhia in Amritsar, Punjab India|date=6 April 2016}}</ref> of Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgharia has been installed in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab]].

==See also==
*[[Baba Deep Singh]]
*[[Nawab Kapur Singh]]
*[[Ramgarhia Bunga]]

==Notwes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*"The heritage of the Sikhs" by Harbans Singh
*{{cite book |title=A History of the Sikhs, Volume 1: 1469-1839 |first=Khushwant |last=Singh |author-link=Khushwant Singh |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1991 |pages=134, 140, 160, 178–181}}
*The Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of Sikh Misls. ''(Date:2001, revised edition. {{ISBN|81-215-0165-2}})''

==External link==
{{Commonscatinline}}

{{Sikhism}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramgarhia, Jassa Singh}}
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Sikh warriors]]
[[Category:History of Punjab]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:1723 births]]
[[Category:1803 deaths]]
[[Category:Ramgarhia people]]

Jassa Singh Ramgarhia - Revision history

Bot at 11:41, 18 December 2022