GUJRAT (32°34`N, 7405`E). a district town in Pakistan, is sacred to Guru Hargobind, who stayed here for some time on his way back from Kashmir in 1620. Here he was met by the famous Muslim divine Shah Daula, well known to a local Sikh, Bhai Garhia, who also served as a masand in Kashmir preaching Guru Nanak`s word.
NAUDH SINGH (d. 1752), son of Buddha Singh, was greatgrandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was a brave and daring man who applied his energies to expanding the family`s fortunes. He fortified the village of Sukkarchakk in 1730, and in the same year married the daughter of a rich landlord, Gulab Singh ofMajitha. He gained territory and, impressed by the example of his personal bravery, many an adventurous youth rallied round his arms. Eventually, he, along with his band of followers, joined the Faizullapuria misland won the admiration of his chief, Nawab Kapur Singh, by his bold exploits. He was among the Sikhs who pursued Ahmad Shah Durram out of India in 1749, and he died in 1752 as a result of the injuries sustained in battle.
BROWN, JOHN, alias RICHARD POTTER, an Englishman, who, deserting the East Indian Company`s service in the Bengal artillery, came to Lahore and joined the Sikh artillery in 1826. He was later promoted colonel and placed in charge of the artillery depot at Lahore. During the first Anglo Sikh war, he acted as a British spy. Just before the battle of `Aliwal, he went to Ludhiana and offered his services to his countrymen.
GULAB CHAND, son of Bhai Sadhu of village Malla, in Faridkot district of the Punjab, and Bibi Viro, daughter of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644), fought along with his four brothers in the battle of Bharigani (18 September 1688), near Paonta in present day Himachal Pradesh, in which two of his brothers, Sarigram Shah and Jit Mail, were killed. Guru Gobind Singh describes Gulab Chand, in his account of the battle in his poetical work, Bachitra Ndtak, as a mighty hero "whose face lightened up at the prospect of joining action on the field of battle."
NIDHAN SINGH PANJHATTHA (d. 1839), soldier, minor commander and jdgirddr under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He acquired the epithet Parijhattha, the "five handed," for his gallantry in the battle of Ten hill (1823). He singlehanded made five Pathans prisoners and captured their weapons. This act of valour earned him the title of Panjhatthd. In every battle, Nidhan Singh 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 grand father, Dulcha Singh, had been in the service of Raja Ranjit Deo of Jammu, and his grandfather, Ram Dat Singh, is said to have served the Sukkarchakkia family under Mahari Singh.
BUDDH SINGH SANDHANVALIA (d. 1827), soldier wdjagirdar in the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was son of Amir Singh Sandhanvalia, his two brothers being the more famous Lahina Singh Sandhanvalia and Atar Singh Sandhanvalia. Buddh Singh entered the Maharaja`s service in 1811. The first independent command he held was at Bahawalpur where he had been sent to collect tax arrears. In 1821, he captured the forts of Maujgarh and Jamgarh and received jagirs in reward from the Maharaja. Later, he was sent to the Jammu hills in command of two regiments of infantry and one of cavalry.
