AS THE SUMMER GLOW WAS HIS CHEEK AND BROW,
THIS LEGEND PERISHED WITH THAT LOVELY BLOOM.
'GENERAL ZORAWAR SINGH’ COULD THERE EVER BE A GREATER UNSUNG HERO IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IF NOT THE GLOBE !!
Since the days
of his notable conquests. The stories of his Himalayan and trans-
Himalayn campaigns were narrated in every home, and the
ballads of his heroic deeds were sung by the bards of Jammu
region and were eagerly listened to by the people at large. His
name particularly inspired the soldiers of Jammu and Kashmir
and of the Dogra Regiments of the Indian Army. But his
memory and military expeditions acquired larger dimensions with the aggravation of Indio-China relations on the
issue of the Ladakhi-Tibetan borders in the west. For the first
time, this circumstance excited the nation’s interest in General
Zorawar Singh, and scholars and statesmen in this country and
abroad became interested in his life and career. Some useful
efforts were made to study Zorawar’s campaigns and their
impact on international politics in Asia and around.
The legendary General Zorawar Singh Kahluria
Under his leadership, a band of Hindu warriors high up in the Himalayas, battered, bloodied and a several 100miles away from their home, raised the Warcry 'Har Har Mahadev'.
Reclaiming the Himalayan areas they completed their pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash.
On 13th April a Great soldier of the military history GENERAL ZORAWAR SINGH CHANDEL ( KAHLURIA ) of Dogra Empire was Born in 1786 to Thakur Hari Singh of Kahlur State,
"Conqueror of Ladakh"
It’s because of him Ladakh is part of India.He also annexed Skardu ,Gilgit and Baltistan which we lost in 1947, Perhaps it would only be a small tribute to this great Dogra Rajput warrior,
Who held the dogra flag tall and high, to mention a few of his achievements. “The little Napoleon” as he was called by his European contemporaries,
The marital spirit of Dogras found it's finest expression during the second quarter of 19th century in the military enterprises of brave Dogra Rajput warrior General Zorawar Singh, who according to A.H. Francke, was the greatest General the Dogras have ever had.
This brave Dogra General was never loathed or hated by the people whose lands he invaded, so a typical of most of the other conquerors. There is not a single mention in any of the histories or traditional accounts about the extreme gluttonyor greed that comes so naturally to most foreign invaders.
This brave Dogra General and his army crossed the paths of people belonging to the Muslim, Buddhist, and different faiths but still never attempted to interfere with their religious beliefs and practices and there never was even a single instance of robbery or plunder.
General Zorawar Sinh (1786-1841) , born in to the house of a Rajput family of kahlur ( CHANDEL ), was a military general who conquered Ladakh and Baltistan in the Maharaja Gulab Sinh times and carried the Dogra flag as far as the interior of Tibet.
About Zorawar Sinh's place of Birth authorities differ,
Major G. Carmichael Smyth, in his account of the reigning family of Lahore, says that he was a native Rajput of Kussal near Riasi, now Jammu and Kashmir state.
And a modern writer Narsing Das Nargis, on the basis of information supplied to him by a great grandson of Zorawar Singh, states in his book Zorawar Sinh that he was born in a Rajput family around the year 1786 in the village of Ansora, in Kangra district.
It is stated that when 16, Zorawar Singh killed his cousin in a dispute over property and escaped to Haridvar,
where he met Rana Jasvant Singh, who took him to Doda, Kishtwad and trained him as a soldier.
To begin with, the state of Kashmir had become a part of the Sikh kingdom after a campaign against its Afghan rulers.
He joined service under Maharaja of Jammu Gulab Sinh Jamwal, who after the Anglo-Sikh wars was able to carve Kashmir from the British and became the Maharaja and founder of the Dogra kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir.
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The palace of Maharaja Gulab Singh, on the banks of Chenab, Jammu, mid 19th century.
Even history has its proof of the Dogra rulers who always worked for the unification of our state .
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| Maharaja Gulab Singh Jamwal of Jammu and kashmir |
When Raja Gulab Singh, the feudatory chief of Jammu under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, he was made governor of Kishtwar and he appointed Zorawar Singh to administer the new district with the title of wazir. Like Kashmir, the Kingdom of Kishtwar was formed by a river valley (the Chenab, flowing from Himachal Pradesh as the Chandrabagha)—-
The kingdom’s ancient name was Kshemwad and it remained under Hindu Doda Rajput rulers until the 17th Century when Raja Gairat Singh converted to Islam and received the title of Raja Sa’adat Yar Khan from the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.Some of the people had also converted with their king but many remained true to their ancestral faith. Even though it was a newly conquered region Zorawar had no trouble in keeping the peace, many of the local Rajputs were recruited into his army.
