Bhagya

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 17 Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Career and Conquests will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 17 Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Career and Conquests

Early Career of Maharaja Ranjit Singh:

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born in 1780 A.D. in the family of the Sukarchakia Misl chief Mahan Singh.
• The name of Ranjit Singh’s mother was Raj Kaur.
• Ranjit Singh was four years old when he fell a victim to smallpox because of which the light of his left eye was gone forever.
• Ranjit Singh was very brave right from his childhood.
• He was 16 years old when he was married to Mehtab Kaur, the granddaughter of the Kanahia Misl Sardar, Jai Singh, and the daughter of Gurbaksh Singh.
• When Mahan Singh died, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a minor and so the task of state administration passed into the hands of his mother, Raj Kaur, Diwan Lakhpat Rai, and Sada Kaur who together formed the Triune Regency.
• When Ranjit Singh grew to be 17, he took over the charge of administration and put an end to the Triune Regency.

The political condition of Punjab:

• When Ranjit Singh took over the reins of the Sukarchakia Misl, the atmosphere of anarchy and lawlessness was prevalent in Punjab.
• In most parts of Punjab, the Sikhs had founded 12 independent Misls.
• All these were very weak and they continued to fight with one another.
• In the North-West regions of Punjab, the Muslims had set up several independent states.
• There was a lack of unity among these states.
• There were few Rajput states in Punjab.
• The Gorkhas of Nepal were greedily looking towards Punjab.
• In the East, the British and the Marathas had locked their horns and so Maharaja Ranjit Singh did not have to worry about them.
• The ruler of Afghanistan, Shah Zaman, had taken possession of Lahore.

Ranjit Singh’s Policy towards the Sikh Misls:

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s policy towards the Sikh Misls was similar to the Rajput policy adopted by Akbar.
• There was no room for relation or obligation in it.
• He established matrimonial ties with the powerful Kanahia and Nakkai Misls and established friendly relations with
• Ahluwalia and Ramgarhia Misls.
• With their support, he attacked the weak lists and annexed them to his kingdom.
• At the right opportunity, he backstabbed friendly misls and annexed them to his kingdom.
• In 1805 A.D. Ranjit Singh put an end to the Gurmata and acquired complete freedom of taking political decisions.

Conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh:
A brief description of the important victories of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is as follows:

Conquest of Lahore:

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Lahore from the Bhangi Sardars on July 7, 1799 A.D.
• This was his first and most important victory.
• Lahore remained the capital of the empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Conquest of Amritsar:

• In 1805 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Amritsar from Mai Sukhan.
• This victory led to the spread of fame of Maharaja far and wide because the Sikhs considered Amritsar as their Mecca.

Conquest of Multan:

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent 7 expeditions to Multan to conquer it between 1802 and 1817 A.D.
• In the end, Multan was conquered on 2nd June 1818 A.D.
• Its ruler Muzzafar Khan and his five sons were killed in the battle.
• The conqueror of Multan, Misar Diwan Chand was bestowed upon with the title of Zafar Jang.

Conquest of Kashmir:

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh invaded Kashmir thrice.
• He conquered Kashmir during his third expedition in 1819 A.D.
• At that time Jabbar Khan was the Governor of Kashmir.
• This victory proved to be extremely beneficial for Maharaja in several respects.

Conquest of Peshawar:

• Though Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Peshawar in 1823 A.D. yet he annexed it to his kingdom in 1834 A.D.
• This dealt a severe jolt to the power of the Afghans.

Other Conquests:

• Other important conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh that deserve a special mention were Kasur and Jhang (1807), Sialkot (1808), Kangra (1809), Jammu (1809), Attock (1813), and Dera Gazi Khan (1820), etc.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 16 Origin and Growth of the Sikh Misls and their Nature of Organization will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 16 Origin and Growth of the Sikh Misls and their Nature of Organization

Meaning of the word Misl:

• According to Cunningham and Princep “Misl’ is an Arabic word, which means equal.
• David Octerlony says that the word ‘Misl’ means such tribe or community as had established its independent rule over certain regions of Punjab.
• Some historians feel that the word ‘Misl’ means to file.

