The Dal Khalsa was an army that operated in the 18th and 17th century (1660-1780) Punjab region.
These were :-
BABA DEEP SINGH JI---------------- SHAHIDI MISL
Baba Deep Singh Shahid (26 January 1682 -13 November 1757), is one of most honoured martyrs in Sikh history. He was the founder of the Shahid Misl (group). He was the first head of Damdami Taksal (Damdama school of learning)[1] a 300 years old religious school of the Sikhs[2] which was founded by last Sikh prophet Guru Gobind Singh Tall and strong he was an exceptionally brave Sikh.
He spent most of his life as a custodian of the Panth (Sikh community). He and Banda Singh Bahadur are recognised as the most honoured martyrs of the Panth who, together set a unique and amazing example for the community to follow for many generations. Not only was Baba ji a brave and fearless soldier but a very intelligent scholar who had mastered several languages.
From the time when Guru Gobind Singh came to Damdama Sahib, Baba ji was responsible for the distribution of the Guru Granth Sahib to other parts of the world and was the "head granthi" (head priest) of Damdama Sahib in Bathind
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia---------------------- RAMGARHIA MISL
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (1723–1803) was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy . He became the Commander of the Ramgarhia Sikh Cavalry misl (unit or group of Sikhs). This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801. The period is also sometimes described as the Age of the Misls.
Charat Singh---------------------------SUKERCHAKIA MISLCharhat Singh Sandhu was grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh He was eldest of the four Sons of Sardar Naudh singh Sandhu. He took to arms while still very young and started taking part in the raids and expeditions led by his father. He also fought in the Sikh's skirmishes with the Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Durrani. After the death of his father, he broke away from the Faizullapuria Misl and determined to acquire territory for himself. He left his ancestral village of Sukkarchakk and established his headquarters at Gujranwala, where he had gathered a considerable following within a short time.
Sardar Kapoor Singh
Sardar Kapoor Singh was born in 1697 in a village near Sheikhupura, now in Pakistan. His father, Chaudhri Daleep Singh was a devoted Sikh, whose virtues were passed on to the young boy. The boy memorized Gurbani Nitnem, and was taught the arts of war. He became an Amritdhari in 1721. When the Governor of Punjab offered the Sikhs the Nawabship (ownership of an estate) and a valuable royal robe, the Khalsa accepted it all in the name of Kapoor Singh. Henceforth, he became known as Nawab Kapoor Singh.
Sardar Kapoor Singh was one of the thousands of Sikhs who were attracted to the Khalsa Panth after the sacrifice of Bhai Tara Singh of the village of Van, in 1726. The murder of this devoted Sikh, popular both with Muslims and Hindus, forced the Sikhs to unite and organize themselves to respond to state repression against them.
These were the some of the greatest leaders of Sikh history they all were in Dal Khalsa.
In 1733,Zakariya Khan attempted to negotiate a peace with the Sikhs by offering them a jagir, the title Nawab to their leader, and unimpeded access to the Harmandir Shaib. After discussion at a Sarbat Khalsa, Kapur Singh was elected leader of the Sikhs and took the title of Nawab. Nawab Kapur Singh combined the various Sikh miltias into two groups; the Taruna Dal and the Budda Dal, which would collectively be known as the Dal Khalsa. The Taruna Dal was further divided in five jathas, each with 1300 to 2000 men and a separate drum and banner.[16] The area of operations of each Dal, or army, was Hari ke Pattan, where the Sutlej river and Beas river meet; The Taruna Dal would control the area east of Hare ke Pattan while the Budha Dal would control the area west of it.[17] The purpose of the Budda Dal, the veteran group, was to protect Gurdwaras and train the Taruna Dal, while the Taruna Dal would act as combat troops. However, in 1735, the agreement between Zakariya Khan and Nawab Kapur Singh broke down and the Dal Khalsa retreated to the Sivalik Hills to regroup.
"It is singular that these people not only behaved firmly during the execution, but they would dispute and wrangle with each other who should suffer first; and they made interest with the executioner to obtain the preference" -Seir Mutakherin by Seid Gholam Hossein Khan
The supreme of the Dal Khalsa was Sardar Kapur Singh and some other leader of Dal Khalsa were Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Charat Singh(grandfather of Maharajah Ranjit Singh). These all were the head or Sardar of their own misl.
These were :-
BABA DEEP SINGH JI---------------- SHAHIDI MISL
Baba Deep Singh Shahid (26 January 1682 -13 November 1757), is one of most honoured martyrs in Sikh history. He was the founder of the Shahid Misl (group). He was the first head of Damdami Taksal (Damdama school of learning)[1] a 300 years old religious school of the Sikhs[2] which was founded by last Sikh prophet Guru Gobind Singh Tall and strong he was an exceptionally brave Sikh.
A bold and fearless saint-soldier he was ever ready to risk his life for the Panth. Baba ji was born on January 26, 1682 (some records register this as January 20) and died fighting at Amritsar on November 11, 1757 when he was about 75 years old. From about 12 years of age, he grew up around the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.
He spent most of his life as a custodian of the Panth (Sikh community). He and Banda Singh Bahadur are recognised as the most honoured martyrs of the Panth who, together set a unique and amazing example for the community to follow for many generations. Not only was Baba ji a brave and fearless soldier but a very intelligent scholar who had mastered several languages.
