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Bhangi Misl

Bhangi Misl
Bhangi Misal
1748–1810
CapitalAmritsar
Common languagePunjabi
Religion
Notable Sardar's 
• 1739–1746
Bhuma Singh
• 1746–1765
Hari Singh
• 1765–1774
Jhanda Singh
• 1774–1775
Ganda Singh
• 1782–1800
Gulab Singh
Historical eraEarly modern period
• Split from Singhpuria Misl
1748
• Annexed by the Sikh Empire
1810
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Mughal Empire
Singhpuria Misl
Sikh Empire
Today part ofPakistan, India
Misls of the Sikh Confederacy
A 1780 map of the Punjab Region shows the relative positions of the Sikh Misls and other states.

The Bhangi Misl (Punjabi pronunciation: [pə̃˨ŋɡiː mɪsəl]) was a large and powerful Sikh Misl[1] headquartered in Amritsar. It was founded in the early 18th century by Sardar Chhajja Singh Dhillon,[1][2][3] who was baptised into the Khalsa tradition by Banda Singh Bahadur.[4][5] It was a first misl to established a Khalsa Raj and publish Khalsa currency coins.[citation needed] The Bhangi Kingdom/Misl was founded by Dhillon Jats.[6]

Etymology

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The misl received its name "Bhangi" because Chhajja Singh and his soldiers frequently used the herbal intoxicant bhang (drink made from cannabis sativa).[7][8] Bhang (hemp) was a wild-growth plant found in the jungles of Punjab and along river-banks.[9] An intoxicant can be produced by pounding the plant in a mortar and sifting it.[9]

History

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Expanse of Bhangi Misl

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Coin minted under Desa Singh Bhangi, VS 1833-1839, AD 1776-1782. AR Rupee (20mm, 11.55 g, 2h). Multan mint. Dated VS 1832 (AD 1775)

The misl was founded by Jats.[10] It grew in strength and territory to cover an area from Gujrat to Multan and emerged as the strongest power in the western Punjab region.[11] The Misl went north into Jammu until Poonch, west to the Indus River, south to the Multan, and east to central modern day Punjab, India.[12] In 1761, the Bhangi chief Hari Singh captured Kasur and nearby areas of Ferozepore.[13] However, deaths among the leadership during the late 1760s reduced the Misl's power.[11] On 16 April 1765, the Bhangi sardars Gujjar Singh and Lehna Singh Kahlon, allied with Sobha Singh of the Kanhaiya Misl, conquered Lahore.[14] They did not plunder the city as it was the birthplace of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru.[14]

Decline of power

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The Bhangi misl engaged in numerous power struggles with the Sukerchakia Misl until they were severely weakened at the Siege of Lahore and the loss of Lahore to Ranjit Singh in 1799.[15][citation needed]

In 1810, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a force to Gujrat to annex the Bhangi Misl. Its chief, Sahib Singh, did not resist Ranjit Singh's forces and thus the misl was annexed by the Sikh Empire.[16] Due to the pleading of the mother of Sahib Singh, Mai Lachhmi, Ranjit Singh bestowed him with a jagir worth 100,000 rupees, however Sahib Singh died in 1811.[16] Sahib Singh's two widows, Daya Kaur and Rattan Kaur, were wedded to Ranjit Singh via chador dalna.[16]

Zamzama cannon

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Bhangi Misl held the possession of Zamzama, the famous cannon, which was at the time named Bhangi Toap, Bhangianwala Toap and Bhangian di Top, names it retains to this day.[17]

List of sardars (chiefs)

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The list of the chiefs of the Bhangi Misl are as follows:[18][10]

  1. Chhajja Singh Bhangi
  2. Bhima (Bhuma) Singh
  3. Hari Singh
  4. Jhanda Singh
  5. Ganda Singh
  6. Charhat Singh (died nearly immediately)
  7. Desu Singh
  8. Gulab Singh
  9. Gurdit Singh
  10. Sahib Singh (? – 1810)[16]

Territory

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The misl originated from Panjwar near Amritsar.[10] The Bhangis held the Upper Rechna Doab, Upper Chajj Doab, and territory around Lahore and Amritsar.[10] The Bhangi Misl controlled much of western Punjab between Multan and the Hill States, including the settlements of Lahore, Amritsar, Gujrat, and Sialkot.[19]

