Raja Nahar Singh

Raja Nahar Singh (राजा नाहर सिंह in Hindi) (1823 – 1858) was a King of the princely state of Ballabhgarh in Faridabad District of Haryana, India. The forefathers of Jat Raja Nahar Singh had built a fort in Faridabad around 1739. The small kingdom of Ballabhgarh is only 20 miles from Delhi. The name of the Jat Raja Nahar Singh will always be highly regarded among those who martyred themselves in the 1857 war of independence.

Early History

The founders of the princely state of Ballabgarh had come from village Janauli, which is more than 2000 years old. The Tewatia Jat Sardar Gopal Singh left Janauli in 1705 (in Palwal) and got settled at Sihi, a village of Tewatia Jats in Ballabgarh at a distance of about 5 km from Ballabhgarh. The Mughal ruler Aurangzeb had died. Gopal Singh started establishing power in Delhi and Mathura areas. With the help of Gujars of village ‘Lagon’ he attacked Rajput Chaudhary of that area and did a treaty with Mugal officer Murtija Khan of Faridabad and became Chaudhary of Faridabad pargana in 1710. He wanted to expand his army and collect huge wealth but died soon. His successor was Charan Das. Charan Das was also ambitious and when saw weakening of the Mughal rule, he stopped paying malgujari. The army of Mughals arrested Charan Das.

Charan Das's son, Balram Singh, later rose to a powerful king. Princely state of Ballabgarh is after his name. He was brother in law of Maharaja Suraj Mal and mama of Jawahar Singh. Jats along the Royal Delhi-Agra route at that time were in revolt against the oppressive Mughal rule. Tewatias of this area had already established themselves as counter force in this area. Balram Singh often called Ballu by the local people moved on a few Elephants, Horses and Camels loaded with Big drums (Nagaade) and Dhaunse (big band) followed by his local army. Went wherever Ballu with this band it was assumed that area was no longer of Mughals and Ballu had won that. It was a sort of Aswamedh Yagna that he performed. Here from started a saying "Dheeng Dheeng Ballu ka Raj". Immediately peace returned to those areas, which were won over by Ballu.

Murtija Khan’s son Akvitmahmud killed Balram Singh on 29 November 1753. After Balram Singh, Maharaja Suraj Mal appointed Balram Singh’s sons Bisan Singh and Kisan Singh as Kiledars. They ruled Ballabhgarh till 1774, when Hira Singh became the ruler of Ballabhgarh.

Nahar Singh ascended the throne

Raja Nahar Singh ascended the throne in 1829 and proved to be a just ruler. Raja Nahar Singh was ruler of 101 villages of Ballabhgarh. He had organised a meeting in Mukteshwar (Uttar Pradesh), which was attended by Rraja Krishan Gopal, Raja of Gwalior, Tantya Tope etc. The purpose of this meeting was to unite the nation for the first war of independence in 1857.

In the year 1857 when the fires of the First War of Independence were flaring up in the country, he joined in the battle. With his small army he fought valiantly, following the guerilla tactics popular in those days. But the small efforts of the King could not withstand the forces of the British. And with it, came the end of the rulers of Ballabgarh.

Joined first war of Independence

His far sightedness saw the danger of the encroaching British power, and convinced him to join hands with the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah II. The Emperor considered him his right arm. Along with friendship, he also handled much of the affairs of the tottering Mughal Empire. The Emperor entrusted him with the defence and affairs of Delhi. In the Court he was treated with great respect, and he had a special golden chair, which was placed right next to the Emperor.

In the first war of Indian Independence, on 16 May 1857, when Delhi was liberated, the army of Nahar Singh was on guard on the western border of Delhi. He had established military guard posts from Delhi to Ballabhgarh, and also had his intelligence men on the ground. On seeing this preparedness the British commander John Lawrence was fearful of attacking from the east. The English called Ballabhgarh " Delhi's gate of Iron", and were fearful of it, and did not have the courage to face him.

John Lawrence in a letter wrote to Canning " The East and the South is protected by the strong forces of Raja Nahar Singh of Ballabhgarh, and it is unlikely we can break this wall of soldiers unless we receive reinforcements from China or England."

