Nawab Kapur Singh

Nawab Kapur Singh Virk (1697–1753) is considered one of the major figures in Sikh history, under whose leadership the Sikh community traversed one of the darkest periods of its history. He was the organizer of the Sikh Confederacy and the Dal Khalsa. Nawab Kapur Singh is regarded by Sikhs as a leader and general par excellence.

Early life

Nawab Kapur Singh was born into a Virk Jat family in 1697. His native village was ''Kaloke'', now in Sheikhupura district, in Punjab (Pakistan). Kapur Singh was eleven years old at the time of Guru Gobind Singh's passing on and nineteen at the time of the massacre of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and his followers in Delhi. Later, when he seized the village of ''Faizullapur'', near Amritsar, he renamed it ''Singhpura'' and made it his headquarters. He is thus, also known as Kapur Singh Faizullapuria, and the small principality he founded, as Faizullapuria or Singhpuria.

Initiation into the Khalsa fold

Kapur Singh underwent amrit-initiation at a large gathering held at Amritsar on Baisakhi Day, 1721 from Panj Piarey led by Bhai Mani Singh. His father, Dalip Singh, and brother, Dan Singh, were also among those who were initiated into the Khalsa fold on that day.

Campaign against Zakarya Khan

Kapur Singh soon gained a position of eminence among the Sikhs, who were then engaged in a desperate struggle against the Imperial Mughal government. Zakariya Khan Bahadur who had become the Mughal governor of Lahore in 1726, launched a policy of persecution against the Sikhs.

In those days, pursued by the bounty-hunters, as the governor of Lahore had put a price on a Sikh's head, the Sikhs roamed the jungles of Central Punjab in small groups. Kapur Singh headed one such band. To assert their high spirits despite being hounded by government forces and bounty-hunters, and with a view to paralysing the administration and obtaining food for their companions these groups would launch attacks on government treasuries and caravans moving from one place to another. Such was their success in this endeavour that the governor was soon obliged to make terms with them.

The title of Nawab

In 1733, the Mughal government decided, at the insistence of Zakarya Khan, to revoke all repressive measures issued against the Sikhs and made an offer of a grant to them. The title of Nawab was conferred upon their leader, with a jagir consisting of the three parganas of Dipalpur, Kanganval and Jhabal.

After a Sarbat Khalsa, the Kapur Singh accepted the offer. Kapur Singh was unanimously elected as the leader and chosen for the title. As a mark of respect, he placed the robe of honour ("Siropa") sent by the Mughals at the feet of the Panj Piare - amongst whom were Baba Deep Singh, Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Buddh Singh (great-great-grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh) - before putting it on. The dress included a shawl, a turban, a jewelled plume, a pair of gold bangles, a necklace, a row of pearls and a brocade garment.

Formation of the Dal Khalsa

Word was sent around to Sikhs passing their days in distant jungles and deserts that peace had been made with the government and that they could return to their homes. Nawab Kapur Singh undertook the task of consolidating the disintegrated fabric of the Sikh ''Jathas''. They were merged into a single central fighting force (The Dal) divided into two sections - The ''Budha Dal'', the army of the veterans, and the ''Taruna Dal'', the army of the young, Sardar Hari Singh Dhillon was elected its leader. The former was entrusted with the task of looking after the holy places, preaching the word of the Gurus and inducting converts into the Khalsa Panth by holding baptismal ceremonies. The Taruna Dal was the more active division and its function was to fight in times of emergencies.

Nawab Kapur Singh's personality was the common link between these two wings. He was universally respected for his high character. His word was obeyed willingly and to receive baptism at his hands was counted an act of rare merit.

Rise of the Misls

Under Hari Singh's leadership, the Taruna Dal rapidly grew in strength and soon numbered more than 12,000. To ensure efficient control, Nawab Kapur Singh split it into five parts, each with a separate centre. The first batch was led by Baba Deep Singh Shaheed, the second by Karam Singh and Dharam Singh, the third by Kahan singh and Binod Singh of Goindwal, the fourth by Dasaundha Singh of Kot Budha and the fifth by Vir Singh Ranghreta and Jivan Singh Ranghreta. Each batch had its own banner and drum, and formed the nucleus of a separate political state. The territories conquered by these groups were entered in their respective papers at the Akal Takht by Sultan ul Quam Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. From these documents or misls, the principalities carved out by them came to known as Misls. Seven more groups were formed subsequently and, towards the close of century, there were altogether twelve Sikh Misls ruling the Punjab.

