MOHAR SINGH

MOHAR SINGH (d. 1785), a prominent leader of the Nishananvali chieftaincy, was the eldest of the three sons of Lal Singh. He added Ambala and Zira to the territories he had inherited and soon became an influential figure among the cis Sutlej chiefs. In September 1779, he at Thanesar waited upon `Abdul Ahd Khan who was then leading an expedition against Patiala, and received from him a khill`at of five pieces, a sarpech, and a sword. In 1785, Mahadji Scindia, regent of the Mughal empire, decided to win over the Sikhs by a treaty of friendship, and sent Ambaji Ingle to start negotiations.

The Sikhs deputed Mohar Singh and Dulcha Singh, of the Karor Singhia misi, as their representatives, first to meet Ambaji Ingle and then Mahadji Scindia, at Malhura. As a result of these parleys a treaty was signed by Mohar Singh and Dulcha Singh with Mahadji Scindia on 9 May 1785. At the time of departure they were given robes of honour, necklaces of pearls and horses. Mohar Singh died at Ambala in 1785 in a feud with Gurbakhsh Singh of Morinda and his two widows retired to their estate at Zira in Firozpur district. MOHAR SINGH (d. 1832), son of Gauhar Singh, a powerful Sikh sarddr during the second hajf of the eighteenth century whose memory is perpetuated in the name of the village of Mari Gauhar Singhvala.

Mohar Singh, with his brother, Dal Singh, held a^aeir during Maharaja Ranjit Singh`s reign subject to one hundred horse. He served in the Kashmir campaign in which he was wounded. He distinguished himself at the crucial battle of Teri fought near the Kabul River in March 1823, after which he was placed in command of 500 cavalry. He was engaged under General Ventura in 1831 to seize the territory of the Bahawalpur chief north of the Sutlej. Mohar Singh died in 1832. Half of his estates in Sialkot, Dinanagarand Kasurwcre continued to his son, Ishvar Singh, who served at Kulu, Suket, Hazara and Peshawar at which lastnamed place he died in 1843 of a fever. BIBLIOGRAPHY Griffin, Lepel and C.F.Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909

References :

1. Griffin Lepel and C.F.Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909
2. Gupta, Hari Ram, History of the Sikhs, vol. IV. Delhi, 1982