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Sham Singh Attariwala
Painting of Sham Singh Attariwala seated, likely circa 1820s–1840s
Born1790 (1790)
Attari, Bhangi Misl, Sikh Confederacy
(present-day Amritsar district, Punjab, India)
Died1846 (aged 55–56)
Sobraon, Sikh Empire
(present-day Tarn Taran district, Punjab, India)
Allegiance Sikh Empire
Service/branchSikh Khalsa Army
Years of service1817–1846
RankGeneral of the Sikh Khalsa Army
Spouse(s)Mai Dasa Kanwar
ChildrenNanaki Kaur Atariwala

Sham Singh Attariwala (1790 – 10 February 1846) was a general of the Sikh Empire.

Biography

Early life

He was born in the 1790s in the town of Attari (a few kilometres from the border of Indian and Pakistan Punjab in India), Amritsar, in the Majha region of Panjab, India. As a child he was educated in Gurmukhi and Persian.

Military career

Portrait painting of Sham Singh Attariwala of the Sikh Empire displayed at the gallery at Ram Bagh Palace museum in Amritsar

When Ranjit singh became the Maharaja of Punjab, he got Attariwala's services at his disposal. Maharaja Ranjit Singh knowing his qualities and fighting abilities made him a 'Jathedar' of 5000 horsemen. He participated actively in many campaigns, notably like the campaign of Multan, campaign of Kashmir, campaign of the Frontier Province etc.

Sham Singh Attariwala is also famous for his last stand at the Battle of Sobraon. He joined the Sikh military in 1817 and during the Afghan–Sikh Wars participated in the Battle of Attock, Battle of Multan, Battle of Peshawar, and the 1819 Kashmir expedition.[1]

Administrative career

He served on the council of regency for Maharajah Dalip Singh.[2][3][4][5]

Family

Sham Singh Attariwala and Chattar Singh Attariwala together, ca.1860

His daughter Nanaki Kaur Attariwala, later Kunwarani Nanaki Kaur, was married to Prince Nau Nihal Singh and upon his accession to the throne became the Maharani of the Sikh Empire.

Death

During the Battle of Sabraon, Sham Singh refused to abandon the battlefield like Lal Singh and Tej Singh.[6] He died during the battle.[6]

References

  1. ^ "The Sikh Encyclopedia(ਸਿੱਖ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਕੋਸ਼) – Sham Singh Attarivala". 19 December 2000. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  2. ^ Jan Bremmer; Lourens Van Den Bosch, eds. (1995). Between Poverty and the Pyre: Moments in the History of Widowhood. Routledge. p. 179. ISBN 0-415-08370-2.
  3. ^ Sidhu, Kuldip Singh (1994). Ranjit Singh's Khalsa Raj and Attariwala Sardars. National Book Shop. ISBN 9788171161652.
  4. ^ Vishwanath Datta (1988). Sati: a historical, social and philosophical enquiry into the Hindu rite of widow burning. Riverdale Company. p. 279. ISBN 9780913215319.
  5. ^ Lepel Henry Griffin (1905). Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Barrier Between Our Growing Empire and Central Asia. Asian Educational Services. p. 67. ISBN 9788120619180.
  6. ^ a b Singh, Harbans (2004). Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol. 4: S-Z (2nd ed.). Punjabi University, Patiala. pp. 343–344.

Further reading

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