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87-649: The Khan of Chorbat moved his capital from Siksa (originally called "Chorbat") to Turtuk in the 18th century. These two villages (now in Pakistan and India respectively) are the largest villages of the Chorbat region. Chorbat is an indistinct region at the border between Baltistan and Ladakh near the course of the Shyok River . It is marked by In the early decades of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, there

174-521: A growth of the army which split into different confederacies or semi-independent misls . Each of these component armies controlled different areas and cities. However, in the period from 1762 to 1799, Sikh commanders of the misls appeared to be coming into their own as independent. Sikhism began during the conquest of North India by Babur , the founder of the Mughal Empire . His grandson, Akbar , supported religious freedom and after visiting

261-484: A human-made forest of saplings which is the largest forest in the whole district. The Shyok River passing nearby the valley is one of the important resources of the area, irrigating the whole land. However the same river sometime creates havoc during summer through its unpredictable floods. Siksa, Chorbat Siksa is a village in the sub division Chorbat Valley, Ghanche District of Gilgit-Baltistan , lying 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of Skardu , near

348-585: A letter that commanded all Sikhs to join him. After two years of gaining supporters, Banda Singh Bahadur initiated an agrarian uprising by breaking up the large estates of Zamindar families and distributing the land to the poor peasants who farmed the land. Banda Singh Bahadur started his rebellion by defeating the Mughal armies at the Battle of Samana , establishing the First Sikh State in 1709. This

435-544: A local militia called the Nubra Guards under the command of 17-year old Chewang Rinchen , which reportedly blocked various passage routes to Leh. The Gilgit Scouts were progressively pushed back beyond the line connecting the Chorbat La pass and Chalunka . The ceasefire line was established through these two points at the end of 1948. The entire Chorbat ilaqa came under the control of Pakistan. ( Bogdang , never

522-531: A neutral role in the power struggle between two of the sons of Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh , for control of the Mughal Empire. The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur , moved the Sikh community to Anandpur and travelled extensively to visit and preach in defiance of Aurangzeb, who attempted to install Ram Rai as new guru. Guru Tegh Bahadur aided Kashmiri Pandits in avoiding conversion to Islam and

609-597: A number of years when he no longer felt threatened. The Sikh community did not have any further issues with the Mughal Empire until the death of Jahangir in 1627. The succeeding son of Jahangir, Shah Jahan , took offence at Guru Hargobind's "sovereignty" and after a series of assaults on Amritsar forced the Sikhs to retreat to the Sivalik Hills . The next guru, Guru Har Rai , maintained the guruship in these hills by defeating local attempts to seize Sikh land and playing

696-547: A part of the ilaqa , remained under Indian control.) Under Pakistani control, Gilgit dominated Baltistan, and both regions were administered as non-descript "Northern Areas" by the Federal government of Pakistan. Chorbat was merged into the Khaplu niabat in this period. India and Pakistan fought two further wars over Kashmir. In the 1965 war , the region saw some action, but the two countries returned to status quo after

783-563: A simple border policy where it did not allow uninvited foreigners into the state. The purpose of this border policy was to dissuade potential foreign spies from entering the country. An example of the policy in-action is the case of Captain Arnold Mathews, who snuck into the Sikh Empire in circa 1808 to spy under the guise of being a tourist headed towards Kashmir but was intercepted and brought to Lahore. The Sikh court observed

870-683: A springboard to advance on the Sikh-held region of Multan, eventually resulted in conflict with the British. After Ranjit Singh's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British East India Company to launch the First Anglo-Sikh War . The Battle of Ferozeshah in 1845 marked many turning points, the British encountered

957-412: A total of over 200,000 sq mi (520,000 km ) at its zenith. Another more conservative estimate puts its total surface area during its zenith at 100,436 sq mi (260,124 km sq). The following modern-day political divisions made up the historical Sikh Empire: Jamrud District ( Khyber Agency , Pakistan) was the westernmost limit of the Sikh Empire. The westward expansion was stopped in

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1044-535: Is Balti . The entire population is Muslim of the Sofia Noorbakhshia and Ahl-i-Hadith or Ahl-e-Hadith (Urdu: اہلِ حدیث, people of hadith) sects. The name "Siksa" is believed to be derived from the Balti word meaning "a land with shortage of water". For hundred of years this village has struggled for access to water for agriculture. Different community projects were started to meet the need for water. One of

