PRESENT HEAD OF HOUSE:

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The Kanhaiya misl was at one time, the most powerful of the Sikh confederacies, north of the Sutlej. Its first leader was Jai Singh, the son of a Sandhu Jat cultivator named Kushali who lived at the village of Kanah, which had been founded by one of his tribe, some 39 kilometres from Lahore. From the native village of its leader the confederacy took its name. The village of Rukhanwala alone, is guaranteed to the family in perpetuity. The Kanhaiya Misl united with the Sukerchakia Misl in 1796. Territory held by the misl (1759) was Ajnala, Sohiau, Nag, Gurdaspur, Dera Baba Nanak, Kalanaur, Pathankot and Sujanpur. Members were....

• Sardar Jai Singh, 1st Misldhar of Kanhaiya, born 1712, he and his younger brother, joined the confederacy of Kapur Singh, known as the Faizullapuria, Faizasadpuria or Singhpuria misl in about 1749, on his brother's death he succeeded to his brother's share of the estate and married the widow according to the rites of 'chaddar dalna'; he soon became a powerful chief, and seized Nag, Mukerian, Haji, Kerrot, Uthiam and other Awan villages, whilst his associates all won jagirs for themselves; in 1783 he marched against Jandiala, and plundered Rasulpur and Mandiala, and then attached the possessions of Wazir Singh and Bhagwan Singh, the two Nakkai chiefs and compelled them to submit; in 1784, he insulted Sardar Mahan Singh Sukerchakia who plotted his revenge, and with some disaffected allies, including Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra, he marched to Battala and met Jai Singh's son in battle, the latter was killed and the Kanhaiya forces were routed; he was distressed at the death of his son and gave no further resistance, Kangra fort was returned to Raja Sansar Chand and he restored to Jassa Singh Ramgarhia his estate, and to placate Mahan Singh, he betrothed his grand-daughter to Mahan Singh's son, Ranjit Singh; married (amongst others) (a) in 1759, Bibiji Desan Kaur, his brother's widow, married (b), 177x, a daughter of Sardar Bhag Singh Hallowali, a Bhangi chief, and had issue. He died 1793.

  • Sardar Gurbakhsh Singh (by Desan Kaur), born 1759, by a startagem he secured the strong Fort of Kangra in 1783 and became master of the Hill States; married 1stly, a daughter of Raja Hamir Singh of Nabha, married 2ndly, 1768, Bibiji Sada Kaur, born 1762, died 1832, daughter of Sardar Dasaundha Singh Gill of Alkolwala, she became the head of the Kanhaiya misl after the death of her father-in-law, she retained possession of most of the Kanhaiya estates until they were seized by her son-in-law in 1820, and had issue, one daughter. He was killed by an arrow in a battle near Batala in February 1785.

    • Bibiji Mahtab Kaur, born 1780, betrothed in 1785 and married at the end of 1786, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore. She died 1813.

  • Bhaggat Singh

  • Nidhan Singh

  • Bhag Singh

• Sardarni Sada Kaur, 2nd Misldharani of Kanhaiya 1793/1796, born 1762, married and had issue, one daughter (see above). She died 1832.

FAMILY I

• Kushali, he eked out a living selling hay at Lahore, married and had issue.

  • Sardar Jai Singh (qv)

  • Jhanda Singh, married Bibiji Desan Kaur, he was killed in a fight with Nidhan Singh Randhawa at Rawalkotli in 1759.

  • Singha, married and had issue.

    • Hem Singh, he received a grant of the ilaka of Rukhanwala, worth 40,000Rs, after the capture of Kassur and later in 1807, he received another estate at Khodian, worth 10,000Rs; married and had issue. He died 1820.

      • Mohr Singh, he took part in battles at Multan and in Kashmir, and in 1821, he was stationed at Pul Kanjri and Waniki to guard the ferries, married and had issue. He died at Waniki in 1823.

        • Anup Singh

        • Sarup Singh, married and had issue. He died 1832.

          • Jit Singh, born 1814, married and had issue.

            • Jaggat Singh, born 1838.