From the time when Guru Gobind Singh came to Damdama Sahib, Baba ji was responsible for the distribution of the Guru Granth Sahib to other parts of the world and was the "head granthi" (head priest) of Damdama Sahib in Bathind
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia---------------------- RAMGARHIA MISL
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (1723–1803) was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy . He became the Commander of the Ramgarhia Sikh Cavalry misl (unit or group of Sikhs). This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801. The period is also sometimes described as the Age of the Misls.
Sultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (03 May 1718–1783) was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was also Misldar of theAhluwalia Misl. This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801. He founded the Kapurthala State in 1772
Charat Singh---------------------------SUKERCHAKIA MISLCharhat Singh Sandhu was grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh He was eldest of the four Sons of Sardar Naudh singh Sandhu. He took to arms while still very young and started taking part in the raids and expeditions led by his father. He also fought in the Sikh's skirmishes with the Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Durrani. After the death of his father, he broke away from the Faizullapuria Misl and determined to acquire territory for himself. He left his ancestral village of Sukkarchakk and established his headquarters at Gujranwala, where he had gathered a considerable following within a short time.
Sardar Kapoor Singh
Sardar Kapoor Singh was born in 1697 in a village near Sheikhupura, now in Pakistan. His father, Chaudhri Daleep Singh was a devoted Sikh, whose virtues were passed on to the young boy. The boy memorized Gurbani Nitnem, and was taught the arts of war. He became an Amritdhari in 1721. When the Governor of Punjab offered the Sikhs the Nawabship (ownership of an estate) and a valuable royal robe, the Khalsa accepted it all in the name of Kapoor Singh. Henceforth, he became known as Nawab Kapoor Singh.
Sardar Kapoor Singh was one of the thousands of Sikhs who were attracted to the Khalsa Panth after the sacrifice of Bhai Tara Singh of the village of Van, in 1726. The murder of this devoted Sikh, popular both with Muslims and Hindus, forced the Sikhs to unite and organize themselves to respond to state repression against them.
The Khalsa held a meeting to make plans for future actions. They decided to appropriate government money and weapons in order to weaken the administration, and to equip themselves to face the everyday attacks. Kapoor Singh was assigned to plan and execute these projects. Information was obtained that money was being transported from Multan to the Lahore treasury. The Khalsa then came like hawks from nowhere, looted the money, took over the arms and horses of the guards, and vanished in moments, leaving the guards stunned. In another raid, they took over the revenues of the Kasoor estate. A third foray, against a caravan from Afghanistan, resulted in capturing numerous arms and horses, so important to them in their fight against state forces. Some war supplies were being taken from Afghanistan to Delhi. When Kapoor Singh learned of it, he organized an attack to capture them. In another attack, the Khalsa recovered gold and silver which was intended to be carried to Delhi.
The able leadership of Jathedar Darbara Singh and Sardar Kapoor Singh strengthened the Khalsa and provided them with the confidence and the strength to destroy the foreign tyrants and establish self rule.
The looting of the government treasury created a panic in Lahore. The governor approached the Emperor in Delhi for help. He sent a strong army to search for the Sikhs and kill them, but the Sikhs hid in the forests and sedges near the river beds, not easily approachable by the army. Finding no Sikhs around, the government falsely announced in each village with the beat of a drum, that all Sikhs had been eliminated. This met with little success. People knew the truth and did not stop supporting the Khalsa who were spread all over the area. The Sikhs did not face the army directly, but adopted guerilla warfare tactics which suited their small numbers. Once, while coming to Amritsar, Sardar Kapoor Singh and his contingent met, by chance, the roaming squads of the army near Ropar. In the ensuing skirmish the Sikhs prevailed and won the day.
These were the some of the greatest leaders of Sikh history they all were in Dal Khalsa.
In 1733,Zakariya Khan attempted to negotiate a peace with the Sikhs by offering them a jagir, the title Nawab to their leader, and unimpeded access to the Harmandir Shaib. After discussion at a Sarbat Khalsa, Kapur Singh was elected leader of the Sikhs and took the title of Nawab. Nawab Kapur Singh combined the various Sikh miltias into two groups; the Taruna Dal and the Budda Dal, which would collectively be known as the Dal Khalsa. The Taruna Dal was further divided in five jathas, each with 1300 to 2000 men and a separate drum and banner.[16] The area of operations of each Dal, or army, was Hari ke Pattan, where the Sutlej river and Beas river meet; The Taruna Dal would control the area east of Hare ke Pattan while the Budha Dal would control the area west of it.[17] The purpose of the Budda Dal, the veteran group, was to protect Gurdwaras and train the Taruna Dal, while the Taruna Dal would act as combat troops. However, in 1735, the agreement between Zakariya Khan and Nawab Kapur Singh broke down and the Dal Khalsa retreated to the Sivalik Hills to regroup.
"It is singular that these people not only behaved firmly during the execution, but they would dispute and wrangle with each other who should suffer first; and they made interest with the executioner to obtain the preference" -Seir Mutakherin by Seid Gholam Hossein Khan
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