April 29, 2014
The journey along the Shinkiari-KKH route takes travelers through serene pine plantations, gradually ascending into a captivating bowl-shaped region known as Chattar Plain. This picturesque area derives its name from Sikh General Raja Chattar Singh Attariwalla, who once served as the Governor of Hazara province and held a prominent military position within the Sikh Empire during the reign of Maharaja Duleep Singh in Punjab.
Raja Chattar Singh actively participated in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, bravely leading Sikh forces against the British. Born to Jodh Singh Attariwalla, he had two sons named Raja Sher Singh Attariwalla and Avtār Singh. Raja Sher Singh notably dealt a devastating blow to the army of the British East India Company during the Battle of Chillianwala. Interestingly, Raja Chattar Singh's daughter, Tej Kaur, was betrothed to Maharaja Duleep Singh. However, after the conclusion of the First Anglo-Sikh War, the British Resident, Sir Frederick Currie, failed to honor the betrothal agreement.
Upon the passing of his father in August 1815, Chatar Singh inherited substantial estates and dedicated himself to farming and managing his properties. In 1843, after the assassination of Maharaja Sher Singh, he rose to political prominence. Additionally, his daughter Tej Kaur was betrothed to Maharaja Duleep Singh. In the same year, he assumed the role of Governor of Peshawar, and the following year, the Council of Regency recommended him for the title of Raja. However, Raja Chattar Singh graciously requested that the title be conferred upon his son, Sher Singh.
Appointed as the Governor of the Hazara province in 1848, Raja Chattar Singh found himself in conflict with Captain James Abbott, the British Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara District. Captain Abbott accused Raja Chattar Singh of conspiring against British authority in Punjab. Sir Frederick Currie, the British Resident in Lahore, responded by commissioning an investigation led by Captain John Nicholson. The investigation not only exonerated Raja Chattar Singh but also justified the defensive measures he had taken to protect the besieged capital of Hazārā from Abbott's Muhammadan mercenaries. Despite this vindication, Currie effectively dismissed Raja Chattar Singh and confiscated his estates. Moreover, the failure of the British Resident to honor the betrothal between Raja Chattar Singh's sister and Maharaja Duleep Singh prompted Raja Sher Singh to change sides. In the Second Anglo-Sikh War, Raja Sher Singh inflicted a significant blow upon the British during the Battle of Chillianwala but was ultimately defeated in the subsequent Battle of Gujrat. Following these events, Raja Chattar Singh and his sons, Raja Sher Singh and Avtār Singh, were first imprisoned in Allahabad and later at Fort William in Calcutta.
The decline of the Durranis cleared the path for the rise of the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh. The Sikhs invaded Mansehra in 1818, facing resilient resistance from its inhabitants. When the Sikhs gained control over Mansehra, it became annexed to Punjab. Ultimately, in 1831, during a fierce battle at Balakot, Syed Ahmad Shaheed lost his life, solidifying Sikh control over Mansehra. However, with the demise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Sikh Empire began to disintegrate.
During the Sikh invasion of Hazara, Painda Khan Tanoli, the tribal chief of the Tanolis, valiantly rebelled against the governors appointed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Painda Khan's rebellion against the Sikhs persisted from around 1813 until Sikh power declined in 1845. During this time, his son Jehandad Khan blockaded no less than 22 Sikh posts in Upper Tanawal, ultimately sparing the lives of the surrendering soldiers as the servants of a fallen empire.
Simultaneously, other chiefs of Hazara also rose in arms against the Sikh presence in their land. The Muslim population faced severe restrictions under Sikh rule, leading them to invite Syed Akbar of Sitana to become the King of Hazara and wage a holy war against the Sikh invaders. Nuvab Khan of Shingri and Sardar Ghulam Ahmad Khan Tarin joined as Syed Akbar's "Wazirs," while Pir Khan united with the Jaduns, Khan-i-Zeman brought the Tarkheylies, and the Swatis of Publi, along with the Mushwanis, contributed to the battle. For two months, they besieged Diwan Mulraj, the Kardar, in the fort of Harkishengarh (at Haripur). Eventually, after several valiant repulses, they forced the garrison to surrender by cutting off their water supply.
On March 19, 1846, a peace treaty was signed between the Sikhs and the British, resulting in Raja Gulab Singh acquiring Kashmir and Hazara from the British in exchange for 7,500,000 rupees. However, due to widespread civil disorder, Raja Gulab Singh requested the British government to take over Hazara in exchange for the Jammu-Jhelum belt. The British accepted this proposal and assumed control of Hazara. James Abbott was appointed to restore peace in Hazara, and upon his arrival, he defeated Sikh General Chuttar Singh, completely removing Sikh influence from the region. In 1849, as part of the ex-Sikh Lahore/Punjab kingdom, Hazara was formally annexed to British India.
