Krrissh at 11:49, 10 December 2025

2025-12-10T11:49:08Z

New page

{{Short description|Sardar of Sukerchakia Misl (1756/60-1790/92)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox royalty
| succession = [[Sukerchakia Misl#Leaders|Sardar of Sukerchakia Misl]]
| image = Maha Singh of the Sukarchakia Misl.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Sardar Maha Singh of the Sukarchakia Misl
| predecessor = [[Charat Singh]]
| successor = [[Ranjit Singh]]
| father = [[Charat Singh]]
| mother = [[Desan Kaur]]
| spouse = {{ubl|[[Mananwala|Mai Man]]|[[Raj Kaur]] (Mai Malwain)}}
| issue = [[Ranjit Singh]]
| royal house = [[Sukerchakia]]
| religion = [[Sikhism]]
| birth_date = 1756 or 1760
| birth_place = [[Gujranwala]], [[Sukerchakia Misl]], [[Sikh Confederacy]] <br /> (present-day [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], [[Pakistan]])
| death_date = 15 April 1790 or April 1792
| death_place = Gujranwala Fort, [[Sukerchakia Misl]], [[Sikh Confederacy]] <br /> (present-day [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], [[Pakistan]])
}}

'''Maha Singh''' ({{langx|pa|Mahaṅ Singh}}; 1760 – 15 April 1790<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Herrli |first=Hans |title=The Coins of the Sikhs |pages=7}}</ref> or 1756 – April 1792),<ref name=eos>{{cite web |url=http://www.learnpunjabi.org/eos/index.aspx
|title=MAHAN SINGH |last=Khurana |first=J.S.
|website=Encyclopaedia of Sikhism
|publisher=Punjabi University Patiala
|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="KakshiPathak2007">{{cite book|last1=Kakshi|first1=S.R.|last2=Pathak|first2=Rashmi|last3=Pathak|first3=S.R.Bakshi R.|title=Punjab Through the Ages|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K_FRF3a5y2EC|access-date=12 June 2010|date=2007-01-01|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-738-1|pages=272–274}}</ref> also spelt as '''Mahan''' or '''Mahn Singh''', was the second [[Sardar]] of the [[Sukerchakia Misl]], which as a Sikh grouping with its guerilla militia was one of twelve [[Sikh Confederacy|Sikh Misls]] that later became part of the [[Sikh Empire]]. He was the eldest son of [[Charat Singh|Sardar Charat Singh]] and [[Desan Kaur|Sardarni Desan Kaur Warraich]]. He was the father of the Punjabi king [[Ranjit Singh]].

Upon the death of his father, [[Charat Singh]], he succeeded to the leadership of the Sukerchakia Misl. His son [[Ranjit Singh]] succeeded him and established the [[Sikh Empire]]. He is known for his alliance with [[Jassa Singh Ramgarhia]] and for reducing the power of the [[Kanhaiya Misl]]. Maha Singh married firstly [[Mananwala|Mai Man Kaur]], daughter of Sardar Jai Singh Mann of [[Mananwala|Mughalchak-Mananwala]], and secondly [[Sardar]]ni [[Raj Kaur]], daughter of Raja Gajpat Singh of [[Jind State|Jind]] and mother of Ranjit Singh.

