Dear Arp:

Boy, you ask too many questions. That too, in just one post. I'm surprised that you are surprised at the lack of "response" from the community on the issue of the TV show "The Jury." There are many resons why you did not get the response.

* Lack of leadership. Sikhs know how to talk more than how to act.

* Sikhs hope for Guru Gobind Singh to come back and lead us out of our troubles. This foolishness cannot be explained because the reason the Guru created Khalsa was to lead the community through difficult times. He already infused his spirit in the community of Khalsa. But, many "Khalsa" of today, don't know what it means to be one. Remember a Dr. Sidhu from Washington DC who wore a baseball cap after September 11 so he could NOT be spotted. And this man is an Amritdhari. We need better role models. Khalsa was to LEAD the oppressed and weak. Today, Khalsa is looking for a leader to follow. How ironical.

* Sikhs are very ignorant of our religious philosophy and our place in the scheme of things. Our intelligence cannot think beyond building Gurdwaras and organizing kirtan samagams. We all know what happens when Gurdwaras get built. Political bickering over the election of committee. There could be many reasons for it. The best reason I have read is from (late) S. Iqbal Singh Sara, in his article Offshore Sikhs: Trusts vs Gurdwara Elections (Fallout). He writes:

"..Indeed Gurdwara establishment can be viewed as a good piece of investment, which would pay off dividends in terms of money, political clout and social status..No wonder Gurdwaras are a regular arena of the power psyche Chardi Kala seeking Khalsa. In every city, there seems to be a parliament of Sikhs in North America. It is the local Gurdwara and its local elections. The reasons behind this phenomenon are quite obvious. Since the Khalsa has no other sovereign territory to call its own, it is the Gurdwara - and the Gurdwara alone - that fits the bill, in the peculiar vacuum of statelessness."

Now the rest of your questions. I will write on the Misls for now. I will try to answer your questions one at a time.

(ref: Sikh Struggle After banda, Tharam Singh, Sikhism: Its Philosophy and History, Institute of Sikh Studies publication)

When you talk about the various battalions of Khalsa you must realize the times when it was present. SIkhs were few and scattered and facing hostility from the powers-that-be. The eleven misls were:

1. Misl Ahluwalia (Jassa Singh)
2. Misl Faizalpuria or Singhpuria (Nawab Kapur Singh)
3. Misl Sukerchakia (Naudh Singh)
4. Misl Nishanwali (or flag-bearer) (Dasaundha Singh)
5. Misl Bhangi (Hari Singh of Panjawar)
6. Misl Kanhaya (Jai Singh of Khalra)
7. Misl Nakai (Hari Singh of Bahirwal)
8. Misl Dallewal (Gulab Singh of Dallewal)
9. Misl Shaheed (Baba Deep Singh)
10. Misl Karoria (Karora Singh of Paijgarh)
11. Misl Singhania or Ramgharia (Nand Singh of Singhania)

All this happened in the post Banda Singh Bahadur years. One of the weaknesses that was exposed after the Sikh holocaust of 1746 was that small groups of Sikhs were fighting under separate leaders. At this point Dal Khalsa was formed with Jassa Singh Ahluwalia selected as its first Commander-in-Chief. The misls still remained but Sikhs could join any misl they wanted to.

Sikh misls asserted themselves in different regions. Charat Singh in the Bari Doab, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia in the Jallandhar Doab region. After the death of Adina Beg Dal Khalsa fought a battle with his son and Bishambar Das. They were defeated and Sikhs occupied the whole of Doab. Soon the region between Beas and Ravi came under the Sikh control. You need to read history to get a picture of how Punjab came under Sikh rule specially when Sikhs were scattered and fewer in number.

In June 1761, an army of 30,000 Sikhs took over Gujrat and Wazirabad and then advanced toward Sialkot which fell to them after its Commander Khwaja Mirza Jan died in the battle. Charat Singh moved toward Gujranwala and Jassa Singh Ahluwalia moved down to Sutlej, capturing Sirhind, Malerkotla and Patti.

Jai Singh Kanahya took Batala, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia took Kalanaur and areas of Jalandhar Doab. Governor Ubed Khan of Lahore decided to capture Gujranwala and beseiged the fort there. When Sikh sardars received a call from Charat Singh they marched for Gujranwala. Within 13 days, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Jai Singh Kanhya, Hari Singh Bhangi, Jhanda Singh and Gujjar Singh arrived and surrounded the beseigers. Ubed Khan fled back to Lahore.

By working together Sikhs became strong and the real tussle for Punjab was about to begin. In the words of professor N.K. Sinha,

"The most glorious chapter of Sikh history, and one of the most glorious chapters of Indian history was about to begin."

This is the time of Abdali's sixth invasion.

Abdali reached Lahore on 3 february 1762. Abdali asked Zain Khan of Sirhind to attack Sikhs who were 40,000 in number with 10,000 women and children. Zain Khan was joined by Bikhan Khan of Malerkotla. Zain Khan had 20,000 troops with artillery and Abdali joined him on february 5, 1762 with additional forces of 30,000 horsemen with artillery and superior rifles. They had a definite edge over Sikhs. Sikhs had not expected Abdali to join Zain Khan so soon. Jassa Singh and Charhat Singh ordered men to form a human wall around women and children and continue moving toward Barnala. They were successful in this manoeuvre but only after a large number of women and children got killed. By nightfall Charhat Singh Sukerchakia had reached Barnala and the human shield his men had formed saved many lives.