In Kishtvar, Zorawar Singh introduced fiscal and judicial reforms and had the old fort of the Kishtwadi Doda Rajput rulers renovated.
From here he led several expeditions into Ladakh,
A map showing the routes followed by the Dogra Army under GENERAL ZORAWAR SINGH during their conquest of various Himalayan territories from 1834-1841.
The Ladakh expedition:-
It is not certain whether Gulab Singh had the conquest of Ladakh in mind when he made Zorawar Singh Hakim of Kishtwar which was the gateway to the Himalayan Kingdom of Ladakh. But the year 1834 must be considered as a landmark in the Indian Military History when he decided to extend the boundaries of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire to Ladakh which till the 15th century was part of Tibet and was ruled by dynasties of local Lamas.
An attempt at direct conquest of Ladakh was not without great risk and Zorawar Singh could not have been unaware of it. Severe cold and barrenness of the country were the inhibiting factors which could not be overlooked. Strategic, tactical and administrative preparations were made accordingly. Having made all the preparations, Gulab Singh waited for an opportunity to launch the invasion. He did not have to wait long. Raja of Sant had captured some areas of Raja of Timbus. Latter had lodged a complaint to their lord, Tsepal, the Gyalpo (King) of Ladakh. Knowing that Raja of Timbus has got no redress from Gyalpo, Gulab Singh found it quite convenient to exploit the God-sent opportunity and sought his help. Once assured of help, he ordered Zorawar Singh to march into Ladakh. With his troops already in a state of readiness, Zorawar Singh lost no time to enter Ladakhi territories in April 1834 with an Army of 4000 – 5000 Dogra warriors. It is believed that before doing so Gulab Singh had sounded Maharaja Ranjit Singh to ensure that this invasion was not questioned or interfered with.
A map showing routes followed by the Dogra Army under General Zorawar Singh to conquer Ladakh from the year 1834-1839.
1) One route was from Kishtwarh via Warwan valley over 4860m high Bhotkol pass (also known as Lonvilad Gali) which connects Warvan valley with the Suru Valley and then via Rusi la (4988m) to Kargil region and then towards Leh.
2) Another route was from Gulabgarh via Machel over the Umasi La (5330m) to Zanskar Padum and then crossing of passes like Shiachun La,Shadpadak La (5000 plus meters,not marked on the map) and Rubarung La (4410m) to the Markha Valley and then towards Leh.
Leading a whole Army through such high passes is a challenge even in the present times for any modern Army with all the modern equipment. This is the reason why General Zorawar Singh is called the Master of High Altitude warfare.
The first one in the series in July 1834.
His forces entered Ladakh province of Purig in April 1834. After learning of the Dogra invasion Gyalpo declared an emergency and issued orders for the mobilization of his army. In all 20,000 men got mobilized for meeting the invasion. Although this hurriedly mustered manpower could hardly be called a well-organized fighting force but yet it was quite capable of giving Dogras a tough time. They had the terrain and climate on their side. Gyalpo rushed 5000 men to Sankhu to check Dogra advance. When Dogras reached Sankhu on 16 August 1834, they found their passage blocked. Ladakhis were mauled and routed from their positions in no time.
It was from here that the Dogras entered the JSuru valley. After fighting pitched battles at places such as Sanku, Langkartse, Kantse, Sot and Pashkarm, the invaders pushed on to Leh, the capital of Ladakh. The Ladakhi king, Tse-pal Namgyal, was made to pay a war indemnity.
Having cleared Sankhu, Dogras advanced to Suru and occupied it. Dogras halted there for 8 days to rest and replenish. In order to win the goodwill of the people of conquered areas, Zorawar Singh prohibited his troops from cutting their ripe crop. This clever move paid dividends when zamindars of Suru not only submitted to Zorawar Singh but also placed them under his protection. This assured regular supply of food to his troops, offered voluntarily by zamindars.
Wazir built a fort there and named it ‘Kila Suru Kursi’and took over the unoccupied fort of Shakhar. To establish Dogra rule over occupied areas, Zorawar Singh imposed a tax of Rs. 4 per house. Having consolidated his occupation, Zorawar Singh left a platoon in Suru Fort and a section to guard Suru Bridge and advanced to Lang Kartse which was easily occupied.
Here they spent a month in a defensive position. Seeing Dogras in a defensive position, Minister of Stog who had suffered a defeat at Sankhu, waited for the winter to set into counterattack Dogras in defensive positions. On the first heavy snowfall, he launched an attack. Having miscalculated Dogra’s ability to fight in extreme cold, lost the battle and his own life. Zorawar Singh who had contemplated to spend winter at Lang Karste, now decided to pursue the Ladakhis. Thus staying in defensive position himself, he sent 500 men under Mehta Basti Ram in their pursuit. He faced no opposition till Sod where King of Ladakh had dispatched 4000 men.
