He formed two types of armies. For one of these, he employed French, German, Italian, Russians and Greeks soldiers, and also brought in modern weaponry. To celebrate his unmatched bravery, the Government of India in released a stamp featuring the name of Nalwa.
Historian Dr Satish K Kapoor said Nalwa fought many successful battles, after which the Afghans lost their territories. This was the first major victory of the Sikhs over the Durrani Pathans. In , a Sikh army under Nalwa won the battle of Peshawar. Moreover, Nalwa took control over Jamrud in , a fort at the entryway to Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass. And they also created a huge fear of Nalwa among the Afghans. In that battle, Dost Muhammad Khan along with his five sons participated fought against the Sikh army, which only had around men and limited supplies.
However, during that time, Nalwa got seriously injured and later died. But before his death, he told his army to not disclose the news of his demise till the forces from Lahore arrived to support them. He was given the title of Nalwa which was attached to his name as he killed a tiger at a very young age. He was also called Bagh Maar for the very same reason.
As per the folklore associated with this title, Hari Singh was attacked by the tiger suddenly during one of his hunting expeditions. He had no time to pull his sword at that moment. In the last ditch attempt he held the tigers jaws and pushed him back only to pull his sword to kill it.
Historians are of the view that had Hari Singh Nalwa not won so many battles against the Afghans, the parts of Kashmir would have been in Afghanistan. There could have also been incursions in Punjab and Delhi. The Indian Government also honoured Nalwa by introducing a stamp with his picture in Are you worried or stressed?
Click here for Expert Advice. Comment 0. Post Comment. Disclaimer: Comments will be moderated by Jagranjosh editorial team. During a hunt in , a lion attacked him and also killed his horse.
His fellow hunters attempted to protect him but he refused their offers and killed the lion by himself with a shield and dagger, thus earning the cognomen Baagh Maar Tiger-killer. Battle of Kasur Hari Singh's first significant participation in a Sikh conquest on assuming charge of an independent contingent was in , at the capture of Kasur.
This place had long been a thorn in the side of Ranjit Singh's power because of its proximity to his capital city of Lahore. It was captured in the fourth attempt. During the campaign the Sadar showed remarkable bravery and dexterity.
This was his first battle under an independent command. The two armies were engaged for a couple of days, eventually seventeen year old Hari Singh carried the day. Battle of Attock The fort of Attock was a major replenishment point for all armies crossing the Indus. In the early 19th century, Afghan appointees of the Kingdom of Kabul held this fort, as they did most of the territory along this frontier. This was the first victory of the Sikhs over the Durranis and the Barakzais.
The army was under the general command of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who camped at Rajauri. Lack of provisions, delay in the arrival of reinforcements, bad weather and treachery of the allies forced the Sikhs to retreat. The next few years were spent in subduing Muslim chiefs within the Kashmir territory, en route Srinagar Valley.
Conquest of Mahmudkot Mehmood Kot, Muzaffargarh In preparation of the conquest of the strongly fortified Mankera , Ranjit Singh decided to approach it from its southern extremity.
Two years later, on their way to Multan, the Sikhs captured the forts of Khangarh and Muzzaffargarh. They were riding high on the success of having conquered the Chuj Doab. The possession of the city of Multan was taken with little resistance; however, the fort could not be captured. The fort was bombarded and mined without effect. A fire pot thrown from the walls of the fort fell on Hari Singh and he was so badly burnt that it was some months before he was fit for service.
Multan was finally conquered under the nominal command of Kharak Singh and the actual command of Misr Diwan Chand. It was a fiercely contested battle in which Muzzaffar Khan and his sons defended the place with exemplary courage, but they could not withstand the onslaught of the Sikhs.
Hari Singh Nalwa was "chiefly instrumental" in the capture of the citadel. Peshawar becomes tributary When Shah Mahmud's son, Shah Kamran, killed their Barakzai Vazir Fateh Khan in August the Sikhs took advantage of the resulting confusion and their army formally forded the Indus and entered Peshawar, the summer capital of the Kingdom of Kabul modern-day Afghanistan , for the first time.
