ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>NIDH&#256N SI&#7748GH PAÑJHATTH&#256 (d. 1839)</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="NIDHN,SIDGH,PAÑJHATTH"> <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">&#65279NIDH&#256N SI&#7748GH PAÑJHATTH&#256 (d. 1839), soldier, minor commander and <i>j&#257g&#299rd&#257r</i> under Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh. He acquired the epithet Pañjhatth&#257, the "five-handed," for his gallantry in the battle of &#7788er&#299 hill (1823). He single-handed made five Pa&#7789h&#257ns prisoners and captured their weapons. This act of valour earned him the title of <i>Pañjhatth&#257</i>. In every battle, Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh was among the first to advance and the last to retreat, and his body was covered all over with the marks of his courage. His great-grandfather, Dulch&#257 Si&#7749gh, had been in the service of R&#257j&#257 Ranj&#299t Deo of Jamm&#363, and his grandfather, R&#257m Dat Si&#7749gh, is said to have served the Sukkarchakk&#299&#257 family under Mah&#257&#7749 Si&#7749gh. R&#257m Si&#7749gh, Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh's father, joined the service of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ranj&#299t Si&#7749gh in 1798, and took part in the occupation of Lahore by Ranj&#299t Si&#7749gh in 1799. Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh himself joined as a <i>sow&#257r</i> in the Sikh irregular horse. He distinguished himself in the battle of Jah&#257&#7749g&#299r&#257 (1823), under General Har&#299 Si&#7749gh Nalv&#257 and Prince Sher Si&#7749gh. The Af<u>gh</u>&#257n force, defeated in the battle, retreated owards &#7788er&#299 hills, west of A&#7789&#7789ock. Muhammad 'Az&#299m <u>Kh</u>&#257n, the Am&#299r of Afghanistan, reinforcing it marched upon Nowsher&#257. A strong detachment of Sikh troops under Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh Pa&#328jhatth&#257 and Mah&#257&#7749 Si&#7749gh Ak&#257l&#299 was posted behind the &#7788er&#299 hills, but it suffered a reverse in the fierce action which followed. Ph&#363l&#257 Si&#7749gh Ak&#257l&#299, who made a headlong charge, was killed. Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh valiantly held out, rallying his troops till the Gorkh&#257 and Naj&#299b battalions kept in reserve by the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 came to his rescue and routed the Af<u>gh</u>&#257ns.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh was a member of the Sikh goodwill mission which called on Lord William Bentinck in Shiml&#257 in 1831. In 1834, he joined Ka&#7749var Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, Sard&#257r Har&#299 Si&#7749gh Nalv&#257, General Ventura and General Court in their expedition to Pesh&#257war. Pesh&#257war was occupied by the Sikhs and Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh's troops were stationed there under the command of Sard&#257r Har&#299 Si&#7749gh Nalv&#257. Nidh&#257n Si&#7749gh also took part in the battle of Jamr&#363d in 1837. He died in May 1839.</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"> Griffin, Sir Lepel, <i>The Punjab Chiefs</i>. Lahore, 1890<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>Maharaja Ranjit Singh</i>. Delhi, 1980<BR> <li class="C1"> Prem Si&#7749gh, B&#257b&#257, <i><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 R&#257j de Usraiyye</i>. Lahore, n.d.<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">B. J. Hasrat<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>