1131-725: Is via Shyok Valley Road, that connect it to the District Headquarters Khaplu and to Skardu . The climate can have adverse effects on transport in and out of the Siksa, as the roads in and out of can be blocked for weeks. Sikh Empire The Sikh Empire , officially known as Sarkār-i-Khālsa and Khālasa Rāj , was a regional power based in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent . It existed from 1799, when Ranjit Singh captured Lahore , to 1849, when it

1218-686: The Sarkar Khalsaji . The foundation of the Sikh Empire can be traced to as early as 1707, the year of Aurangzeb 's death and the start of the downfall of the Mughal Empire . With the Mughals significantly weakened, the Sikh army, known as the Dal Khalsa , a rearrangement of the Khalsa inaugurated by Guru Gobind Singh , led expeditions against them and the Afghans in the west. This led to

1305-570: The Adi Granth . When the Guru refused, Jahangir ordered him to be put to death by torture. Guru Arjan's martyrdom led to the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind , declaring Sikh sovereignty in the creation of the Akal Takht and the establishment of a fort to defend Amritsar . Jahangir attempted to assert authority over the Sikhs by jailing Guru Hargobind at Gwalior Fort , but released him after

1392-669: The Afghan-Sikh Wars , and the unification of the separate Sikh misls. Ranjit Singh rose to power in a very short period, from a leader of a single misl to finally becoming the Maharaja of Punjab. He began to modernise his army, using the latest training as well as weapons and artillery . After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the empire was weakened by the British East India Company stoking internal divisions and political mismanagement. Finally, in 1849,

1479-517: The Battle of Jamrud , in which the Afghans managed to kill the prominent Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa in an offensive, though the Sikhs successfully held their position at their Jamrud fort. Ranjit Singh sent his General Sirdar Bahadur Gulab Singh Powind thereafter as reinforcement and he crushed the Pashtun rebellion harshly. In 1838, Ranjit Singh with his troops marched into Kabul to take part in

1566-457: The British . Baltistan was at first administered as a wazarat with 15 ilaqas , with Chorbat being one of them. Later, Ladakh and Baltistan formed a joint wazarat whose capital alternated between Leh and Skardu for six months each year. The Chorbat area, during the last three centuries, continuously changed hands between the rulers of Skardo, Khapalu and Ladakh, before coming under

1653-592: The British Empire . The formation of the empire began with the capture of Lahore from its Durrani ruler, Zaman Shah Durrani . Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Punjab on 12 April 1801 (to coincide with Vaisakhi ), creating a unified political state. Sahib Singh Bedi, a descendant of Guru Nanak , conducted the coronation. The formation of the empire was followed by the progressive expulsion of Afghans from Punjab by capitalizing off Afghan decline in

1740-554: The Cis-Sutlej States and also in territory under the British East India Company's rule. Other vakil emissaries of the Sikh court were sent to Rajputana , the Marathas , and Nepal on complimentary missions. Western/European officers from various backgrounds, including Britishers, Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, Americans, and Russians, also rose to high levels within the Sikh court in many instances. However,

1827-508: The Karakoram mountain range and the bank the Shyok River . The climate is hard with little rain and extremely cold winters due to proximity to Siachen Glacier and other peaks and glaciers. Chorbat occupies 4,052 square kilometres (1,564 sq mi). According to Rohit Vohra, the original settlers of the area were Brog-pa Dards . Above the present day Turtuk stand the ruins of a large fortress built they built. Tradition holds that

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1914-639: The Koh-i-Nor diamond for Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He served as governor of Kashmir and Hazara and established a mint on behalf of the Sikh empire to facilitate revenue collection. His frontier policy of holding the Khyber Pass was later used by the British Raj . Nalwa was responsible for expanding the frontier of Sikh empire to the Indus River . At the time of his death, the western boundary of

2001-517: The Punjab Army , opening with a gun-duel in which the Sikhs "had the better of the British artillery". As the British made advances, Europeans in their army were specially targeted, as the Sikhs believed if the army "became demoralized, the backbone of the enemy's position would be broken". The fighting continued throughout the night. The British position "grew graver as the night wore on", and "suffered terrible casualties with every single member of

