Arjan Singh Nalwa was a small vassal in the Sikh Empire who fought against the British to protect the sovereignty of the Sikh Empire. He was the youngest son of Hari Singh Nalwa, Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army. In 2023, a song titled ‘Arjan Valley’ was included in the Hindi language film Animal. The song clearly described Arjan’s fierce battle against the British army.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Arjan Singh Nalwa, also spelled Arjan Singh Nalwa, was born in Kaunke village near Jagroan (present-day Ludhiana) in Punjab. Arjan’s family was originally from Majitha near Amritsar, Punjab.
Family
parents and siblings
Arjan Singh Nalwa’s father, Hari Singh Nalwa, was the Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Fauj, the army of the Sikh Empire in the 18th century. Hari Singh was called Bagh Mar for bravely defeating a tiger with a dagger. His father played an important role in the conquest of Kasur, Sialkot, Attock, Multan, Kashmir, Peshawar and Jamrud. Hari Singh married twice, first to Raj Kaur and later to Desan Kaur. Arjan Singh Nalwa had three brothers and two sisters. The names of his two elder brothers are Jawahir Singh Nalwa and Gurdit Singhji. His sisters’ names are Chand Kaur and Nand Kaur.
Hari Singh Nalwa, father of Arjan Singh Nalwa
wife and children
He married.
other relatives
His grandfather Gurdial Singh Uppal had displayed his skills as a horseman and musketeer under Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s ancestors Maha Singh and Charat Singh. His grandmother’s name was Dharam Kaur. Narayan Singh, grandson of Arjan Singh Nalwa, was honored with the title of Sardar Bahadur by the British. Narayan died in March 1934.
Religion
Arjan Singh Nalwa belonged to a Sikh family. Apparently, Arjan’s father, Hari Singh Nalwa, was born in an Uppal Khatri family in Gujranwala, Punjab. In 1801, at the age of ten, Hari Singh took the Amrit Sanskar and was baptized as a Sikh.
War for the Sikh Empire against the Mughals
After the death of their father, Hari Singh Nalwa, Arjan Singh Nalwa and his brother Jawahir Singh Nalwa fought against the Mughals to protect the sovereignty of the Sikh Empire. His brother, Jawahir is known for his defense at the Battle of Chillianwala. It is believed that during the battle between the Sikh Empire and the Mughals, Arjan Singh fought bravely and created havoc on the battlefield with Gandasi.
Death
Arjan Singh Nalwa joined hands with the Sikh Army while fighting against the British on the eve of the Anglo-Sikh War in October 1948. Apparently, when he locked himself in his fortified house at Gujranwala, a force of soldiers sent by Brigadier Campbell and a battalion of Skinner’s horse surrounded his house to capture him. However, he escaped. He died a few days later.
‘Arjan Valley’ – Animal (2023)
In 2023, the Hindi-language action thriller film Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor in the lead role, featured a song titled ‘Arjan Valley’, which was based on the life and times of Arjan Singh Nalwa. In the film, this song was sung by singer Bhupinder Babbal in dhaadi-var music style; Dhadi-war music was used by Guru Gobind Singh Ji as a war cry against the Mughals to boost the enthusiasm of his people. This song was originally sung by Punjabi singer Kuldeep Manak. The song talks about the time when there was a war between the Sikh Empire and the Mughals, describing how Arjan Singh Nalwa fought fiercely using his ax and other weapons like the Kirpan. The first line of the song ‘Ho Khade Vich Dang Khadke, Othe Ho Gayi Ladai Bhari’ shows that a fierce fight is going on in the crowd. Meanwhile, the most popular line of the song “Arjan Wally Ne Pair Jod Ke Gandasi Mari” depicts how Arjan Singh Nalwa, also known as Arjan Wally, fought with all his might by connecting both his legs in the fight. Swinged his axe. At its end, the song compares Arjan Singh to a lion, and says that Arjan had the police and government officials under his control.
arjan valley song poster
Facts/General Knowledge
- Apparently, Arjan Singh Nalwa was the favorite jagirdar of Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh, grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
- According to some reports, Arjan Singh killed a servant of Nau Nihal in July 1840, after which the servant’s widow committed sati and burnt herself. Nine Nihal was so enraged by this incident that he imposed a heavy fine on Arjan Singh.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn