Jassa Singh Ramgarhia

By Surjit Singh

Gurpreet Singh

Where he was born?

• Ichogil Village in 1723 near Amritsar Sahib

Family of Jassa Singh

• Grandfather- Hardas Singh

• Father- Bhagwan Singh

• Four brothers- Jai Singh, Khushal Singh, Mali Singh and Tara Singh

• Jassa Singh was the oldest

The Dal Khalsa

• Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh, Hari Singh Dhillon, Bhai Karam Singh, and Bhai Budh Singh had a meeting to nominate the leader of Sikh army

• In 1733, a leader was needed for the Sikh Army and Nawab Kapur Singh was given that responsibility

• Jassa Singh was in the Taruna Dal

Rise of the Misls

• Numbers increased to 12,000 and needed to make groups to keep track of the army

• Nawab Kapur Singh split it into 5 groups

• Baba Deep Singh, Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh, Kahan Singh and Binod Singh, Dasaunda Singh, and Vir Singh Ranghreta and Jivan Singh Ranghreta

• Slowly 7 more groups were created and altogether 12 groups were formed ruling Punjab

Ramgarhia Misl

• Adina Beg was travelling with his army and hunting for Sikh heads during the period of 1716

• In 1758 Adina Beg died and those who were imprisoned were then known as Ramgharias and Jassa Singh was the head of the group then took back the fort of Ram Rauni

Ramgarhia Misl Cont’d

• Where the Misl group stayed was around the Riarki area of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Batala . The Ramgarhias constructed and fortified the mud fortress of Ram Rauni. It was named Guru Ram Das

• His Misl contained more than 1000 horsemen helping Dal Khalsa

• Now only a "dasvand" a 10% income was a fixed price on the Sikhs - as protection tax to pay for the armies.

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Ram Rauni

• It was attacked in 1748 by Mir Mannu and Adina Beg

• Jassa Singh got help from the Kaura Mal Diwan

• Strengthened the fort and renamed Ramgarh and Jassa Singh was the leader of the fort

Ramgarh

• Mir Mannu came again and surrounded the fort with only 900 Sikhs inside

• The fort was demolished by the army and Mir Mannu continued the hunt for Sikhs until he died in 1753

• Jassa Singh rebuilt the fort and took control of some areas near Amritsar Sahib

Ramgarhia Estates

• Jassa Singh occupied areas north of Raavi and Beas rivers and his capital was in Hargobindpur

• The large size of his area he controlled made the other Sikh Misls jealous

Misl Wars

• Jai Singh and Jassa Singh became enemies

• Jassa Singh joined armies with Bhangi Misls and Jai Singh joined with Charhat Singh

• Lost battle of Batala

• Bhangis joined Jai Singh and Jassa Singh was defeated and went to Amar singh ruler of Patiala

Misl Wars Cont’d

• Jassa Singh was welcomed very kindly

• In the Jammu area Maha Singh and Jai Singh became enemies

• Jassa Singh joined Maha Singh

• During war between Maha Singh and Jai Singh his son died who's name was Gurbaksh Singh

Union of Misls

• Sada Kaur wife of Gurbaksh Singh had a daughter who married Maha Singh which made everything peaceful again

• Their son’s name was Ranjit Singh who led most powerful Misl of Punjab

Death of Jassa Singh

• He died in 1803

• Had a son named Sardar Jodh Singh Ramgarhia

• He created a good relationship with Ranjit Singh

• They never fought again