Siege of Ram Rauni | |||||||
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Part of Mughal-Sikh Wars and Hill States-Sikh Wars | |||||||
One of the very rare photographs taken of Qila Ram Rauni of Ramgarh. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Dal Khalsa | Mughal Empire Rajas of Sivalik Hills | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Jassa Singh Thoka Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Jai Singh Kanhaiya | Mir Mannu Adina Beg Dewan Kaura Mal Mirza Aziz Khan Bakhshi Nasir Ali Khan Jalandri Sadiq Khan | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
500-900 | 30,000 Several Artillery Guns | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
200 | Massive |
The siege of Ram Rauni was a 4 months siege fought between the Sikh forces led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and the Mughal forces of Adina Beg, Dewan Kaura Mal, Mirza Aziz Khan and Bakhshi Nasir Ali Khan Jalandri.
During the first invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Sikhs had constructed a mud fort near Amritsar which had been named Ram Rauni. [1] [2] In October 1748, the Sikhs assembled at Amritsar to celebrate Diwali. [3] Mir Mannu, in a bid to defeat and destroy the Sikh, ordered Adina Beg to march against them. [4] [5] He also ordered forces under Dewan Kaura Mal, Mirza Aziz Khan and Bakhshi Nasir Ali Khan Jalandri to besiege Ram Rauni. [6]
The Mughal commanders pushed towards Ram Rauni . The Sikhs realized that they were heavily outnumbered took positions in the fort. [7] There were only 500 Sikhs at the time who were taking shelter (Persian sources suggest 900). [8] The Mughals had decided to blow up Ram Rauni by filling gun-powder in the underground tunnels. The Singhs decided to dig a deep moat, and decided to take positions in it, which prevented the progress of the plans of the Mughal. [6] The siege continued for four months with daily skirmishes taking place. [9] During the 4 moths, 200 Sikhs out of the garrison were killed. [10] According to Panth Prakash, Sikhs in groups of 10 troops came outside the fort and slaughtered the Mughals. Only an odd number of survivors ever returned to the fort. [7] Many Sikhs wrote to Jassa Singh Thoka who was a carpenter in the service of Adina Beg that he being on the side of the Muslims, was the cause of the ruin of the Sikhs, and if he did not come that day to their help he would never be allowed into the Khalsa Panth. [9] So he sent a message to Diwan Kaura Mal and he asked Mir Mannu to end the siege.
Mir Mannu offered to lift the siege because Ahmad Shah Abdali was planning to invade India for the second time. [3] Jassa Singh Thoka remained in the fort for a quite sometime. He repaired the fort and established a misl named Ramgarhia Misl. He would later be known as Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and went on to be one of the greatest Sikh generals. [5]
Dal Khalsa was the name of the combined military forces of 11 Sikh misls that operated in the 18th century (1748–1799) in the Punjab region. It was established by Nawab Kapur Singh in late 1740s.
Guru Nanak founded the Sikh religion in the Punjab region of the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the 15th century and opposed many traditional practices like fasting, janeu, idolatry, caste system, ascetism, economic materialism, and gender discrimination.
Nawab Kapur Singh was a major Sikh leader who led the community during the early-to-mid 18th century. He was the organizer of the Sikh Confederacy and its military force, the Dal Khalsa. He is held in high regards by Sikhs.
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.
Sultan-ul-Qaum Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was a Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy, being the Supreme Leader of the Dal Khalsa. He was also Misldar of the Ahluwalia Misl. This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801. He founded the Kapurthala State in 1772.
Baghel Singh was a Military general in the Punjab region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. He rose to prominence in the area around Sutlej and Yamuna. Singh joined the Singh Krora Misl, one of the misls during Sikh Confederacy. In 1765, Singh became the leader of the misl.
Ramgarhia Bunga or Burj is the three-storeyed red stone watchtowers complex located near southeastern edge of the Golden Temple, Amritsar. The two minaret-style Ramgarhia Bunga high towers are visible from the parikrama (circumambulation) walkway around the Harmandir Sahib Sarovar. It is a pre-Ranjit Singh structure built by Sikh warrior and Ramgarhia misl chief Jassa Singh Ramgarhia in late 18th-century, after the 1762 destruction and desecration of the Sikh holy temple and site by the Afghan Muslim forces led by Ahmed Shah Abdali. The Bunga watchtowers-related infrastructure was constructed to station sentinels to watch for any surprise attack, house soldiers to help fortify the area, and to protect the holy complex from desecration.
