ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>CH&#256RY&#256R&#298 SOW&#256RS</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="CHRYR*,SOWRS"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279CH&#256RY&#256R&#298 SOW&#256RS was the name given to an irregular cavalry regiment in Sikh times. It owed its origin to four friends, or <i>Ch&#257r</i> (four) <i>Y&#257r</i> (friends), who were seen together all the time. Their names were : Bh&#363p Si&#7749gh Siddh&#363, J&#299t Si&#7749gh, R&#257m Si&#7749gh Saddoza&#299 and Hard&#257s Si&#7749gh B&#257&#7751&#299&#257. They were all young men of the same age, very handsome, well built and always elegantly dressed. Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh became very fond of the foursome and employed them as soldiers. He was so impressed by their bearing that he gave them fine horses to ride and created a regiment named Ch&#257ry&#257r&#299 Sow&#257rs after them. The force grew in strength under the patronage of the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257. It was placed under the command of R&#257j&#257 Suchet Si&#7749gh, who was himself always splendidly turned out and who was known as the dandy of the Punjab. He was assigned a <i>&#7693er&#257</i>, i. e. lodgings, near the Sh&#257l&#257m&#257r Gardens at Lahore. The <i><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Darb&#257r Records</i> as well as the '<i>Umd&#257t-ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i> includes it amongst the seventeen <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> of the <i>gho&#7771cha&#7771&#257s</i> of different sizes under the name of the &#7692er&#257 Naulakkh&#257 or the &#7692er&#257 Ch&#257ry&#257r&#299. The <i>&#7693er&#257</i> consisted of a number of squadrons of varying strength. Each horseman wore a velvet coat, a shirt of mail and a steel helmet; the horses were bedecked with metal-capped peacock plumes. The recruitment was voluntary. The troops were seldom paid a salary, though provision was made for their food, uniform and equipment. The horses were their own, and they were under no feudal obligations.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Ch&#257ry&#257r&#299 force was a fine body of horse, richly clad and mounted, strutting pompously on all ceremonial occasions during Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's reign. After the death of the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257, it became involved in partisan feuds. It took the part of R&#257&#7751&#299 Chand Kaur when, in January 1841, Sher Si&#7749gh invested the Lahore Fort. Later, Sher Si&#7749gh won over the Ch&#257ry&#257r&#299 Sow&#257rs, who, with R&#257j&#257 Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh, joined his standard. But they deserted the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 to support his <i>mu<u>kh</u>ti&#257r</i> or attorney, Jav&#257l&#257 Si&#7749gh, who had revolted against his master. The Ch&#257ry&#257r&#299 force sided with R&#257j&#257 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh in the fight with Atar Si&#7749gh Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257, who had taken shelter with Bh&#257&#299 B&#299r Si&#7749gh of Naura&#7749g&#257b&#257d. On 18 December 1844, R&#257j&#257 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh discharged about five hundred men of the Ch&#257ry&#257r&#299 force. That was the end of this colourful and picturesque regiment.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#363r&#299, Sohan L&#257l, '<i>Umd&#257t-ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>'. Lahore, 1885-89<BR> <li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Panth Prak&#257sh</i>. Patiala, 1970<BR> <li class="C1"> Griffin, Lepel, and C. F. Massy, <i>Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab</i>. Lahore, 1890<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Har&#299 R&#257m Gupta<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>