2088-589: The Sivalik Hill rajas , who attempted to attack the city, but Guru Gobind Singh 's forces routed them at the Battle of Bhangani . He moved on to Anandpur and established the Khalsa , a collective army of baptised Sikhs, on 30 March 1699. The establishment of the Khalsa united the Sikh community against various Mughal-backed claimants to the guruship. In 1701, a combined army of the Sivalik Hill rajas and

2175-411: The langar of Guru Amar Das got a favourable impression of Sikhism. As a result of his visit, he donated land to the langar and the Mughals did not have any conflict with Sikh gurus until his death in 1605. His successor Jahangir , saw the Sikhs as a political threat. He ordered Guru Arjan , who had been arrested for supporting the rebellious Khusrau Mirza , to change the passage about Islam in

2262-766: The Army and currently support the Army's initiatives such as the Operation Sadbhavana . Pakistani sources allege that, in 1972, shortly after the signing of the Shimla Agreement , Indian troops crossed the Line of Control (LoC) in the Chorbat La sector and seized about four square miles of Pakistani territory. In 1988, India again crossed the LoC and seized four Pakistani posts in the Qamar sector, which lies between

2349-404: The Balti villages captured by India and neglected to negotiate their return. The citizenship of these village residents changed their citizenship from Pakistan to India overnight. Reports indicate that India treated the villagers well and integrated them into the national mainstream. The Indian Army got special praise in this regard. However, villagers who had gone to other parts of Pakistan before

2436-541: The Brog-pa Dards were Buddhist and lived under a constant danger of attack from the north, until two warriors from the 'west' called Chulli and Yandrung overran them. The Brog-pas are said to have fled and settled in the Hanu valley. The present day residents of Turtuk are divided into 'Chulli-pa' and 'Yandrung-pa', claiming descent from Chulli and Yandrung. Later, in the 16th–17th centuries, Islamic missionaries came to

2523-776: The Chinese and Tibetans. The Cis-Sutlej states were a group of Sikh states in the Punjab region lying between the Sutlej River to the north, the Himalayas to the east, the Yamuna River and Delhi district to the south, and Sirsa District to the west. These states fell under the suzerainty of the Maratha Empire after 1785 before the Second Anglo-Maratha War of 1803–1805, after which

2610-585: The Chorbat Valley and NJ9842 . The natural resources of the valley include agriculture, horticultural resources, the Shyok River , mountains and peaks. Agriculture is only possible in the Valley is summer due to extremely cold winters, where the temperature drops to minus 10. Crops include beans, maize. Chorbat valley consists of more than 13 villages in Pakistan and five villages in India. In Pakistan,

2697-528: The Governor General's staff either killed or wounded". Nevertheless, the British army took and held Ferozeshah. British General Sir James Hope Grant recorded: "Truly the night was one of gloom and forbidding and perhaps never in the annals of warfare has a British Army on such a large scale been nearer to a defeat which would have involved annihilation." The reasons for the withdrawal of the Sikhs from Ferozeshah are contentious. Some believe that it

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2784-492: The Maharaja when their father, Ghulam Muhiuddin, a physician, was summoned by him to treat an eye ailment soon after his capture of Lahore. The other Fakir brothers were Imamuddin, one of his principal administration officers, and Nuruddin, who served as home minister and personal physician, were also granted jagirs by the Maharaja. Every year, while at Amritsar, Ranjit Singh visited shrines of holy people of other faiths, including several Muslim saints, which did not offend even

2871-490: The Marathas lost control of the territory to the British East India Company . The Cis-Sutlej states included Kalsia , Kaithal , Patiala State , Nabha State , Jind State , Thanesar , Maler Kotla , Ludhiana , Kapurthala State , Ambala , Ferozpur and Faridkot State , among others. The Sikh Empire of Ranjit Singh occupied Faridkot State in 1807. However, control was restored to Gulab Singh of Faridkot in 1809 due to

2958-485: The Mughals and their administrators , the Mughal-allied Hindu hill-rajas of the Sivalik Hills , and hostile local Muslims siding with other Muslim forces. The Sikhs of the Dal Khalsa eventually formed their own independent Sikh administrative regions, Misls , derived from a Perso-Arabic term meaning 'similar', headed by Misldars . These Misls were united in large part by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After