Vadda Ghalughara was the mass murder of unarmed Sikhs by the Afghan forces of the Durrani Empire during the years of Afghan influence in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent owing to the repeated incursions of Ahmad Shah Durrani in February 1762. It is distinguished from the Chhota Ghalughara. Mostly non-combatants were killed in the event, and an estimated that 10,000 to 50,000 Sikhs were killed on 5 February 1762.
Jai Singh Kanhaiya (1712–1793) was the founder and leader of the Kanhaiya Misl until his death. His daughter-in-law, Sada Kaur succeeded him in the leadership of the misl.
Fatehabad is a small town in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab State. in India, located about 20 km from Tarn Taran Sahib
Adina Beg Khan was a Punjabi general and administrator who served as the last governor of the Punjab region of the Mughal Empire, including the provinces of Lahore and of Multan. He defeated the Afghans after rising to power and was recognised as the Nawab of Punjab by Mughal emperor Alamgir II, who also gave him title of Jang Bahadur.
Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, invaded Indian subcontinent for eight times between 1748 and 1767, following the collapse of Mughal Empire in the mid-18th century. His objectives were met through the raids and deepened the political crisis in India.
Ramgarhia Misl was a sovereign state (misl) in the Sikh Confederacy of Punjab region in present-day India and Pakistan. The misl's name is derived from Qila Ramgarh, a place located in Ramsar, near Amritsar, which was fortified and redesigned by Ramgarhia Misl chief Jassa Singh Ramgarhia. The Ramgarhia Misl was one of the twelve major Sikh misls, and held land near Amritsar.
The Battle of Delhi was fought between Khalsa Sikhs and the Mughal Empire in 1783.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh is an Indian historical drama television series created by Raj Babbar. It was directed by Chitraarth and Sikander Bharti and produced by Nadira Babbar and Kukoo Babbar of Babbar Films Private Limited. The drama aired on DD National from 13 April 2010 to 3 May 2011. The series is based on the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and cover's the part of history of Punjab from 1739 to 1812. The show comprised 56 episodes. The music was composed by Jagjit Singh. Filming was done between 2004–2010.
The Battle of Mahilpur was fought between the Sikh Misls and Adina Beg Khan against the Durrani Empire in December 1757.Following the 4th invasion of Ahmad Shah Durrani, he would appoint Timur Shah as the viceroy of Punjab with Jahan Khan as his deputy.The Afghans would appoint Adina Beg Khan as the faujdar of the Jalandhar Doaba and exempted him from attending court at lahore, on the condition that Adina Beg pay revenue to the Afghan government.Soon a dispute regarding the payment of revenue occurred between Adina Beg and the Afghans.This dispute soon escalated which resulted in Jahan Khan sending an Afghan force to arrest Adina Beg.Adina Beg formed a military alliance with the Sikhs under the command of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Vadbhag Singh Sodhi.Adina Beg also gained the support of Sadiq Beg Khan, Khwaja Mirza Khan, and Raja Bhup Singh.Adina Beg along with the Sikh forces fought the Afghans at Mahilpur.The battle resulted in a victory for Adina Beg and the Sikhs and resulted in the entire Jalandhar Doaba being occupied and sacked by the Sikh forces.
The siege of Amritsar was a siege that took place in March 1748. The Battle was fought between the Sikhs led by Nawab Kapur Singh against the Mughal Forces led by Salabat Khan. The Sikhs successfully defeated and killed Salabat Khan and conquered the city of Amritsar from the Mughals.
The Battle of Anandpur, also known as the Battle of Makhowal was fought on 5 March 1753 by the Sikh forces led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Mughal forces led by Adina Beg. Large losses were sustained by the Sikh forces.
The Battle of Multan, also known as the Battle of Daurana Langana was fought in September 1749 by Kaura Mal's Mughal forces assisted by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia's Sikhs and the Mughal forces under Shah Nawaz Khan.
The Battle of Nadaun was fought in August 1752 by the Mandi and Guler state led by the Rajas of the states and the Mughal Empire led by Aziz Khan, the steward of Mir Mannu. The Hill States were supported by the Sikhs led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.