Maharaja Sundar Singh / Maharaja Sundar Shah of TIKARI
The Fourth King of Tikari Raj -
Defeated Mughal contingents, several Nawabs, Defeated and Befriended Nawab of Murshidabad, Defeated Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao (Chitpavan) forces at battle of Fatua and made the English fear him.
Sundar Singh, also known as Sundar Shah, was the second son of Veer Singh, also known as Dheer Singh, the first ruler of Tikari Raj.
He was born in 1711 AD at Lav Garh in Tikari. From childhood, he was an exceptionally handsome and remarkable boy, known for his strong physique, impressive personality, physical strength, sharp intelligence, and quick thinking. His mother was the daughter of Raja Kanchan Singh, the Deputy Subedar of Azimabad (Patna).
Sundar Singh spent most of his childhood at his maternal grandfather's estate, Pali Raj, in Patna. Raja Kanchan Singh loved his grandson dearly and ensured that he received an excellent education along with training in various weapons and military arts. Whenever Raja Kanchan Singh visited the courts of the Nawab of Bengal or the Mughal Emperor in Delhi, he would take Sundar Singh along with him. Through his grandfather's guidance, Sundar Singh also became well-versed in royal administration and governance.
While he was completing his further education in Patna, his father, Raja Veer Singh, passed away in 1729. Sundar Singh discontinued his studies and returned to Tikari. He was only 18 years old at the time.
After Raja Veer Singh's death, his eldest son, Tribhuvan Singh, ascended the throne of Tikari Raj. Sundar Singh was the second son of Raja Veer Singh. Under the succession laws prevailing at the time, he was not eligible to become king while his elder brother was alive. Sundar Singh took charge of both the positions of Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief under Raja Tribhuvan Singh. He continued to provide active support in the administration and affairs of the kingdom.
In 1736 AD, his elder brother, Raja Tribhuvan Singh, passed away. At that time, his eldest son, Fateh Singh, was only seven years old and a minor. According to the succession laws of Tikari Raj, Fateh Singh was declared the new king.
Through an official authorization issued by his minor nephew, Sundar Shah assumed responsibility for the entire administration of Tikari Raj. He began managing all the affairs of the kingdom as the representative of King Fateh Singh.
Under an agreement made by his father, Fateh Singh continued providing military assistance to the Subedar of Murshidabad. Leaving the entire responsibility of Tikari Raj in the hands of his uncle, Sundar Singh, he moved to Bengal. From 1746 to 1759, he served at the royal court of the Nawab of Bengal as a military commander responsible for the defense of Murshidabad.
Following the assassination of the Subedars of Azimabad and Allahabad, the Sayyid Brothers, who were influential kingmakers, his maternal grandfather, Deputy Subedar Raja Kanchan Singh, lost much of his influence over the Nawab of Bengal.
From a young age, Raja Sundar Singh had regularly fought against Mughal military contingents and frequently defeated them.
First Major Battle: The Battle Against Nawab Himmat Khan (1735)
In 1735 AD, Raja Sundar Singh fought his first major battle against Nawab Himmat Khan of Utrén and his commander, Sher Khan.
The battle took place at Chandi Maidan, located on the eastern bank of the Morhar River, approximately two kilometers south of Pali. It was an intense and fierce encounter between the two forces.
Ultimately, Nawab Himmat Khan was killed, while his commander Sher Khan fled the battlefield. A few days later, Sher Khan was also killed.
Following this victory, Sundar Singh captured the fort of the Nawab of Pali. News of the Nawab's death spread throughout Magadh like wildfire, and Sundar Singh's bravery became widely celebrated.
Emperor Muhammad Shah Rangila subsequently sent a military contingent to Tikari under the command of Faizullah Khan, with instructions to capture Sundar Singh.
While marching toward Tikari, Faizullah Khan recruited the forces of Anand Singh, the Jagirdar of Kinjar, and Bharat Singh, the Jagirdar of Kayal Garh in Arwal. Both were relatives of Raja Kanchan Singh of Pali, Patna.