Marching swiftly, Dogras reached Sod at the heels of fleeing Ladakhis and laid a siege to the fort. The fort was assaulted after 10 days of siege and forced to surrender. This cost Dogras 40 warriors but succeeded in preventing two Ladakhi forces to unite against them. Zorawar Singh also joined Mehta Basti Ram at Sod seeing which Banka Kahlon, the commander of Ladakhi forces thought it prudent not to attack but to wait for more opportune moment.
The Gyalpo also thought of waiting for severe winter to set in to join battle with Dogras. To delay for a month, Gyalpo played a ruse by which Zorawar Singh seems to have been taken in. Dr. Henderson, a British, who happened to be at Leh, was detained under duress and made to appear as the envoy of East India Company, having come with an offer of assistance to the Ladakhis against Dogras.
The information was leaked out to Zorawar Singh. For once Zorawar Singh seems to have been outwitted by the Gyalpo. Halting further advance he apprised of this ruse to Gulab Singh who in turn approached Maharaja Ranjit Singh to clear the matter with East India Company. It took about a month for the contradiction to be received by which time Ladakh was in the throes of severe winter and just the time for Ladakhi’s counteroffensive.
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In 1835 the nearby region of Paddar was taken from Chamba (now in Himachal Pradesh) in the course of a battle throigh UMASI LA (5342m)-
A pass in the Greater Himalayan Range which connects Paddar Valley of Kishtwar district with Zanskar Valley of Dist Kargil. Paddar later became known for its sapphire mines.
Leading a whole brigade size contingent as we would call today through a 5000m high pass in the month of November is an extraordinary feat in high altitude Warfare which would be tough even today for any modernised Army with modern equipments.
But this was a mere sideshow to General Zorawar Singh’s more famous expeditions, on which he had already embarked in the previous year.The Ladakh campaigns-To the east of Kishtwar and Kashmir are the snow-clad mountains of the upper Himalayas — the rivers of Zanskar Gorge, Suru River, and Drass arise from these snows, and flow across the plateau of Ladakh into the Indus River. Several petty principalities in this region were tributaries to the Gyalpo (King) of Ladakh.
In 1834 one of these, the Raja of Timbus, sought Zorawar’s help against the Gyalpo. Meanwhile the Rajput general had been burning to distinguish himself by expanding the territory of Raja Gulab Singh — also at that time, according to the Gulabnama, Kishtwar went through a drought that caused a loss of revenue and forced Zorawar to extract money through war. Zorawar Singh’s great military expedites were balanced by a life of restraint and modesty . He was so devoted and honest that he would transfer any gifts or tribute that came to him to his master.
This honest Rajput did not leave behind either vast properties or deep coffers for his descendants but only a legacy of military achievements.But this was a mere sideshow to General Zorawar Singh’s more famous expeditions, on which he had already embarked in the previous year
Dogras were taken by surprise and many were taken as prisoners, ultimately thrown into the river with hands and feet tied. Zorawar Singh was thus compelled to retreat to Lang Kartse and take shelter in the fort of the Sultans. Luckily he was not pursued by Ladakhis. Although Dogras were thrown off balance but had not been routed as such.
A force was still intact and beyond the capability of Ladakhis to crush. Ladakhis marched towards Lang Kartse where Dogras were positioned. Before Ladakhis could attack, Zorawar Singh attacked fiercely. Ladakhis abandoned the battlefield and retreated towards Leh. At this stage, Tsepal offered to negotiate.
In the spring of 1835 he defeated the large Ladakhi army of Banko Kahlon and marched his victorious troops towards Leh. The Gyalpo now agreed to pay 50,000 rupees as war-indemnity and 20,000 rupees as an annual tribute.
Alarmed at the gains of the Dogras Rajputs the Punjabi governor of Kashmir, Mehan Singh, incited the Ladakhi chieftains to rebel agaiinst Dogra's, to weaken Gulab Singh's control over wool trade. but Zorawar quickly marched back to the Himalayan valleys and subdued the rebels, now forcing the Raja of Zanskar to also pay a separate tribute to Jammu. But in 1836 Mehan Singh, who was in correspondence with the Lahore durbar, this time instigated the Gyalpo to revolt,
General Zorawar force-marched his army in ten days, This time he followed the short but difficult Kishtvar-Zanskar route to surprise the Ladakhis and forced them to submit.
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| The Entrance |
General Zorawar Singh built a fort outside Leh and placed there a garrison of 300 men under Dalel Singh — the Gyalpo was deposed to an estate and a Ladakhi general, Ngorub Stanzin, was made King. But the latter did not prove to be loyal hence the Gyalpo was restored to his throne in 1838.
