Muslim regiments: crescent or others
59-627: Jasrota kingdom in the Himalayan foothills of India was founded in 1064 A.D at south-eastern Jammu between the Ravi and the Ujh rivers which ended in 1815. The remainants of Jasrota kingdom exists as ruined forts, restored temples, water bodies and canals in Hiranagar tehsil, Narowal tehsil, Nagri tehsil, Kathua tehsil, Marheen tehsil, Dinga Amb tehsil, Ramkot tehsil, Mahanpur tehsil, Billawar tehsil. Jasrota
118-467: A General . In 1838-39, the strength of the Sikh artillery was 182 heavy cannons , 20 howitzers , and 60 light cannons. It had at least 5,000 gunners. The Fauj-i-Khas was the elite wing of the army. It was strictly trained under French pattern and had a separate emblem and flag. It consisted of four infantry battalions, two cavalry regiments and one artillery troop. Its weapons and equipment (including clothing)
177-443: A cavalry parade. "I never beheld," he wrote of a troop of Ghorcharhas, "a finer nor a more remarkably striking body of men. Each one was dressed differently, and yet so much in the same fashion that they all looked in perfect keeping."< The Fauj-i-Kilajat was the army defending the forts and also acting as police. Each fort had 50 to 250 of these men and their officer was called Killedar or Thanedar. They were mainly Muslims and wore
236-403: A few years. Maharaja Ranjit Singh divided his artillery into four categories: The artillery was divided into batteries or deras. Each battery consisted of 10 guns and 250 gunners. Each battery was under a commandant . The batteries were further divided into sections . Each section compromised 2 guns and 8 to 10 gunners. Each section was under a Jamadar. The entire artillery was under
295-712: A higher military rank was based on military skill, not hereditary background, so the Sikh Khalsa Army was a classic meritocracy . Enlistment in the army was entirely voluntary, and only strong, physically fit men were recruited. The task of recruiting officers was in the hands of the Generals or the Maharaja himself. Every year, a lot of money was spent on presents and honours for the soldiers who had displayed gallantry. Titles like "Fateh-o Nusrat Nasib", "Zafar Jhang" and "Bright Star of Punjab" were given to many Generals. For disloyalty
354-531: A red stripe, and crimson turbans. Woollen jackets were used during winter. They all instead of the traditional weapons carried only a three foot kirpan and a lance. The regiments were armed with varying combinations of weapons, including swords/sabres, carbines , matchlocks, and lances. One of the most unique regiments of the Sikh Khalsa Army was the Shutersawaar or the cannon mounted war camel used by Hari Singh Nalwa in his conquest of Peshawar . The Shutersawaar
413-624: A ruby ring on the middle finger. Sikhs formed the bulk of the Sikh Empire's army. The Sikh Army was mainly Punjabi with a predominantly Sikh cadre, but also had a significant multi-religious component made up from other parts of the Punjabi people . There were soldiers of different religious backgrounds (i.e. Muslims and Hindus) and there were soldiers of different tribal backgrounds: Pashtuns , Dogras , Khatris , Jats , Kashyap Rajputs , Ramgarhias , Nepalis and European mercenaries . A promotion to
472-476: A soldier could be imprisoned or exiled. Usually, the soldiers were granted two months of leave, either in the winter season or before it. When soldiers were required, leaves were cancelled and they were granted leave at the end of the campaign. The pay of the Sikh Khalsa Army was higher than the pay of the British East India Company and other Asian armies. The Nishan Sahib Sikh flag flew throughout
531-662: A traditional white turban with a sky blue overcoat and a yellow kurta. Some small Misldars still kept their lands but under the Empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. One famous Misldar is Fateh Singh Ahluwalia who fought against the Afghan forces and did not agree to the Dogra supremacy. Akali Nihangs were not sustained under the Sikh Khalsa army. They were and are a religious army and follow their Jathedar as their emperor. These jathedars have evolved into
590-548: Is no evidence they partook in any actual fighting. They performed martial dances with swords for visiting foreign dignitaries. Whilst dancing, they wore men's clothing. Their dances symbolized the martial glory of the Sikh Empire and its sovereignty. The earliest surviving mention of the amazonian corps is from 12 March 1831: ...A royal order was issued to all the dancing girls in the town of Lahore to put on male garments, hold swords and bows in their hands and be decorated with other arms as well and then to present themselves at