Muhammad Shah had also instructed Kanchan Singh to assist Faizullah Khan. However, Kanchan Singh cleverly avoided involvement in the conflict, citing his advanced age. Instead, he requested his friend Anand Singh of Kinjar to arrange a peaceful settlement between the two sides.
Anand Singh made considerable efforts to negotiate peace before the battle, but his attempts failed.
Eventually, a fierce battle took place between the armies of Faizullah Khan and Sundar Singh on the maidan north of Lodipur. At the conclusion of the battle, Faizullah Khan was killed.
The military strength of Tikari Raj continued to increase under Raja Sundar Singh. Because of his repeated participation in battles, he became known as Jang Bahadur Singh.
His army consisted of:
4,000 cavalry soldiers
100 elephants
10,000 infantry soldiers
By this time, Tikari Raj had emerged as the most powerful kingdom in central Gaya district.
Expansion of Tikari Raj and the Title of Maharaja
In 1739, following Nader Shah's invasion, the political situation in Bihar became extremely unstable.
Taking advantage of this instability, Sundar Singh used his military strength to annex twelve neighboring parganas into his kingdom.
During the Maratha invasions, Sundar Singh supported the Mughals. In recognition of his services, Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II bestowed upon him the title of Maharaja.
Sundar Singh had now become one of the most powerful rulers in Magadh.
After the death of Nawab Suja-ud-Daula, the son-in-law of Bengal's Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, Sarfaraz Khan became the Nawab of Bengal in 1739 AD.
Although Sarfaraz Khan outwardly presented himself as a benevolent ruler, he was reportedly very greedy. During this period, Sundar Singh revolted against him in Bihar.
To suppress the rebellion, Aliwardi Khan, the Subedar of Azimabad, marched toward Tikari Raj.
The Battle Against Aliwardi Khan
The third major battle fought by Maharaja Sundar Singh was against Aliwardi Khan, the Subedar of Patna.
Aliwardi Khan personally commanded his army during this battle. His military commander, Mustafa Khan, aspired to become the Subedar of Azimabad himself and therefore wanted to achieve a quick victory.
Initially, Sundar Singh's army appeared weaker against Aliwardi Khan's much larger military force.
Aliwardi Khan subsequently sent a proposal for friendship to Sundar Singh. The conditions required Sundar Singh to pay four lakh rupees to the Nawab of Bengal and fifty thousand rupees to Aliwardi Khan.
Sundar Singh readily accepted these conditions.
Meanwhile, several regional rulers and military leaders arrived at Tikari Raj with their respective armies. These included:
Kyor Singh, the Jagirdar of Siris Kutumba
Parbal Singh, the Jagirdar of Chirkowa
Kamgar Khan, the Jagirdar of Narhat
The Raja of Ramgarh
Their arrival significantly boosted Sundar Singh's morale and military strength.
Consequently, the earlier settlement proposed by Aliwardi Khan became unacceptable to Sundar Singh.
With the strength of his army considerably increased, Sundar Singh decided to fight. The two armies engaged in a fierce battle at Mahawat.
In this encounter, Aliwardi Khan was defeated, while his commander Mustafa Khan abandoned the battlefield and fled.
After the battle, Sundar Singh captured a considerable amount of wealth and military equipment belonging to Aliwardi Khan and transported everything back to Tikari Raj.
Victory over Aliwardi Khan was no easy achievement. It was the result of Sundar Singh's military skills, courage, and strategic intelligence.
One of the most important reasons for his victory was a powerful speech he delivered to his soldiers before the battle.
He challenged them:
"Those soldiers who love their wealth, children, and families should return to their homes. But those who respect their motherland and believe in the honor, dignity, and pride of the flag of Tikari Raj should march with me onto the battlefield."
His words filled the soldiers with extraordinary enthusiasm and determination. Not a single soldier abandoned the battlefield or returned home.
According to this account, this powerful declaration played a decisive role in Sundar Singh's victory over Aliwardi Khan.
Kunwar Bechu Singh: His Trusted Military Companion
Raja Sundar Singh's nephew, Kunwar Bechu Singh, was the third son of Raja Tribhuvan Singh.
He was an exceptionally brave warrior and was widely regarded as Sundar Singh's right-hand man.
