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| Sardar Mihan Singh, Kumedan of Sikh Empire |
Last week, the SGPC authorized volunteers doing Kar Seva at Golden temple complex for a new building, excavated an archeologial site. Some Sikh organization stopped the excavation accusing the volunteers of digging a deep pit without taking care of the heritage structure beneath. Are these sites related to Sikh Gurus, Sikh Misl period, or Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
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| Excavated Building in Amritsar |
Dr. Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke has done some research on these buldings and he mentions this building as part of networks of "Bunga" built by various Sikh Misl leaders and Sardars of the Sikh empire. One name he mentioned was the Bunga of Kumedan Mihan Singh. So who was Kumedan Mihan Singh?
My Personal Connection
Kumedan Mihan Singh was a commander of a Sikh infantry battallion of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He joined the Sukarchakia Misl and rose to the rank of Commander (Kumedan in Punjabi) in the Sikh army. He established his jagir in Gujranwala and today in its place, a town is flourishing bearing his name - Qila Mihan Singh.
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| Map of Qila Mihan Singh, Gujranwala |
He was the great grandfather of my maternal grandmother, Sardarni Parkash Kaur Bedi (Nee Jaidka).
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| My Grandparents - Tikka Gurcharan Singh Bedi and Prakash Kaur Bedi-Jaidka |
Sardar Mihan Singh was appointed as the Governor of Kashmir by Maharaja Ranjit Singh with the intention of keeping the Dogra Rajas of Jammu under close scrutiny. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh he strove for the independence of Lahore from the British. He was playing a key role in preparation for the Anglo-Sikh Wars as the custodian of ammunition. Therefore, sometimes he is also mentioned as Sardar Mihan Singh Bhandari. The Bhandar was the ammunition and supplies center for the Sikh Army. However he was assasinated by rebelious troops instigated by the Dogra Raja Dhyan Singh and Gulab Singh on 17th April 1841. This removed the last obtacle in the ambition of Dogra Rajas to side with the British during the Anglo-Sikh wars.
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| Anglo-Sikh Wars |
The descendents of Kumedan Mihan Singh live in Chandigarh now. Couple of years ago, I hade the opportunity to meet up wuth my uncles in Chandigarh - Sardar Gurjit Singh Jaidka, Brigadier Bikranjit Singh, and Prof. Kuldip Jaidka.
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| Jaidka Family of Chandigarh |
Governor of Kashmir (1834-1841)
On 14th February, 1832, Mohan Lal Kashmiri recorded in his diary "Mihan Singh is the bravest commander in Ranjit Singh's army, and has fought a great many battles, in which he has received many wounds."
Sardar Mihan Singh took charge of his new post in October, 1834 and appointed Pandit Ganesh Dar as his Chief Minister. They took the following measures
- Abolished duties on grain and other necessary articles of daily consumption.
- Imported large quantities of grain and poultry from the Punjab.
- Black marketers were severely punished.
- To encourage cultivation, he gave relief in land revenue, and granted 'taqavi' loans liberally to cultivators.
- He promoted trade by reducing tariff duties. Shawl factory owners were given loans to increase production. Imports and exports with Ladakh, Punjab, British India, Afghanistan and Central Asia were developed.
- Serais were built at convenient places for traders and travellers.
- Facilities of credit and correspondence through state postal service were provided.
- Suppressed an organized body of thugs called Galwans. They roamed about, committed dacoities, and carried off beautiful girls. Khaira Galwan was their leader. Mihan Singh rooted them out (Vigne).
- He laid out 'Basant Bagh' and planted fine chinar trees which still exist in that garden. The tribal revolts were crushed with a strong hand.
- Complied 'Tarikh i Kashmir', a document of much historical and economic importance
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| Sikh Coin from Kashmir - Sardar Mihan Singh |
Kasmiri Pundit's Plight
A secular by heart, Sardar Mihan Singh was pained to see that Kashmiri Pundits did not have freedom to practice their religion. They were not allowed to pray in their temples, celebrate hindu festivals, and sort religious artefacts in public.
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| Pundits of Kashmir |
It is said that Sardar Mihan Singh placed a large cannon on the entrance of Srinagar. This resulted in the Fatwa being withdrawn and kashmiri Pundits allowed to practice their religion.
Mihan Singh & Dogras - shawl trade
Jia Lal Kalam has given a good account of this dispute. The shawl weavers and shawl merchants were Shias, and as a result of Shia-Sunni riots, the Shias were leaving the valley for Amritsar, Ludhiana & Jammu. The natural calamities made the things worst. Meanwhile Raja Gulab Singh Dogra was encouraging weavers in Jammu. Following the occupation of Kishtwar, a shorter though a difficult route was opened to Ladakh where the wool for the shawls came. Gulab Singh managed to divert the wool direct to Jammu through his newly acquired district of Kishtwar. This resulted in considerable damage to shawl industry of Kashmir and consequently there was unemployment and poverty.
Mihan Singh tried to apprise the Maharaja of this state of affairs, but due to the presence of Dhian Singh Dogra, who was the Prime Minister at Lahore, the information was kept back from the Maharaja. Finally a letter was sent through a trusted servant and with a direction that he should deliver the letter directly in the hand of the Maharaja. The Maharaja expressed his dissatisfaction and raw wool started coming back to Kashmir and the shawl industry flourished again.