Origin of the Misls:

• The origin of the Misls did not take place with any pre-conceived plan at some fixed time.
• A new era of atrocities on the Sikhs by the Mughal Governor began.
• Nawab Kapoor Singh organised the different Jathas into two groups.
• Buddha Dal and Taruna Dal.
• On 29th March 1748 A.D., the. Dal Khalsa was found on the Baisakhi day at Amritsar.
• Twelve Jathas were organised under the Dal Khalsa.
• These Jathas began to be called the ‘Misls’.

Growth of Sikh Misls:
A brief description of the growth and history of the Misls are as follows:

Faizalpuria Misl:

• Nawab Kapoor Singh was the founder of Faizalpuria Misl.
• It included the areas of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patti, Nurpur, and Behrampur.

Ahluwalia Misl:

• The founder of the Ahluwalia Misl was Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.
• It included the areas of Sirhind and Kapurthala.

Ramgarhia Misl:

• The founder of Ramgarhia Misl was Khushal Singh.
• It included the areas of Dipalpur, Kalanaur, Batala, Hargobindpur, Quadian, Urmur Tanda, Kartarpur and Haripur.

Shukarchakia Misl:

• The founder of the Shukarchakia Misl was Charat Singh.
• He made Gujranwala his capital.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh also belonged to this Misl.

Other Misls:

• The other Misls were Bhangi Misl, Phulkian Misl, Kanahia, Misl, Dallewalia Misl, Shahid Misl, Nakkai Misl, and Karorsinghia Misl.

Administration of the Misls:

• The Gurmata was the central organisation of the Misls Its decisions were considered by the Sikhs as the dictates of their Guru.
• The leader of each Misl was called Sardar.
• Each Sardar had a number of Misldars under him.
• The Misls were divided into many districts.
• The village was the smallest unit of the Misl administration.
• During the times of the Misls, the chief source of income was land revenue.
• The judicial system of the Sikh Misls was simple.
• According to modern historians, during the Misl period, the total strength of the Sikh army was 1 lakh.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 15 Invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali and Disintegration of Mughal Rule in the Punjab will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 15 Invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali and Disintegration of Mughal Rule in the Punjab

Causes of Ahmad Shah Abdali’s Invasions:

• Ahmad Shah Abdali wanted to conquer Punjab and other parts of India to expand his empire.
• He wanted to plunder the unlimited wealth of India.
• The unstable political condition of India too was inviting Abdali.
• Shahnawaz Khan, the Governor of Punjab also sent an invitation to Abdali to attack India.

Invasions of Abdali:

• The first invasion of Abdali in 1747-48 A.D.
• Here he had to face defeat at the hands of Muin-ul-Mulk alias Mir Mannu.
• Abdali defeated Muin-ul-Mulk in 1748-49 A.D. during his second invasion.
• It was during his third invasion in 1752 A.D. that he annexed the whole of Punjab to his empire.
• During his fourth invasion in 1756 A.D., Abdali took strict action against the Sikhs in Punjab.
• In 1757 A.D, Baba Deep Singh, Ji attained martyrdom while fighting against the Afghans.
• During his fifth invasion, Abdali terribly defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat.
• This battle was fought on 14th January 1761 A.D.
• It was during the sixth invasion that on 5th February 1762 A.D. that the incident of Wadda Gallughara (Great Holocaust) took place.
• Approximately 25,000 to 30,000 Sikhs were killed in this battle.
• Abdali undertook two more invasions after this to crush the power of the Sikhs but was unsuccessful.

Causes of Failure of Abdali:

• The Sikhs of Punjab displayed great tenacity.
• The Sikhs used guerilla war tactics.
• The representatives appointed by Abdali in Punjab were incapable.
• The people of Punjab gave the Sikhs every possible support.
• Those leaders who led the Sikhs were highly capable.
• Abdali did not have much interest in Punjab.
• The numerous repeated revolts that took place in Afghanistan also were responsible for his failure.