Wherever Sundar Singh went, whether to battlefields, the court of the Nawab of Bengal in Murshidabad, or the Mughal court in Delhi, he almost always took Bechu Singh along with him.
Bechu Singh possessed a strong physique, excellent knowledge of military warfare, and extraordinary courage.
Sundar Singh personally trained him in the art of warfare. He also served as the deputy commander of Sundar Singh's army.
Bechu Singh remained by Sundar Singh's side like a shadow.
He played a significant role in Sundar Singh's victory against Aliwardi Khan at the Battle of Mahawat.
In 1751, Bechu Singh fought a fierce battle against an opponent whose identity is not specified in this account. He was killed during the fighting.
At the time of his death, Bechu Singh was only eighteen years old.
His death was a tremendous loss to Raja Sundar Singh.
Arrest, Negotiations, and Release of Sundar Singh
Some time later, Sundar Singh was arrested as a result of a conspiracy.
He was taken to Patna as a prisoner.
Since Sundar Singh had rebelled against the Mughal Emperor, an order was issued by the Nawab of Bengal to execute him by firing a cannon at him.
However, Aliwardi Khan had already recognized Sundar Singh's exceptional qualities during their earlier military encounters. He regarded him as a man with extraordinary talent, quite different from other rulers and military commanders.
Aliwardi Khan was a skilled diplomat, intelligent statesman, and generous individual. He wanted to make Sundar Singh his friend rather than execute him.
He therefore placed a proposal before Sundar Singh.
According to the proposal, Sundar Singh would present jewelry worth approximately one lakh rupees, along with expensive garments, sarees, and other valuable clothing, to Jannat-un-Nissa, the wife of Bengal's Subedar Shuja-ud-Din Khan, and her daughter, Suji Begum.
Sundar Singh agreed to the proposal.
An elaborate arrangement was made for presenting these gifts.
He was taken to the Subedar's residence in Murshidabad, where the two women graciously accepted the offerings.
Both women were extremely pleased with Sundar Singh's conduct and intervened to secure his release.
At the time of his release, however, the Subedar of Bengal demanded a fine of nine lakh rupees from Sundar Singh.
Sundar Singh agreed to pay the amount and was subsequently released.
He safely returned to Tikari Raj.
From that point onward, Sundar Singh became loyal to the Nawab of Bengal and Aliwardi Khan. He faithfully and courageously assisted Aliwardi Khan in numerous military campaigns.
In recognition of his loyalty to the Nawab of Bengal, Mughal Emperor Ahmad Shah Rangila granted Sundar Singh a royal Sanad, a sword, an honorary title, and ceremonial robes.
After receiving the title of Shah from the Mughal Emperor, Sundar Singh became known as Sundar Shah.
From that time onward, he was widely recognized as Maharaja Sundar Shah.
His Loyalty to the Nawabs of Bengal
Raja Sundar Shah maintained friendly relations with these rulers throughout his life.
He frequently visited Delhi and Murshidabad as an honored guest.
On behalf of the Nawab of Bengal, he participated courageously in several military campaigns against the Marathas, Afghan raiders, and Pathans, helping secure victories against them.
Sundar Singh never forgot the assistance he had received from Aliwardi Khan.
He did not launch any military campaign against the Mughal Emperor in Delhi. Instead, he remained loyal to his allies throughout his life.
Sundar Singh fought numerous small and large battles in Bihar and Bengal alongside Aliwardi Khan, serving the Mughal Emperor's authority in the Bengal province with courage and loyalty.
He helped strengthen Mughal influence in Bengal while simultaneously concentrating on expanding and strengthening his own kingdom of Tikari Raj.
Aliwardi Khan's Rise to Power: Battle of Giria (1740)
Aliwardi Khan had a deep personal grievance against Sarfaraz Khan, the newly appointed Nawab of Bengal.
Sarfaraz Khan frequently mocked and ridiculed him.
As a result, Aliwardi Khan organized a large military force and, accompanied by Raja Sundar Singh, launched an attack against Sarfaraz Khan.
Their forces marched beyond Patna and reached Giria near Rajmahal.
