Himmat Singh Nishanwala captured in January, 1764, Shahabad Markanda and Ismailabad. He died issue less in 1771. His nephew Nirmala Jat ruler Karam Singh Nirmala (Spotless) succeeded him. Karam Singh Nirmala commanded a force of 750 horse and 250 foot. In 1779 he joined Abdul ahed minister of Delhi, in his expedition against Patiala. On 8 February, 1780, Raja Amar Singh left Patiala to attend the marriage of the daughter of Raja Hamir Singh of Nabha. His luggage was to follow him. Karam Singh Nirmala lay encamped at Bazidpur, 15 kms from Patiala, with sevenor eight thousand horse. He plundered Amar Singh’s baggage on 15 February. Karam Singh was joined by other Jat sikh sardars. They besieged Patiala and demanded money from Amar Singh. Sandhu Jat ruler Jai Singh Kanhiya was coming to Patiala to celebrate the marriage of Jaimal Singh Kanhiya with Sahib Kaur on 3 March, 1780. Karam Singh and his allies raised the siege on 29 February and retired towards Sarhind. After the marriage Jai Singh and Amar Singh despatched a force of 10,000 selected horse in pursuit of Karam Singh and his companions and drove them away. In March, 1781, the imperial general, Shafi, was in difficulties during his campaign against the Cis-Satluj chiefs. He invited Raja Amar Singh to come to his help. The Raja left Patiala at the head of a strong force to join Shafi. Karam Singh blocked his way near Ambala, and did not allow him to proceed farther. Shafi’s deputy Khalil Khan occupied Shahabad in Karam Singh’s absence. Karam Singh and other Sikhs besieged Khalil Khan. Shafi also was kept engaged by the other Sikhs in the neighbourhood of Jagadhri. Khalil Khan made piteous appeals to Shafi for help. Shafi ordered Sher Din Khan and Bagha Rao to go to his rescue. They declined to leave because their troops were starving, and they were deserting. On 18 May, 1781, Shafi was informed that Karam Singh and Baghel Singh had created a breach in the wall of the sarae in which Khalil Khan had taken shelter. On 22 May news arrived that Khalil Khan sued for peace and sent a horse to Karam Singh by way of nazar. Karam Singh demanded complete surrender unconditionally. Khalil Khan submitted with 300 horse, 800 foot and two pieces of cannon. His troops were plundered and let off, while Khalil Khan was shot dead. In January, 1785, Karam Singh and other Sikh Jats entered the Ganga Doab in two batches. On 1st February, 1785 Karam Singh with Rae Singh and Dulha Singh was encamped near Ghausgarh. The other batch under Baghel Singh was 7 kms ahead of them. Baghel Singh came to Karam Singh’s camp to condole with him on his wife’s death. In January, 1786, Karam Singh and others again plundered the Ganga Doab. A body of 12,000 Sikhs led by Karam Singh Nirmala in April, 1790, plundered the Doab including Hapur, 57 kms from Delhi and Aligarh, 126 kms from Delhi. Karam Singh then sent his vakil to Mahadji Sindhia, Regent of the Mughal Empire, demanding more grants of land in the Doab promising to stop his raids in future. Sindhia held out some hope. Karam Singh and other Sikhs again sacked the upper Ganga Doab in December,1790. On 5 February, 1791, Khair-ud-din wrote: “The Sikhs plunder the country of crores of rupees.” Sindhia deputed Devji Gavle to discuss the matter with Karam Singh. Peace negotiations continued for some time. As Sindhia was too busy in other quarters to spare time to solve the Sikh problem, Gale’s mission proved fruitless. After some time Sindhia granted to Karam Singh Shikarpur taluqa in jagir and the title of Sardar under the royal seal. In September-October, 1795, a Maratha general, Nana Rac, led an expedition against the Sikhs ofCis-Satluj region. Karam Singh Nirmala met him and offered him Rs. 5,000 if he would give him Bhanga Singh’s fort of Gumthala, 40 kms east of Thanesar on the bank of river Jamuna. Nana took the money and besieged the fort. Karam Singh’s daughter, Raj Kaur, was married to Charat Singh, son of Hari Singh of Rupar. His son Kharak Singh was married to Prem Kaur, daughter of Raja Sahib Singh of Patiala.
References :-
- Gian Singh in his Twarikh Guru Khalsa, III, 592
- History of Sikhs -Vol. IV ,The Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of Sikh Misls By Hari ram gupta.