Sangat Singh Of Nishanwalia left behind three sons, Mohar Singh, Kapur Singh and Anup Singh. They were very young and ignorant of statecraft. Mohar Singh, who was nominated to succeed his father, was hardly eight years of age and, thus, unfit to handle state affairs. He obtained Ambala and Zira. Kapur Singh settled at Singhanwala and Anup Singh got the possession of Sarai Lashkari Khan. Mohar Singh’s maternal uncle, Dhian Singh, became the administrator of his territories. The duty offlag-bearing was also entrusted to Dian Singh.When Sirhind was attacked by the prominent Sardars of the Sikh Jat Misals Mohar Singh got a good share of booty from there and he also placed under his control more places including Bejad Chak and Jatana. After some time when Mohar Singh visited his mother at Singhanwala his thanedars and subordinate officers revolted against him. After the lapse of some time Mohar Singh and his brother Anup Singh came back from Singhanwala. Diplomatically enough, they went to Jai Singh’s house at Sarai Lashkari Khan, as his guests. Originally, Jai Singh had been appointed banedar of Sarai Lashkari Khan by Mohar Singh’s father. At night, they took hold of Jai Singh and threw himout of the Sari and confiscated whole of his movable and immovable property. “Some of hisad joining territories were also annexed. Mohar Singh solemnised his first marriage with Bhagan of Bilaspur. She lived at Singhanwala. Anup Singh married Darhai who was kept at Sarai Lashkari Khan. Mohar Singh became prominent among the cis-Satluj Sikh Jat Chiefs. On September 14,1779, Mohar Singh waited upon Prince Abdul A had Khan at ‘Thanesar when the latter was leading anexpedition against Patiala. He made an offering to Abdul Ahad and was awarded a hillat. When another Mughal general, Shafi, led a campaign against the cis-Satluj Sikh Jatchiefs in 1781, grains andfood-stuffs were sent to him from Delhi through the bunjaras. Mohar Singh plundered the same. At Ambala, the two brothers–Gurbakhsh Singh and Lal Singh had recruited two hundred horsemen each and had placed the talegas around Ambala under their control. “They also chargedrakhi from an area under Raja Amar Singh of Patiala. Lal Singh populated a deserted village, named Loh Shibli, and started building a fortress there. Raja Amar Singh sent an army to prevent the forts from being completed; But Lal Singh was able to fully fortify the fortress. Raja Amar Singh of Patiala collected larger forces including his own army, the contingents of Gajpat Singh of Jind, of Bhais of Kaithal and of Rais of Ahmad Kot to the tune of 20,000 horse men and marched against Lal Singh with a view to destroying his fort. On the other hand, Lal Singh, Gurbakhsh Singh, Raja Singh of Jandaliwala, Sudha Singh, Mohar Singh and Anup Singh collected 12,000 horsemen to face the Patiala forces. There was fierce fighting between the contending forces and both sides suffered big human loss during the two-day fighting. The forces of Patiala and their allies, were surrounded by the army of the Nishanwalias and put in a right comer. During this time Jhandu Singh, an associate of Raja Amar Singh, made an attempt to have a forced entry into the fort of the Nishanwalias. But Lal Singh, who was a very brave and fearless man, blocked the entryof the Patiala forces into the fort. Jhandu Singh died fighting against the Nishanwalias. Jhandu Singh’s brother Dulcha Singh, in utter desperation, on the death of his brother, attacked the forces of the Nishanwalias. Lal Singh was killed in the course of fighting, With the death of some important leaders from both sides the fighting came to a stop and Raja Amar Singh and Sardar Gurbakhsh Singh concluded peace between them and they never fought again.”On the assumption of power and possession of Ambala by Mohar Singh, Gurbakhsh Singh remained at Morinda for some time. Mohar Singh is said to have a haughty and arrogant disposition. People were generally unhappy with him. They looked to Sayid Mir Munir for advice and help as he was known for his saintliness. Mohar Singh did not like the popularity of the Sayid and killed him with an arrow-shorin 1785. On this account, there was a wave of deep anger against Mohar Singh. The people invited Gurbakhsh Singh from Morinda with his force. In the engagement Mohar Singh was killed and his widow retired to Zira from where she was later driven out in 1806, by the Lahore contingent under Mohkam Chand. Gurbakhsh Singh stayed on at Ambala, as its ruler.He ruled his territory efficiently. Gurbakhsh Singh died of paralysis in 1786.’The taulagas of Mohar Singh were divided into four parts. One part was given to Anup Singh’s widow, Dathai, second part to the brothers of Desu, third part to the brothers of Mohar Singh’s aunt (sister of Sangat Singh), and fourth part to a horseman, Ramdas Singh. Both Mohar Singh and Anup Singh had died issue less. Bhagan remained in possession of Singhanwala and Darhai in control of Sarai Lashkari Khan. “After some time, first Darhai and an year later Bhagan passed away. Then, the taalnga of Sarai Lashkari Khan was occupied by the British. Sangat Singh’s son, Kapur Singh, along with his (Kapur Singh’s) son, Fateh Singh, died in 1797, in a battle with Dayal Singh.”
References :-
- Bute Shah, op. tit., IV, p. 110; Gian Singh, op. tit., p. 272.
- Bute Shah, op. tit. p. 110.
- History of the sikhsvol 3 by Hari ram Gupta
- Ibid, According to Gian Singh, Dasaundha Singh died fighting against Zabita Khan at Meerut, (op. tit., p. 272), cf, Khazan Singh, History and Philosophy of the Sikh Religion, Part I, Lahore, 1914, p. 280.
- Gian Singh, op. tit., p. 272