Sikh Khalsa Army

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Sikh Khalsa Army ਸਿੱਖ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਫੌਜ
Sirhind, Lohagarh, Anandpur Sahib
Patron	The Maharajas of Punjab: Maharaja Ranjit Singh Maharaja Kharak Singh Maharaja Nau Nihal Singh Maharaja Sher Singh Maharaja Duleep Singh
Motto(s)	Deg Tegh Fateh (Cauldron, Sword, Victory or Prosperity in Peace and Victory in War)
War Cry	Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (Whoever utters it shall be fulfilled, God is Eternal) Waheguruji ka Khalsa Waheguruji Ki Fateh (The Khalsa belongs to god, God will be victorious)
March	Kirtan
Anniversaries	Holla Mohalla,
Official Salutation	Wahegur Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh (Khalsa Belongs to God's, Victory belongs to God) is normal but other regiments may vary
Wars	Afghan-Sikh Wars Nepal-Sikh War Sino-Sikh War First Anglo-Sikh War Second Anglo-Sikh War
Decorations	Bright Star of Punjab, Guru Jee ki sher, Fateh-o Nusrat Nasib, Zafar Jhang
Jean-Francois Allard Jean-Baptiste Ventura Akali Phula Singh
Insignia
Identification symbol	Hindu regiments: Various goddesses and gods Muslim regiments: crescent or others Sikh regiments: Khanda or plain banners Akalis: Katar, dhal, kirpan or aad chand
Predecessor	Dal Khalsa
Successor	Presidency armies

The Sikh Khalsa Army (

A Muslim regiment under Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe was sent to Amritsar for talks with the Maharaja. The soldiers created noise through their chants as they approached Ranjit Singh's fort in Amritsar and passed near the Golden Temple and caused an irregular detachment of Nihang guards to inquire about the disturbances during prayer, before they were challenged by the Muslim soldiers who fired upon them. The Sikh Nihangs shot off many musket and matchlock volleys rather than a sword charge. It resulted in the death of many of Metcalfe's escorts, while others were wounded. Although more of Metcalfe's soldiers died,^{[citation needed]} Ranjit Singh became particularly fascinated by the Muslim guards. This impressed Ranjit Singh and left a deep impact on him, as the Nihangs had quickly adopted the line formations of Metcalfe's escorts, dominating the entire Muslim battalion. The Maharaja then accepted The Treaty of Amritsar (1809), and saw the British as allies for the moment as he took the British refusal to engage after the assault on Metcalfe's convoy as well as the Sikh army's frequent unanswered incursions and attacks south of the Sutlej on British army officers in Ludhiana as signs of weakness on the British's part.^{[citation needed]}

Fauj-i-Be Qawaid (Irregular Division)

Jagirdari Fauj

Jagirdari

Fauj. It consisted mostly of Cavalry and Infantry. It was the weakest part of the army.

Ghorcharas

Another part of the Irregular force were the Ghorcharas. Ghorcharas were the relatives of the nobles of the Sikh Empire and the police of the forts. They also refused any type of training and usually taunted the Europeans. The Ghorcharas or the irregular cavalry had no uniform laid down for them; yet they turned out sharply, as testified by Baron Hugel, a Prussian noble, who visited Maharajah Ranjit Singh in 1836 and inspected a cavalry parade. "I never beheld," he wrote of a troop of ghorcharhas, "a finer nor a more remarkably striking body of men. Each one was dressed differently, and yet so much in the same fashion that they all looked in perfect keeping."<

Fauj-i-Kilajat

The Fauj-i-Kilajat was the army defending the forts and also acting as police. Each fort had 50 to 250 of these men and their officer was called Killedar or Thanedar. They were mainly Muslims and wore a traditional white turban with a sky blue overcoat and a yellow kurta.

Misaldars

Some small Misldars still kept their lands but under the Empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. One famous Misldar is Fateh Singh Ahluwalia who fought against the Afghan Forces and did not agree to the Dogra supremacy.

Budha Dal 96 Crori Fauj (Budha Dal Nihang Army)

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Akali Nihangs were not sustained under the Sikh Khalsa army. They were and are a religious army and follow their Jathedar as their emperor. These jathedars have evolved into the jathedars today. The Akali Nihangs even used to fight with the other armed soldiers of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Other parts of the Irregulars consisted of the Akalis, also known as Nihangs. They were devout Sikhs, heavily armed with many traditional weapons and refused European style training. They only wore blue or yellow robes. Their leaders were Akali Phula Singh and Akali Sadhu Singh. Unlike today's Nihang sects and Jathas earlier all Nihangs were in the Budha Dal and ate meat. The Nihangs who hunted boars and deer kept the trophies as 'Soor Das' (Boar's Tooth) and 'Barha Singha' (Deer Horns).

