Bhangi Misl Bhangi Misal | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1748–1810 | |||||||||||
| Capital | Amritsar | ||||||||||
| Common language | Punjabi | ||||||||||
| Religion | |||||||||||
| NotableSardar's | |||||||||||
• 1739–1746 | Bhuma Singh | ||||||||||
• 1746–1765 | Hari Singh | ||||||||||
• 1765–1774 | Jhanda Singh | ||||||||||
• 1774–1775 | Ganda Singh | ||||||||||
• 1782–1800 | Gulab Singh | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Early modern period | ||||||||||
• Split fromSinghpuria Misl | 1748 | ||||||||||
• Annexed by theSikh Empire | 1810 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Today part of | Pakistan,India | ||||||||||
| Misls of theSikh Confederacy |
|---|
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TheBhangi Misl (Punjabi pronunciation:[pə̃˨ŋɡiː mɪsəl]) was a large and powerfulSikhMisl[1] headquartered inAmritsar. It was founded in the early 18th century bySardarChhajja Singh Dhillon,[1][2][3] who was baptised into theKhalsa tradition byBanda Singh Bahadur.[4][5] It was a first misl to established a Khalsa Raj and publish Khalsa currency coins.[citation needed] The Bhangi Kingdom/Misl was founded byDhillonJats.[6]
Themisl received its name "Bhangi" because Chhajja Singh and his soldiers frequently used the herbal intoxicantbhang (drink made fromcannabis sativa).[7][8]Bhang (hemp) was a wild-growth plant found in the jungles of Punjab and along river-banks.[9] An intoxicant can be produced by pounding the plant in a mortar and sifting it.[9]
._temp._Desa_Singh._VS_1833-1839%2c_AD_1776-1782._AR_Rupee_(20mm%2c_11.55_g%2c_2h)._Multan_mint._Dated_VS_1832_(AD_1775)._(1121_1).jpg)
The misl was founded by Jats.[10] It grew in strength and territory to cover an area fromGujrat toMultan and emerged as the strongest power in the westernPunjab region.[11] The Misl went north intoJammu untilPoonch, west to theIndus River, south to theMultan, and east to central modern dayPunjab, India.[12] In 1761, the Bhangi chief Hari Singh captured Kasur and nearby areas of Ferozepore.[13] However, deaths among the leadership during the late 1760s reduced the Misl's power.[11] On 16 April 1765, the BhangisardarsGujjar Singh and Lehna Singh Kahlon, allied withSobha Singh of theKanhaiya Misl, conquered Lahore.[14] They did not plunder the city as it was the birthplace ofGuru Ram Das, the fourthSikh guru.[14]
The Bhangi misl engaged in numerous power struggles with theSukerchakia Misl until they were severely weakened at theSiege of Lahore and the loss of Lahore toRanjit Singh in 1799.[15][citation needed]
In 1810, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a force to Gujrat to annex the Bhangi Misl. Its chief, Sahib Singh, did not resist Ranjit Singh's forces and thus the misl was annexed by the Sikh Empire.[16] Due to the pleading of the mother of Sahib Singh, Mai Lachhmi, Ranjit Singh bestowed him with a jagir worth 100,000 rupees, however Sahib Singh died in 1811.[16] Sahib Singh's two widows, Daya Kaur and Rattan Kaur, were wedded to Ranjit Singh viachador dalna.[16]
Bhangi Misl held the possession ofZamzama, the famous cannon, which was at the time named Bhangi Toap, Bhangianwala Toap and Bhangian di Top, names it retains to this day.[17]
The list of the chiefs of the Bhangi Misl are as follows:[18][10]
The misl originated from Panjwar near Amritsar.[10] The Bhangis held the Upper Rechna Doab, Upper Chajj Doab, and territory around Lahore and Amritsar.[10] The Bhangi Misl controlled much of western Punjab between Multan and the Hill States, including the settlements of Lahore, Amritsar, Gujrat, and Sialkot.[19]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)In 1810 Ranjit Singh had decided it was time to annex the territories of the Bhangimisl in Gujrat, but its chief Sahib Singh, realizing the futility of resisting the ruler's superior forces, had withdrawn to his Deva Butala fort without a fight, leaving themisl's possessions to the victor. Moved by the pleading of the Bhangi chief's mother Mai Lachhmi, he gifted her son a holding worth 100,000 rupees. Sahib Singh did not live long enough to enjoy this largesse as he died a year later, whereupon his two widows, Daya Kaur and Ratan Kaur, became a part of Ranjit Singh's household throughchadar dalna.