ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>KHUSH&#256L SI&#7748GH JAM&#256D&#256R (1790-1844)</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 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">&#65279<u>KH</u>USH&#256L SI&#7748GH, JAM&#256D&#256R (1790-1844), son of Hargobind, a Br&#257hma&#7751 shopkeeper of Ikr&#299 in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh, was born in 1790. At a very young age, he arrived in Lahore in search of employment, and joined the Sikh army as a trooper in Dhau&#7749kal Si&#7749gh's regiment in 1807. In 1812, he embraced Sikhism and was, after initiation, called <u>Kh</u>ush&#257l Si&#7749gh his original name being <u>Kh</u>ush&#257l R&#257m. A handsome youth of soldierly bearing, he soon attracted the attention of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh and was appointed his personal attendant (<i>khidmatg&#257r</i>). From this humble start, he rose to the position of chamberlain (<i>&#7693eo&#7771h&#299d&#257r</i>) or "the royal doorwayman" --- an office he held for almost 15 years with a temporary break in 1818. The office commanded great influence and authority. As chamberlain, <u>Kh</u>ush&#257l Si&#7749gh was master of royal ceremonies and superintendent of both the royal palace and the Darb&#257r. None could have access to the sovereign or enter the palace without his prior permission.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jam&#257d&#257r <u>Kh</u>ush&#257l Si&#7749gh excelled as a soldier as well. He served in various military expeditions -- Kashm&#299r (1814), Mult&#257n (1816), reduction of south western Punjab (1820), Manker&#257, Lei&#257h and the &#7692er&#257j&#257t (1820), Pesh&#257war (1823) and K&#257&#7749g&#7771&#257 (1828). In 1832, he was sent to Kashm&#299r to assist its <i>n&#257zim</i>, Ka&#7749var Sher Si&#7749gh, with "a committee of the three" --- the other two being Shai<u>kh</u> Im&#257m ud-D&#299n and Bh&#257&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh. He enjoyed the esteem of Ka&#7749var Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, but his influence declined after the accession of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh, who was annoyed with him for his overt support to Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh's widow, Mah&#257r&#257&#7751&#299 Chand Kaur. The &#7692ogr&#257 faction was opposed to him and, although he generally kept aloof from courtly intrigue, he suffered many an indignity during the ascendency of H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh and his adviser Pa&#7751&#7693it Jall&#257. He was deprived of part of his <i>j&#257g&#299rs</i>; yet on his death on 18 June 1844, he left his son, Kishan Si&#7749gh, a vast estate and considerable riches secreted in British territory.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#363r&#299, Sohan L&#257l, &#8220<i>Umd&#257t-ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>, Lahore, 1885-89<BR> <li class="C1"> Latif, Syad Muhammad, <i>History of the Panjab</i>. Delhi, 1964<BR> <li class="C1"> Hasrat, B.J., <i>Life and Times of Ranjit Singh</i>, Hoshiarpur, 1977<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">J. S. Khur&#257n&#257<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>