            • Sham Singh, born 1845,

            • Ram Singh, born 1846,

            • Narain Singh, born 1847.

          • Gurdit Singh, born 1827.

        • Attar Singh, married seven wives, and had issue.

          • Mehtab Singh

          • Megh Singh, he served in the Ghorcharahs (the Irregular Cavalry) till 1846.

FAMILY II

• Baghel Singh, he was a Sidhu Jat cultivator of the village of Julka not far from Kanah (see above), married and had issue.

  • Sardar Hakikat Singh [Haqiqat], he was in the service of Kapur Singh Singhpuria, and on his death, he set himself up as an independent chief and became the leader of another section of the Kanhaiya misl; he then occupied Kalanaur, Kahngarh, Adalatgarh, Pathankot and several other villages, married and had issue. He died 1782.

    • Sardar Jaimal Singh, born 1771, he managed to retain his family's possessions, but did not add to them; married 1stly, Bibiji Sahib Kaur, born 1771, died 1801, daughter of Raja Amar Singh of Patiala, married 2ndly, and had issue. He died in 1812 and his estates were transferred to Prince Kharak Singh.

      • Ranjit Singh, died 1808.

      • Bibiji Chand Kaur, born 1802, married 6th February 1812, Maharaja Kharak Singh of Lahore, and had issue. She died 1842.

      • Chanda Singh, born posthumously in 1812, married and had issue. He died 1861.

        • Kesra Singh, born 1836, married Bibiji (name unknown) Kaur, daughter of Colonel Sardar Jaggat Singh Mann of Mogalchak, and had issue.

          • Jaimal Singh, born 1856.

        • Isra Singh, born 1850, married a daughter of Sardar Amar Singh Bhagga.

        • Bibiji (name unknown) Kaur, married Sardar Kahn Singh Behlolpur.

        • Bibiji (name unknown) Kaur, married Sardar Hatraj Singh Bandala.

  • Mehtab Singh, married and had issue.

    • Sardar Fateh Singh, married and had issue.

      • Bibiji (name unknown) Kaur, married Sardar Gurdit Singh of Bhangi.

      • generation?

        • Sarup Singh Kanhaiya of Fatehgarh, died after 1890.

  • Musada Singh

FAMILY III

• Jassa Singh Sangatpuria, brother of Baghel Singh (see above, Family II), he and his son fought with the Kanhaiya misl, and shared its good and bad fortunes, married and had issue.

  • Charrat Singh, he obtained some 28 villages in the Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts, valued at 40,000Rs, which he held until his death, and were inherited by his three sons, married and had issue.

    • Sardul Singh, he and his brothers shared in their fathers property, but in 1802, their estates were seized by Ranjit Singh, who gave them other jagirs in lieu, he received the jagir of Damudar, married and had issue.

      • Ran Singh, married and had issue. He died 1861.

        • Sahib Singh, born 1851.

      • Gurmukh Singh, married and had issue.

        • Nihal Singh, born 1824.

    • Nar Singh, he received the jagirs of Kotlah, Sheikhanwala and Kotla Majaka, with a cash allowance of 1,000Rs p.a.; married a daughter of Sardar Sadho Singh Kotli, and had issue. He died in 1816.

      • Ram Singh, he served with the Kanhaiya Ghorcharahs, and later was appointed Commandant of the French regiment; after annexation his jagirs were confiscated but he was granted a life pension of 360Rs p.a., married a daughter of Sardar Sham Singh Mann of Mugalchak, and had issue. He died 1850.

        • Arbel Singh, married and had issue.

          • Sant Singh, born 1854.

          • Uttam Singh, born 1860.

          • Bulant Singh, born 186x.

        • Isa Singh, married and had issue.

          • Apar Singh

      • Sham Singh, born 1809, he served with the Irregular Cavalry, appointed a Jamadar in 1857 and was granted some land at Karial.

      • Kahn Singh, born 1814, he served with the Irregular Cavalry.

    • Didar Singh, he was placed in the orderly guard on a salary of 60Rs p.m. He died 1851.