Lehal Library

118 The Agrarian Uprising Fyzullapur, was nominatedjagirdar and given the title ofNawab. Nawab Kapur Singh was thus recognized as the leader of the Sikhs, both by the Sarbat Khalsa as well as the provincial governor. Closely associated with Kapur Singh was another remarkable man, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.7 These two men became the chief architects of Sikh power in the country. Kapur Singh andjassa Singh made full use of the conciliatory attitude of Zakarya Khan. The Khalsa were ordered to come out of their hideouts. At another meeting of the Sarbat Khalsa held at the Akal Takht8 facing the Harimandir, the jathas were reorganized. They were assured complete freedom of action except when the future of the community was in jeopardy; then they bad to merge their units in the Dal Khalsa, the army of the Khalsa. A central fighting force which was billetted at Amritsar consisted of two divisions, the Butf,ha Dal (veterans), and the Tarntu:i Da~ consisting of more youthful soldiers. The former was commanded by Nawab Kapur Singh himself. The latter, which was more active and numerous, by a number of jathedars who had separate billets for their men. Amritsar and was succeeded by his younger brolhe:r Hameer Singh. The village of Kapurgarh in Nabha is named after Nawab Kapur Singh. 7 Jassa Singh Kalal of the village Ahl (hence Ahh"i.valia) was born in 1718. He lost his father, Badar Singh, when he was only five years old, and was brought up by Guru Gobind Singh's widow, Mata Sundari, and later by Nawab .Kapur Singh. In l 774 he wrested Kapunhala from .Rai Ibrahim Bhatti and made it his headquarters. Jassa Singh died in Amritsar in AD 1783, and. being issueless, was succeeded by Bbag Singh (d. 1801), whose son Fateh Singh became a close collaborator of Raajit Singh. 8 Several writers have given accoums of these meetings. No Sardar was entitled to treat with a foreign emissary on his own. The emissary was brought to the meeting (frequently in the gurdwara) . where all the others had gathered. The proceedings commenced wilh an arclas (prayer), followed by an announcement that a particular emissary had come to treat with the Khalsa. The emissary would then address the congregation or have his message read. A discussion would follow, often leading to clamorous disputation. The real business was done by I.he leading Sardars. After I.he meeting had 'let off steam,' the senior Sardars 'talked' the congregation into an agreement. Approval was signified by loud shouts of 'sat sri akal and ratified by another ardas.