This provided the
pretext to Zakaria Khan to start a campaign aimed at eliminating the Sikhs.
He sent orders to all his administrators to hunt for the Sikhs, imprison
them and send them to Lahore. Hundreds were brought to Lahore to be slain
everyday.
According to Dr. H.
R. Gupta, an eminent historian of 18th century Punjab, the result of these
atrocities was that the Sikhs moved out of Bari Doab into Jallandhar Doab.
The nawab of Lahore also sent an experienced officer, Adina Beg, with
a large force to crush the Sikhs and bring about peace in the area. Initially
Adina Beg turned a blind eye to the activities of the Sikhs but was forced
to take stronger action by the Nawab. The result was that he sent a message
to the Sikhs to leave his area voluntarily otherwise he would have to
force them out himself. The Sikhs on bearing this news sent Jassa Singh
Thoka (who later on became famous as Jassa Singh Ramgarhia) as their envoy
to Adina Beg in 1740 when he was only 17 years of age. It was a task needing
considerable tact, responsibility and statesmanship in a budding young
man. Baba Prem Singh Hoti in his book 'Builders of the Khalsa Raj', mentions
that Jassa Singh performed his task with such a great sense of responsibility
and tact that Adina Beg became highly impressed with his statesmanship
and wisdom and offered him a major position in his army with a jagir to
cover his expenses. Jassa Singh consulted the Dal Khalsa about the offer.
The Dal Khalsa approved of Jassa Singh joining Adina Beg's service on
the grounds that it would be ultimately beneficial to the Sikhs. They
would be able to live in peace in Jallandhar Doab, particularly when Zakaria
Khan was murdering them in thousands everyday in Bari Doab. The Sikhs
could also strengthen their power and gain military and administrative
experience.
Thus Jassa Singh became
an important general in the army of Adina Beg commanding a platoon of
a hundred Sikhs and sixty Hindus and an administrator of jagirs given
to him as a source of income. It is said that he administered the area
under his control so efficiently that people were very happy and enjoyed
benefits of peace in his area, so much so that after Adina Beg's death
when Jassa Singh tried to conquer these areas independently, he had no
difficulty in getting them. Jassa Singh also managed to get many Sikhs
appointed as Thanedars (police officers) in Jallandhar Doab, and developed
contact with Diwan Kaura Mal, the finance minister of Mir Mannu. This
friendship stood hint in good stead particularly in getting the siege
lifted from Ram Rauni later on in 1749.
Jassa Singh remained
in the employment of Adina Beg for about eight years. During this period
the Sikhs suffered endless repression. Yahya Khan, son of Zakaria Khan
became the ruler of Punjab and carried on his father's policy of exterminating
the Sikhs. His period witnessed what is known in Sikh history as the First
Ghalughara, the first holocaust. Lakhpat Rai, whose brother Jaspat Rai
was killed in a battle against the Sikhs, decided to avenge the death
of his brother by putting an end to all the Sikhs, by whatever means possible.
Thousands were killed and those who managed to reach Jallandhar Doab were
treated with great respect and hospitality by Jassa Singh.
Shah Nawaz's gaining
the governorship of Lahore on 30th March 1747 provided the Sikhs with
the needed respite. They decided in a Gurmata to build a fort for the
defence of the town of Amritsar and the Harimandir Sahib, now the Golden
Temple. A small fortress was built and named 'Ram Rauni' after the fourth
Guru. Ram Das.
In 1748, at the time
of Diwali, the Sikhs came from all over Punjab to celebrate Diwali and
join in the illuminations at Harimandir Sahib. They also stored food,
water and ammunition in the Ram Rauni for future use, for Mir Mannu had
become the new governor of Punjab and his intentions were well-known as
anti-Sikh.
As expected Mir Mannu
ordered all Sikhs to evacuate Punjab and laid siege to Ram Rauni. He also
asked Adina Beg to send forces to help with the siege and also to obey
instructions about clearing his area of the Sikhs. The siege continued
from October 1748 to January 1749 by the Mughal army, about two hundred
Sikhs were killed within the fort and there was no more food or ammunition
left in store. Jassa Singh, noticing the plight of his fellow brethren
and finding his inability to get the siege lifted by changing Adina Beg's
mind, decided to leave Adina Beg and in the darkness of the night went
into the fortress along with his forces and stores and took up the responsibility
of defending the fortress himself. Such was the result of his deed that
the besieged gained new confidence and hope. He also succeeded, through
the offices of Diwan Kaura Mal in getting the siege lifted after some-time.
Diwan Kaura Mal, called by Sikhs, with affection as Mitha Mal, impressed
upon Mir Mannu the need of enlisting the help of Sikhs in curbing Shah
Nawaz at Multan and defending Punjab from the imminent Abdali invasion.
The result was that
Jassa Singh not only managed to save the lives of three hundred Sikhs
besieged in the fortress which was also saved, but also gained for the
maintenance of the fortress one fourth revenue of the pargana of Patti
as well as twelve villages of Gur Chak from Mir Mannu. This was no mean
achievement. It shows his courage, statesmanship, tact and devotion to
his faith. The Way the siege was brought to an end displays his mastery
over diplomacy.
Soon after 'Ram Rauni'
was renamed 'Ram Garh', Jassa Singh was appointed its first commander
(kiledar). From 1748 onwards Jassa Singh made the preservation and defence
of 'Ram Garh' his main aim in life. Many a time it was razed to the ground
by the Mughals and Pathans, thousands of lives were lost in its defence
but every time Jassa Singh rebuilt it with greater devotion and constant
perseverance. That is why Jassa Singh and his followers came to be known
as 'Ramgarhia' and his 'misal' became famous with this name.
Most of the members
of this misal came from similar technical professions, that is, they could
erect buildings, make weapons themselves and fight the enemy. These were
no mean assets to a group of people fighting for survival. They all felt
pride in being called 'Ramgarhias' because they earned it by maintaining
the existence and honour of the one and only symbol of Sikh power at the
most critical period in Sikh history.
But the Sikhs could
not enjoy favours from Mir Mannu for long. After Abdali's third invasion,
Mir Mannu was defeated, Diwan Kaura Mal was Killed in battle and Punjab
became a part of the Afghan Empire. Mir Mannu accepted the suzerainty
of Abdali, took back the jagir assigned to 'Ramgarh' and started for the
second time the campaign of exterminating the Sikhs by sending Adina Beg
and Sadiq Beg with a large force. The Sikhs were hunted, caught, brought
to Lahore and then murdered with the most cruel methods known to Mir Mannu
and his assistants. Mir Mannu is described in the Sikh legends in this
way:
Mannu is our scythe,
we are his hay,
The more he cuts us,
the more we grow.
Mannu's most obvious
object of attack was 'Ramgarh', which was besieged. There were nine hundred
Sikhs in it, under Jassa Singh's command. He defended it bravely but realising
that the struggle would prove very costly in lives lost against Mughal
hordes, decided to vacate the fortress. He and the remaining soldiers
fought their way out to seek shelter in their old haunts, the hills and
forests till the right opportunity presented itself to rebuild Ramgarh,
which was razed to the ground by the Mughals soon after it was vacated.
The opportunity presented
itself on the death of Mir Mannu on 3rd November 1753, Jassa Singh marched
straight to Amritsar and rebuilt Ramgarh with the help of fellow Ramgarhias,
stronger than before, a standing proof of that indefatigable will and
unbending spirit of Jassa Singh and his comrades.
