Black and White Picture of Raja Ugar Singh of Hindur, 1840-1850 (from Archer's book on Punjab Hills Paintings) Picture the year: 1795. The foothills of the Shivaliks are tense, echoing with the tramp of armed men and the grinding pressure of regional rivalries. Down in the valleys, Raja Ram Saran Singh Handuriya of Handur (modern-day Nalagarh) is caught in a grinding political bind. For years, Handur has ridden the coattails of Kangra’s aggressive campaigns against its bitter historical rival, Bilaspur (then known as Kahlur). But looking out across his contested borders, Ram Saran Singh faces a heavier, more haunting question: Does he continue serving as a satellite to Kangra’s ambitions, or does he break away, side with Maha Chand and Bilaspur, and reclaim a fractured sense of Rajput honor? The friction between Handur and Bilaspur was rooted in continuous struggles over strategic border zones, crucial river-crossing points, and the Satgarha (seven forts) territory. Because Handur...
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| Mughal Painting of Raja Jagat Singh Pathania, now at the Cleveland Museum of Art |
Raja Jagat Singh Pathania was believed to be the greatest ruler
of Noorpur state, which today stands divided between Punjab and Himachal. A
mansabdar of the Mughal forces, he had spared no occasion to seek independence
from the Mughal yoke. Interestingly, he had great relations with Nurjehan, Jahangir's wife, who interceded and sued peace despite a rebellion against Shah Jahan. It was in her honor amid a trick played on the Mughals that the original kingdom of Dhameta was renamed as Noorpur.
His reign had seen the Noorpur state reach its zenith in military
might and culture. However, his history is poorly documented in present times,
and remains ignored barring some local scholars of Himachal Pradesh. A ballad
that still survives from the historical period was documented by eminent Himachal scholar and Hindi author Dr. Gautam Sharma ‘Vyathit’. The version transcribed
and translated by him is presented below from his book ‘Folklore of Himachal
Pradesh’.
Though not much description has been provided in terms of
timelines, in all likelihood the Emperor Nali mentioned here may refer to Shah
Jahan. The ballad refers to an Afghanistan campaign. This campaign may have
been the first Afghanistan campaign led by Murad Baksh in 1646 where they defended
Afghanistan from the Persians. The year 1646 is believed to be the year Raja
Jagat Singh died.
Listen my
brothers in Noorpur reigned Raja Jagat Pathania
Son of
Karamchand, grand-son of Tarachand
Given of
gods, born at full term
Born to
rule Noorpur.
Thou art
fortunate O King, thy feet have the lucky Chakra sign
Thy
forehead bears the sign of the snake which brings wealth.
Nali the
Moslem king heard of Jagat Singh and sent him a letter
Jagat
reads the letter of the king Nali.
“I hear
that in the hills, a Jagata is becoming famous.
Come and
test your powers against mine.”
Jagat
Singh read the letter, his eyes grew blood shot,
“Who was
it that went and spread all this?
May you
die O mega barber, thou art the culprit.
You were
born and brought up here and now thou has betrayed me?”
Voices
arose, let us go to fight in battle field.
People
dug up buried family treasures, and heaped them in their gardens.
Jagat
Singh spent money in fistfuls and asked his people to get ready for battle, to
die.
Some are
fond of their old mothers, some are devoted to their vivacious wives,
“Those
that love women may stay at home, brothers.
And those
that love the king, come with me.”
The king
Jagat left for Delhi.
The Moghul
women sitting on roof tops saw the armies of the hill folk.
One said,
“the kind of the hills has come”
The other
said, “he is a subordinate of ours,”
The kind
at this, yelled, “If I am truthful, I shall tie these people with handcuff.”
Raja Jagat
Singh orders his servants,
“We must
finish them at one go.”
“Where were
you when god distributed good looks?” (the emperor Nali asked Jagat)
“When god
was distributing good looks, I had gone to acquire wisdom,”
Nali
saluted the brave and witty king.
“Such a brave
man should be sent across the area of Atak (Attock),
Colelct
as much bounty s you like in two and a half hours,
I give
you Delhi to loot.”
The
forces of Jagat entered the city and took all the gold and silver, and nothing
else.
As the
day arose, Delhi screamed and wailed,
Jagat Pathania
left Delhi and reached Kabul.
He
ordered his faithful soldiers to fight.
And they
killed all the Moslems in sight.
Twenty-two
princesses of Kabul were slain, none came to the front,
The
battle over, the armies returned.
Among the
high hills, Jagat pitches his tents.
And said,
“I am Indra, the lord of gods,
Who is as
great as I am?”
Indra was
cross and sent a snow storm to finish his forces.
“Thou has
been vain O king, one should not be vain.”
Indra
shot arrows of snow. The dying soldiers screamed,
“Listen
to us, O king!
We are getting
buried in snow, who shall save us?
The snow
is covering the tents.”
And soon
Jagat and his armies lay buried in snow.
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