== Early life ==
Maha Singh was born in a [[Sandhawalia]] [[Jat Sikh]] family to Charat Singh and his wife, Desan Kaur in 1756. Some sources say he was born in the year 1760.<ref>{{Cite book|last=www.DiscoverSikhism.com|url=https://archive.org/details/HistoryOfTheSikhMisals|title=History Of The Sikh Misals|language=English}}</ref><ref>Ahmad Shah Batalia, op. tit., p. 29; Carmichael Smyth, op. tit., p. 9.</ref> He had three younger siblings, Saher Kaur, Raj Kaur and Sahej Singh, who died in infancy.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Siṅgha|first=Bhagata|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BihuAAAAMAAJ&q=raj+kaur+bhangi|title=A History of the Sikh Misals|date=1993|publisher=Publication Bureau, Punjabi University|language=en}}</ref> Maha Singh was brought him up in his family's martial tradition by his parents and accompanied his father to a variety of military expeditions from an early age. Charat Singh married Maha Singh to [[Mananwala|Mai Man Kaur]], daughter of Sardar Jai Singh Mann, chief of [[Mananwala|Mogalchak-Mananwala]], before his death in 1770 to strengthen the [[Sukerchakia]] Misl.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 113">Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India: Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. p. 113.</ref> His own [[matchlock]] accidentally exploded and killed him.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pathak|first=Rashmi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kxtEFA5qqR8C&dq=charat+singh&pg=PA15|title=Punjab Through the Ages|date=2007|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-738-1|language=en}}</ref>

==Leadership of the Sukerchakia Misl==
[[File:Painting of Mahan Singh (also spelt as Maha Singh) of the Sukerchakia Misl seated underneath a red canopy.jpg|thumb|Painting of Mahan Singh seated underneath a red canopy with attendants]]
He succeeded his father as the chief of the Sukerchakia Misl.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 113"/> Maha Singh was assisted by his mother in the affairs of the state. Desan Kaur was a worldly-wise, experienced, courageous and an intelligent lady, her people were content with her admiration skills.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 113"/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=luoKAQAAMAAJ&q=desan+kaur|title=Studies in Sikhism and Comparative Religion|date=2006|publisher=Guru Nanak Foundation|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Lafont 2002">{{Cite book|last=Lafont|first=Jean Marie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YrG_aJTgnw0C&dq=desan+kaur&pg=PA14|title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh|date=2002|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distri|language=en}}</ref> To strengthen her position she married her daughter, '''Raj Kaur''' to '''Sahib Singh''', son of '''Gujjar Singh''' of the [[Bhangi Misl]] and the other daughter, '''Saher Kaur''' was married to '''Sohel Singh'''.<ref>[[Ganesh Das|Ganesh Das Badehra]], op. tit, p 135</ref> She later arranged for her son Maha Singh to be married to [[Raj Kaur|Rajkumari Raj Kaur]], daughter of [[Jind State|Raja Gajpat Singh]] of [[Jind]] in 1774. By setting up these alliances she ensured the sympathies of the [[Phulkian Misl|Phulkians]] and the [[Bhangi Misl|Bhangis]](who were jealous of the growing fame of her late husband); these matrimonial alliances helped her consolidate power.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lafont|first=Jean Marie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YrG_aJTgnw0C|title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh|date=2002|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distri|language=en}}</ref> Desan Kaur and Maha Singh were assisted by her brothers Dal Singh of Akalgarh and Gurbaksh Singh as well as [[Jai Singh Kanhaiya|Sardar Jai Singh Kanhaiya]] with whom Charat Singh once exchanged turbans with - a practice done to express solidarity with each other.<ref>Kanaihya Lai, Tarikh-i-Punjab (1877), Punjabi, Version, Patiala, 1968. p. 135.</ref>

Soon Maha Singh captured the [[Rohtas Fort]] from Nur-ud-din Bamezai, a general of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] and occupied Kotli Ahangaran, near [[Sialkot]]. After this victory, he laid a four-month [[Siege of Rasulnagar|siege to Rasool Nagar]] assisted by [[Jai Singh Kanhaiya]].<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 113"/> He triumphed over Pir Muhammad, the ruler of the Chathas, on the eastern bank of river [[Chenab River|Chenab]] who surrendered to Maha Singh. This victory added luster to the Sukarchakia Misal, and many other chiefs who were the dependents of the Bhangis offered to transfer their allegiance to the Sukarchakias.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 113"/><ref>{{Cite book
| last = Kakshi
| first = S.R.
|author2=Rashmi Pathak |author3=S.R.Bakshi |author4=R. Pathak
| title = Punjab Through the Ages
| publisher = Sarup and Son
| year = 2007
| location = New Delhi
| pages = 16–17
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=kxtEFA5qqR8C&q=charat%20singh&pg=PA16
| isbn = 978-81-7625-738-1}}</ref> While he was at battle, Raj Kaur affectionately known as ''Mai Malwain'' gave birth to their only son. The child was named Budh Singh after their ancestor who received [[Amrit Sanskar|amrit sanskar]] from [[Guru Gobind Singh]] himself.<ref>Sohan Lai Suri, op. tit., II, p. 15;</ref> On his return from [[Rasulnagar]], Maha Singh was presented with his son and to commemorate his victory the child's name was changed to Ranjit meaning "victor in battle") Singh (meaning "lion").