Thereafter, Hari Singh Nalwa was deputed towards Peshawar in order to keep the Sikh dabdaba kayam — maintain the pressure. On completion of the mission, Diwan Chand crossed the river Chenab along with his topkhana and set up his camp in Pindi Bhattian near Chiniot. On this occasion, Prince Kharak Singh held nominal command. Misr Diwan Chand led the vanguard, while Hari Singh Nalwa brought up the rear for the support of the leading troops.
The third division, under the personal command of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, expedited supplies and conveyed these to the advance troops. A severe engagement took place between the two armies and the Sikhs captured Kashmir. Great rejoicing followed in the Sikh camp and the cities of Lahore and Amritsar were illuminated for three successive nights. Kashmir collected the revenue from the upper regions of Pakhli , Damtaur and Darband. Numerous attempts by the Sikhs to collect revenue from Hazara-i-Karlugh not only met with failure, but also the loss of prominent Sikh administrators and commanders.
On his return to the Punjab plains from the Kashmir Valley, Hari Singh and his companions followed the traditional kafila caravan route through Pakhli hoping to collect tribute from the region. Battle of Mangal Hari Singh's most spectacular success in the region of Pakistan's Hazara came two years later. On the successful conclusion of his governorship of Kashmir, he departed from the Valley and crossed the river Kishenganga at Muzaffarabad with foot soldiers.
Hari Singh Nalwa traversed the hazardous mountainous terrain successfully, however when his entourage reached Mangal Mangli, Pakistan he found his passage opposed.
Mangal, the ancient capital of Urasa was now the stronghold of the chief of the Jaduns who controlled the entire region of Damtaur. Hari Singh requested the tribesmen for a passage through their territory, but they demanded a tax on all the Kashmir goods and treasure he was taking with him.
All trade kafilas routinely paid this toll. Hari Singh's claim that the goods he carried were not for trade purposes was not accepted. When parleying produced no result, battle was the only option. A combined tribal force numbering no less than 25, gathered from all the adjoining areas and challenged Hari Singh and his men. Despite being completely outnumbered, the Sardar stormed their stockades and defeated his opponents with a loss to them of 2, men.
Hari Singh then left to join forces with the Sikh army poised for an attack on Mankera, but after he had collected a fine from every house and built a fort in this vicinity. Nawab Hafiz Ahmed Khan, a relative of the Durranis, exerted considerable influence in this region. Besides Mankera, he commanded a vast area protected by 12 forts. With the weakening of Afghan rule in Kabul, the governors of Attock, Mankera, Mitha Tiwana and Khushab had declared their independence.
Ranjit Singh celebrated the Dussehra of across the river Ravi, at Shahdera. Hari Singh, Governor of Kashmir, was most familiar with the territory that the Maharaja had now set his eyes on. Nalwa was summoned post-haste to join the Lahore Army already on its way towards the river Indus. The Sikhs commenced offensive operations in early November. The Sikh army occupied these forts and soon the only place that remained to be conquered was Mankera itself.
A few years earlier, the Nawab of Mankera had actively participated in the reduction of Mitha Tiwana. The Tiwanas, now feudatories of Hari Singh Nalwa, were eager participants in returning that favour to the Nawab. The force was divided into three parts—one column being under Hari Singh—and each column entered the Mankera territory by a different route; capturing various places enroute all three columns rejoined near Mankera town.
Mankera was besieged, with Nalwa's force being on the west of the fort. The fort of Mankera stood in the middle of the Thal.
It was built of mud with a citadel of burnt brick surrounded by a dry ditch. To make the central fortress inaccessible, no wells were permitted by the Nawab to be sunk within a radius of 15 kos. During the night of 26 November Hari Singh Nalwa, together with other chiefs and jagirdars , established their morchas batteries within long gunshot of the place.
They found old wells, which their men cleared out and fresh ones were dug. On the nights of 6—7 December, they approached closer to the ditch. The ensuing skirmish was ferocious and resulted in considerable loss of life.
The siege of the fort of Mankera lasted 25 days. Finally, the Nawab accepted defeat and the last Saddozai stronghold fell to the Sikhs.
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