Nakai misl

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The Nakai Misl, was one of the twelve Sikh Misls that later became the Sikh Empire. It held territory between the Ravi and Sutlej rivers to the west of Lahore. The misl fought against the Sials and Pathans and The Kharals before being incorporated into the Sikh Empire of the Sukerchakia Misl by Ranjit Singh.[1]

Origin

In 1595, Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606) the Fifth Sikh Prophet with some of his followers visited the village of Baherwal Kalan. But The Guru was not received with due hospitality. So he passed on to the neighboring village of Jamber Kalan where he lay down on a charpai (cot) under a shady tree. By this time, Hem Raj, a Sandhu Jatt, chaudhari or headman of Baherwal, who was absent when the Guru passed through his village, heard of what had occurred and ashamed of his town-men's inhospitality went to Jamber Kalan and brought the Guru to his town. The Guru blessed Hem Raj and prophesied that his sons and successors would be a great and powerful chiefs.

History

In 1748 Sardar Hira Singh (1706-1767) took possession of the lands surrounding his Native village, Baherwal and countryside of Kasur which was located in the "Nakka" country South of Majha Region and his Misl took the name of the area they ruled. He took Amrit Sanchar in 1731 (Sikh Baptism) Nakka means border and the Nakka country was located between the Ravi and Sutlej south of Lahore.[2] He also took Chunian from the Afghans but died (Became a Shaheed) in a battle against Sujan Chisti for Pakpattan. His companions brought his dead body to Baherwal where it was cremated. [3] Hira Singh's son, Dal Singh, was a minor, so his nephew, Nahar Singh succeeded him as leader of the Misl.

In 1768, Nahar Singh was killed in battle against the Kharals at Kot Kumaliah and was succeeded by his son, Ran Singh.[4] Ran Singh fought repeatedly against Kamar Singh, the ruler of Syedwala. Sometime before his death in 1781, he defeated him and captured Syedwala. Sardar Ran Singh greatly expanded the misl's strength so it became dominant among its neighbors. At its high point under Ran Singh it ruled Kasur, Sharaqpur,Gugaira pargana, and the Kharal fort of Kot Kumaliah and could field 2,000 horsemen, Zamburaks, and artillery.[5] His son, Bhagwan Singh, succeeded him but could not hold his territory against Wazir Singh, the brother of Kamar Singh, who retook Syedwala. Realizing he might lose all of his territory, Bhagwan Singh set up the engagement of his sister, Raj Kour, to Ranjit Singh, who was the son of Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia Misl, in order to gain a powerful ally.[6] In 1785, Maha Singh was facing attacks from Sardar Jai Singh of the Kanheya Misl and called Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh to help him, but after they were victorious against Sardar Jai Singh, Maha Singh began to favor Wazir Singh.

Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh then fought and Bhagwan Singh was killed in the ensuing battle.[7] Dal Singh, a son of Hira Singh, then killed Wazir Singh in revenge but was killed himself by a servant of Wazir Singh. In 1789, Gyan Singh, succeeded his brother, Bhagwan Singh, son of Sardar Ran Singh Nakai and in 1798 married his sister to Ranjit Singh. In 1802, Raj Kaur gave birth to Maharaja Kharak Singh. In 1807, Gyan Singh died and Kahn Singh succeeded him. Before having his estate seized by Ranjit Singh in 1810, Kahn Singh conquered Pakpattan.[8]

List of Nakai Misl Rulers from 1748-1810:

  • Sardar Hira Singh Nakai (1706-1767)
  • Sardar Nahar Singh Nakai (d. 1768)
  • Sardar Ran Singh Nakai (d. 1781)
  • Sardar Bhagwan Singh Nakai (d. 1789)
  • Sardar Gyan Singh Nakai (d. 1807)
  • Sardar Kahn Singh Nakai (till 1810)

But in the last part of the 19th century, Sardar Ishar Singh Nakai married a Muslim Lady and converted to Islam. He took the name Abdul Aziz Nakai. One of his descendants or Grandson was Sardar Muhammad Arif Nakai Sandhu, a Pakistani politician, who died in the year 2000. Sardar Muhammad Arif Nakai's Son-in-Law is famous politician Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai. His sons are Sardar Muhammad Asif Nakai (Former Minister of State), Sardar Pervaiz Hassan Nakai (died in 2008) and Sardar Atif Nakai former Tehsil Nazim of Pattoki Tehsil.