3045-557: The Mughals under Wazir Khan attacked Anandpur. The Khalsa retreated but regrouped to defeat the Mughals at the Battle of Muktsar . In 1707, Guru Gobind Singh accepted an invitation by Aurangzeb's successor Bahadur Shah I to meet him. The meeting took place at Agra on 23 July 1707. In August 1708, Guru Gobind Singh visited Nanded . There he met a Bairāgī recluse, Madho Das, who converted to Sikhism, rechristened as Banda Singh Bahadur . A short time before his death, Guru Gobind Singh ordered him to reconquer Punjab region and gave him

3132-626: The Pakistan Army before India's take-over. Many of them also had relatives across the Line of Control who were subject to intimidation by the ISI. During the Kargil infiltration by Pakistan, some local people were suspected of having assisted the infiltrators. The Indian Army took some of them into custody, but later released them all. The local people are said to be grateful for the consideration shown by

3219-759: The Shyok River valley, comprising some 13 villages in present-day Baltistan, and 5 villages in Indian-administered Ladakh. The area is said to have been originally settled by people from Ladakh. At present, the people display a mix of Ladakhi and Balti influences. Geographically, the wide valley of the Shyok river in "Lower Nubra" narrows to a mountain gorge near the Yagulung village ( 34°46′N 77°08′E  /  34.77°N 77.14°E  / 34.77; 77.14 ). The Shyok flows through

3306-409: The Shyok River, mountains and peaks. The agriculture in the village is only summer based due to extreme cold in the winter where temperature goes to -10 C. The crops include some beans, maize, potatoes, and other food crops however communities have experimented less with the agriculture due to the natural limiting factors i.e. extreme cold. Siksa is accessible only by the road, The normal route to Siksa

3393-630: The Sikh Empire was the Khyber Pass. The Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh paid regular annual tribute to the Sikh Empire starting 1819 until 1834. The tribute was paid to the local Sikh governors of Kashmir. The Namgyal kingdom would later be conquered by the Dogras , under the leadership of Zorawar Singh. The domain of the Maqpon kingdom of Baltistan, based in Skardu, under the rule of Ahmad Shah Maqpon,

3480-431: The Sikh court and nobles also wearing yellow clothing on the day. During Basant, the officials bore gifts for the sovereign ruler, with the ruler in-turn bestowing robe-of-honours to the officials based on their rank and status. During celebrations of Dussehra, the Sikh court assembled itself at Amritsar and the jagirdari troops of the empire's military were paraded and inspected by the maharaja. The Sikh Empire spanned

3567-424: The Sikh court was filled with elaborately garbed and decorated members. Only three individuals were permitted to be seated on chairs within the durbar, them namely being heir-apparent Kharak Singh, kanwar Sher Singh, and Raja Hira Singh. Three sides of the hall of the durbar were covered with golden-pillars, with shawl carpets that were embroidered with golden and silver, and inset with precious stones, decorating

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3654-543: The Sikh court was wary of the Westerners within the court, and kept them therefore under strict regulation. These foreign Western members of the court were persuaded by the state to integrate themselves by marrying a local woman, settling down within the empire, and adopt the cultural customs of the locals, such as growing out a beard or wearing a turban. The Western members of the court were also banned from publicly consuming beef or smoking . The Sikh Empire did enact

3741-408: The Sikh court were treated with respect and hospitality, with many contemporary accounts of foreign visitors to the court noting the good-treatment afforded to them by the state. When a foreign visitor arrived, they would be greeted by a protocol officer, who would arrange for their temporary residence, which was based upon the status of the visitor. The state government paid for the expenses regarding

3828-618: The Sikh victory at Sirhind . He ruled the territory between the Sutlej river and the Yamuna river , established a capital in the Himalayas at Lohgarh and struck coinage in the names of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. In 1716, his army was defeated by the Mughals after he attempted to defend his fort at Gurdas Nangal . He was captured along with 700 of his men and sent to Delhi , where they were all tortured and executed after refusing to convert to Islam . The period from 1716 to 1799

3915-636: The area organised themselves under the command of Colonel Aslam Khan , and launched an invasion on the Ladakh wazarat . By July–August 1948, the Gilgit Scouts had overrun Kargil, Skardu and the Zoji La pass that connects Ladakh to the Kashmir Valley, reaching the vicinity of Leh. But Leh held, reinforced by air and a tortuous mountain caravan from Himachal Pradesh . The Indian Army raised