Bunga-wali Nihang

The Nihang Bana started with a navy or surmayee blue four foot tall Dastar Bunga with many chakrams in ascending order and a Gajgah. On the top of the turban lied a metre and a half long pharla to show that the spirit of the Khalsa would never be broken. Under the dastar Bunga was a Surmayee or navy chola with a yellow hazooria and kamar kasa. Under the Kamar Kasa (a cotton belt) should be two Kirpans, a khanda and other daggers. One Kirpan should be Nagini and one straight. All Nihangs had horses on which there would be a Nishan Sahib, long Musket, a Karpa Barcha and a Nagni Barcha. The Nishan Sahib should be pointed up resembling victory and should have an Ashtabhuja Dhuja on top. This class of Nihangs always came at the Back of the army as they had the tallest turban and held the Nishan Sahib. They were known as the troops of Baba Fateh Singh which inspired the war-cry Fateh Singh Ke Jathe Singh.

Dumala-Wali Nihang

The Dumala-Wala Nihangs wore a shorter turban with three to four chakrams and a small pharla from it. In the turban lied three to four short Khandas. On the Nihangs back has to be a Dhal with a Vadda Chakram below and on the shoulders was a yellow hazooria. They also carried a Katar tucked in their Kamar-Kasa with two Kirpans, a Khanda, a Jamdhardh and a Toradar Matchlock. They held a Nagni Barcha on their back in a holder. Most of them were cavalry while some were archers and infantry.

Modernisation and Formation of Regular Corps

Throughout 1805, Ranjit Singh recruited many East India Company deserters in his army. The early results were unimpressive. During the visit of Charles Metcalfe, he was shown a band of soldiers, most of them wearing traditional kurtas and colourful turbans, while others wore European infantry ornaments. They had either traditional matchlock or European muskets.^{[citation needed]}

Previously, as the Sikhs refused to join infantry service,

Pakhtuns and Gurkhas served in this sector of the army. However, with the passage of time and owing to Ranjit Singh's efforts, Sikhs too began to join the infantry in large numbers. In 1822 Ranjit Singh employed a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, General Jean-Baptiste Ventura to train the infantry in European style. In a few years, under his command, the infantry was modernized in French pattern. Similarly, in 1822, Ranjit Singh employed another French Napoleonic War veteran, General Jean-François Allard to modernize the Sikh cavalry. In 1827 Claude Auguste Court, and in 1832 Colonel Alexander Gardner

was employed to modernise the artillery.

Ranjit Singh wanted to westernise his army. The military system that he had inherited from his forefathers also served him well. The military system of the Sikh Empire under Ranjit Singh finally evolved as a compromise between the old and the new. Thus, the military system of the Sikh Empire is termed as a Franco-British system in the Indian subcontinent.^{[citation needed]}

Fauj-i-Ain (Regular Division)

Main article: Fauj-i-Ain

Infantry

Ranjit Singh was fully aware of the importance of infantry. The task of recruitment in this section of the army had started after 1805, and continued throughout his reign. In the beginning, the number of

Pathans and Dogras in this section of his army. Afterwards, owing to Ranjit Singh's efforts, Sikhs too began to join it. In 1822, he employed General Jean-Baptiste Ventura

to train the infantry in western pattern. Under his guidance, within a few years, the infantry became the most disciplined unit of the Sikh army.

By 1838-1839 the strength of the infantry had risen to 45,000. It was divided into

Jamadar.^{[citation needed}

]

Cavalry

The second most important division of the army was cavalry. In order to organize it on western lines,

pajamas.

Ranjit Singh was fully aware of the importance of artillery in the modern warfare. Therefore, he paid a special attention to the development of artillery in 1810. In 1812 he employed General Claude Auguste Court and Colonel Alexander Gardner in 1832 and organized Topkhana-i-Khas. Under their able guidance the artillery made matchless progress in a few years. Maharaja Ranjit Singh divided his artillery into four categories:

• Topkhana-i-Fili: Heavy cannons pulled by elephants
• Topkhana-i-Shutri consisted of those
  camels
  .
• Topkhana-i-Aspi consisted of light guns pulled by horses
• Topkhana-i-Gavi consisted of medium cannons pulled by oxen

The artillery was divided into

Infantry

The Fauj-i-Khas was the elite wing of the army. It was strictly trained under French pattern and had a separate emblem and flag. It consisted of four infantry battalions, two cavalry regiments and one artillery troop. Its weapons and equipment (including clothing) was of the best kind. The Fauj-i-Khas was supplied with the best available ammunition and they were very loyal to

Cavalry

Cavalrymen were dressed in red jackets (French grey for lancers), long blue trousers with a red stripe, and crimson turbans. Woollen jackets were used during winter. They all instead of the traditional weapons carried only a three foot kirpan and a lance. The regiments were armed with varying combinations of weapons, including swords/sabres, carbines, matchlocks, and lances.

Artillery

One of the most unique regiments of the Sikh Khalsa Army was the Shutersawaar or the cannon mounted war camel used by Hari Singh Nalwa in his conquest of Peshawar. The Shutersawaar was in the Sher-Dil-Rajman Regiment. Gunners wore white trousers and black waistcoats with crossbelts. Officers were not bound by rules of uniform. They used distinctive dress of bright coloured silks each picking his own as he saw fit.