That is just what happened. When the English army attacked Delhi on 14 September 1857 they attacked from the West, and entered Delhi from Kashmiri Gate. On 24th September the British established their authority on Delhi. The Emperor Bahadur Shah escaped to the tomb of Humayun. Nahar Singh attempted to get the Emperor to Ballabhgarh, but Mirza Elahi Baksh, the father of his daughter- in- law, betrayed the emperor. Baksh was an agent of the British, and persuaded the Emperor not to go beyond the tomb. On 24th September the British captured the emperor and his family, but the Rajah showed his valor and surrounded the British force. Hudson the British officer killed the sons of the Emperor and threatened to kill the Emperor himself. The Rajah lifted the siege to save the Emperor's life.

The courageous warrior Nahar Singh withdrew overnight to his stronghold the fort of Ballabhgarh, and took a grave toll of the British troops who would travel between Delhi and Agra. Thousands of British soldiers were captured and countless were buried in the fields of Ballabhgarh. The revenge for the sons of the Emperor was taken in Ballabhgarh.

Deceived by the British

The British deceived the Raja by showing a white flag and asking for peace talks. Four horse-mounted officers arrived at Ballabhgarh and invited Raja Nahar Singh for talks, pleading that a settlement was being made with the Emperor, and that the presence of the Raja was necessary. They stated that the British wished to have friendship with the Raja.

The Raja trusting the British left for Delhi with 500 horse troops, as soon as he entered Delhi, he was ambushed by an English force and captured. His accompanying soldiers were killed.

The very next day the British laid on a heavy attack on Ballabhgarh, the attack went on for three days on this fort, which the British called the " Iron Gate". The Raja had made this a secure fort filled with arms and ammunition. This little fort could have fought for years. Without the leader a successful defence was not possible and ultimately the British gained victory.

In Delhi Raja Nahar Singh refused friendship with the British. He said, " I have never learned to bow my head before an enemy".
Hudson said to him once more" Nahar Singh, I can save you from the hangman's noose, bend a little". The Raja replied to Hudson " I have spoken, now listen again, The Goras (English) are my enemies, I can never ask them for forgiveness. One hundred thousand Nahar Singh's will be born tomorrow."

The English boiled over at Nahar Singh's answer. They decided to hang him to death, and preparations were made in Chandni Chowk, near the fountain, in front of Nahar Singh's Delhi residence. He was sentenced to death on 9 January 1858.

Hanged to death

That day, 21 April 1858, was Nahar Singh's 35th birthday and to celebrate it he came and stood near the hanging gibbet. Accompanying the Raja were three trusted companions - Kushal Singh, Gulab Singh and Bhura Singh. These four heroes from Ballabhgarh, guilty of the crime of patriotism and serving their country, stood side by side on the hangman's platform.

The people of Delhi were watching this heart-breaking scene with grief and sadness. On Raja Nahar Singh's countenance there was no dullness, but a glow that troubled the enemy and cast a shadow on their faces. The time set for the hanging arrived, and Hudson lowered his head and asked the Raja for his last wish.

The Raja replied firmly " I have nothing to ask of you. You may tell this to these fearful onlookers, that my message is that I am leaving a spark among you, never let it go out. The honour of our nation is now in your hands". Hudson advised the Rajah that he could not convey this message to the onlookers. In this manner the patriot hero Raja Nahar Singh sacrificed his life for his country and became immortal.

His pure body was not returned to his family. Ultimately the royal priest of the family made a dummy of the King, and performed his last rites on the bank of the Ganges River.

Assessment of Nahar Singh

The role and importance of Raja Nahar Singh in the first war of Indian Independence has not been properly assessed. No other Indian place/square/road is named after Nahar Singh except in Haryana. Only one road was named near Wazirpur Depot in Delhi. At least one place in Delhi or at least the Ghanta Ghar or Fuhara where Nahar Singh was hanged should be named after Nahar Singh with his statue over there.

References

*Dilip Singh Ahlawat- “ Jat Viron ka Itihass”: 1857 - THE FIRST WAR OF INDIAN INDEPENDENCE
*Thakur Deshraj: Jat Itihas (Hindi), Maharaja Suraj Mal Smarak Shiksha Sansthan, Delhi, 1934, 2nd edition 1992.

External links

*http://www.1857mutiny.com/1857/02/20/raja-nahar-singh-hanged-to-death/ Raja Nahar Singh Pictures and maps of Bullabhgrah palace
*http://www.pugmarks.com/nahar/history.htm
*http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/