Effects of Abdali’s invasions on the Punjab:

• The Mughal rule came to an end in Punjab.
• The defeat inflicted on the Marathas by Abdali in the Third Battle of Panipat led to the end of the Maratha power in Punjab.
• The Sikhs started emerging as a new power.
• There was chaos and disorder in Punjab everywhere.
• A change came about in the character of the people of Punjab and they became more fearless and extravagant in nature.
• There was a great loss of trade in Punjab.
• It also dealt a severe jolt to Punjabi art and literature.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 14 Social and Economic Conditions of the Punjab under the Mughals will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 14 Social and Economic Conditions of the Punjab under the Mughals

Social Condition:

• The society in Punjab was primarily divided into two sections, the Muslims and the Hindus.
• The Muslim society was divided into three classes – upper, middle, and lower.
• The upper class comprised of mansabdars and the elite class.
• The middle class was comprised of peasants and government officials.
• The lower class comprised of servants and labourers etc.
• The Hindu society was divided into several castes and sub-castes not so good.
• The diet of the people of the upper class was quite rich whereas the people of the lower class merely could afford frugal meals.
• The Hindus were mostly vegetarian.
• The people of the upper class wore costly clothes.
• Both men and women were fond of wearing jewellery.
• The people of the upper class entertained themselves by hunting, taking part in chariot races, playing polo, holding pigeon flights, watching elephant and cockfights, and chess.
• Education was not a responsibility of the State.
• It was imparted by temples and mosques.

Economic Condition:

• The main occupation of the people of Punjab was agriculture.
• 80% of the population of Punjab was engaged in this occupation.
• There were bumper crops in Punjab.
• Next to agriculture, the industry was the main occupation of the people of Punjab.
• The cotton industry was the most important industry of Punjab.
• The other important industries were the silk industry, woolen industry, leather industry, etc.
• Several people did the job of animal rearing.
• the domestic and foreign trade was quite prosperous.
• Foreign trade took place with the Arab countries and Asian countries Afghanistan, Iran, Tibet, Bhutan, and China Lahore and Multan were important commercial centres.
• Prices being low, the poor people could easily make both ends meet.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 4 Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Life and His Teachings will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 4 Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Life and His Teachings

Early Career of Guru Nanak Dev Ji:

• Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on 15th April, 1469 A.D. at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi.
• The name of his father was Mehta Kalu Ji and the name of his mother was Tripta Ji.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji was quite serious and thoughtful by nature since his childhood.
• Guru Sahib’s teachers were surprised to see his spiritual knowledge.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s father tried to keep him busy in work through various occupations but Guru Ji showed no interest in them.
• At the age of 14 years, he was married to Sulakhni Ji, the daughter of Mool Chand, a resident of Batala.
• At the age of 20 years, he was employed at the Modikhana (foodgrain store) at the Sultanpur Lodhi.
• While at Sultanpur Lodhi, Guru Nanak attained enlightenment while bathing in the Bein rivulet.
• He was 30 years old at that time.

Udasis of Guru Nanak Dev Ji:

• After attaining enlightenment in 1499 A.D., Guru Nanak Dev Ji set out on long travels (Udasis) in India and in foreign countries.
• He spent 21 years in these travels or Udasis.
• The main objective of the Udasis of Guru Nanak Dev Ji was to remove the ignorance of the people and to give the message of the unity of Godhead and universal brotherhood of mankind.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji started his first Udasi in 1499 A.D. with Bhai Mardana.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled Saidpur, Talumba, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Delhi, Haridwar, Gorakhmata, Banaras, Kamrup, Gaya, Jagannath Puri, Lanka and Pakpattan.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji started his second Udasi at the end of 1513 A.D.
• In this Udasi Guru Ji travelled the Hilly states, Kailash Parbat, Ladakh, Kashmir, Hasan Abdal, and Sialkot.
• During his third Udasi, which was started at the end of 1517 A.D., Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled to Multan, Mecca, Madina, Baghdad, Kabul, Peshawar, and Saidpur.
• Thousands of people became his followers, being greatly impressed by his personality and his teachings.

Teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji:

• Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings were simple but impressive.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji believed in one God only.
• According to Guru Nanak Dev Ji, God is the Greater, Sustainer and Destroyer of the world.
• He is without form and omnipotent.
• According to him, Maya is the biggest obstacle in the way of man to attaining salvation.
• Haumai (Ego) is the root cause of man’s all troubles.
• Guru Ji vehemently opposed casteism and hollow customs and traditions.
• Guru Ji raised their voice to uplift the status of women in society.
• Guru Ji emphasized the recitation of Nam.
• He regarded the Guru as the most important mean to reach God.

Immessed in Eternal Light:

• Guru Nanak Dev Ji immessed in Eternal Light on 22 September 1539 A.D.
• Before his immersion in Eternal Light, he nominated Bhai Lehna Ji as his successor.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 3 Political, Social and Economic Conditions of the Punjab in the beginning of the 16th Century will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 3 Political, Social and Economic Conditions of the Punjab in the beginning of the 16th Century

Political Condition:

• The political condition of Punjab was quite deplorable.
• Punjab was under the Sultanate of Delhi which was under the Lodhi Sultans at that time.
• In 1469 A.D. the Sultan of Delhi, Bahlol Lodhi appointed Tatar Khan Lodhi as the Governor of Punjab.
• Tatar Khan Lodhi was killed during an unsuccessful revolt against the Lodhi Sultan.
• In 1500 A.D. the new Lodhi Sultan, Sikandar Lodhi appointed Daulat Khan Lodhi as the Governor of Punjab.
• As soon as Ibrahim Lodhi became the new Sultan, Daulat Khan Lodhi started hatching conspiracies against him.
• Daulat Khan Lodhi invited Babar to invade India.
• Babar invaded Punjab five times between 1519 and 1526 A.D.
• During his fifth invasion, Babar defeated Daulat Khan Lodhi to establish control over Punjab.
• On 21st April 1526 A.D., Babar defeated Ibrahim Lodhi in the First Battle of Panipat.
• Consequently, Punjab slipped from the hands of the Lodhi dynasty into the hands of the Mughals.

Social Condition:

• At the beginning of the 16th century, the social condition of Punjab was deplorable.
• Society was divided into two major sects the Hindus and the Muslims Related to the ruling elite class, the Muslims had several special privileges.
• The Muslim society was divided into upper, middle, and lower classes.
• The condition of Muslim women was pitiable.
• The Hindus were in majority but they were deprived of their rights.
• Hindu society was divided into several castes and sub-castes.
• The elite class of society ate delicious foods and wore expensive clothes.
• The lower classes wore ordinary clothes and ate frugal meals.
• At that time hunting, polo, animal fights, chess, dance, music, and cards, etc. were sources of entertainment.
• Education was imparted in mosques, madrasas, and temples.

Economic Condition:

• The economic condition of Punjab was very good.
• The main occupation of the people of Punjab was agriculture.
• The main crops grown here were wheat, barley, maize, rice, and sugarcane.
• It had rich harvests Industry was the other main occupation of the people.
• The most important industry was the textile industry.
• Besides this, there were other industries that manufactured leather goods, arms, utensils, toys, and articles of ivory.
• The occupation of cattle rearing was also prevalent.
• The domestic and foreign trade of Punjab was also quite prosperous.
• The foreign trade of Punjab was carried on with countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Arabia, Syria, Tibet, and China, etc.
• Lahore and Multan were the two most popular towns in Punjab.
• Due to low prices, ordinary people also enjoyed a good standard of living.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 2 Sources of the History of the Punjab will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 2 Sources of the History of the Punjab

Difficulties Regarding the History of Punjab:

• The Janam Sakhis related to the Sikh Gurus have several inconsistencies in them.
• The Muslim writers who were fanatics and biased have distorted the facts of history.
• The Sikhs did not have any time for writing their own history during this period of anarchy.
• Moreover, whatever meager historical books had already been written were destroyed during the foreign invasions.
• Several historical sources were also destroyed during the partition of Punjab in 1947 A.D.