On April 10, 1740, they defeated Sarfaraz Khan in battle and killed him, subsequently taking control of the throne of Bengal.
Aliwardi Khan secured recognition as the Nawab of Bengal from Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah Rangila by paying a bribe.
Aliwardi Khan was regarded as a highly capable, honest, and dutiful individual.
After becoming the Nawab of Bengal, Aliwardi Khan appointed Jainuddin, the son-in-law of his brother, as the Subedar of Bihar.
Sundar Singh had supported Aliwardi Khan with his army during the battle against Sarfaraz Khan.
For approximately fifteen years, he continued to fight numerous battles on behalf of the Nawab of Bengal using his own military strength.
His stature and influence increased considerably because of his support for Aliwardi Khan.
Pleased with his contribution, Aliwardi Khan presented Sundar Singh with considerable wealth, horses, elephants, gold, silver, diamonds, and precious jewels.
He also appointed Sundar Singh as the chief military commander of his army.
Campaign Against the Rebellious Zamindars of Bihar
Aliwardi Khan began suppressing rebellious groups in Narhat, Samai, Ramgarh, and other hilly regions of Bihar.
He received assistance in these campaigns from his associate, Hidayat Ali Khan.
In the mountainous regions of southern Bihar, Raja Ramgarh was a powerful and influential zamindar.
Neither the Nawab of Bengal nor the Subedar of Azimabad exercised effective control over these territories.
With the assistance of Sundar Singh and Hidayat Khan, Aliwardi Khan captured Ramgarh Fort.
Following its capture, several smaller forts and surrounding territories also came under their control.
The Maratha Expansion and the Defense of Bihar
Following the disintegration of the Mughal Empire, numerous regional rulers and military leaders began competing for political power across India.
In southern India, the Marathas were steadily becoming more powerful.
Eventually, the Maratha Confederacy emerged as four major ruling houses:
The Bhonsle dynasty of Nagpur
The Scindia dynasty of Gwalior
The Holkar dynasty of Indore
The Gaekwad dynasty of Baroda
Sundar Singh successfully defended Bihar against Maratha invasions on three occasions.
Following the death of Bajirao I, Balaji Bajirao (1740–1761), his nineteen-year-old son, was appointed Peshwa.
The entire authority of the Chhatrapati gradually came under his control, and Pune replaced Satara as the capital of the Maratha Empire.
Under Balaji Bajirao's leadership, a force of approximately 50,000 soldiers began advancing toward Bengal through northern India.
The First Maratha Invasion of Bihar (1741)
In 1741 AD, Maratha invaders launched an attack on Bihar.
Upon receiving information about the Maratha forces entering Bihar, Nawab Aliwardi Khan, Hidayat Ali Khan, the military commander of the Mughal Emperor, and Sundar Singh decided to jointly resist the invasion.
They agreed that the Marathas must be confronted militarily, defeated, and driven out of the region.
Preparations for a joint military campaign began immediately.
The Maratha forces moved through Bihar and eventually reached Bengal.
The Maratha military tradition included a guerrilla warfare strategy commonly described as "attack and retreat."
They employed this strategy extensively against the helpless population of Bengal.
At the time, Bengal was ruled by Nawab Aliwardi Khan.
The Maratha tactics created considerable difficulties for the Nawab's army.
Although Aliwardi Khan had defeated the Marathas in several direct confrontations, they generally avoided decisive battles.
Instead, they repeatedly outmaneuvered the Nawab's relatively slow cavalry and concentrated on plundering populated areas.
This cycle of Maratha raids continued for approximately ten years.
Their campaigns devastated the border regions of Bengal, impoverishing the local population and creating widespread poverty.
During these years, Maratha raiders reportedly killed approximately four hundred thousand people, while large parts of Bengal suffered severe economic hardship.
Meanwhile, the combined forces of Aliwardi Khan, Hidayat Ali Khan, and Sundar Singh confronted the Maratha soldiers with determination around Murshidabad.
After suffering defeat, the Maratha forces retreated toward Nagpur, devastating several parts of Bengal along their route.
The Afghan Invasion of Azimabad
While Bengal was dealing with the Maratha threat, another crisis emerged in Azimabad.