Singhpuria Misl

The founder of the rule-by-Misl system was Nawab Kapur Singh. Nawab Kapur Singh was a great warrior. He fought many battles. The Battle of Sirhind (1764) was a turning point of Singhpuria Misl. After the fall of Sirhind a considerable portion of present-day Rupnagar District came under the Singhpuria Misl. These areas included ''Manauli'', ''Ghanuli'', ''Bharatgarh'', '' Kandhola'', ''Chooni'','' Machli'', ''Bhareli'', ''Bunga'' and ''Bela''.

By 1769, the Singpuria Misl had the following territories in its possession:-
Some parts of the districts of Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur in Doaba, Kharparkheri and Singhpura in Bari-Doab and Abhar, Adampur, Chhat, Banoor, Manauli Ghanauli, Bharatgarh, Kandhola, Chooni, Machhli Bhareli, Banga, Bela, Attal Garh and some other places in the province of Sirhind.

Chota Ghalughara

Meanwhile, Khan and his minister, Lakhpat Rai, again launched an all-out campaign and set forth with a large army. The Sikhs were brought to bay in a dense bush near Kahnuwan, in the Gurdaspur District. They put up determined fight, but were overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the enemy and scattered with heavy losses. They were chased into hills. More than seven thousand died. "To complete revenge" says Syed Mohammad Latif, another historian of the Punjab, "Lakhpat Rai brought one thousand Sikhs in irons to Lahore, having compelled them to ride on donkeys, bare-backed, paraded them in the bazars. They were, then taken to the horse-market outside Delhi Gate, and there beheaded one after another without mercy." So extensive was the indiscriminate killing that the campaign is known in Sikh history as the ''Chhota Ghalughara'' or ''Lesser Holocaust''. The ''Greater Holocaust'' ''Wadda Ghalughara'' was to come later.

Death

Nawab Kapur Singh requested the community to relieve him of his office, due to his old age, and at his suggestion, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was chosen as the supreme commander of the Dal Khalsa. Kapur Singh died on 9 October 1753 at Amritsar and was succeeded by his nephew (Dhan Singh's son), Khushal Singh.

Khushal Singh who succeeded him as the leader of the misl. Sardar Khushal Singh played a significant role in expanding the territories of the Singhpuria Misl on both the banks of the Satluj river. The most important of the possessions of Khushal Singh were Patti, Bhartgarh, Nurpur, Bahrampur and Jalandhar. Khushal Singh also occupied Ludhiana. He had to divide the district of Banur with Patiala. He died in 1795 leaving his misl stronger than ever it was and with territorial possessions far larger than those he had inherited.

Khushal Singh was succeeded by his son Budh Singh. When Abdali returned home after his ninth invasion of India, the Sikhs had occupied more territories in the Punjab. Sheikh Nizamuddin was the ruler of Jalandhar at that time. Sardar Budh Singh defeated Nizamuddin on the battle-field and occupied Jalandhar. He also took possession of Bulandgarh, Behrampur, Nurpur and Haibatpur-Patti. This victory brought him yearly revenue of three lakhs of rupees.

However, Budh Singh could not equal Khushal Singh's talents. The Singhpuria Misl began to decline and ultimately all its possessions on the west of Satluj were annexed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On his possessions on the east of the Satluj, however, the British extended their protection to him.

Budh Singh died in 1816, leaving seven sons behind him. His eldest son, Amar Singh Virk, retained possession of Bhartgarh and divided the rest of the territories among his six brothers as under:-

*Bhopal Singh Virk was given the estate of Ghanauli.
*Gopal Singh Virk: Manauli.
*Lal Singh Virk: Bunga.
*Gurdyal Singh Virk: Attalgarh.
*Hardyal Singh Virk: Bela
*Dyal Singh Virk: Kandhola.

Legacy

The village of Kapurgarh in Nabha is named after Nawab Kapur Singh.

See also

*Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
*Singhpuria Misl

References

Bibliography

*''The heritage of the Sikhs'' by Harbans Singh
*''History of the Sikhs, Volume 1'' by Khushwant Singh

External links

Sikh-history.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nawab Kapur Singh
1697 births
1753 deaths
Sikh warriors
History of Punjab
People of the Sikh Empire
Punjabi people
Jat rulers
Nihang
Jathedars of Akal Takht
Indian warriors
Indian Sikhs
18th-century Indian monarchs
People from Sheikhupura
People from Amritsar
Military personnel from Amritsar
Politicians from Amritsar