649-569: The Imperial Gazetteer of India , a publication now in the public domain . Sikh Khalsa Army Sikh regiments: Khanda or plain banners The Sikh Khalsa Army ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਫੌਜ , romanized: Sikha khālasā phauja ), also known as Khalsaji or simply Sikh Army , was the military force of the Sikh Empire . With its roots in the Khalsa founded by Guru Gobind Singh ,
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#1733084841796708-740: The paramountcy (or tutelage ) of the British Crown , from 1858 until the Partition of India in 1947, when it became a disputed territory , now administered by three countries: China , India , and Pakistan . The princely state was created after the First Anglo-Sikh War , when the East India Company, which had annexed the Kashmir Valley , from the Sikhs as war indemnity, then sold it to
767-557: The Dogra school of painting during the reigns of Bhupal Dev, Sukh Dev and Dhruv Dev, which began in the late 17th century and ended in 1735. Charak and Billawari say that "The great miniature tradition in the hills owes much to Jasrota", noting in particular the patronage of the family of the painter Nainsukh by Raja Balwant Singh and also the ongoing attendance at the royal court at Jammu, where Jasrota rulers sometimes served as diwans and would have been influence by its culture. The palace of
826-563: The Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great . The revolt is referred to in the Ma'asir-ul-Umara and Akbarnama but the history of Jasrota in the following years, up until the arrival of Sikh forces in the region, is obscure. It appears to have taken little part in the various regional upheavals of the 17th and 18th centuries and the recorded genealogy of the ruling family is incomplete. Ajab or Ajib Dev
885-482: The Sikh Empire , as his superior. Although Randhir Singh's brother, Bhuri Singh, was nominally recognised as his successor, Ranjit Singh annexed the territory in 1815 and both Nurpur kingdom and Jasrota were governed by Sikh Governor. In 1834 Jasrota was converted into a jagir that was gifted to Hira Singh, a son of Dhian Singh , the Dogra Prime Minister of Lahore , who was also a nephew of Gulab Singh . It
944-535: The fortified town is now derelict, there remains an active village bearing the same name on its outskirts. Jasrota is in Kathua district and it is just 16 km from Kathua city. Some sources say that Raja Jas Dev of Jammu ( c. 1020–1053) give to his brother, Karan Dev. Others say that Karan Dev was a son of Bhujdev, a ruler of Jammu, and that the state came into existence in either the 12th or early 13th century, when Karan Dev's military prowess enabled him to win over
1003-501: The jagirdars and landlords of the area; in this latter interpretation, Karan Dev was Jas Dev's nephew. There is agreement that Karan Dev was the founder of the ruling Jasrotia family. The first written record of Jasrota is probably that found in the Ma'asir-ul-Umara . The state was bifurcated following a dispute between the twin sons of Kailesh Dev, who had been ruling in 1320. Pratap Dev and Sangram Dev both sought to succeed their father but it
1062-614: The Back of the army as they had the tallest turban and held the Nishan Sahib. They were known as the troops of Baba Fateh Singh which inspired the war-cry Fateh Singh Ke Jathe Singh . The Dumala-Wala Nihangs wore a shorter turban with three to four chakrams and a small pharla from it. In the turban lied three to four short Khandas. On the Nihangs back has to be a Dhal with a Vadda Chakram below and on
1121-624: The British, which allowed them to win several crucial battles. This led to the defeat of the Khalsa and the British signed the Treaty of Lahore , ending the war in a Sikh defeat. The treaty stipulated that the Sikh Empire was to pay a significant amount of reparations to the East India Company, and Jind Kaur , the Sikh regent, was imprisoned and later exiled. The Sikh Army was reduced to 20,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry. The disbanded soldiers were also furious with
1180-462: The Budha Dal and ate meat. The Nihangs who hunted boars and deer kept the trophies as 'Soor Das' (Boar's Tooth) and 'Barha Singha' (Deer Horns). The Nihang Bana started with a navy or surmayee blue four foot tall Dastar Bunga with many chakrams in ascending order and a Gajgah. On the top of the turban lied a metre and a half long pharla to show that the spirit of the Khalsa would never be broken. Under