Dogra annexation of Ladakh and Zorawar Singh's invasion of Ngari did disrupt regualr wool trade routes for a time. Post treaty of Amritsar the monopoly of Ladakhis on shawl wool trade broke down this helped Johari Shauka communities of Munsiari, Kumaon to get involved in the lucrative trade and make large amounts of money in the process.
Incidentally they used to go to Tibet for trade through the same Limpiyadhura, Kala Pani and Unta Dhura route which today is being claimed by Nepalese
The Baltistan campaigns-
After completing the arduous task of annexing Ladakh, Zorawar Singh turned his attention towards Baltistan. He organized a Ladakhi force to attack Baltistan.
To the north-west of Ladakh, and to the north of Kashmir, lies the region of Baltistan. Muhammad Shah, the son of the ruler of Skardu, Raja Ahmad Shah, fled to Leh and sought the aid of the Gyalpo and Zorawar against his father. But some of the Ladakhi nobles allowed Ahmad Shah to imprison his son and sought his aid in a general rebellion against the Dogras.
After defeating the Ladakhi rebels Zorawar invaded Baltistan in the winter of 1841, adding a large contingent of Ladakhis to his army.The advance brigade of 5,000 under Nidhan Singh lost its way in the cold and snow and was surrounded by the enemy; many soldiers perished from the cold.
Then Mehta Basti Ram, a prominent Rajput from Kishtwar, established contact with the main force. On their arrival the Botis of Skardu were defeated and forced to flee. One of his greatest achievements was capture of the Fort of Skardu which was located at thr height of 8,595 ft, which was considered the most impregnable fort of JK region. Skardu was captured without much fight.
They were chased to the fort of Skardu which was invested by Zorawar for a few days. One night the Dogras scaled the steep mountain behind the fort and after some fighting captured the small fort on its crest. From this position the next day they began firing down at the main fort and forced the Raja to surrender.
General Zorawar Singh built a fort on the banks of the Indus where he placed a contingent of his soldiers. He defeated the Baltis and deposed Ahmad Shah, whose eldest son Muhammad Shah was placed on the throne for an annual tribute of 7000 rupees, Having conquered Baltistan, conquered the fort of Astor and took its Darad Raja prisoner.
However this Raja was tributary to Mehan Singh, the Punjabi Sikh governor of Kashmir, who was alarmed at the Dogra Rajputs conquests since they only expanded the kingdom of Gulab Singh while not bringing any benefit to the Lahore durbar. His complaint at Lahore was forwarded to Raja Gulab Singh at Jammu and he ordered the Darad Raja to be released.
Initially after baltistan conquest, Maharaja Gulab Singh and General Zorawar Singh had plans to attack Yarkand in Xinjiang, which was under Chinese rule. But, the British asked the Lahore durbar to prevent this, because they were negotiating with the Chinese to end the first opium war. When the plan to attack Yarkand was thwarted. He undertook his last and final campaign against Tibet which turned out to be fatal for him and disastrous for the Dogra Rajputs expansion plan.
General Zorawar Singh was not the type of person who would be easily contended with these conquests.
The Tibet expedition-
With the Dogra ambitions clashing with the sikh rule in the west, Zorawar Singh turned his energies eastward, towards Western Tibet the roof of the world, . As he had done in Ladakh, so too in the newly-conquered Baltistan, Zorawar recruited the Baltis in his army, which now had men from the Jammu hills, Kishtwar, and Ladakh. This five or six thousand strong army was divided into three columns that marched parallel into the unknown land of Tibet in May, 1841.
Crossing Pangong Tso lake at 14,300 feet, at the Ladakh – Western Tibet border, he travelled via Guge kingdom, Tholing, Purang and in a three and a half months time by mid September 1841 whole of Western Tibet westwards of Maryum pass including Kailash Mansarovar region (550 miles of Tibetan territory) was conquered by them.A map of Western Tibet showing the territory occupied by the Dogra Army...
At Purang Valley, which lies separated from Mansarovar by the Gurla Mandhata range, his forces climbed the Gurla pass and reached Dogpacha. Here they were caught totally off-guard by the Tibetan forces. A fierce hand to hand battle resulted in the victory of Zorawar Singh, who captured the Tibetan army “Colors” flag, which till today lies in possession of the Indian Army.
One column under the Ladakhi prince, Nono Sungnam, followed the course of the Indus River to its source. Another column of 300 men, under Ghulam Khan, marched along the mountains leading up to the Kailash Range and thus south of the Indus. Zorawar himself led 3,000 men along the plateau region where the vast and picturesque Pangong Lake is located. Sweeping all resistance before them,
General Zorawar Singh and his men now went on pilgrimage to Mansarovar and Mount Kailash. He had extended his communication and supply line over 450 miles of inhospitable terrain by building small forts and pickets along the way. When Kailash Mansarovar reverberated with Battle cry of "JAMMU RAJ KI JAI; SHEETLA MATA KI JAI"
General Zorawar Singh's army unit FATEH SHIBJI PALTAN (named after
Hindu Supreme God Shivji) had camped here at night, whenever the Tibetean forces surprised Dogras with an attack at midnight.