Kinds of Sources:
The main sources related to the history of Punjab are as follows:

Religious literature of the Sikhs:

• The Adi Granth Sahib gives us the most authentic information of this period.
• It was compiled by Guru Arjan Dey Ji in 1604 A.D.
• The Dasam Granth Sahib is a compilation of the works of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and the poets of his court, of these, the ‘Bachitar Natak’ and ‘Zafarnama’ are historically the most important.
• The 39 Vars written by Bhai Gurdas Ji give us important information about the lives of the first six Gurus and the famous pilgrimages.
• Among the Janam Sakhis based on the life of Guru Nanak Dey Ji, the most important are Puratan Janam Sakhi,
• Meharban’s Janam Sakhi, Janam Sakhi of Bhai Bala, and Janam Sakhi of Bhai Mam Singh Ji.
• The Hukamnamas issued by the Sikh Gurus provides us with very valuable information about the contemporary society of these 34
• Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and 23 Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.

Historical and Semi-Historical works in Punjabi and Hindi:

• ‘Sri Gursobha’ gives us an eye-witness account of the events that took place from 1699 to 1708 A.D.
• Gursobha was written by Sainapat a famous court poet of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1741 A.D.
• Sikhan Di Bhagatmala provides valuable information about the social contention of the periods of the Gurus.
• It was written by Bhai Maui Singh Ji.
• ‘Bansavali Nama’ written by Kesar Singh Chhibbar describes the incidents from the Guru period to the middle of the 18th century.
• ‘Gurpratap Suraj Granth’ written by Bhai Santokh Singh and ‘Prachin Panth Prakash’ written by Rattan Singh Bhangu has an important position in the construction of the history of Punjab.

Historical works in Persian:

• ‘Babarnama’ written by the Mughal emperor Babar gives us historical information about Punjab at the beginning of the 16th century.
• Ain-i-Akbari’ and ‘Akbarnama’ written by Abul Fazi give us information about the relations of Akbar with the Sikh Gurus.
• Dabjstan-j-Mazahib’ written by Mubid Zulfiqar Ardistani gives us valuable information pertaining to the Sikh Gurus’.
• Khulasat-ut.Tawarjkh’ written by Sujan Rai Bhandari, ‘Muntakhibut-Lubab’ written by Khafi Khan, and ‘Jang Nama’ written by Qazi Nur Muhammad gives us information about the Punjab of the ‘8th century’.
• Umdat-ut-Tawarjkh’ written by Sohan Lai Suri and ‘Char-Bagh-i-Punjab’ written by Ganesh Das Wadhera gives us a detailed account of the incidents related to the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Bhat Vahis:

• The Bhats used to write down all the important events with dates in their Vahis.
• These give us useful information about the lives of the Sikh Gurus, their travels, and their battles.

Khalsa Darbar Records:

• These are the official records of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time.
• They were written in Persian and their number is more than 1 lakh.
• The Khalsa Darbar Records give useful information on the life and times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Writings of Foreign Travellers and Europeans:

• The writings of foreign travelers and Europeans contribute greatly to the construction of the history of Punjab.
• Prominent among them are ‘A Journey from Bengal to England’ by George Forster, ‘Sketch of the Sikhs’ by Malcolm, ‘Origin of Sikh Power in the Punjab’ by H.T. Princep, ‘The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singji’ by Captain William Osborne, ‘The Punjab’ by Steinbach, ‘History of the Sikhs’ by J.D. Cunningham.

Historical Buildings, Paintings, and Coins:

• The historical buildings, paintings, and coins of Punjab are also very valuable sources for tracing out the history of Punjab.
• The architecture of Khadur Sahib, Goindwal Sahib, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kartarpur, and Paonta Sahib, various forts, paintings in the Gurdwaras, and coins of Sikh leaders also throw ample light on the contemporary society.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 1 Physical Features of the Punjab and their influence on its History will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 1 Physical Features of the Punjab and their influence on its History

Different Names of the Punjab:

• The word Punjab is a combination of the two words of the Persian language: ‘Punj’ and ‘Aab’ which literally means, the land of five rivers.
• In the Rigvedic period, Punjab was called ‘Sapta Sindhu’, it was called Tanchnada’ in the Puranas, ‘Pentapotamia’ by the Greeks, ‘Lahore Suba’ in the medieval period, and ‘Punjab Province’ by the British.