1239-624: The Deorhi of the Maharaja on elephants and horses, in perfect smartness and with great grace... Another contemporary observation of the corps was made by the Scottish traveler and explorer, Alexander Burne, in his travelogue: On our arrival, we found... a party of thirty or forty dancing girls, dressed uniformly in boys’ clothes. They were mostly natives of Cashmere or the adjacent mountains... (and) their figures and features were small, and their Don Giovanni costume of flowing silk most becoming, improved as it
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#17330848417961298-545: The Indian military being airlifted to Kashmir, to engage the Pakistan-supported forces. The western and northern districts now known as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan passed to the control of Pakistan after it occupied it, while the remaining territory stayed under Indian control, later becoming the Indian administered state of Jammu and Kashmir . India and Pakistan defined a cease-fire line—the line of control—dividing
1357-636: The Jasrotias still exists, although the fortified town is derelict and only an eponymous village exists on its outskirts. It is situated on the banks of the Ujh River , around 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Jammu, in Jammu and Kashmir . It now forms a part of the Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary . Jasrotia Rajputs meet there annually to commemorate their history and organise a yajna for a temple that exists inside
1416-464: The Muslim soldiers who fired upon them. The Sikh Nihangs shot off many musket and matchlock volleys rather than a sword charge. It resulted in the death of many of Metcalfe's escorts, while others were wounded. Although more of Metcalfe's soldiers died, Ranjit Singh became particularly fascinated by the Muslim guards. This impressed Ranjit Singh and left a deep impact on him, as the Nihangs had quickly adopted
1475-532: The Raja of Jammu, Gulab Singh , for rupees 75 lakhs . At the time of the partition of India and the political integration of India , Hari Singh , the ruler of the state, delayed making a decision about the future of his state. However, an uprising in the western districts of the state followed by an attack by raiders from the neighbouring Northwest Frontier Province , supported by Pakistan, forced his hand. On 26 October 1947, Hari Singh acceded to India in return for
1534-730: The Sikh flags had the inscription of the motto of the Khalsa: " Deg Tegh Fateh ", in Persian Nastaʿlīq script . After the death of Ranjit Singh, the Sikh Empire witnessed the murders of Ranjit Singh's sons, one after another, organised by the Dogras. Then the Dogras urged the army to make the Lahore Durbar declare war on the East India Company. They did so, and the Dogra-led Sikh Army was betrayed by its commanders who revealed battle plans to
1593-789: The administration of the territory with the intercession of the United Nations which was supposed to be temporary but still persists. According to the census reports of 1911, 1921 and 1931, the administration was organised as follows: In the 1941 census, further details of the frontier districts were given: Including Jammu District , Kathua District , Udhampur District , Reasi District , Mirpur District , Chenani Jagir, and Poonch Jagir . Including Baramulla District ( Kashmir North District ), Anantnag District ( Kashmir South District ), and Muzaffarabad District . Including Ladakh District , Astore District , Gilgit Leased Area, and Gilgit Agency . This article incorporates text from
1652-417: The amazonians of the Sikh court were described as follows: Their uniform was as follows: a lemon yellow Banarsi turban with a bejewelled crest; a dark green jumper over a blue satin gown, fastened with a gold belt; deep crimson skin tight pyjamas of Gulbadan; silk and a pair of golden shoes. As for jewellery, they wore a pair of gold earrings set with stones, a diamond nose stud, a pair of golden bracelets and
1711-743: The armies in Punjab consisted purely of cavalry. After Ranjit Singh became the Sardar of Sukerchakia Misl he gradually unified most of the Punjab through conquests and diplomacy. However the Afghans, the British and the Gurkhas remained a threat while his empire was in its infancy. Therefore, in 1805, he began recruiting regular forces and employing deserters from the East India Company as officers or soldiers. This latter tactic did not work particularly well because most of
