Manihala

Godh Singh, son of a Chaudhri of Manihalu, was a follower of MaharajaHari Singh Bhangi, and became possessed of estates worth Re. 40,000.On one occasion he and his brother, Uttam Singh, were besieged in asmall fort near Sialkot by some three hundred irregulars of Raja RanjitDeo of Jammu. The horses belonging to the besieged were stabled with-out the walls, and Godh Singh, fearing that they might fall into thehands of the enemy made a sally and disabled them all. Godh Singh and his brother fought under the Bhangi chiefs againstRanjit Deo, Sansar Chand Katoch and the Sukerchakias, and on thedeath of Godh Singh, without issue, Uttam Singh succeaded to theestate; but both he and his two elder sons died soon afterwards, and JaiSingh became the head of the family. His jagirs were increased bySardar Gulab Singh Bhangi to Rs. 50,000; and when that chief died in

1800, Jai Singh joined Maharaja Ranjit Singh, then lately master of Lahore. Who was a good soldier and fought bravely in many campaigns, and receivedadditional jagirs worth Re. 40,000 in Sheikhupura, Sidhni and Bhaowal.In 1817, becoming too old for active service, the Maharaja appointed hima Judge at Amritsar, renaming all but Re. 16,000 of his jagir, andgranting him a cash allowance of Re. 8,000. Jai Singh died in 1827.Of his sons, Mangal Singh had been killed at Mankere in 1821, and hisjagirs of Re. 9,000 had been continued to his son, Vir Singh. JaimalSingh, the second son, had also acquired a separate estate of Ra. 8,000;but on his father’s death both his and the jagirs of his nephew wereresumed, and in their stead the Maharaja granted Jai Singh’s estate,less the village of Rasulpur in the Cis-Sutlej States, which was worth Rs. 3,000. Amar Singh, the third son of Jai Singh, received an annuityof Rs. 800, while the three younger sone of Mangal Singh were providedbfor; Chugatra Singh being made Risoldar in General Ventura’s Brigade,and Khem Singh and Sher Singh receiving the village of Patti inKasur, with a cash allowance.When Vir Singh died in 1838 half hisestate was resumed, and the remainder divided between his brother andbix son, Buta Singh. Jamal Singh was commandant in the ChargariHorse, and served under Raja Suchet Singh on the frontier and elsewhere. At annexation Re. 2,000 of his jagir were maintained for hislife. Sher Singh and But Singh joined the rebels in 1848 and losteverything; and the Re. 4,000 jagir of Khem Singh, whose conductwas suspicious, was reduced to Rs. 1,000. The latter’s two widows were alive in 1909 and were in receipt of small pension.On the death ofJaimal Singh, his sons received a pension of Ra. 666.Lal Singh, theonly surviving son enjoyed his share until his death, Nihal Singh’s wasinherited by his two sons, Arur Singh and Ganda Singh, and KhushalSingh’s descended to his son, Pal Singh.But Singh was in receipt of an annuul pension of Re. 240 until hisdeath in 1875. He was a Zaildar in his ilaga.A grant of Re. 50 perannum was made to his widow.His son, Lal Singh, obtained a directcommission as a Jamadar in the 04th Punjab Infantry, in which heserved until his retirement with the run.. of Subedar in 1907. He was amember of the Order of British India of the second class with the titleof ” Bahadur”, baring served with distinction in many campaigns,and was the head of the senior branch of the family.He lived atManihala and was a member of the Kasur Local Board. His son,Balwant Singh, was a Subedar in the 35th Sikhs. Sardar Sher Singh took service in 1857 as a Naib-Risaldar underColonel Vogle in the Hyderabad Contingent. He behaved with greatgallantry throughout the disturbances in Oudh and was made Risaldarand Sardar Bahadur. He also received a jagir valued at Rs. 3,000 perannum in the district of Bharaich.On the return of peace he resignedservice and died in 1871.His son, Tara Singh, served as Jamadar withthe 3rd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent, throughout the Afghan War.He was a Divisional Darbari and for some years an Honorary Magistrateat Patti. He owned about 1,500 bighas of land in the Lahore districtand 3,000 bighas in Oudh. He resided at Kulla in the Lahore districtwatil his death in 1915. His eldest son, Gyan Singh, served for a timeas a Dafadar in the 30th Cavalry; but at present, is leading a retiredlife on a part of his landed property situated in the Sheikhupura district, and is extremely reduced in circumstances.Sardar Baghel Singh, son of Suchet Singh, was an Honorary Magistrate at Bharaich in Oudh, where he owned a large amount of land, andhad a seat in Divisional Darbars, bigher thon that of his uncle, the lateSardar Tara Singh. He had also purchased some land in Tahsil Chunian,Lahore.He died in 1924, leaving behind two sons, Artar Singh andSanget Singh. The former’e son, Sardar Joginder Singh, is a member ofthe Indian Legislative Assembly.Of the other members of the familyIndar Singh, son of Ranjodh Singh, was a Risaldar in the 30th Lancers.He died in 1918. Sant Singh, son of Amar Singh, was a DeputyInspector of Police, and is now dead. Mehr Singh and Jawahir Singh,sons of Ujagar Singh, were Dafadars.Of these the first named is dead,Pal Singh, son of Khushal Singh, was a Dafadar in the 30th Lanrers.Hira Singh and Gurbakhsh Singh, sons of Bar Singh, inherited a considerable portion of the Bharaich estate and also a share in the Kullaproperty.The latter is now dead. Sardar Hira Singh is a Darbari inOudh,Sereral branches of this rather large family hare been reduced in circumstances in recent years.Not many have any record of personalservices to show.Historically, however, the family is of some interest.

Source –  Chiefs and Families Note In Punjab – L.H.Griffin.