Physical Features of the Punjab:
The main aspects related to the physical features of Punjab are as follows:

The Himalayas and Sulaiman Mountain Ranges:

• The Himalayas are situated to the north of Punjab.
• It stretches from Assam in the east to Afghanistan in the west.
• These mountain ranges have proved to be a great boon for Punjab.
• The Himalayas have made the land of Punjab fertile.
• The Sulaiman mountain ranges are situated in the northwest of Punjab.
• It is in these ranges that the Khyber, Bolan, Kurram, Tochi, and Gomal passes are located.

Sub-mountainous Region:

• This region is located between the Shivalik ranges and the plains of Punjab.
• It is also called the Tarai region. Hoshiarpur, Kangra, Ambala, the northern part of Gurdaspur, and some areas of Sialkot are located in this region.

The Plains:

• The plains constitute the largest and most important region of Punjab.
• This region is located between the rivers Indus and Jamuna.
• A bigger part of the plains is surrounded by the Five Doabs.
• These Doabs are called the Bist Jalandhar Doab, Bari Doab, Rachna Doab, Chaz Doab, Sind Sagar Doab.
• The vast plains located between the Sutlej and the Jamuna rivers also form a part of Punjab and are called Malwa and Bangar.
• The southwest region of Punjab is a desert. Hence, the density of the population is very low here.

Influence of Physical Features on the History of the Punjab:

• The geographical conditions of Punjab have greatly influenced the social, political, economic, religious, and cultural life of Punjab in many ways:

Political Effects:

• As a result of its geographical location, Punjab has been the gateway of India for the conquerors for many centuries.
• All the important and decisive battles were fought here.
• The political importance of several towns of Punjab increased.
• Punjab had to suffer grave difficulties and atrocities for centuries.

Social Effects:

• The Punjabis developed special traits of character like bravery, courage, hard work, sympathy, co-operation, social service, tolerance, and sacrificing the self for the country.
• There was an increase in the number of castes and sub-castes here.
• The art and literature of Punjab could not develop.

Religious Effects:

• Punjab is considered the birthplace of Hinduism.
• Islam was much propagated in Punjab as compared to the other parts of India.
• The development and growth of Sikhism are very closely related to the geographical features of Punjab.

Economic Effects:

• Due to the fertility of its soil, agriculture is the main occupation of the Punjabis.
• The domestic and foreign trade of Punjab was encouraged.
• Several commercial towns developed in Punjab.
• The Punjabis became quite prosperous.

This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 13 Rise of the Dal Khalsa and its Mode of Fighting will help you in revision during exams.

PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 13 Rise of the Dal Khalsa and its Mode of Fighting

Causes of the Rise of the Dal Khalsa:

• After the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur, the Mughal Governors began to persecute the Sikhs vigorously.
• Nawab Kapoor Singh organized Buddha Dal and Taruna Dal in 1734 A.D. in order to consolidate the Sikh power.
• By taking the opportunity of the anarchy in Punjab the Sikhs established 25 Jathas each consisting of 100 Sikhs in 1745 A.D.
• These Jathas formed the basis of the Dal Khalsa.

Establishment of the Dal Khalsa:

• The Dal Khalsa was established on Mar. 29, 1748 A.D. at Amritsar.
• It was established by Nawab Kapoor Singh.
• He organized the Sikhs into 12 Jathas.
• Each Jatha had its own leader and flag Jassa.
• Singh Ahluwalia was appointed the Chief Commander of the Dal Khalsa.

Military Features of the Dal Khalsa:

• Cavalry was the main constituent of the Dal Khalsa.
• No Sikh was forced to join the army.
• Any member could leave one squad to join another.
• There was no provision of military training and regular salary.
• The members of the Dal Khalsa adopted guerilla tactics in their raids on the enemy.
• Swords, lances, spears, axes, and arrows were used in fighting.

Significance of the Dal Khalsa:

• The Dal Khalsa unified the scattered powers of the Sikhs.
• It taught the Sikhs to live in the discipline.
• It was due to the creation of the Dal Khalsa that Sikhs were enabled to form independent Misls in Punjab.
• Undoubtedly, the establishment of the Dal Khalsa proved a milestone in the History of the Sikhs.