4002-650: The area. Traditions narrate the visits of 'Amir Kabir' (possibly Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani ) and Sayyid Nur Baksh , who defeated the Buddhist lamas in debate and converted the people to Islam. A Yabghu (Tibetan spelling: Yagbo) family controlled Khaplu from some uncertain date ( c.  850 according to tradition). In the 18th century, the Chorbat area was given by its ruler, Yabgo Yahya Khan of Khaplu to his son Yagbo Nasir Khan, who came to live in Turtuk. The present headman of Turtuk traces his descent from him. In

4089-557: The border of Pakistan and India at an elevation of 2,725 metres (8,940 ft). In historical travel writings Siksa is referred to as the "Chorbat village". It is also described as the principal village of the Chorbat ilaqa , where the officials of Chorbat lived. Siksa is at the end of the Chorbat Lungpa valley, which leads to the Chorbat La pass, the historical route between Baltistan and Ladakh. The language spoken

4176-401: The court include high-level civil and military appointments, reports from the provincial satraps and kardars . When matters of the court were read-out, royal decrees made orally were transferred into writing for final approval. Tributes and nazaranas were also exchanged or bestowed within the court. Supplicants to the court were dismissed with khill'ats (robes) or monetary gifts. When

4263-584: The customary law of the districts and socio-ethnic groups, and were open to all who wanted to be governed by customary religious law, whether Hindu, Sikh, or Muslim. One of Ranjit Singh's first acts after the 1799 capture of Lahore was to revive the offices of the hereditary Qazis and Muftis which had been prevalent in Mughal times. Kazi Nizamuddin was appointed to decide marital issues among Muslims, while Muftis Mohammad Shahpuri and Sadulla Chishti were entrusted with powers to draw up title-deeds relating to transfers of immovable property. The old mohalladari system

4350-489: The empire was from the Punjab region to Khyber Pass in the west, to Kashmir in the north, Sindh in the south, and Tibet in the east. In 1799, Ranjit Singh moved the capital to Lahore from Gujranwala , where it had been established in 1763 by his grandfather, Charat Singh . Ranjit Singh annexed the Sial State , a local Muslim-ruled chieftaincy, after invading Jhang in 1807. The basis for this annexation

4437-533: The empire's existing territory south of the Sutlej), following attempts by Ranjit Singh to wrest control of these states from the British between 1806 and 1809 The Sikh crossing of the Sutlej, following British militarization of the border with Punjab (from 2,500 men and six guns in 1838 to 17,612 men and 66 guns in 1844, and 40,523 men and 94 guns in 1845), and plans on using the newly conquered territory of Sindh as

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4524-410: The festivals of Vaisakhi , Dussehra , Basant , Holi , and Diwali . Vaisakhi was considered an especially auspicious celebration within the Sikh court, with it giving and distributing gifts of money, gold, silver, cows, horses, elephants, gold-bangles, and food to Brahmins and the poor. During Basant celebrations, the military troops of the empire were paraded donning yellow uniforms, with members of

4611-491: The floor. The maharaja was seated on a golden throne , with Ranjit Singh preferring to sit cross-legged on it. The member of the court allowed to be seated behind the maharaja was Raja Dhian Singh. The rest of the members of the court were seated as per their rank and status. The colours of the Sikh court were yellow and green. Thus, most of its members donned yellow-coloured dressings made from Kashmiri silk or woollens. However, there existed no strict categorization scheme of

4698-434: The gorge until Khaplu , where the valley widens again. A string of villages dot this gorge, wherever possible along the banks of the river: Bogdang , Chalunka , Turtuk , Tyakshi , and Thang on the Indian side of the Line of Control ; Franu, Siari, Piun, Siksa, Hassanabad, Marcha, Lunkha, and Dawou on the Pakistani side. The folklore includes all these villages in Chorbat. The valley is surrounded by high rising peaks of

4785-503: The happenings of surrounding regions, including remote parts of its territory and foreign countries, the Sikh court received reports from the waqa'nawis (news-writers) located in the empire's provinces ( subas ). The reports were dispatched to the Lahore Darbar at regular intervals. Furtheremore, the vakils (agents) of foreign countries were associated with the Sikh court on a reciprocal basis. The Sikh court had news-writers located in Afghanistan and also had its own vakil emissaries in

