Kalas bajwa ( Senior)

Although this side of the family came into prominence at a later stage, and thus allowed the younger branch to assume the hereditary Chief ship, the authenticated history of its members down to the present day presents a noble record. They were consistently distinguished by personal bravery, while one or two have displayed no small military capacity. Military But the hereditary feeling of loyalty to their immediate Chief and, perhaps, the lack of what has been described as « political divination, ” have prevented the family from ever acquiring sufficient land to justify their disputing the Sardar ship of the tribe with the younger branch. The first member of the family of whom an accurate account is obtainable is Sardar Khushal Singh, who seems to have been by choice a scholar, and who was only forced to develop his latent military talent by the reverses of his brother. On the final defeat of the latter by Mahan Singh, father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Khushal Singh offered hissword to Sahib Singh Gujratia, to whom he proved a staunchadherent. When Ranjit Singh finally crushed the opposition of the lesser Sardars, Khushal Singh refused to worship the rising sun, and retired to the old home, where his name is still held in reverence. He died there in 1833.The Maharaja, who never failed to appreciate gallantry, even in an enemy, persuaded the old Sardar to part with his sons, both of whom eminently justified his selection. The elder Gulab Singh became a Jamadar of Artillery, and fought against the British. On the annexation of the Province he retired to look after the family property in Kalalwala, but soon tired of a quiet life. He went to his nephew, Colonel Jiwan Singh, who secured his appointment as Rasaldar in a cavalry regiment, with which he served all through the Mutiny. He came out of the campaign with no little distinction, and died at a ripe old age three years afterwards. His younger brother, Dula Singh, became one of the most dashing cavalry leaders of Ranjit Singh’s army. He was constantly employed on the Afghan frontier, and received two severe wounds in expeditions against Dost Mahomed Khan. These forced him to retire, while still a young man, on a jagir, which was continued to him by the British Goverriment. He died in 1857 at Kalalwala, learing three sons. “The eldest, Jiwan Singh, was a remarkable character. As soon as he was able to bear arms his father secured him a small command in Kharak Singh’s army. He first saw service in Kashmir, where he was wounded. For his brave ryat Tank he was appointed to the Adjutancy of the Sher Dil Paltan, a regiment with which his name is inseparably associated. He again went on active service in Kashmir,where, in the engagement which resulted in the defeat of Raja Gauhar Man, be lost his younger brother, Sardar Kishan Singh. For his services in this campaign he was promoted to the command of the regiment, and received the village of Sangah, which is still held in perpetual jagir by the family. Shortly after the return of the regiment to Lahore, Jiwan Singh was sent with it to Amritsar to guard the Darbar Sahib, or Sikh temple. During the Second Silh War the old Sardar remained thoroughly loyal, and gave more than one proof of his fidelity. On annexation the regiment was taken over by the British, and formed the nucleus of what is now known as the 19th Panjab Infantry. Jiwan Singh was confirmed in the position of commandant with the rank of Colonel, and a personal allowance of Rs. 300 per mensem was granted as a return for his services, the value of which is set forth in a letter of the Board of Administration in the following terms :