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  • Miniature painting of Gujjar Singh Banghi, circa late 18th century
    Miniature painting of Gujjar Singh Banghi, circa late 18th century
  • Detail of Lehna Singh Kahlon of the Bhangi Misl from a painting three seated Sikh sardars, circa late 18th century. He was one of the triumvirate rulers of Lahore in the mid-to-late-18th century
    Detail of Lehna Singh Kahlon of the Bhangi Misl from a painting three seated Sikh sardars, circa late 18th century. He was one of the triumvirate rulers of Lahore in the mid-to-late-18th century
  • Jhanda Bunga of Amritsar in the 1920's. A building constructed by the Bhangi Misl, now demolished.
    Jhanda Bunga of Amritsar in the 1920's. A building constructed by the Bhangi Misl, now demolished.
  • Photograph of the Zamzama cannon or Bhangi Toap
    Photograph of the Zamzama cannon or Bhangi Toap

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Sikh History (2004). "The Bhangi Misal" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, History of the Sikhs, 2004. Retrieved on 7 September 2016
  2. ^ Singh, Rishi (2015). State Formation and the Establishment of Non-Muslim Hegemony:Post-Mughal 19th-century Punjab. India: Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, 23 April 2015. ISBN 9789351500759
  3. ^ Dhavan, Purnima (2011). When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799, p.60. OUP USA Publisher, 3 November 2011.
  4. ^ Jaspreet Kaur (2000). Sikh Ethos: Eighteenth Century Perspective, p.99. Vision & Venture, Patiala, 2000.
  5. ^ Jain, Harish (2003). The Making of Punjab, p. 201. Unistar Books Pvt. Ltd, Chandigarh.
  6. ^ Sidhu, Kuldip Singh (1994). Ranjit Singh's Khalsa Raj and Attariwala Sardars. National Book Shop. ISBN 978-81-7116-165-2.
  7. ^ Singh, Bhagata (1993). A History of The Sikh Misals, p. 89. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University, Patiala, 1993.
  8. ^ Seetal, Sohan Singh (1981). The Sikh Misals and the Punjab States, p.11. India: Lahore Book Shop, Ludhiana, 1981.
  9. ^ a b Gupta, Hari Ram (1978). History of the Sikhs. Vol. IV: The Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of Sikh Misls. Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 205.
  10. ^ a b c d Dhavan, Purnima (2011). When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799. Oxford University Press. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-0-19-975655-1.
  11. ^ a b McLeod, W. H. (2005). Historical dictionary of Sikhism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-8108-5088-0.
  12. ^ Singh, Dr. Sukhdial (2010). Rise Growth And Fall Of The Bhangi Misal. Punjabi University.
  13. ^ Dhiman, Manoj (3 July 1999). "The town was once an important trade centre". The Tribune. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  14. ^ a b Chowdhry, Mohindra S. (2018). Defence of Europe by Sikh soldiers in the World Wars. Kibworth Beauchamp. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-78901-098-5. OCLC 1032183994.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  15. ^ "Ranjit Singh | Maharaja, Biography, Family, & History | Britannica".
  16. ^ a b c d Singh, Patwant; Rai, Jyoti M. (1 August 2013). Empire of the Sikhs: The Life and Times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (2nd ed.). Peter Owen Publishers. ISBN 9780720615241. In 1810 Ranjit Singh had decided it was time to annex the territories of the Bhangi misl in Gujrat, but its chief Sahib Singh, realizing the futility of resisting the ruler's superior forces, had withdrawn to his Deva Butala fort without a fight, leaving the misl's possessions to the victor. Moved by the pleading of the Bhangi chief's mother Mai Lachhmi, he gifted her son a holding worth 100,000 rupees. Sahib Singh did not live long enough to enjoy this largesse as he died a year later, whereupon his two widows, Daya Kaur and Ratan Kaur, became a part of Ranjit Singh's household through chadar dalna.
  17. ^ Singh, Khushwant A History of the Sikhs, Volume 1: 1469-1839. Oxford University Press, 2004, Page 198, Footnote 11
  18. ^ Singh, Bhagat (1993). A History Of Sikh Misals (1st ed.). Publication Bureau Punjabi University, Patiala. pp. 89–102.
  19. ^ Herrli, Hans (2004). "The Sikh Misls". The Coins of the Sikhs (2nd ed.). Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 11–13. ISBN 9788121511322.