The Tibetans and their Chinese allies regrouped and advanced to give battle, bypassing the Dogra fort of Chi-T’ang. Zorawar and his men met them at the Battle of To-yo on 12 December 1841—- A great confusion prevailed on the occasion & Dogras, Ladakhis & Baltis commenced fighting each other
Zorawar handled the situation promptly & tactfully. He ordered that man belonging to his force should shout "Jammu Raj Ki Jai" to be answered by "Sheetla Mata ki Jai"
Anyone who failed to utter this slogan, was to be slain unhesistatingly
The device worked miracles and not only overcame the crisis but also enabled Dogras to single out their enemies. The battle continued till daybreak, when Tibeteans took to flight Dogras captured Imperial Chinese flag bearing image of flying tiger/dragon named as Mantalai (Mansarovar) flag by Dogras
Mantalai Flag remind us of the Victory at Taklakot, and how a Dogra Army penetrated 1400 Kms deep into Tibetan territory Now, This flag is in proud posession of 4th Batallion of JAK Rifles (which then formed part of Zorawar Singh Kahluria's force) Chinese and Tibetan force of almost 1500 men were routed. During its days as part of Dogra JK State Forces Fateh Shibji was allowed to carry 2 colours in parade, its own standard and the famous Mantalai flag.
A replica is kept in JK State Forces Museum in Jammu.
The three columns passed the Mansarovar Lake and converged at Gartok, defeating the small Tibetan force stationed there. The enemy commander fled to Taklakot but Zorawar stormed that fort on 6 September 1841. Envoys from Tibet now came to him as did agents of the Maharaja of Nepal, whose kingdom was only fifteen miles from Taklakot.
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| Atop the rooftop of the world–standing before serene waters of Lake Mansoravar on d Himalayan Plateau the crisp mountain air was broken with the cries of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ |
"On my arrival at Taklakot a force of only about 1,000 local troops could be mustered, which was divided and stationed as guards at different posts. A guard post was quickly established at a strategic pass near Taklakot to stop the invaders, but these local troops were not brave enough to fight off the Shen-Pa (Dogras) and fled at the approach of the invaders".
In an operation lasting three and a half months, some 550 miles of Tibetan territory was captured by General Zorawar Singh. The Tibetans, unable to withstand the Dogra offensive, left the road open through which the Dogra force advanced. They continued their march on December 12, 1841, fell into the trap.
In July 1841, GT Lushington, the British Commissioner of Kumaon in India learnt that extensive territories in Tibet have been captured. British were alarmed and decided to send Captain JD Cunningham to the Sikh Darbar in Lahore to discuss the matter as this was seen as a threat to British India. Lahore Darbar remained evasive of Cunnighams queries thus letting General Zorawar Singh have more time to complete his task.
By now the winters were fast approaching. General Zorawar Singh decided to move to Tirthapuri and prepare for the offense in the coming summer months.
The distance between Central Tibet and Taklakot is several thousand li…because of the cowardice of the local troops; our forces had to withdraw to the foot of the Tsa Mountain near the Mayum Pass. Reinforcements are essential in order to withstand these violent and unruly invaders.
The fort Chi-T’ang was built near Taklakot, where Mehta Basti Ram was put in command of 500 men, with 8 or 9 cannon. With the onset of winter all the passes were blocked and roads snowed in. The supplies for the Dogra army over such a long distance failed despite Zorawar’s meticulous preparations.As the intense cold, coupled with the rain, snow and lightning continued for weeks upon weeks, many of the soldiers lost their fingers and toes to frostbite. Others starved to death, while some burnt the wooden stock of their muskets to warm themselves.
While the General had everything going his way as he had sealed the Mayum pass before arrival of winters but he made a small miscalculation. He did not take into account that forces from Lhasa could also reach via the Matsang pass, which was South of Mayum pass and was negotiable even in the winter months. This was a strategic mistake. In the peak winter months, as General Zorawar Singh’s forces became complacent, the Tibetan forces attacked through Matsang pass and caught them off-guard. High altitude battle in the peak winter months against a large Tibetan force was fought. During the night the weather turned against them with a heavy snow storm. Many soldiers were frost bitten and were dying due to insufficient clothing.
They were attacked by the Tibetans from all sides. The same day, on 12 December 1841, In the early exchange of fire the Rajput General Zorawar Singh received a bullet in his right shoulder, and as he fell from his horse the Tibetans made a rush. He was, however, not ready to give in at once, and wielded the sword with his left hand. But the Tibetans knew very well that the General was wounded. They made a rush on the Dogra lines, and a Tibetan horseman thrust his lance through his breast, killing him outright. Also, about 40 higher and lower officers of his army and 200 of his soldiers were killed there.