1770-624: The army was later modernised on Franco-British principles by Maharaja Ranjit Singh . It was divided in three wings: the Fauj-i-Khas (elites), Fauj-i-Ain (regular force) and Fauj-i-Be Qawaid (irregulars). Due to the lifelong efforts of the Maharaja and his European officers, it gradually became a prominent fighting force of Asia. Ranjit Singh changed and improved the training and organisation of his army. He reorganized responsibility and set performance standards in logistical efficiency in troop deployment, manoeuvre , and marksmanship . He reformed
1829-522: The dastar Bunga was a Surmayee or navy chola with a yellow hazooria and kamar kasa. Under the Kamar Kasa (a cotton belt) should be two Kirpans, a khanda and other daggers. One Kirpan should be Nagini and one straight. All Nihangs had horses on which there would be a Nishan Sahib, long Musket, a Karpa Barcha and a Nagni Barcha. The Nishan Sahib should be pointed up resembling victory and should have an Ashtabhuja Dhuja on top. This class of Nihangs always came at
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1888-452: The deserters were constantly in touch with the British. The British were alarmed with the rapid conquests of Ranjit Singh and sent many diplomatic missions to help the Phulkian sardars from a possible conquest of their lands and to check the growing power of the Sikh sovereign. The Sikhs under Maharaja Ranjit Singh had already defeated the British while they first tried to lay claim to Delhi for
1947-499: The empire. The Nihangs had the Blue Flag, while different regiments of the army from different religions were allowed to have banners of their own. The regular regiments of different Sikh sardars had mostly blue-coloured flags and banners. The infantry regiments had flags with depictions of plants and cavalry regiments had depictions of horses on their flags. The Fauj-i-Khas had its own French tricolore flag with Waheguru on it. Most of
2006-535: The first time, states Rattan Singh Bhangu. A Muslim regiment under Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe was sent to Amritsar for talks with the Maharaja. The soldiers created noise through their chants as they approached Ranjit Singh's fort in Amritsar and passed near the Golden Temple and caused an irregular detachment of Nihang guards to inquire about the disturbances during prayer, before they were challenged by
2065-445: The five districts of the Jammu province . Between 1921 and 1931, the headquarters of the district was shifted to Kathua , and the district came to be called the Kathua district . Hira Singh resurrected a connection with art for which Jasrota had previously had some renown. In building palaces of architectural splendour within the fort walls, he brought in painters to ornately decorate them. Jasrota had been particularly associated with
2124-697: The fort was razed by the Sikh Khalsa Army in 1845 and abandoned thereafter. The descendants of the Jasrotia family migrated to Khanpur, near to Nagrota . Following the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846) and the Treaty of Amritsar (1846) , Gulab Singh was proclaimed the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir , acquiring all the lands between the Ravi River and the Indus . Jasrota became part of his empire and got established as one of
2183-621: The infantry in large numbers. In 1822 Ranjit Singh employed a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, General Jean-Baptiste Ventura to train the infantry in European style. In a few years, under his command, the infantry was modernized in French pattern. Similarly, in 1822, Ranjit Singh employed another French Napoleonic War veteran, General Jean-François Allard to modernize the Sikh cavalry. In 1827 Claude Auguste Court , and in 1832 Colonel Alexander Gardner
2242-400: The infantry in western pattern. Under his guidance, within a few years, the infantry became the most disciplined unit of the Sikh army. By 1838-1839 the strength of the infantry had risen to 45,000. It was divided into battalions , companies and sections . Each battalion consisted of 800 soldiers. It was put under a Commandant . Each battalion was divided into eight companies. Each company
2301-567: The jathedars today. The Akali Nihangs even used to fight with the other armed soldiers of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Other parts of the Irregulars consisted of the Akalis, also known as Nihangs . They were devout Sikhs, heavily armed with many traditional weapons and refused European style training. They only wore blue or yellow robes. Their leaders were Akali Phula Singh and Akali Sadhu Singh. Unlike today's Nihang sects and Jathas earlier all Nihangs were in