” He is the only Sikh officer in the Panjab who not only remained faithful to his trust, but, by his ability and address, managed to keep his regiment faithful also.”Shortly after he had taken up the honourable and responsible duties of his new command at Amritsar, hearing one day that two drunken European soldiers were making a disturbance in the bazar, he went to persuade them to return to their barracks in Fort Gobindgarh. While he was trying to get them to leave the city, one of them seized a sword lying in a shop and killed the old man by a blow on the neck. Thus died, after long years of service, every one of which was marked by some stout action or feat of arms, one of the bravest and most blameless of a gallant and loyal race. The Governor-General of India,in a letter written on receiving news of the murder, while expressing the personal esteem he felt for the deceased,speaks of his death as ” a public loss to the State he had served so well. ” In the same letter the Viceroy sanctioned the continuance of the Rs. 300 jagir to the heirs male of Colonel Jiwan Singh in perpetuity, and in addition sanctioned the allotment of Rs. 2,000 per annum in cash pensions to several members of the family. The Commander-in-Chief published a special General Order lamenting his loss.The next brother, Sardar Sham Singh, a cavalry officer under Kharak Singh, lost his life at the hands of a roving band of dacoits when on his way to Peshawar to region his regiment from leave in 1843. His widow and three sons were each granted a pension by the British Government. Sardar Fateh Singh joined the Sher Dil Regiment some time after his brother, and was confirmed sub sequentlies a Subedar in the 19th Panjab Infantry. He served throughout the Mutiny with distinction, and retired on an invalid pension in 1869. Sardar Kahan Singh began his career under General Avitabile, and was present in the Khaibar. Pass actions and throughout the Yusufzai Campaign. He served with the Sher Dils in the Satlaj Campaign. He commanded the Jailguard at Lahore and suppressed the prisoners’ revolt in 1848-49. He then entered the 30th Panjab Infantry, and went through the Mutiny as a Subedar. He rose to be Subadar-Major, and served through the Bhutan Campaign of 1864-65, retiring shortly afterwards. He died in 1876.The youngest of the six brothers, Sardar Ishar Singh, was also trained by Colonel Jiwan Singh; and from being an officer in the family regiment became a Subadar in the 19th Panjab Infantry. With the latter he served throughout the Mutiny, and was decorated with the Order of Merit for his conduct at Dehli. He died in 1863 of heart disease, leaving one son, Basant Singh, who was Deputy Inspector of Police in the Panjab. Colonel Jiwan Singh left two sons. Sardar Sant Singh, the elder, first saw active service under General Avitabile at Peshawar when he was quite a boy. When his father was murdered, the Viceroy specially sent him as an Assistant to General John Nicholson, then employed in bringing the Bannu frontier into order. On the outbreak of the Mutiny he was given a separate command of two hundred men of his father’s old corps and entrusted with independent duties in Kangra.

As a reward for his services he was appointed an Inspector of Police, and continued to do good work in his new capacity until his retirement on pension in 1867. His two widows now receive a joint yearly pension of Rs. 350. younger brother, Sardar Jagat Singh, has also done much to emulate the brilliant career of his father. Born in 1838, he was a mere boy when Sir John Lawrence called on the family to furnish recruits for Dehli in 1857. He at once joined at Kangra with one hundred and twenty men, and was given a commission as Subedar in the 29th Panjab Infantry. Young as he was, he was appointed Subedar-Major during the Mutiny, a position he held until his retirement in 1882. He served with the 29th in the Bhutan and Jawaki Expeditions, and went through both phases of the Afghan Campaign. He won the Order of Merit for conspicuous gallantry at the storming of the Paiwar Kotal on 2nd December 1878, and was granted the Order of British India. All British officers who have come in contact with him, and notably General John Gordon, who is best qualified to judge, testify how worthily he has upheld, by his gallantry, military capacity and simple courtesy, the proud record of his house. He lives at Kalalwala, and employs his abilities and personal influence in the service of Government as President of the District Board. He has a family of four sons and four daughters. The eldest daughter is the wife of Sardar Jamneja Singh, 1st Panjab Cavalry, son of Sardar Indar Singh, Attaché to the Lieutenant-Governor of the Panjab. The eldest son, Partab Singh, has married the daughter of Sardar Hari Singh, son of Sardar Lal Singh Talwandi, of the Randhawa family. Sardar Jagat Singh has an estate of two hundred and fifty acres, which yields an annual income of Rs. 1,000. He was enjoys the following jagirs: the revenue of Mauza Sangah, Rs. 300 per annum, assigned to himself and his heirs male in perpetuity. Rupees 350 per annum, being the share assigned to him out of the jagir of his father, Colonel Jiwan Singh. Military pension of Rs. 2,128 per annum. The income of two hundred and fifty acres of land, amounting to Rs. 1,100 per annum, granted by Government as a reward for his distinguished military services.