4872-406: The last three centuries, the Chorbat area alternately came under the control of Khaplu and Ladakh. Between 1834 and 1840, the Dogra general Zorawar Singh conquered both Ladakh and Baltistan and made them part of the Sikh Empire . Under the Treaty of Amritsar , the areas were transferred to Maharaja Gulab Singh to form part of the new princely state of Jammu and Kashmir under the suzerainty of

4959-615: The maharaja was travelling, the court ceased to be static and was held at whatever location the ruler's retinue decided to hold-up at, often under a tree or whilst moving on horseback. The ruler would dictate orders to provincial governors whilst inspecting their troops or even in the midst of battle. Noble members of the court, including relatives of the royal family, resided in palatial haveli structures and donned expensive clothing and accessories (such as jewelry). The Sikh princes, and also Raja Dhian Singh, were permitted to hold their own miniature durbars (courts). Foreign visitors to

5046-454: The major projects was initiated in early 19th century to construct a channel from its eastern border which resulted in the fulfilment of agricultural needs. Sika has an average elevation of about 8,950 feet (2,730 m), and is situated along the banks of the Shyok River , a tributary of the Indus . Villages near Siksa includes Kalan, Sogmos, Chuar and Siari. The natural resources of the village include agriculture, horticultural resources,

5133-626: The most religious Sikhs of his administration. As relayed by Fakir Nuruddin, orders were issued to treat people of all faith groups, occupations, and social levels equally and in accordance with the doctrines of their faith, per the Shastras and the Quran , as well as local authorities like judges and panches (local elder councils), as well as banning forcible possession of others' land or of inhabited houses to be demolished. There were special courts for Muslims which ruled in accordance to Muslim law in personal matters, and common courts preceded over by judicial officers which administered justice under

5220-424: The north of the river, and setting the Sutlej as the dividing boundary between the Sikh and British empires; negotiating with Dost Muhammad Khan during his unsuccessful attempt to retake Peshawar , and ensuring the succession of the throne during the Maharaja's last days in addition to caretaking after a stroke, as well as occasional military assignments throughout his career. The Fakir brothers were introduced to

5307-404: The positions of foreign minister of the empire and translator for the maharaja, and played important roles in such important events as the negotiations with the British, during which he convinced Ranjit Singh to maintain diplomatic ties with the British and not to go to war with them in 1808, as British troops were moved along the Sutlej in pursuance of the British policy of confining Ranjit Singh to

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5394-411: The rankings of the constituent members of the Lahore Darbar, thus the rankings of its members was determined by the level of trust the maharaja held in them. The court also granted awards upon its members, with most of these essentially being bestowed titles in the form of honourifics, however some members were granted jagirs (estate grant). Laziness was heavily looked-down upon with the court, with

5481-405: The reign of Jassa Singh Ramgarhia , the Sikh Misls became divided and fought each other. A sort of 'Cold War' broke out with the Bhangi , Nakkai , Dalelwala and Ramgharia Misls verses Sukerchakia , Ahluwalia , Karor Singhia and Kaniyeha . The Shaheedan , Nishania and Singhpuria also allied but did not engage in warfare with the others and continued the Dal Khalsa. The Phulkian Misl

5568-535: The ruling maharaja , who was the "drum of the Khalsa". In-theory, the Sikh court was based on the Khalsa ideals propounded by Guru Gobind Singh yet the court was secular in-practice. As an example of this secularism, members of the court came from various religious background, including Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. Furthermore, the members also came from various ethnic, regional, and caste backgrounds, such as Dogras, Rajputs, Brahmins, Jats, and Europeans. Whilst Ranjit Singh himself preferred to dress modestly,

5655-481: The ruling maharaja often sending out the court's members on military or diplomatic missions. The business of the ruling government was carried out in Lahore, specifically the Musamman Burj located within the Lahore Fort . A public court was held from morning until noon in the Diwan-i-Aam ("hall of audience"), with the court being attended by important members of the court, including princes, ministers, nobles, and civil and military officers. Some matters discussed in