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| Shawl Traders from Kashmir |
Conflict with Dogra
Mihan Singh & Dogras had a bit of history. According to Brigadier Gurbachan Singh Bal, earlier in 1834 when the situation in Ladakh became favourable, Mihan Singh had expressed a desire to lead a campaign to the province but Dhian Singh Dogra was able to convince the Maharaja to allow Gulab Singh Dogra to do it, who instructed Zorawar Singh to carry out the mission. Mihan Singh was asked to cooperate with Jammu. Later when Ladakhi revolted, Dogras accused Mihan Singh for instigating it.
Sadly, after the death of Maharaja, the state of intrigues in Lahore had an impact at Kashmir. Instigated by the Gulab Singh, two Dogra battalions of the Sikh army in Kashmir revolted and in April 1841 assassinated Mihan Singh at his residence in Srinagar. Pandit Ganesh Dar who had been personally honoured by Maharaja at Lahore also killed within a fortnight of Mihan Singh's death.
Qila Mihan Singh Town
About ten kilometers from Gujranwala, there is a town known as Qila Mian Singh. This town was established by Kumedan Mihan Singh and was named after him. Today, there isno sign of any fort but a boundary wall of probably a garden still exists. It is a huge compound in a square shape, with each side measuring 150 meters, encompassing an area of over 5 acres. The walls are deteriorating and some portions have fallen. The land inside the boundary walls is now cultivated and there are no signs of any garden.
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| Walls of Garden of Qila Mihan Singh |
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| Samadh at Qila Mihan Singh |
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| Guru Nanak with Mardana and Bala |
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| Fresco from Qila Mihan Singh |
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| Another Fresco from Qila Mhan Singh |
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| Damaged Fresco of Qila Mihan Singh |
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| Shahid Shabbir at Qila Mihan Singh |
While Shahid Shabbir is making efforts to record, document, and preserve Sikh heritage in West Punjab. Will the Sikh heritage buildings in East Punjab survive the onslought of overzealous ignorance of our own SGPC and Kar Sewa Wale Babas?
References
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG150956
https://www.sikhnet.com/news/evaluation-sikh-rule-kashmir
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qila_Mihan_Singh
http://pakgeotagging.blogspot.com/2018/12/096-old-garden-at-qila-mian-singh.html
http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/uoc/PDF-FILES/(16)%20Dr.%20Khawaja%20Zahid%20Aziz.pdf
https://www.sikhnet.com/news/research-sikh-heritage-pakistan-shahid-shabbir-aka-baba-ji
Great job done to preserve and project the glorious heritage and lineage of your grandmother, Nani ji, . Otherwise history and memory is lost. God bless you for the time and efforts spent on this job.
ReplyDeleteThis is the Sandhu lineage from Gujranwala. My name is Ceymer sandhu he was from my lineage my dad is Jagdeep singh sandhu his dad is called gurmaher singh sandhu his dad then was called gurubakhsh singh sandhu and then his dad was Jamiate singh sandhu and then
DeleteHe’s the son of the great Mihan Singh sandhu
Ceymar,
DeleteSandhus from Gujranwala have illustrious history as the Kanhaiya Sikh Misl under the leadership of Jai Singh Sandhu defeated the Abdalis in collaboration with Maha Singh of Sukarchakia Misl (Father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh). This was the last time Afghan ever attacked Punjab. Ranjit Singh's first wife was the daughter of Jai Singh Sandhu . Maharaja Sher Singh was son of Ranjit Singh and Mehtab Kaur Sandhu.
Sandhus are primarily found in the Majha (Mid) region of Punjab. Some Sandhu clans of Bar Doab (land between Beas and Ravi river) converted to Islam, while the rest of the Sandhu clans follow Sikhism. Muslim Sandhu clans are mainly found in Sialkot, Gujranwala, Shiekhupura, Lyallpur, districts of the Bar, while the Sikh Sandhu clans are found in, great large numbers in Gurdaspur, Amritsar region of Punjab. Some Sandhus also settled in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Hoshiarpur. Some Hindu Sandhu clans can be found in Haryana also.
Sardar Bhagat Singh also belonged to the Sandhu clan.
This is the Sandhu lineage from Gujranwala. My name is Ceymer sandhu he was from my lineage my dad is Jagdeep singh his dad is called gurmaher singh his dad then was called gurubakhsh singh and then his dad was Jamiate singh and then
ReplyDeleteHe’s the son of the great Mihan Singh x
I’m so proud me and my sister are carrying that honour
This is the Sandhu lineage from Gujranwala. My name is Ceymer sandhu he was from my lineage my dad is Jagdeep singh his dad is called gurmaher singh his dad then was called gurubakhsh singh and then his dad was Jamiate singh and then
ReplyDeleteHe’s the son of the great Mihan Singh x
I’m so proud me and my sister are carrying that honour
Good to know the lost connections and shall note it down in my references.
ReplyDeleteThank you for giving us fantastic information about Sikh Empire Coins . Your blog benefits people who want to know about historical Sikh Empire Coins .
ReplyDeleteSikh Empire Coins | Tripura Coins | Rohilkhand Coins | Bengal Nawabs Coins | Krishnaraja Wadeyar Coins | Chamaraja Wadeyar Coins |