Mahan Singh distributed grains to every body who approached him, it was said that his good will was the reason behind the recovery of his son from smallpox.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119">Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India: Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. p. 119.</ref>

==Military campaign==
=== Conflict with the [[Bhangi Misl]] ===
[[File:'Assembly of Sikhs and Sansar Chand of Kangra', attributed to Purkhu of Kangra, ca.1780.jpg|thumb|[[Ramgarhia Misl|Ramgarhia]] and [[Sukerchakia Misl|Sukarchakia]] Misls hold a diplomatic meeting. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (long, white beard) on left. Maha Singh with checked blanket covering chest on the right, in centre]]
Capture of Bhangi territories Chait Singh, youngest brother of Gujar Singh, had come to help. the Chathas. Mahan Singh arrested him and imprisoned him in the fort of Gujranwala. Raj Kaur, sister of Mahan Singh and wife of Sahib Singh, came from Gujrat to Gujranwala to secure liberation of Chait Singh. Mahan Singh did not listen to her, and did not set the Bhangi sardar free. The Mahan Singh then turned towards Bhangi territories. He captured Sahiwal and imprisoned its qiladar. He seized Pindi Bhattian, [[Isa Khel]] and [[Musakhel, Punjab|Musa Khel]]. He killed Desa Singh of Chiniot in 1782. Karam Singh Dulu held his own successfully at [[Jhang]].

In 1777, Mahan Singh entered the [[Sialkot]] district, almost the whole of which belonged to Bhangis. First of all he attacked [[Kotli]] famous for the manufacture of arms. He obtained match locks in tribute. He stayed in the district for two months. He invited all the Bhangi chiefs to meet him on a fixed day at a certain place. Twenty-two of them responded to his call. They were imprisoned. They were set free on acknowledgement of his overlordship and payment of tribute. Mahan Singh failed to capture [[Sialkot]] as it was bravely defended by Charat Singh Bajwa of Badhala village and Mansa Singh and Rupa Singh. Mahan Singh's two months siege proved fairly satisfactory.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 113"/> Bhangis then had to pay tribute to Gujranwala.<ref>Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India: Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. p. 114.</ref>

In 1788 Gujjar Singh died and was succeeded by his son, Sahib Singh who was also Maha Singh's brother-in-law. Mahan Singh demanded his tribute but Sahib Singh decided to wage war against Maha Singh.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/> Maha Singh then sieged the Sodhara accompanied by his 10 year old son, Ranjit Singh.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/>