A large Afghan army, led by Afghan commander Mustafa Khan, invaded the region.
At the time, Jainuddin, the son-in-law of Aliwardi Khan, was serving as the Subedar of Azimabad.
Alarmed by the invasion, he requested assistance from Sundar Singh and several other zamindars.
Raja Sundar Singh immediately marched toward Patna with his army, accompanied by the military forces of other zamindars.
Together, they launched an attack against Mustafa Khan's army.
Mustafa Khan was defeated, and one of his close relatives, Haibat Jang, was killed.
Following his defeat, Mustafa Khan fled Azimabad.
The Second Maratha Campaign Through Bihar (1743)
In 1743 AD, Maratha Peshwa Balaji Rao advanced toward Bengal with approximately fifty thousand cavalry soldiers.
During his march, the Maratha army passed through Gaya district.
Most of the local zamindars submitted to the Marathas without resistance.
The only notable exception was Ahmad Khan, grandson of Daud Khan, who held a zamindari in Goh.
He offered a limited resistance at Ghausgarh but eventually saved his life by paying a fine of fifty thousand rupees to the Marathas.
The Maratha army initially moved through Munger toward Bhagalpur and subsequently entered the Murshidabad region of Bengal.
Two or three years later, after conducting military campaigns in Bengal, the Maratha forces began their return journey.
In February 1745, they passed through Gaya and reached Tikari.
During their passage, they destroyed the outer territories surrounding Tikari Fort, which belonged to Sundar Singh, an ally of their enemy Aliwardi Khan.
They subsequently crossed the Son River and left the district.
The Second Afghan Invasion and the Battle of Jagdishpur (1745)
On June 20, 1745, the Afghan commander once again launched an invasion of Patna.
Aliwardi Khan and Raja Sundar Singh jointly marched toward Patna with their combined forces.
A fierce battle took place between their forces and Mustafa Khan's Afghan army on the plains of Jagdishpur near Buxar.
In this encounter, Mustafa Khan was defeated and killed.
The Third Maratha Campaign and the Battle of Fatuha (1751)
In 1751 AD, the Maratha army, led by Peshwa Balaji Bajirao, reached Patna.
Aliwardi Khan and Sundar Singh assembled their combined military forces and engaged the Marathas in a fierce battle at Fatuha.
The Maratha forces led by Peshwa Balaji Bajirao were defeated.
Following this victory, Maharaja Sundar Shah's bravery and loyalty became widely known.
His military achievements earned him considerable recognition from the Mughal Emperor in Delhi.
In recognition of his status, a special ceremonial palanquin decorated with elaborate fringes was arranged for his travels.
An attendant would accompany him on a camel, playing a ceremonial drum, while carrying a flag bearing the insignia of Tikari Raj.
At that time, such ceremonial honors and privileges were generally reserved for the most powerful royal houses and ruling families.
Raja Sundar Shah had emerged as a major military ally through his extraordinary courage and military achievements.
He continued to receive recognition and respect from the Mughal Emperors of Delhi and the Nawabs of Bengal.
Through his military strength and intelligence, he also expanded and strengthened Tikari Raj considerably.
Death of Aliwardi Khan and the Rise of Siraj-ud-Daulah
On April 9, 1756, Aliwardi Khan died at the age of eighty.
His daughter's son, Siraj-ud-Daulah, succeeded him as the Nawab of Bengal.
Siraj-ud-Daulah subsequently lost the Battle of Plassey and was killed.
On June 23, 1757, Mir Jafar became the Nawab of Bengal.
Mir Jafar's eldest son, Miran, was appointed the Subedar of Azimabad.
These developments deeply distressed Sundar Singh.
He was particularly saddened by the suffering of the family of his friend and former ally, Aliwardi Khan.
Consequently, he decided to seek revenge against their enemies.
Sundar Singh planned to assemble a large army and launch a military campaign against the British, the Nawab of Bengal, and the Subedar of Azimabad.
For this purpose, he began establishing contact with Quli Khan, the Nazim of Allahabad; Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh; and Emperor Ali Gauhar.