Of the Dogra army, comprising 6,000 including the camp-followers, not more than 1,000 escaped alive; and of the latter, 700 were made prisoners of war. Raja Dhian Singh estimated the number of their troops and followers, who had been lost, a little short of 10,000, about one-third at the hands of the enemy, the remaining by starvation and cold. He said that they also lost much material in the deep snows.
The son of Kahlon Sarkhang escorted the head of the Dogra General to Mang Pao at Lhasa, where, after a close examination, the head was placed at the thoroughfare of Lhasa for the public to view. The Ladakhi chief, Ghulam Khan, and Nono Sodnam, and the Khan of Balti, along with other prisoners, were taken to Lhasa for trial. They were treated variously but on the whole kindly.
The end of Ghulam Khan, who indulged in destroying Buddhist idols and monasteries was, however, pathetic. He was slowly tortured to death with hot irons. Ahmad Shah, the ex-ruler of Skardu and his favorite son, Ali Muhammad, were also among the prisoners. The old man was treated with kindness and was given much honor, but the broken-hearted Khan pined and died in a few months.
Rai Singh, Zorawar Singh’s second in command, was also among the prisoners. For his release Raja Gulab Singh wished the British Governor-General to intercede with the Lhasa authorities. His release, however, could not be affected. The Kahlon of Bazgo and his brother, Nono Sodnam, were considered special friends of the Dogras and were, therefore, treated harshly. Except in the case of a few officers all other prisoners were treated kindly and were sent to Lhasa. After some time most of them became reconciled to their fate, joined the Tibetan service and married Tibetan girls. Some 15 years later, Maharaja Gulab Singh got some of the war prisoners released with the help of the British Government and the Nepalese representative at Lhasa. Only 56 of them returned to Jammu through Nepal, while the remaining preferred to settle in Tibet.
The battle continued for some time but the Dogra troops were soon thrown into disorder, and badly broken on account of the death of their General. They fled in all directions. The Tibetans pursued them. All the principal officers were captured. One large cannon together with its mount, one large iron cannon, and six flags were captured by the Tibetans, along with numerous muskets, daggers, can-shields and the like. Nono Sodnam, the Ladakhi chief of Zorawar’s army, and others surrendered their arms. and were all imprisoned at Taklakot.
Even though the morale of the forces was broken, it was only by January 1842 that the last fortifications, under the command of Basti Ram (military officer of General Zorawar Singh)Colonel Basti Ram was in charge of the fort and the district of Taklakot in the province of Purang. After the death of Zorawar Singh, the garrison of the fort was completely isolated. Basti Ram bravely continued organizing its defense and probably sought to prolong its occupation till the opportune arrival of some reinforcements. He had made arrangements to keep some sort of communications with the Dogra garrisons at other military posts. He also tried to contact the remnants of Zorawar’s army, but the Tibetan siege of the fort made it impossible for the fugitives to reach its gates.
The Tibetan generals sent out their troops to various points to cut off the Dogra supply lines and communications, and all the Dogra soldiers engaged in transporting supplies were killed.
The Dogras fell short of food, they planned to escape to a place called Chiang Nor. But the Tibetans received fresh reinforcements and a few big guns; they surrounded the fort on all sides, blocking all roads of escape. In a couple of days, they made a strong assault on the fort. The walls gave way at certain points under the heavy gunfire. But the Dogras resisted the attack, and more than 300 perished in the battle. Basti Ram and his surviving companions made good their escape. Chi-Tang fort thus fell to the Tibetans who also seized there over 700 different kinds of weapons. Here the Tibetans also rescued Chei-mei-pa, the Tibetan officer of the Taklakot military post, who was found buried in the ground up to his head.
It is evident that Colonel Basti Ram, the Commander of the Dogra fort of Chi-Tang, held out for several weeks after Zorawar Singh’s death. The garrison at that place did not all at once run away on hearing of Zorawar Singh’s death and the disaster that befell the Dogra army in the battle of Toyo. During this short period of brave resistance, the Dogra garrison seems to have experienced great fluctuations of warfare.
The Sino-Tibetan force then mopped up the other garrisons of the Dogras and advanced on Ladakh, now determined to conquer it and add it to the Imperial Chinese dominions. However the force under Mehta Basti Ram stood a siege for several weeks at Chi-T’ang
Chi-Tang fort may have fallen to the Tibetans by the first week of January 1842 and Colonel Basti Ram, with 240 sepoys, had escaped by January 9 into the British territory at Askot and had expressed his desire to come to Almora. He probably entered Indian territory by the Lapu Lekh pass. Basti Ram and his companions were rendered all possible help by Mr. Lushington, the Commissioner of Kumaon. Basti Ram also wrote out an account describing what had befallen him and General Zorawar Singh, and the same was forwarded to Raja Gulab Singh by Mr. Lushington on January 16, 1842. Later, Basti Ram and 127 of his followers were permitted to leave for Jammu in July, whereas 40 men who were unable to move were left at Almora.
