Sidgiri

The principality of Sidgiri was founded by the Chahar clan which inhabits the western Tehsils of the present Agra district and the block of Akola forms there epicentre. The Chahars settled down in the Sidgiri tract hundreds of years ago and founded several important zamindaris including Akola, Behman, Beri, Jaingara and Chainkora. During the 17th century they became very strong and under there chief Bhagram Singh the chaudhary of tappa Akola ,declared themselves independent of the Mughal Empire. Bhagram Singh joined Gokula Singh of Tilpat in his struggle against the Mughal Empire. After the rebellion of Gokul Singh was crushed(1670), Bhagram Singh revived the Ram Dal with Sukhpal Singh Kuntel of Sonkh and Braj Raj of Sinsini, the later of which he also gave his daughter in marriage. The petty state that Bhagram Singh ruled consisted only of the tappa of Akola in the Agra pargana. He was successed by Ram Singh a resident of Akola.

Ram Singh was a residence of Akola however he was neither a clan head nor an imperial mansabdar. He started as a dacoit who came into conflict with Multafat Khan, the Fauzdar of Agra Sarkar. Ram Singh became a robinhood figure as he looted from the rich and distributed to the poor. Once he raided the house of a wealthy merchant, the fauzdar arrived at the village with his forces and rounded Ram Singh and his band. In the fight that followed several man died and Dalo the childhood companion of Ram Singh was arrested by the fauzdar. After this event Ram Singh’s defiance turned into a political revolt. He joined the service of Bhagram Singh and requested him to oppose the fauzdar. Multafat Khan attacked Akola, where the rebels had rallied together.

Bhagram first assured the Khan but later incited his people against him. “ Resolved to die rather than pay revenue” they came out and fought with such desperation that the force of the faujdar was routed. In the battle Ram Singh Chahar arrested Mulafat Khan. After humiliating him they set free Multafat Khan in exchange of Dola Chahar. The fauzdar succumbed to his wounds on 26th June 1681. The bravery and the will showed by Ram Singh won over the Chahars and they appointment him as the Sardar of Chaharwati. He soon conquered the parganas of Fatehpur(Sikri), Jagner, Khanwa and Agra and became the leader of the whole population inhabiting these regions. Several famous chiefs joined him including Chaudhary Chandra Sen Bisayati of Chiksana, Chatra Singh Solanki of Mahun, Thakur Maujhi Singh Chahar of Chainkora, The Chaudhary of Achnera, Panwars of Jagner and Mahwa and the Rai of Sismandi (in Khanwa pargana).He joined Raja Ram of Sinsini in almost all his expeditions and together they attacked the Subahdar of Agra and besieged him in the fort of Akbaradbad. Ram Singh Chahar captured the forts of Bari, Dholpur, Bayana and other strongholds by the year 1686. He was captured alive in the Battle of Bijal (1688). After which his head was put on a stick in front of the gates of Agra fort.

After his death the Chahars elected Mauji Singh of Chainkora as there new ‘Sardar Rai’. During this time the Mughal forces lead by Raja Kalyan Singh of Bah and Raja Bishen Singh of Amber captured Sinsini, Sogar, Sonkh and other strongholds of the Jats. Many of the Sinsiniwar, Kuntal and Sogharia chiefs were given shelter by Mauji Singh. He even gave many of them Kildaris and jagirs of important places. Bishen Singh was able to win Jharoti from the allies of Mauji Singh. On 15 June 1664 the fort of Chainkora was surrounded by the Mughal.

Almost all the important Jat chief took shelter there. To relieve the pressure on Chainkora the Chahars of Aheria attacked the Mughal forces a fierce battle took place between them , meanwhile Mauji Singh and other cheifs attacked the Mughal forces stationed on the back side of Chainkora. Mauji Singh captured several Mughal soldiers at the skirmishes at Sansda . Mauji Singh took them to a small fortress which was attacked by Hari Singh, the commander of Amber forces with a very large army. In the battle that followed 500 Chahar soldiers died. Meanwhile Kalyan Singh of Bah was able to conquer the fort of Dholpur from the Chahars.

Hari Singh’s brother Hadusingh was injured in this battle. The Chakora fortress collapsed. After this, the Chahar forts of Murakia and Mikada were targeted by Fidai Khan (Subahdar of Agra). Mughal detachment was sent there were assassinated and uncle of Fidai Khan was beheaded. The incident occurred on 16 April. Mughal were able to reclaim Jagner, Bari and Dholpur from the Chahars. However they were unable to capture Mauji Singh and other cheifs who kept on changing there forts and harassing the Mughal army. Mughal abandoned the campaign in the year 1696.

Mauji Singh re-established his control over Jagner, Khanwa and Sikri and parts of Agra Sarkar , however he was never able to regain Dholpur, Bari and Dang. He attacked the Hara states of Kota and Bundi in an alliance with Rao Churaman Sinsinwar and Rai Rustam Singh Sogharia. He also participated in the battle of Jajua and plundered both Azam and Muzam. He was succeeded by his son Jagmohan. Jagmohan Chahar, Hathi Singh Kuntal, Khemkaran Singh Sogharia and Churaman were invited by the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah and a peace treaty was signed, the Jats Chiefs were given mansabs and the land annexed by them were recognised as there watans. Jagmohan was a man of mediocre ability and acted as a feudatory of Rao Churaman of Thun. Jagmohan was also close to the Sayyid brother and send his soldiers both in the Siege of Delhi and the Siege of Agra. Jagmohan was succeded by his eldest son Majha. Majha remained inactive during the Jat civil war. After the war he accepted the suzerainty of Raja Badan Singh of Deeg. He shifted with his family and two brothers to Deeg. Raja Badan Singh presented him with the jagir of Au. After Majha left for Deeg , the Chahar elected Gangaram Singh, the son of Sardar Chandaram Singh of Behman as there Sardar Rai. Gangaram Singh held some 242 villages as feudatory of the Bharatpur Durbar. In 1777, Mirza Najaf Khan during his attack on Agra and surrounding region crushed the power of the Chahars.