Tempo:
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CHAP. IV
THE AFGHANS AND MARATHAS
01
paign, as predatory bands hovering round the Durrani
i76i-2.
army; but the absence of all regular government gave The sikhs them additional strength, and they became not only unremasters of their own villages, but began to erect forts strained in ^'^^ °p^" for the purpose of keeping stranger communities in ^°^^ ^^' check. Among others Charat Singh, the grandfather of Ranjit Singh, established a stronghold of the kind in his wife's village of Gujrnauli (or Gujranwala), to the northward of Lahore. The Durrani governor, or his deputy, Khwaja Obed, went to reduce it in the beginning of 1762,^ and the Sikhs assembled for its relief. The Afghan was repulsed, he left his baggage Gujranwaia to be plundered, and fled to shut himself up within the ^"' ^u^^^^efenwalls of Lahore.- The governor of Sirhind held his d" /by^ ground better, for he was assisted by an active Muham- charat madan leader of the country, Hinghan Khan of Maler smgh, and Kotla; but the Sikhs resented this hostility of an Indian the DurraPathan as they did the treason of a Hindu religionist "'^ ^°"" of Jindiala, who wore a sword like themselves, and yet La^ore^ adhered to Ahmad Shah. The 'army of the Khalsa' 1761-2. assembled at Amritsar, the faithful performed their The sikhs ablutions in the restored pool, and perhaps the first assemble regular 'Gurumatta', or diet for conclave, was held on ^* Amritthis occasion. The possessions of Hinghan Khan were ravage'^the ravaged, and Jindiala was invested, preparatory to country 'on attempts of greater moment.'^ either side But the restless Ahmad Shah was again at hand. °^ *^^ This prince, the very ideal of the Afghan genius, hardy ^"*^^^and enterprising, fitted for conquest, yet incapable of g^Tf^ empire, seemed but to exist for the sake of losing and gi^th ^invarecovering provinces. He reached Lahore towards the sion, i762. end of 1762, and the Sikhs retired to the South of the Sutlej, perhaps with some design of joining their brethren who were watching Sirhind, and of overpowering Zain Khan the governor, before they should be engaged with Ahmad Shah himself; but in two long and rapid marches from Lahore, by way of Ludhiana, the king came up with the Sikhs when they were about to enter into action with his lieutenant. He gave them a total "^'^^ 'Ghuiu defeat, and the Muhammadans were as active in the ^^^'^^'^ °^ 1 Murray (Ranjit Singh, p. 21) makes Khwaja Obed the governor, and he may have succeeded or represented Baland Khan, whom other accounts show to have occasionally resided at Rohtas. Gujranwala is the more common, if less ancient, form of the name of the village attacked. It was also the place of Ranjit Singh's birth, and is now a fair-sized and thriving town. (Cf. Munshi Shahamat All's Sikhs and Afghans, p. 51.) 2 Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp.' 22, 23. 3 Cf. Browne, India Tracts, ii. 22, 23; and Murray, Ranjit Singh, p. '23.
CHAP. IV
THE AFGHANS AND MARATHAS
01
paign, as predatory bands hovering round the Durrani
i76i-2.
army; but the absence of all regular government gave The sikhs them additional strength, and they became not only unremasters of their own villages, but began to erect forts strained in ^'^^ °p^" for the purpose of keeping stranger communities in ^°^^ ^^' check. Among others Charat Singh, the grandfather of Ranjit Singh, established a stronghold of the kind in his wife's village of Gujrnauli (or Gujranwala), to the northward of Lahore. The Durrani governor, or his deputy, Khwaja Obed, went to reduce it in the beginning of 1762,^ and the Sikhs assembled for its relief. The Afghan was repulsed, he left his baggage Gujranwaia to be plundered, and fled to shut himself up within the ^"' ^u^^^^efenwalls of Lahore.- The governor of Sirhind held his d" /by^ ground better, for he was assisted by an active Muham- charat madan leader of the country, Hinghan Khan of Maler smgh, and Kotla; but the Sikhs resented this hostility of an Indian the DurraPathan as they did the treason of a Hindu religionist "'^ ^°"" of Jindiala, who wore a sword like themselves, and yet La^ore^ adhered to Ahmad Shah. The 'army of the Khalsa' 1761-2. assembled at Amritsar, the faithful performed their The sikhs ablutions in the restored pool, and perhaps the first assemble regular 'Gurumatta', or diet for conclave, was held on ^* Amritthis occasion. The possessions of Hinghan Khan were ravage'^the ravaged, and Jindiala was invested, preparatory to country 'on attempts of greater moment.'^ either side But the restless Ahmad Shah was again at hand. °^ *^^ This prince, the very ideal of the Afghan genius, hardy ^"*^^^and enterprising, fitted for conquest, yet incapable of g^Tf^ empire, seemed but to exist for the sake of losing and gi^th ^invarecovering provinces. He reached Lahore towards the sion, i762. end of 1762, and the Sikhs retired to the South of the Sutlej, perhaps with some design of joining their brethren who were watching Sirhind, and of overpowering Zain Khan the governor, before they should be engaged with Ahmad Shah himself; but in two long and rapid marches from Lahore, by way of Ludhiana, the king came up with the Sikhs when they were about to enter into action with his lieutenant. He gave them a total "^'^^ 'Ghuiu defeat, and the Muhammadans were as active in the ^^^'^^'^ °^ 1 Murray (Ranjit Singh, p. 21) makes Khwaja Obed the governor, and he may have succeeded or represented Baland Khan, whom other accounts show to have occasionally resided at Rohtas. Gujranwala is the more common, if less ancient, form of the name of the village attacked. It was also the place of Ranjit Singh's birth, and is now a fair-sized and thriving town. (Cf. Munshi Shahamat All's Sikhs and Afghans, p. 51.) 2 Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp.' 22, 23. 3 Cf. Browne, India Tracts, ii. 22, 23; and Murray, Ranjit Singh, p. '23.
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