Within Ladakh the Sino-Tibetan army laid siege to Leh, when reinforcements under Diwan Hari Chand and Wazir Ratnu came from Jammu and repulsed them.
The Tibetan fortifications at Drangtse were flooded when the Dogras dammed up the river. On open ground, the Chinese and Tibetans were chased to Chushul. The climactic Battle of Chushul(August, 1842) was fought and won by the Dogras who executed the enemy general to avenge the death of General Zorawar Singh.
References-· The Gulabnama– Diwan Kirpa Ram· The Jummoo and
Kashmir territories by Frederick Drew· Ladak by Alexxander Cunningham· Antiquities of Indian Tibet by AH FranckeThe Himalayan Battle-ground by Fisher, Rose, and Huttenback ,Compiled and edited by-Dr.Rakesh Sharma.
General Zorawar Singh Ji being a staunch Shaivite had gone there with a vision to include Lake Mansarovar into Indian territory and took a holy bath there after his victory. The battle was fought entirely by the Dogras to avenge their General sent by Dogra Rajput Ruler Gulab Singh Ji . It is after this battle that the treaty was signed between the Sino-Tibetians and Diwan Hari Chand, Wazir Ratnu and Mehta Basti Ram.
15th April is celebrated as Zorawar Day by Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir tate Force, to commemorate birth and successes of legendary Dogra Rajput warrior who was the architect of present Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. Zorawar Singh is said to be born on 15 April 1786 at Kahloor, Himachal Pradesh, now Bilaspur. Later as General of Jammu Raja Gulab Singh, he launched Ladakh campaign from Kishtwar by marching into the Ladakhi Province of Purig, the estate of Thi Sultans, on 15 April 1834 with an army of 5000 men and ended up having invested Gilgit-Baltistan and Western Tibet. Zorawar Day thus signifies birth and successes of a great Indian Warrior.
He was tactician in high-altitude warfare and fought with amazing success on battlefields situated in snow-covered valleys and plateaus some 12,000 to 15,000 feet above the sea level. From Kishtwar to Baltistan and Ladakh spreads the largest chain of the Himalayan, mountains for hundred of miles, across which he traversed to and fro several times at the head of his forces, and his indefatigable spirit never faltered despite his want of knowledge of geographical features of the region and the naturally protected position of Western Tibet.
As he had an eye of shortcomings of his enemy, and was a great strategist, all such difficulties were overcome.
He proved himself a true soldier by enduring extraordinary hardships and in setting an example of personal courage , and in the word of critic "If he had not met early end on battlefield he might have impressed his name on the pages of the great history of world".
Like most of great generals of world he met disaster and death in last battle of his life in Tibet, but his conquest of the mountainous region of Kishtwar, Ladakh, Gilgit and a part of Tibetan plateau, stands a monument to his martial prowess.
The one great cause of the Dogra defeat was the extreme cold and deep snow. “The Indian soldiers of Zorawar Singh,” writes Alexander Cunningham, “fought under very great disadvantages. The battlefield was upwards of 15,000 feet above the sea, and the time was mid-winter when even the day temperature never rises above the freezing point, and the intense cold of the night can only be borne by people well covered with sheep-skins and surrounded by fires.
The breakdown of Zorawar’s commissariat also adversely affected his war potential. The barren and sparsely populated plains of western Tibet could not keep up the efficiency of even a few thousand Dogra sepoys. When winter blocked all the passes, the invaders found it difficult to procure adequate supplies from the country around or from Ladakh.
Another cause seems to have been that many of the Baltis and Ladakhis and the local Hunias deserted the Dogras and joined the Tibetans. This must-have undermined Zorawar’s war strategy at the eleventh hour. The diplomatic treachery can also not be ruled out. The British pressure for the evacuation of the conquered areas and efforts at mediation seems to have put Zorawar Singh off his guard. On the eve of the Tibe¬ tan advance on Taklakot, he had actually recalled his advance posts stationed to block all passes and by-passes through which the Tibetan armies could cross down to the Manasaro- var lake region. In the absence of advance posts, Zorawar Singh received no timely news of the massing of the Tibetan troops on the west of the Mayum pass. When he received the information it was too late.
Zorawar Singh appears to have fallen a victim of his own miscalculation and to the British calculated interference in the affair. He miscalculated that the Tibetans would not be able to mobilize against him during the winter because of the blocking of Mayum and other known passes due to snow¬ fall, He, therefore, withdrew most of his forces to his Tirath- puri wintering camp.