All of them agreed to support Sundar Singh.
Their armies gathered near the Karmanasa River.
Sundar Singh personally went to the river to welcome and receive their forces.
However, at that moment, he received information from the British that his army had returned to the fort of Munger and that it wanted peace.
As a result, the proposed military campaign was called off.
The British Fear of Sundar Singh
According to this account, the British were planning to overthrow Siraj-ud-Daulah and seize the throne of Bengal while Sundar Singh was away from Murshidabad.
The British were extremely afraid of his military capabilities.
They understood that Sundar Singh's presence at Plassey could potentially change the course of British fortunes in India.
The Conspiracy and Assassination of Maharaja Sundar Singh (1757)
Kamgar Khan, the Jagirdar of Narhat, had a deep personal enmity toward Raja Sundar Singh.
Sundar Singh had defeated and humiliated him several times, confiscating his fort, wealth, and other possessions.
As a result, Kamgar Khan continually plotted against the Maharaja.
To take revenge, he began exploiting one of the Maharaja's trusted soldiers, Ghulam Ghaus.
Ghulam Ghaus was a trusted personal bodyguard of Sundar Singh and had allegedly been planning to assassinate him for a long time.
He now received the support and assistance of Kamgar Khan in carrying out this dangerous plan.
Together, they devised a deadly conspiracy.
On Basant Panchami in 1757, at approximately three o'clock in the morning, Maharaja Sundar Singh was performing his regular physical exercises, as he did every day.
At that moment, Ghulam Ghaus attacked him with his sword and severed his head.
Thus, Maharaja Sundar Singh was assassinated.
Ghulam Ghaus attempted to escape while carrying the Maharaja's severed head.
However, one of the Maharaja's relatives, Surat Singh, pursued him and engaged him in combat.
Eventually, Surat Singh killed Ghulam Ghaus by severing his head with his sword.
With this incident, the life of Tikari's shining forty-six-year-old ruler came to an end.
The Golden Age of Tikari Raj
During the reign of Maharaja Sundar Singh, Tikari Raj became extremely famous throughout Magadh.
The boundaries of the kingdom expanded considerably.
Tikari Fort had been constructed as an exceptionally strong and virtually impregnable fortress.
A town had gradually developed around the fort, and its defensive fortifications had been significantly strengthened.
Maharaja Sundar Singh possessed a sword named Kali.
He fought and won numerous battles using this sword.
For many years, the Kali sword remained an important and celebrated possession of Tikari Fort.
During the annual Durga Puja celebrations at Tikari Raj, the Kali sword was also worshipped for many years.
Sundar Singh had only one biological son, Dulah Singh.
He died during a battle at a young age.
Sundar Singh subsequently adopted his nephew, Buniyad Singh.
From the death of his elder brother, Raja Tribhuvan Singh, until his own death in 1757, Sundar Singh's period of administration was filled with remarkable achievements.
His twenty-two-year tenure proved to be a landmark period in the history of Tikari Raj.
He annexed twelve parganas of Magadh into his kingdom.
The extent of his military achievements can be understood from the fact that he controlled several remote and difficult-to-access hill forts in southern Bihar.
His kingdom extended from the Karmanasa River toward the borders of Bengal.
In the opposite direction, his territories extended as far as Chausa and Buxar.
He was regarded as the greatest ruler of Tikari Raj.
He considered himself an independent sovereign and used ceremonial royal symbols such as the royal umbrella, drums, and various musical instruments to demonstrate his authority and prestige.
Even today, people remember Sundar Singh first when discussing the history of Tikari Raj.
This was truly the Golden Age of Tikari Raj.
During this period:
The territorial boundaries of Tikari Raj expanded enormously.
The royal treasury became filled with wealth and valuable possessions.
The military grew considerably in size and strength.
The kingdom experienced unprecedented prosperity and development.
Tikari Raj was progressing rapidly, with its power and prosperity increasing year after year.
For these reasons, this period is remembered as the Golden Age of Tikari Raj.
Unfortunately, this golden era never returned.
Sundar Shah was also frequently referred to as Rana Pandit Brahmanpati of Tikari.
No comments:
Post a Comment