This action left 25,000 Sikhs dead and is known as Great Holocaust. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was almost killed. He had 22 wounds on his body. Charhat Singh sustained 19 wounds.There was hardly any Sikh who was not injured yet their spirt was undaunted. As one Nihang Singh remarked: " Only the soft and unbaked ones have fallen off."

In February 1762, Abdali reached Amritsar with cartloads of Sikh heads for display to the population. He placed gunpowder under the foundations of Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) and blew it up and filled the tank with rubble and debris.

In May 1762, Misl Sardars met near Barnala and decided to attack Sirhind. Sikh were short of weapons but they charged so ferociously that Zain Khan fled leaving behind his arms and ammunition. By October 1762, Sikhs had regrouped and were back in Amritsar. There were 30,000 Sikh soldiers. Abdali came to know about the development and and sent his forces under Jahan Khan on the evening of October 16th. The next day was Divali. A fierce battle ensued. Jahan Khan fled the battlefield. Thousands lay dead. Pathan soldiers who were captured by Sikhs were made to remove the debris from the holy tank that had been filled by Abdali.

This battle was fought near pipli Sahib gurdwara.

Soon Abdali left lahore. The dal Khalsa met at Amritsar and reorganized itself into 2 groups. The senior Dal headed by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, comprised the following Misls.

1. Misl Ahluwalia
2. Misl Singhpuria
3. Misl Dalewallia
4. Misl Karoria
5. Misl Nishanwali
6. Misl Shaheedi

The junior Dal was headed by Hari Singh Bhangi and it comprised of the following Misls:

1. Misl Bhangis
2. Misl Ramgharias
3. Misl Kanhayas
4. Misl Sukerchakias
5. Misl Nakai

The senior Dal was to fight the enemy. The junior Dal was to protect Amritsar and the Gurdwaras.

When a Brahmin's wife was abducted by Usman Khan he approached the junior Dal at Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. Hari Singh Bhangi took 15,000 men and attacked Usman Khan's town and rescued the Brahmin's wife.

Jassa Singh Ahluwalia cleaned up Jalandhar Doab of all opposition. In November 1763, the two dals met in Amritsar and it wasdecided to rebuild the Golden Temple. On 17th November the foundation stone was laid anew by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. It was then that the news was heard of Jahan Khan entering India and moving toward Wazirabad. Sikhs met him there and after a fierce battle Jahan Khan fled toward Rohtas.

In December, 1763, the combined dal Khalsa set out to punish Zain Khan of Sirhind. Zain Khan was cut off by Budha dal. he died and his army fled. The city was assigned to Buddha Singh of Bhaika. Later Ala Singh purchased it. A 200 mile territory between Jammu and Satluj was divided between 8 misls. During this division no dispute occured between different Sikh leaders.

The Buddha dal ransacked several towns. Karora Singh was lost in this action. They then turned toward Lahore to wait Abdali who was on his way to India for the seventh time.

The junior or Tarna Dal lay seige to lahore. Kabuli Mal gave up. Hari Singh Bhangi left behind a Sikh representative to advise the Governor on his administration.

In March 1764, Abdali entered Lahore. On hearing of an uprising in Kandhahar he left fro Afghanistan. Charhat Singh followed him upto the Jhelum river with skirmishes.

Meanwhile Nakai misl moved from lahore toward the southwest, to occupy lands between Ravi and Satluj. The Bhangis went further to capture Multan and Dera Ismail Khan and Dera Gazi Khan. From there they captured Khushab, Jhang and Chiniot.

Kanhayas were in charge of lands between Pasrur and Gurdaspur. The ramgarhias had control over hargobindpuri and Riarki. The Ahluwalias and dallewalias were in control of the whole of Jallandhar and Doab.

Abdali now enetered India for the eighth time. Nasir Khan of Baluchaistan joined his forces with Abdali. Hearing that Sikhs had retreated to Amritsar Abdali moved toward the city. But Sikhs had moved away from there. Abdali's forces of 30,000 men attacked the Goldent Temple which was being protected by 30 Sikhs under the command of Gurbaksh Singh. All Sikhs died. According to Qazi Nur Mohammad:

"They showed not the slightest fear of death."

History - Sikhs: As Nur Muhammed Saw Them

http://sikhnet.com/sikhnet/discussion.nsf/By+Topic/12b6c4788bf94b7a872566e20072d3dc?Open

Abdali destroyed Amritsar and plundered Batala. In March 1765, Abdali came face to face with the Sikh army which had returned from Delhi and joined Chahrat Singh. It was no longer mere skirmishes but a frontal attack in regular battle formation.

Abdali's formation was: Shah Wali Khan and Jahan Khan on his right and Nasir Khan's Baluchis on his left. On the Sikh side: Jassa Singh Ahluwalia stood like a mountain in the middle together with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia. On the right were Chahrat Singh and Jhanda Singh Bhangi and Jai Singh Kanhaya and on the left were hari Singh Bhangi and Gulab Singh and Gujjar Singh.

For 7 days this daylong confrontation took place. According to Rattan Singh Bhangoo a pitched battle is said to have taken place at Batala. Abdali marched towards Kabul and Sikhs abandoned pursuit at Gujrat. They then moved toward Amritsar to repair the Gurdwaras that had been destroyed.