=== Conflict with the [[Kanhaiya Misl]] ===

After the death of Ranjit Deo, Kanhaiya and Bhangis occupied some of the territories of Jammu. Ranjit Deo's son, Brij Deo asked Maha Singh for help but due to his pact with the Kanhaiyas he asked him to pay tribute to them. Later in January 1784 [[Haqiqat Singh Kanhaiya]] and Mahan Singh had made a pact to attack and share the wealth, but Maha Singh did it alone, he Plundered Jammu for three days and nights killing thousands of men the booty was secured was worth than more than one crore, Haqiqat Singh was so deeply shocked at this treachery that he soon died afterwards, the death of Haqiqat Singh was great Loss to Jai Singh, he demanded the Half of the booty from Maha Singh for Haqiqat Singh Son, Jaimal Singh, which Maha Singh refused<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/> On the Diwali day in 1784, all the Sikhs chiefs gathered at Amritsar, Jai Singh Kanhaiya behaved coldly with Maha Singh and refused his attempts to reconcile and called him Dancing boy Maha Singh took this insult to heart and he attacked Kanhaiya camp outside Amritsar, Jai Singh pursued him, A further engagements took place near [[Majitha]], Jai Singh was forced to seek shelter inside the town, which was besieged, he escaped into [[Jalandhar]] and prepared his army for battle against Maha Singh.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993">Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India:Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=A history of the Sikhs, from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej |last=Cunningham |first=Joseph Davey |year=1918|publisher=Oxford University Press |location=London, New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.31113/page/n176 118] |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.31113|quote=a history of the sikhs cunningham. }}</ref><ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/> Maha Singh knows, he could not face him alone, so he invited Raja Sansar Chand Katoch and [[Jassa Singh Ramgarhia]] both enemies of Jai Singh to join him, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia hurried from [[Tosham]] at the head of his whole force, and stopped at [[Jagraon]], where Maha Singh agent's met him to form the plan of action, A Kanhaiya force tried to check Ramgarhias but failed a hard battle was fought in near Achal about 4 km from [[Batala]], the battle continued for six hours [[Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya]] son of Jai Singh died in battle the Kanhaiya force's having lost their leader got disheartened and were routed, Gurbakhsh Singh death broke the back of his father who made no further resistance, He Burst into tears, emptied his quiver of its arrow and dismounting from his horse expose himself to the enemy fires, Tara Singh and Jaimal Singh took him away from the battle field to a place of safely [[Sada Kaur]] who was also present in the battle field escaped to her fort [[Sohian]]<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993"/>

After the battle of Achal Jai Singh Kanhaiya retired to Naushera where he reorganized his force for a fresh struggle Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and Sansar Chand Katoch got busy in occupying there former possessions, Maha Singh alone remained in the field, Another battle was fought between Maha Singh and Jai Singh Kanhaiya at Naushera, Both sides sustained heavy losses but Jai Singh Kanhaiya suffered a defeat, he escape to his fort of Nurpur Maha Singh pursued him and laid siege to the fort to the fort, Maha Singh did not like to stay at a distant place, he raised the siege and turned homeward, Maha Singh seized Kanhaiya territories with worth a three lakhs a year,<ref name="Singh2004">{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Khushwant|title=A History of the Sikhs: 1469–1838|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MD9uAAAAMAAJ|access-date=2 January 2023|edition=2nd|date=11 October 2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-567308-1}}</ref><ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/>

==Matrimonial alliances==

In 1784, [[Ran Singh Nakai|Sardar Ran Singh Nakai]], an ambitious chief from the [[Nakai Misl]] who just like Maha Singh was considered the future of the Sikh nation, died. He was succeeded by his son, Bhagwan Singh who was unable to hold territory against another chief, Wazir Singh.<ref>Singha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India: Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. p. 165.</ref> Realizing they need a powerful ally to counter Wazir Singh with them, [[Karmo Kaur|Sardarni Karmo Kaur]], widow of Sardar Ran Singh sent a proposal to get her infant daughter, Raj Kaur Nakai betrothed to his four-year-old son, Ranjit Singh and Maha Singh readily agreed. This was the first alliance between Nakais and Sukherchakias.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sheikh|first=Majid|date=2021-04-25|title=Three Maharanis of the great Sikh Maharajahs|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1620259|access-date=2021-10-22|website=DAWN.COM|language=en}}</ref> This marriage took place in 1792<ref>{{Cite book|last1=von Hugel|first1=Karl Alexander|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781139198622|title=Travels in Kashmir and the Panjab|last2=Jervis|first2=T. B.|date=2009|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-19862-2|location=Cambridge|doi=10.1017/cbo9781139198622 }}</ref> and Raj Kaur Nakai was renamed Datar Kaur as many ladies in the Sukerchakia Misl bore the name "Raj Kaur", like Ranjit Singh mother and his aunt. She was affectionately called Mai Nakain by Ranjit Singh.<ref name="Lafont 2002"/> In 1801, she gave birth to Ranjit Singh's first son and [[heir apparent]], [[Kharak Singh]]. The couple had two other sons [[Rattan Singh]] born in 1805 and Fateh Singh who died in infancy.<ref>{{Cite ODNB|last=Bance|first=Bhupinder Singh|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/105619|title=Duleep Singh, Princess Catherine Hilda (1871–1942), suffragette|date=2013-10-03|series=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/105619 }}</ref>