2360-566: The line formations of Metcalfe's escorts, dominating the entire Muslim battalion. The Maharaja then accepted the Treaty of Amritsar (1809), and saw the British as allies for the moment as he took the British refusal to engage after the assault on Metcalfe's convoy as well as the Sikh army's frequent unanswered incursions and attacks south of the Sutlej on British army officers in Ludhiana as signs of weakness on
2419-515: The palace. Two temples stood within the walls. One of these has now been decorated in the Lingam style and is dedicated to Shiva . Notes Citations Bibliography Jammu and Kashmir (princely state) Jammu and Kashmir , also known as Kashmir and Jammu , was a princely state in a subsidiary alliance with the British East India Company from 1846 to 1858 and under
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2478-474: The part of the British. The regular military force was backed up and supported by a further 52,000 well-trained and equipped professional-grade irregulars, known as Fauj-i-Be Qawaid. In addition, a large reservoir of feudal and militia forces was available. Military jagirs were given to the ex-rulers of Misls . They in turn had to give tax to the state or a significant number of soldiers, known as Jagirdari Fauj. It consisted mostly of cavalry and infantry. It
2537-412: The shoulders was a yellow hazooria. They also carried a Katar tucked in their Kamar-Kasa with two Kirpans , a Khanda , a Jamdhardh and a Toradar Matchlock. They held a Nagni Barcha on their back in a holder. Most of them were cavalry while some were archers and infantry Throughout 1805, Ranjit Singh recruited many East India Company deserters in his army. The early results were unimpressive. During
2596-463: The staffing to emphasize steady fire over cavalry and guerrilla warfare, improved the equipment and methods of war. The military system of Ranjit Singh combined the best of both old and new ideas. He strengthened the infantry and the artillery. He paid the members of the standing army from treasury, instead of the Mughal method of paying an army with local feudal levies. Before the reign of Ranjit Singh ,
2655-707: The terms of the treaty. This led to the Second Anglo-Sikh War , in which the Sikhs won many battles, but finally lost the Battle of Gujrat . On 10 March 1848 Sikh leaders Chattar Singh Attariwalla and Sher Singh Attariwalla eventually surrendered near Rawalpindi . On 14 March 1849, the Sikh Army surrendered to the East India Company. Many soldiers, while laying their weapons down, started crying and saying "Aj Ranjit Singh mar Gaya" (literally "Today Ranjit Singh has died"). However, many Sikh Army soldiers entered into service
2714-428: The tip, they clad themselves in yellow kurtas and grey pajamas . Ranjit Singh was fully aware of the importance of artillery in the modern warfare. Therefore, he paid a special attention to the development of artillery in 1810. In 1812 he employed General Claude Auguste Court and Colonel Alexander Gardner in 1832 and organized Topkhana-i-Khas. Under their able guidance the artillery made matchless progress in
2773-469: The visit of Charles Metcalfe, he was shown a band of soldiers, most of them wearing traditional kurtas and colourful turbans , while others wore European infantry ornaments. They had either traditional matchlock or European muskets. Previously, as the Sikhs refused to join infantry service, Pashtuns , Pakhtuns and Gurkhas served in this sector of the army. However, with the passage of time and owing to Ranjit Singh 's efforts, Sikhs too began to join
2832-452: Was 10,000. The cavalry was divided into regiments . Each regiment consisted of 250 to 600 cavaliers. The regiments were further divided into risalas (corps). Each Risala consisted of 150 to 250 cavaliers . The officers and other non-combatants of cavalry were similar to those of infantry. The pay of the cavalry was, however, higher than that of the infantry. The men in this division had a sort of helmet-turban with igret feathers coming out from
2891-501: Was Hira Singh who built the present fort at Jasrota, although its foundations date from around the 12th or 13th century and had been developed as a fortified town by Dev rulers thereafter with "palatial buildings, Baradaris, shrines, water tanks etc." Hira Singh was mostly an absent ruler but he aspired to develop Jasrota in the image of Jammu, with which it shared a similar topography. He went some way towards achieving this, and named many of its places and structures after those of Jammu, but
