Khushal Singh Singhpuria: Difference between revisions

Khushal Singh succeeded his uncle, Nawab Kapur Singh. He prooved to be the equal of his uncle in both wisdom and bravery extending the conquests his uncle had achieved on both sides of the Sutluj. His possessions grew to include Jalandhar, Nurpur, Bahrampur, Bulandgarh, Haibatpur, Singhpur, Patti, Ghanoli and Bhartgarh, Jalandhar doab and adjoining areas which yielded an annual income of three lakh rupees. His territories continued to grow as his associates freed more districts.

Defeating Shaikh Nizam-ud-Din, the ruler of Jalandhar, he then moved to Jalandhar establishing his headquarters in the city. He was very active against the Muslim rulers of the area—it was one of his troopers who killed the Afghan governor of Sirhind, Zain Khan, in January 1764. He seized Ludhiana and Banur With the help of Amar Singh, the ruler of Patiala, who afterwards, received half of the district of Banur. During the troubles which followed the death of Amar Singh, Khushal Singh took over the whole district. He, however, was not able to hold the anexed territory because of the vastly superior forces brought against him by Patiala ka Diwan Wannu Mal, who succeeded in recovering Patiala's share of the Banur district.

Khushal Singh constructed a katra at Amritsar, which was named after his Misal. He, realised tribute from Rai Ibrahim and many other zamindars. He fought in the battles against Ahmad Shah Abdali in collaboration with other Sardars.

When Ahmad Shah Abdali made his eighth invasion of the Punjab in December 1756, Khushal Singh, accompanied by Tara Singh Gbaiba, with 6000 horsemen, was stationed at Taragarh to check his progress eastwards after the Durrani left Lahore. On the 15th January 1767, Ahmad Shah wrote letters to the Sardars, including Khushal Singh, to the effect that if they were desirous of entering his service they should come and join him, but if they had any hostile intentions they should meet him in the field. Khushal Singh and others scoffed at Durrani's proposal of joining him and told him they would meet him in the field of battle. Hounded constantly by the Sikhs, during his stay in the Punjab, the frustrated Durani returned homeward disappointed.

Most of the territories controlled by Khushal Singh had been depopulated as their farmers and merchants had fled from the terrors of the Afgan invaders and the pitched battles waged against them by the Sikhs. Now as safety returned they were quickly repopulated under the efficient administration of Khushal Singh. With a large army of about twenty thousand horse and foot the petty chiefs of the area realized that Khushal Singh was in a position to liquidate them completely. Some became his tributaries, he took over the territories of those chiefs who were ill-disposed towards him.

Hari Singh of Sialba, after Khushal Singh had seized Awankot and other villages from his control, convinced Diwan Nannu Mal of Patiala to make another attack upon Khushal Singh Singhpuria. Their joint forces first attacked Kotla, a small fort held by Man Singh, son-in-law of the Singhpuria chief, and reduced it without much difficulty. Then, they besieged Awankot, but Budh Singh, son of Sardar Khushal Singh, accompanied by Tara Singh Ghaiba, Rai Singh Bhangi and other chiefs, quickly put an end to the siege. The Patiala army, even with the aid of Nabha and Kaithal troops, failed in their attempt to retake Awankot from the Singhpurias.

Like his uncle Nawab Kapur Singh, Khushal Singh was also deeply interested in preaching Sikhism and administering baptism of the double-edged sword to his followers. Khushal Singh died in 1795.