However, Sardar Ishar Singh Nakai, before conversion to Islam, had a son named Nihal Singh from his first wife who was brought up as a Sikh by his uncles. He married but died at a young age of 21 but his wife gave birth to a son named Udham Singh one month after his death. Sardar Udham Singh had two sons named Ranjit Singh and Gurdip Singh. This Sikh branch of the family did not fall prey to the lure of wealth to convert their religion but chose to migrate to India and are living as ordinary farmers in village Burj Sidhwan near Malout in Muktsar district of Indian Punjab.

There is no documentary evidence about this so-called Nakai branch. In all 5 editions revised and updated till 1940 of the Chiefs and families of note in the Punjab by Lapel Griffin there is no mention of this "son".

Even during the British rule in Punjab (1849-1947) the descendants of Nakai Sikh Misl Sardar Udham Singh Nakai and Sardar Teja Singh Nakai were still great Sikh Sardars of Baherwal and were respected by the British as well. There was no Teja Singh Nakai in the Nakai family of Baherwal, for reference look up the pedigree tables in the Punjab Chiefs digital on line edition.

References

  1. ^ Punjab Through the Ages by S R Kakshi, Rashmi Pathak, S.R.Bakshi R. Pathak 2007; published by Sarup & Son; ISBN 978-8176257381; page 3 books.google.com
  2. ^ REPORT ON THE REVISED LAND REVENUE SETTLEMENT OF THE MONTGOMERY DISTRICT by C.A. Roe; Printed in 1878; Published by Central jail Press in Lahore; books.google.com; page 32
  3. ^ The Panjab chiefs, historical and biographical notices by Lepel Henry Griffin; Printed in 1865; Published by Chronicle Press in Lahore; ISBN 978-1104709112 books.google.com; page 118
  4. ^ The Panjab chiefs, historical and biographical notices by Lepel Henry Griffin; Printed in 1865; Published by Chronicle Press in Lahore; ISBN 978-1104709112 books.google.com; page 120
  5. ^ The Panjab chiefs, historical and biographical notices by Lepel Henry Griffin; Printed in 1865; Published by Chronicle Press in Lahore; ISBN 978-1104709112 books.google.com; page 120
  6. ^ The Panjab chiefs, historical and biographical notices by Lepel Henry Griffin; Printed in 1865; Published by Chronicle Press in Lahore; ISBN 978-1104709112 books.google.com; page 120
  7. ^ The Panjab chiefs, historical and biographical notices by Lepel Henry Griffin; Printed in 1865; Published by Chronicle Press in Lahore; ISBN 978-1104709112 books.google.com; page 121
  8. ^ The Panjab chiefs, historical and biographical notices by Lepel Henry Griffin; Printed in 1865; Published by Chronicle Press in Lahore; ISBN 978-1104709112 books.google.com; page 121


Bibliography

  • Bakshi, S.R.; Rashmi Pathak, S.R.Bakshi R. Pathak (2007), Punjab Through the Ages, Sarup & Son, ISBN 978-8176257381
  • Griffin, Lepel Henry (1865), The Panjab Chiefs, historical and biographical notices, Lahore: Chronicle Press, ISBN 978-1104709112
  • Roe, C.A.; W. E. Purser (1878), REPORT ON THE REVISED LAND REVENUE SETTLEMENT OF THE MONTGOMERY DISTRICT, Lahore: Central jail Press
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