# Pathankot Campaign

The Pathankot Campaign (or the Battle of Dinanagar) took place in 1775 near Awankha in pargana Dina Nagar, between a coalition led by the Bhangi Misl under Ganda Singh and the united forces of the Kanhaiyas, Sukarchakias, and Ahluwalias as part of the territorial disputes among the Sikh Misls. The victorious Kanhaiya-led coalition maintained control of Pathankot. The victory weakened the Bhangi Misl’s influence and solidified the Kanhaiya's territorial claims.

## Background

After the Battle of Jammu 1774, the Bhangi and Kanhaiya Misls resumed their hostilities. The dispute over the jagir of Pathankot, granted by Jhanda Singh Dhillon, the chief of the Bhangi Misl, to one of his sardars, Nand Singh, also known as Mansa Singh, formed the root cause of the dispute. After the death of Nand Singh, his wife, Mai Jashon, settled the marriage of her daughter with Tara Singh, a leading chief of the Kanhaiya Misl and brother of Haqiqat Singh Kanhaiya. Along with the dowry, Mai Jashon granted the jagir of Pathankot to her son-in-law, Tara Singh.
This transfer enraged Ganda Singh Bhangi, who had succeeded his elder brother Jhanda Singh as the chief of the Bhangi Misl, for he considered Pathankot a rightful possession of the Bhangis granted to him by his late brother and demanded its restitution at the hands of the Kanhayas. His rage was further combined by the desire to avenge the death of Jhanda Singh, which, he believed, was treacherously caused by the Kanhaiyas.
Matters got worse when Tara Singh allegedly murdered his mother-in-law and wife in order to keep the Bhangi chiefs at bay, as he was terrified that Mai Jashon might reverse the grant at the pressure of the Bhangi chiefs. This event only made Ganda Singh more resolute to repossess the jagir, but the Kanhaiyas would not vacate Pathankot. Thus, the preparations for the Pathankot campaign were laid by battle preparations executed under the leadership of Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya son of Jai Singh Kanheya along with Haqiqat Singh, Tara Singh and Amar Singh Bhugga.

## Campaign

Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, who was on bad terms with Jai Singh Kanhiya, instigated Ganda Singh to strike at the Kanhaiyas. Thereupon, Ganda Singh, being joined by Gujar Singh, Lahna Singh, Bhag Singh Chamyari, Pir Muhammad Khan Chatha and Ranjit Dev of Jammu, with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, marched against the combined forces of the Kanhaiyas, Sukarchakias and Ahluwalias. Ganda Singh carried Zamzama gun with him.
The two armies clashed at Sundar Chak, near the village of Awanak in the parganah of Dinanagar, about 25 kilometers south of Pathankot. The battle raged on for ten days of continuous fighting. Thereafter, heavy rains started and continued non-stop for over a month and a half, seriously hindering military movements. During this period, the Bhangi Misl suffered a great setback that their chief, Ganda Singh, died of illness. Since Ganda Singh's son, Desa Singh, was still a minor, the leadership of the misl passed to his nephew, Charat Singh Bhangi.
The leadership of Charat Singh Bhangi was short-lived, as he was killed in the continued battle. The Bhangi forces were much affected by the successive loss and soon had a morale breakdown, withdrawing from the battlefield.

## Aftermath

After these events, Ganda Singh's minor son, Desa Singh, was eventually selected as the leader of the Bhangi Misl, having previously been passed over due to his youth. Lacking the strength and effectiveness of his father, the central authority collapsed, and several sardars declared independence. This fragmentation weakened the cohesion and strength of the misl. Tribute payments from Jhang were stopped, and the control of Multan was lost to further weaken the power and territorial control of the misl.
This battle significantly strengthened Jai Singh Kanhaiya, consolidating his position of power over the other Sikh Misls. In order to neutralize his growing influence, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia embarked on a policy of strategic alliances through marriage. He obtained the hand of Raja Amar Singh's son, Sahib Singh, for the daughter of Ganda Singh Bhangi. He also married the daughter of his cousin Bhag Singh Ahluwalia to Gujar Singh Bhangi's eldest son, Sukha Singh, a leading member of the Lahore triumvirate.
The marriage of Sukha Singh with the daughter of Bhag Singh Ahluwalia was solemnized in 1779. These marriages effectively brought into being a league of three powers-the Ahluwalia, Bhangi, and Patiala Misls-to challenge the authority of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, who dominated the Kanhaiya and Sukerchakia misls.