After the death of [[Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya]] his widow, [[Sada Kaur]] being a farsighted woman, finding the Sukerchakia Misl in its ascendancy, proposed the marriage of her two-year-old daughter to Ranjit Singh. Jai Singh's pride was humbled but he agreed for the match and in 1786 the young children were engaged. [[Sada Kaur]] would later succeed to the leadership of the [[Kanheya Misl|Kanhaiya Misl]]. With this matrimonial alliance peace was restored between the two contending Misals. This alliance proved very helpful to Ranjit Singh in his future conquests and consolidation of Punjab under his sway.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/> This marriage took place in 1789<ref>{{Cite book |last=Atwal |first=Priya |url=https://academic.oup.com/book/31929 |title=Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire |date=2020 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-754831-8 |edition=1 |language=en |doi=10.1093/oso/9780197548318.001.0001 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> and Mehtab Kaur became his first wife and mother of twins, [[Sher Singh]] and [[Tara Singh (Sikh prince)|Tara Singh]] in 1807.

==Death and legacy==
[[File:Tomb of Maha Singh or Mahan Singh.jpg|thumb|Samadhi of Maha Singh or Mahan Singh, in [[Sheranwala Bagh|Sheranwala Garden]], Gujranwala.]]During the siege of [[Sodhra]], which was being occupied by the [[Bhangi Misl]], he contracted dysentery<ref name="eos" /> The ambitious Sukarchakia chief was having a failing health due to overwork and exhaustion and in the course of the siege of Sodhra when the victory was just insight he was suddenly taken ill by a violent attack of fever. He handed charge to Ranjit Singh and retired to Gujranwala.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/> Ranjit Singh was victorious but Maha Singh died on April 15, 1790.<ref name="Singha, Bhagata 1993 p. 119"/> According to [[Hari Ram Gupta]],<ref>Hari Ram Gupta, op. tit, IV, p. 313.</ref> <blockquote>"There is not the least doubt about it that if he had lived ten years longer, he would have become the sole monarch of the whole of northern India from the Khyber Pass to the Ganga, and from the Himalayas to the Arabian sea, and Emperor Shah Alam II would have become his protege."</blockquote>[[Syad Muhammad Latif|Muhammad Latif]] states,<ref>Muhammad Latif, op. tit, p. 344-45; cf, Prinsep, op. tit, pp. 37-38.</ref><blockquote>"Mahan Singh was brave, enterprising and prudent beyond his years; and the age in which he lived highly favoured his ambitious schemes His early feats in arms had acquired for him so great a reputation that many influential independent Sardars joined his banner. His rapid successes gave him an ascendancy over all the Sikh chiefs. His military genius, undaunted courage, stern temper and rigid observance of the rules of delicacy and honour, at times, involved him in serious trouble, but he honourably acquitted himself on all such occasions."</blockquote>

== In popular culture ==

*In the 2010 historical TV series ''[[Maharaja Ranjit Singh (TV series)|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]'' telecasted on [[DD National]], the character of Maha Singh is portrayed by [[Gavie Chahal]].
* Maha Singh was portrayed by [[Shalin Bhanot]] in [[Life OK]]'s historical drama ''[[Sher-e-Punjab: Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=Leader of the [[Sukerchakia Misl]]|before=[[Charat Singh]]|after=[[Ranjit Singh]]
|years=1770 –1792}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Maha}}
[[Category:Misl leaders]]
[[Category:1792 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Ranjit Singh]]

Maha Singh - Revision history

Krrissh at 11:49, 10 December 2025