HIMMAT SINGH JALLEVALIA

HIMMAT SINGH JALLEVALIA (d. 1829), son of Chaudhan Gulab Rai, a Bairis Jatt of Mahalpur, in present day Hoshiarpur district of the Punjab, joined the Sikh forces which conquered Sirhind province in 1764, and secured for himself the village of Jalla, whence the family derived its cognomen of Jallevalia. He later acknowledging the supremacy of the Nabha chief joined his service. He represented the Nabha ruler at the negotiations which led to the cis Sutlej chiefs being taken under British protection in 1809. In 1812, he was induced by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to leave Nabha and become his waur which office he held until his death in 1829.

He and his four brothers were given in jdgir Alavalpur, in Jalandhar district, with a revenue of over a lakh of rupees. Himmat Singh also received two villages south of the Sutlej from Fateh Singh Ahluvalia, the Kapurthala chief. The famous Jalliarivala Bagh in Amritsar, the scene of the killing of hundreds of unarmed, defenceless Indians by a senior British military officer on 13 April 1919 belonged to Himmat Singh Jallevalia. Himmat Singh`s elder son, Albel Singh, was killed fighting for Ranjit Singh, on the banks of the Jehlum in 1825. On Himmat Singh`s death the village of Alavalpur passed on to his heirs subject to the provision of 180 horsemen.

References :

1. Griffin, Lepel, and C.F. Massy, Chiefs and Families of Nolf in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909