5742-402: The signing of a treaty between the Lahore Darbar and the British East India Company. While these Sikh states had been set up by the Dal Khalsa , they did not become part of the Sikh Empire. There was a mutual ban on warfare following the treaty of Amritsar in 1809 (in which the empire forfeited the claim to the Cis-Sutlej States, and the British were not to interfere north of the Sutlej or in

5829-489: The state was dissolved after the defeat in the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The empire is also referred to as the Lahore State , such as in contemporary British maps. The term Lahore Darbar refers to the Sikh court at Lahore of the empire's ruling government. However, the term "Lahore Darbar" only gained currency around the time of Ranjit Singh's death, with it not being found in British sources until then. The empire's own Persian chronicles refers to its ruling government as

5916-442: The suzerainty of Dogra Kingdom in the mid-19th century. In 1947, after the independence of the Dominion of India and Dominion of Pakistan , Pakistan launched a tribal invasion of Jammu and Kashmir, which provoked the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir to join India. The Gilgit Agency to the north rebelled and overthrew the Maharaja's administration. The Gilgit Scouts and Muslim members of Jammu and Kashmir State Forces stationed in

6003-399: The thrones of Punjab , Kashmir , and Jammu in personal union. It was divided into four provinces: Lahore , which became the capital; Multan ; Peshawar ; and Kashmir . Ethnically and religiously diverse, with an estimated population of 4.5 million in 1831 (making it the 19th most populous country at the time ), it was the last major region of the Indian subcontinent to be annexed by

6090-464: The victory parade along with the British after restoring Shah Shoja to the Afghan throne at Kabul. The empire was divided into various provinces (known as Subas ), them namely being: The Sikh Empire allowed men from religions other than their own to rise to commanding positions of authority. The Fakir brothers were trusted personal advisors and assistants as well as close friends to Ranjit Singh, particularly Fakir Azizuddin , who would serve in

6177-440: The village of Dah . The Chorbat Lungpa and Hanu valleys constituted the main route from Baltistan to Ladakh in the past. The villages in the Hanu valley as well as Dah are fortified, indicating that they experienced raids from Baltistan in the past. Being the main travel route between Baltistan and Leh, the route carried part of the Silk Road traffic, which enriched the people of Chorbat. The main populated areas in Chorbat are in

6264-401: The villages are Dawou, Marcha, Kuwas, Hassanabad , Partuk, Piun, Siksa , Kalaan, Sukhmos, Chhowar, Thongmus, Siari, and Franu. In India, they are Doethang , Tyaqsi , Turtuk , Chalunka , and Beyoqdan . The mountains and surrounding have generally no forests however there are some shrubs and herbs available which are generally used by the local communities as medicinal herbs, there is also

6351-406: The visitor's entertainment. There exists accounts of visitors being gifted by the state, with presents such as fruit, sweets, wines, and also money. Full displays of the empire's regalia and military forces were displayed during important ceremonial functions, such as the marriages of important nobles or when receiving high-level foreign diplomatic dignatories. In order to keep tabs and updated on

6438-765: The war, for trade, study or travel, remained on the Pakistani side, never allowed to return home. One member of a divided family reports going to the border carrying a white flag and a letter from the Indian Army, wanting to bring back his family. But he was detained by the Pakistani Army and refused return to home. Balti scholar Senge Sering states that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) attempted to introduce jihad into this area. Local people were confused about their loyalties because they had lived under both Pakistani and Indian control, and some served in

6525-532: The war. However, the Khan of Turtuk, Yagbo Mohammad Khan Kacho, was apparently looted by the Pakistani Army of his throne and other valuables. In the war of 1971 , Rinchen's Nubra Guards, now part of the Ladakh Scouts , captured further areas of Chorbat. They first took a 18,620-foot peak overlooking Chalunka. The two companies of Karakoram Scouts defending Chalunka were overpowered and fled to Turtuk. Turtuk

6612-523: Was a Chorbat ilaqa (subdistrict) in the Baltistan wazarat (district). It stretched along the Shyok River valley from a village called Dou-U (Dawou) in the west to Chalunka in the east. Between the Chorbat village and the Chorbat La pass lies the Chorbat Lungpa valley. To the south of the Chorbat La pass, the Hanu valley carries a stream that flows down to join the Indus River near