2950-408: Was by a small bow and quiver in the hand of each. ‘This,’ said Runjeet Sing, ‘is one of my regiments (pultuns), but they tell me it is one I cannot discipline’—a remark which amused us, and mightily pleased the fair. The amazons may have served as a mock bodyguard troupe for the Sikh ruler. They were feared and respected. The commander of the amazonian corps was a singer named Billo. The uniform of
3009-466: Was employed to modernise the artillery. Ranjit Singh wanted to westernise his army. The military system that he had inherited from his forefathers also served him well. The military system of the Sikh Empire under Ranjit Singh finally evolved as a compromise between the old and the new. Thus, the military system of the Sikh Empire is termed as a Franco-British system in the Indian subcontinent . Ranjit Singh
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#17330848417963068-583: Was fully aware of the importance of infantry. The task of recruitment in this section of the army had started after 1805, and continued throughout his reign. In the beginning, the number of Sikhs enrolled in the infantry was nominal. The reason being that the Sikhs looked down upon infantry. Therefore, in the beginning, Ranjit Singh recruited Pathans and Dogras in this section of his army. Afterwards, owing to Ranjit Singh's efforts, Sikhs too began to join it. In 1822, he employed General Jean-Baptiste Ventura to train
3127-420: Was impossible to prove which brother was the older. Eventually, the rulers of neighbouring hill states negotiated a settlement, leading the lands being divided and Sangram becoming the first ruler of the new state of Lakhanpur in 1350 and his descendants were called lakhanpuria rajputs. In 1594–94, the then ruler of Jasrota, Bhivu Dev, used his army to ally in a rebellion involving some other hill states against
3186-469: Was in the Sher-Dil-Rajman Regiment. Gunners wore white trousers and black waistcoats with crossbelts. Officers were not bound by rules of uniform. They used distinctive dress of bright coloured silks each picking his own as he saw fit. There existed an amazonian corps composed of women, named after the ancient Greek legend of a nation of fighting women by visiting European officials. There
3245-700: Was of the best kind. The Fauj-i-Khas was supplied with the best available ammunition and they were very loyal to Ranjit Singh , whom they usually escorted. The banner was of a French style and usually had its tricolor with 'Waheguru' inscribed on it. Infantry was clad in scarlet jacket/coat, white trousers with black belts and pouches. Different regiments were distinguished by the colour of their headdress white, red, green or yellow. The Gurkhas had green jackets and black caps. Postins (furcoats), or padded jackets were used during winter. Pathans and Mazhabis were directly sent to this force. Cavalrymen were dressed in red jackets (French grey for lancers ), long blue trousers with
3304-711: Was one of ten states founded by members of the Jammu ruling family . They were all tributaries to the Raja of Jammu . It was probably the first of those to be established, although its origin is disputed. Jasrota Fort in the Sivalik Hills of the Western Himalayas , was the capital of the Jasrotia Rajputs . It was founded by Jas Dev, a ruler of the Royal House of Jammu and Kashmir , who gave it to his brother, Karan. While
3363-399: Was put under a Subedar . Each company was divided into 4 sections. Each section consisted of 25 soldiers. It was put under a Jamadar . The second most important division of the army was cavalry. In order to organize it on western lines, Ranjit Singh appointed General Jean-Francois Allard . Under his command, the cavalry became very strong. In 1838–39, the overall strength of the cavalry
3422-451: Was ruler of Jasrota between 1790 and 1800. He arranged the construction of Jasmergarh Fort (near to the present-day town of Hiranagar , then on the border of his territories) in order better to protect Jasrota from Sikh incursions. The last member of the Dev dynasty to rule Jasrota independently was Randhir Singh, who reigned from 1805 to 1820 and had to acknowledge Ranjit Singh , the founder of
3481-625: Was the weakest part of the army. Another part of the Irregular force were the Ghorcharas. Ghorcharas were the relatives of the nobles of the Sikh Empire and the police of the forts. They also refused any type of training and usually taunted the Europeans. The Ghorcharas or the irregular cavalry had no uniform laid down for them; yet they turned out sharply, as testified by Baron Hugel, a Prussian noble, who visited Maharajah Ranjit Singh in 1836 and inspected
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