Amazonian corps

There existed an amazonian corps composed of women, named after the ancient Greek legend of a nation of fighting women by visiting European officials.^[7][8] There is no evidence they partook in any actual fighting.^[8] They performed martial dances with swords for visiting foreign dignitaries.^[8] Whilst dancing, they wore men's clothing.^[8] Their dances symbolized the martial glory of the Sikh Empire and its sovereignty.^[8]

The earliest surviving mention of the amazonian corps is from 12 March 1831:^[8]

...A royal order was issued to all the dancing girls in the town of Lahore to put on male garments, hold swords and bows in their hands and be decorated with other arms as well and then to present themselves at the Deorhi of the Maharaja on elephants and horses, in perfect smartness and with great grace...

— Victor Jacquemon, visiting French naturalist

Another contemporary observation of the corps was made by the Scottish traveler and explorer, Alexander Burne, in his travelogue:^[8]

On our arrival, we found... a party of thirty or forty dancing girls, dressed uniformly in boys’ clothes. They were mostly natives of Cashmere or the adjacent mountains... (and) their figures and features were small, and their Don Giovanni costume of flowing silk most becoming, improved as it was by a small bow and quiver in the hand of each. ‘This,’ said Runjeet Sing, ‘is one of my regiments (pultuns), but they tell me it is one I cannot discipline’—a remark which amused us, and mightily pleased the fair.

— Alexander Burne

The amazons may have served as a mock bodyguard troupe for the Sikh ruler.^[8] They were feared and respected.^[9] The commander of the amazonian corps was a singer named Billo.^[6]

Uniform

The uniform of the amazonians of the Sikh court were described as follows:^[6]

Their uniform was as follows: a lemon yellow Banarsi turban with a bejewelled crest; a dark green jumper over a blue satin gown, fastened with a gold belt; deep crimson skin tight pyjamas of Gulbadan; silk and a pair of golden shoes. As for jewellery, they wore a pair of gold earrings set with stones, a diamond nose stud, a pair of golden bracelets and a ruby ring on the middle finger.

— Faqir Waheed ul Din, The Real Ranjit Sing

Composition

Sikhs formed the bulk of the Sikh Empire's army. The Sikh Army was mainly Punjabi with a predominantly Sikh cadre,

mercenaries. A promotion to a higher military rank was based on military skill, not hereditary background, so the Sikh Khalsa Army was a classic meritocracy. Enlistment in the army was entirely voluntary, and only strong, physically fit men were recruited. The task of recruiting officers was in the hands of the Generals or the Maharaja himself. Every year, a lot of money was spent on presents and honours for the soldiers who had displayed gallantry. Titles like "Fateh-o Nusrat Nasib", "Zafar Jhang" and "Bright Star of Punjab" were given to many Generals. For disloyalty a soldier could be imprisoned or exiled. Usually, the soldiers were granted two months of leave, either in the winter season or before it. When soldiers were required, leaves were cancelled and they were granted leave at the end of the campaign. The pay of the Sikh Khalsa Army was higher than the pay of the British East India Company and other Asian armies.

After the death of Ranjit Singh, the Sikh Empire witnessed the murders of Ranjit Singh's sons, one after another, organised by the Dogras. Then the Dogras urged the army to make the Lahore Durbar declare

• Hari Singh Nalwa
• Mahan Singh Mirpuri
• Misr Diwan Chand
• Dewan Mokham Chand
• Gulab Singh Dogra
• Dhian Singh Dogra
• Hira Singh Dogra
• Akali Phula Singh
• Fateh Singh Ahluwalia
• Jodh Singh Ramgarhia
• Ghaus Mohammad Khan
• Khushal Singh Jamadar
• Gulab Singh Pahuwindia
• Gurmukh Singh Lamba
• Shaikh Elahi Baksh
• Raja Teja Singh
• Veer Singh
• Sawan Mal
• Hukum Singh Chimni
• Diwan Khushal Chand
• Desa Singh Majithia
• Budh Singh Sandhawalia
• Nihal Singh Attariwalla
• Sangat Singh Saini
• Mohammed Khan Zufar
• Naziruddin Ilahi
• Sher Singh
• Zorawar Singh
• Chattar Singh Attariwalla
• Balbhadra Kunwar
• Dal Singh Bharania

Among his European Mercenary Generals were:

• Jean-Baptiste Ventura - Italian (Modena)
• Paolo di Avitabile - Italian (Naples)
• Claude Court - French
• Oms - Spanish
• Honignberger- Romanian
• Hohenzollern- Prussian
• Alexander Gardner
• Josiah Harlan – American general and later governor of Gujrat

See also

• Sant Sipahi
• Miri piri
• Gatka
• Shastar Vidya
• Degh Tegh Fateh
• Dharamyudh

• Fauj-i-Khas
• Misl
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Generals
• Sikh Confederacy
• Fauj-i-Ain
• Ranjit Singh
• History of the Punjab
• Akal Sena

References