Lehal Library

134 The Agrarian Uprising The death of Kaura Mal snapped the only link between Mir Mannu and the Sikh misldars. They had ta.ken advantage of the conflict between the Afghans and the Mughals to spread out in the Bari Doab, Jullundur Doab, and across the Sut1ej as far as Jind and Thanesar. They came within fifty miles of Delhi before they were stopped. In the north, the Sukerchakias under Charbat Singh crossed thejhelum and subdued the Muslim tribes of the region, including the Gakkhars. Mir Mannu recovered from the Afghan visitation to discover that most of his domains were in the hands of the Sikhs. Adina Beg Khan was even more concerned, for his territory was the one most affected by Sikh incursions. On the festival ofHola Mohalla in March 1753, Adina fell upon Sikh pilgrims at Anandpur and killed a great many. The Sikhs retaliated by plundering villages in the Jullundur and Bari Doabs. Adina was as quick in coming to terms as he was in taking offence. He assigned some of the revenue of his territory to the Sikhs and took many, including Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, in his employ. It was Mir Mannu's tum to take the field. He marched up to Batala and then invested Ram Rauni at Amritsar. He blew up the fon and slew the entire garrison of nine hundred Sikhs. Skirmishes between Sikh bands and Mannu's roving columns took place in different parts of the province. Mannu could do little more against an ubiquitous enemy who also had the sympathy of the peasantry. His jezaikis combed the villages for Sikhs. The able-bodied were killed fighting; the non-combatants, includingwomen11l and children, were brought in chains to Lahore tradesman, sell me; if you are a tyranl. ilill me; but if you are a King, pardon mt',' replied Mann11. Abdali embraced Mannu and addressed him as his brave son and the champion or lndia-Fanand Khan &hiidv.r, Ru.staWHHind. The dialogue is recorded by mr,st Persian and Punjabi histo1ians. (Ahmed Shah Durrani by Ganda Singh, pp. 117-18.) 10 It is perhaps not accurate to describe Sikh women as non-combatants, because many fought alongside their menfolk. The English adventurer George Thomas states in his memoirs: 'Instances indeed have not infrequently occurred, in which they [Sikh womenJ have actually taken up anns