In 1595, Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606) the Fifth Sikh Prophet with some of his followers visited the village of Baherwal Kalan. But The Guru was not received with due hospitality. So he passed on to the neighboring village of Jamber Kalan where he lay down on a charpai (cot) under a shady tree. By this time,Hem Raj, a Sandhu Jat and Chaudhary of Baherwal, who was absent when the Guru passed through his village, heard of what had occurred and ashamed of his town-men’s inhospitality went to Jamber Kalan and brought the Guru to his town. The Guru blessed Hem Raj and prophesied that his sons and successors would be a great and powerful chiefs.
In 1748 Sardar Hira Singh (1706-1767) took possession of the lands surrounding his Native village, Baherwal and countryside of Kasur which was located in the “Nakka” country South of Majha Region and his Misl took the name of the area they ruled. He took Amrit Sanchar in 1731 (Sikh Baptism) Nakka means border and the Nakka country was located between the Ravi and Sutlej south of Lahore.He also took Chunian from the Afghans but died (Became a Shaheed) in a battle against Sujan Chisti for Pakpattan. His companions brought his dead body to Baherwal where it was cremated.Hira Singh’s son, Dal Singh, was a minor, so his nephew, Nahar Singh succeeded him as leader of the Misl.
In 1768, Nahar Singh was killed in battle against the Kharals at Kot Kumaliah and was succeeded by his son, Ran Singh.Ran Singh fought repeatedly against Kamar Singh, the ruler of Syedwala. Sometime before his death in 1781, he defeated him and captured Syedwala. Sardar Ran Singh greatly expanded the misl’s strength so it became dominant among its neighbors. At its high point under Ran Singh it ruled Kasur, Sharaqpur,Gugaira pargana, and the Kharal fort of Kot Kumaliah and could field 2,000 horsemen, Zamburaks, and artillery.His son, Bhagwan Singh, succeeded him but could not hold his territory against Wazir Singh, the brother of Kamar Singh, who retook Syedwala. Realizing he might lose all of his territory, Bhagwan Singh set up the engagement of his sister, Raj Kour, to Ranjit Singh, who was the son of Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia Misl, in order to gain a powerful ally.In 1785, Maha Singh was facing attacks from Sardar Jai Singh of the Kanheya Misl and called Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh to help him, but after they were victorious against Sardar Jai Singh, Maha Singh began to favor Wazir Singh.
Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh then fought and Bhagwan Singh was killed in the ensuing battle.Dal Singh, a son of Hira Singh, then killed Wazir Singh in revenge but was killed himself by a servant of Wazir Singh. In 1789, Gyan Singh, succeeded his brother, Bhagwan Singh, son of Sardar Ran Singh Nakai and in 1798 married his sister to Ranjit Singh. In 1802, Raj Kaur gave birth to Maharaja Kharak Singh. In 1807, Gyan Singh died and Kahn Singh succeeded him. Before having his estate seized by Ranjit Singh in 1810, Kahn Singh conquered Pakpattan.
List of Nakai Misl Rulers
Chaudhary Hemraj Sandhu(16th century)
Sardar Hira Singh Nakai (1706-1767)
Sardar Nahar Singh Nakai (d. 1768)
Sardar Ran Singh Nakai (d. 1781)
Sardar Bhagwan Singh Nakai (d. 1789)
Sardar Gyan Singh Nakai (d. 1807)
Sardar Kahn Singh Nakai (till 1810)