6699-534: Was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily in the Punjab region. This was caused by the overall decline of the Mughal empire that left a power vacuum in the region that was eventually filled by the Sikhs of the Dal Khalsa , meaning " Khalsa army" or " Khalsa party". In the late 18th century, after defeating several invasions by the Afghan rulers of the Durrani Empire and their allies, remnants of

6786-422: Was arrested by Aurangzeb. When offered a choice between conversion to Islam and death, he chose to die rather than compromise his principles and was executed. Guru Gobind Singh assumed the guruship in 1675 and to avoid battles with Sivalik Hill rajas moved the guruship to Paunta . There he built a large fort to protect the city and garrisoned an army to protect it. The growing power of the Sikh community alarmed

6873-586: Was conquered in 1839–40 and its local ruler was deposed. The Dogras at this time were under the suzerainty of the Sikh Empire. During the Sino-Sikh War of 1841, the forces of the empire invaded the Tibetan Plateau , which was then under the control of the Qing dynasty . However, this control was short-lived and the military of the empire was forced to retreat to Ladakh due to a counterattack by

6960-482: Was defeated and conquered by the British East India Company in the Second Anglo-Sikh War . It was forged on the foundations of the Khalsa from a collection of autonomous misls . At its peak in the 19th century, the empire extended from Gilgit and Tibet in the north to the deserts of Sindh in the south and from the Khyber Pass in the west to the Sutlej in the east as far as Oudh ; holding

7047-716: Was excommunicated from the confederacy. Rani Sada Kaur of the Kanhaiya Misl rose in the vacuum and destroyed the power of the Bhangis. She later gave her throne to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The formal start of the Sikh Empire began with the unification of the Misls by 1801, creating a unified political state. All the Misl leaders, who were affiliated with the army, were the nobility with usually long and prestigious family backgrounds in Sikh history. The main geographical footprint of

7134-461: Was followed the next year by another Sikh victory at the Battle of Sadhaura . The rebellion culminated following their defeat at the Siege of Gurdaspur . During the rebellion, Banda Singh Bahadur made a point of destroying the cities in which Mughals had been cruel to the supporters of Guru Gobind Singh. He executed Wazir Khan in revenge for the deaths of Guru Gobind Singh's sons and Pir Budhu Shah after

7221-718: Was formed in Lahore as a direct representative of the British Crown . The empire's ruling court based out of Lahore is termed the Lahore Darbar or Khalsa Darbar . Faqir Saifuddin of the Fakir Khana Museum prefers to use the term Punjab Darbar rather than "Khalsa Darbar", owing to the large role Muslims played in Ranjit Singh's court. The ruling court was diverse and under the ultimate command of

7308-624: Was reintroduced with each mahallah , or neighborhood subdivision, placed under the charge of one of its members. The office of Kotwal, or prefect of police, was conferred upon a Muslim, Imam Bakhsh. Generals were also drawn from a variety of communities, along with prominent Sikh generals like Hari Singh Nalwa , Fateh Singh Dullewalia, Nihal Singh Atariwala, Chattar Singh Attariwalla , and Fateh Singh Kalianwala; Hindu generals included Misr Diwan Chand and Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar , his son, and his grandson; and Muslim generals included Ilahi Bakhsh and Mian Ghaus Khan; one general, Balbhadra Kunwar ,

7395-494: Was that the local ruler of Jhang, Ahmad Khan Sial, was conspiring with Nawab Muzaffar Khan of Multan and had signed a secret treaty with the latter. Hari Singh Nalwa was Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army from 1825 to 1837. He is known for his role in the conquests of Kasur , Sialkot , Multan , Kashmir , Attock and Peshawar . Nalwa led the Sikh army in freeing Shah Shuja from Kashmir and secured

7482-479: Was then taken in four days, followed by Tyakshi and Thang. The villagers were frightened at first, but Rinchen put them at ease. After the 1971 war, India and Pakistan reached the Simla Agreement , whereby the ceasefire line of the war became the new Line of Control , permanently dividing Chorbat between India and Pakistan. Baltis allege that Pakistani prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto did not care about

7569-411: Was treachery of the non-Sikh high command of their own army which led to them marching away from a British force in a precarious and battered state. Others believe that a tactical withdrawal was the best policy. The Sikh empire was finally dissolved at the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 into separate princely states and the British province of Punjab . Eventually, a Lieutenant Governorship

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