Fatehgarh

Hakikat Singh was the son of a Bhagel Singh, Sindhu Jat of the village of Julka, only a few miles from Kanah, where Jai Singh, chief of Kanaiya Misl was born. Both Jai Singh and Hakikat Singh were in the service of Nawab Kapur Singh of Singpuria Misl, and both on his
death set up as independent Chiefs. To the latter fell Kalanaur, Bura, Dalbo, Kahangarh, Adalatgarh, Pathankot, Matu and many other villages. Under him fought the Sangatpuria Sardars, Sahib Singh Naniki, Dayal Singh and Sant Singh Dadupuria! Desa Singh Mohal, Chet Singh Banod, Sahib Singh Tara-garhia and many others. In 1760 Hakikat Singh, having destroyed Churianwala, built on the ruins the village of Sangatpuria and the fort of Patehgarh, which he named after his nephew. Mahtab Singh, who possessed a large share . of his brother’s estates, buUt a fort hard by, which he named , Chitorgarh. Sardar Hakikat Singh died in 1782; and his only son Jaimal Singh, a boy eleven years of age succeeded to his estates. This Chief did not do much to the possessions, but be held bis own and did not lose any of them. In 1812 be died, leaving no son, and Ranjit Singh determined to seize tbe wealth supposed to be stored in Fatehgarh, He sent tither one Ram Singh on a pretended mission of condolence to the widow ; but no sooner was the officer admitted, then he took possession in the name of the Maharaja. Three months later, the widow of Jaimal Singh gave birth to a son, and in favour of this infant, named Chanda Singh, the Maharaja released a portion of the estate of the value of Rs. 15,000.

A few months before his death Jaimal Singh had married his only daughter Chand Kaur, a girl of ten years of age, to Kharak Singh, son of the Maharaja and heir to the throne of the Panjab. The marriage was celebrated with the greatest splendour at Fatehgarh on the 6th February 1812. It was attended by the Chiefs of Kaithal, Nabha and Jind, and by Colonel Ochterlony, agent of the Governor- General. In February 1821 Chand Kaur gave birth to a son, who was named Nao Kahal Singh, and on the death of the great’ Maharaja in June 1839 her husband Kharak Singh ascended the throne.

Chanda Singh, the brother of Rani Ohand Kaur, held the estates until the accession of Sher Singh(see Lahore).They had been much improved by .Nao Nahal Singh who had sent to Fatehgarh much of his treasure which, with that accumulated by Chand Kaur, was seized by Sher Singh in February 1841. Kesra Singh and his mother were taken to Lahore, and were only released on the intercession of Ohand Kaur, whom Sher Singh at that time hoped to marry. Jagirs of the value of Rs. 60,000 were left to Chanda Singh, Rs. 45,000 of which were resumed after the murder of the Rani, when her large estates near Jamu fell into the hands of Raja Grulab Singh.

The misfortunes of the family were not yet ended. When Hira Singh rose to power he confiscated the whole of the remaining estates of Chanda Singh, the reason given being that he had illuminated his house on hearing of the death of Raja Dhian Singh. Whether the story was true or false, it is certain that in the Maharaja’s death Chanda Singh had every reason for joy.

When Sardar Jawahir Singh became Minister, he restored to the family a jagir worth Rs. 3,060 at Talwandi and Kotli, which Kesra Singh enjoyed until his death in 1870. His son Ikbal Singh and his nephew Sarup Singh were then the sole representatives of the family. The former resided at Sangalpur in the Amritsar district. They jointly held jagirs and muafis in Amritsar yielding Rs. 640 per annum.

References :-

• The Punjab Cheifs, Vol-II, Sir L.H Griffin