CHARAN SINGH, DR (1853-1908), poet and musicologist, was born at Amritsar in 1853 (father: Kahn Singh ; mother Rup Kaur) and was seventh in descent from Diwan Kaura Mail, an influential eighteenth century Sahajdhari Sikh. Kahn Singh (1788-1878) who was of a retiring disposition had spent some years in the company of wandering ascetics before he was persuaded to give up the life of a recluse and become a householder. In addition to his practice of indigenous medicine, he collected and transcribed Sanskrit manuscripts and wrote verse in Braj thereby laying the foundations of the family`s literary tradition. His son, Charan Singh, studied Sanskrit, Braj, Persian and prosody, besides Ayurveda and Western medicine.
CHHACHHRAULI, a small town about 12 km northeast of Jagadhri (30° 10`N, 77° 18`E) in Ambala district of Haryana, was the capital of the princely state of Kalsia. Guru Gobind Singh is believed to have visited Chhachhrauli during his sojourn at Kapal Mochan in 1688. The site was brought to light only in 1920 by Sant Harnam Singh of Mastuana, and the building was erected by Rani RanbTr Kaur of Kalsia in 1924.