<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>CHET SI&#7748GH B&#256JV&#256 (d. 1839)</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279CHET SI&#7748GH B&#256JV&#256 (d. 1839), Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh's distant relation and old tutor who wielded considerable influence at the Sikh court. The &#7692ogr&#257 minister, Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh, looked upon Chet Si&#7749gh as a potential rival to his position. The latter aligned himself with the Bh&#257&#299s and the Misrs at the court and sought the support of General Ventura and other Feringhee officers in open rivalry with the &#7692ogr&#257 faction. The &#7692ogr&#257s, on the other hand, won over Ka&#7749var Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, the heir-apparent, to their side. They spread rumours that Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh and his favourite Chet Si&#7749gh had decided to disband the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 army and place the kingdom of Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh under British protection. Forged letters supposed to have been written by them to the British were produced in support of their contention. Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, determined to assume supreme authority in the State, urged his father to dismiss Chet Si&#7749gh. But Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh would neither abjure authority in favour of his son nor would he agree to dispense with his favourite. Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh in concert with Ka&#7749var Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh plotted to finish off Chet Si&#7749gh. In the early hours of 9 October 1839, Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh and Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, accompanied by 15 other <i>sard&#257rs</i> including Gul&#257b Si&#7749gh, Suchet Si&#7749gh, Misr L&#257l Si&#7749gh and Atar Si&#7749gh Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257, entered the palace in the Fort and forced their way into the royal chambers where Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh and Chet Si&#7749gh used to sleep. Chet Si&#7749gh hid himself in an interior gallery, but the glint of his shiny sword in the dark corner gave him away. R&#257j&#257 Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh fell upon him and plunged his dagger into his heart. The assassination of Chet Si&#7749gh was the prologue to a long-drawn drama of intrigue and murder at the Sikh court.</p>
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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"> Chopra, B. R. , <i>Kingdom of the Punjab</i>. Hoshiarpur, 1969<BR>
<li class="C1"> Smyth, G. Carmichael, <i>A History of the Reigning Family of Lahore</i>. Patiala, 1970<BR>
<li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR>
<li class="C1"> Fauja Singh, ed. , <i>Maharaja Kharak Singh</i>. Patiala, 1977<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Sard&#257r Si&#7749gh Bh&#257&#7789&#299&#257<br></p><BR>
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