Zorawar Singh possibly made the same miscalculation the Napoleon and Hitler did before and after him. The invisible cause of defeat, which vanquishes great conquering armies even when these have all the forces of their power intact, cannot be ruled out. Often the layout of a country and the effects of its extreme climate become a potent factor in the defeat of an army and all provisions made against such eventualities fail to change the course of events.
In Tibet, he had to fight two enemies, the second being the elements of nature—altitude, climate, and terrain. In a way, Zorawar Singh lost the battle not so much to the Tibetans as to the rigours of the Tibetan winter.
“It was a great mistake,” says A. H. Francke, “on the part of Zorawar to start on this new expedition at the approach of winter.” In this case, it was miscalculation to lead an Indian army in winter in the battlefield which was situated at the altitude of 4,570 meters and he committed the same blunder by invading Tibet in winter which was previously made by Mirza Haider, the Turco-Mongol military general, ruler of Kashmir in 1500s and therefore met with a similar, rather worse, disaster.
Nevertheless, his exploits brought honor not only to him personally but to the entire military system of India. The usual belief that the Indian armies remained confined to their own soil and never won laurels in foreign countries, have been belied by the Dogras more than once, and it shows that Indian forces in the past also could conquer foreign lands if they so choose.
The Indian soldiers of Nurpur-Pathankot Raj extended Mughal conquests beyond the Hindu Kush while the Dogra force under Zorawar extended the Indian frontier beyond the highest northern mountains. These are no mean achievements of the martial spirit of India which is usually wedded to the ideal of peaceful coexistence with its neighbors from times immemorial, although her neighbors have frequently violated her borders and desecrated her soil by unnecessary bloodshed.
He was extremely cautious in his movements, so essentially necessary considering the naturally protected position of western Tibet and his entire want of the knowledge of the geographical conditions of this country. But, as he had a keen eye for the defects of his enemy, and was a great strategist, all these difficulties were overcome.” He proved himself a true soldier in the endurance of extraordinary hardships. He was a great military leader, an undaunted soldier, and a master strategist. He had carried his Tibetan campaigns to a point where the frontiers of Nepal and Kumaon met the eastern-most fringe of his conquests. He carried the boundaries of the Jammu Raj to the heart of Tibet, to verge on the western part of Nepal whose ruler sent his representatives to welcome the Dogra conqueror at Tirathpuri.
His crossing of the Zanskar range in the middle of the winter in 1835 to surprise the Ladakhis and his spirited offensive orders in the battle of Manasarovar turned the defeat into victory. The mere fact that a person born and brought up in the warm climate dared to conquer Ladakh, Baltistan, and Tibet proves his great martial spirit.
He led a very simple life, lived on his meager pay and never made money from his campaigns or accepted any bribe or presents. He deposited each and every pie obtained during his campaigns in the State treasury. He never sent any dispatches or information about his conquests except the revenue and tributes, and Gulab Singh had to discover from others what new country his General had conquered. He was so honest that once when Gulab Singh asked him to demand something for himself he demanded only two things: food to eat and the clothes used by Gulab Singh himself to wear and nothing else. He never accepted gifts nor allowed his soldiers to accept them. Looting and pillaging were unknown to his soldiers, for his punishments were exemplary.
Zorawar Singh’s victories had produced an awful impression on the Tibetan people. They took him to be a superman. It is said that when he died his blood and flesh were distributed by the Tibetans among themselves to be kept as sacred souvenirs. His head was severed and taken to Lhasa for enshrining in a Chorten (A Tibetian name for a Stupa - a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics that is used as a place of meditation.). It is said that the Buddhists of Tibet still pay their respects to these sacred relics in the belief that it would avert the wrath of the spirit of the Dogra General and prevent it from entering the body of another man to wreak vengeance on the Tibetans. The Tibetans are said to have built a large Chorten on the battlefield of Toyo where Zorawar was killed in order to forestall the possibility of his reincarnation into another human form for the destruction of Lhasa.
For, his heroic fight against tremendous odds won him the admiration and esteem of his opponents to this extent that they kept pieces of his flesh in their homes under the impression that possession of the flesh of such a gallant soldier would confer a bold heart on them. They also raised a big Chorten over his bones—an honor they reserved for their high priests only. Pieces of his mortal remains were placed in certain monasteries also.
His capture of the famous ‘Mantalai’ (i.e. Manasarovar) flag, which is now the proud possession of 4th Battalion of the JAK Rifles. The flag was captured during an action fought on August 7, 1841, at Dogpacha, near Missar, a place about one day’s march from Tirathpuri in the district of the famous Manasarovar and Rakastal lakes.
Zorawar stands out as a leader of men, particularly under trying and difficult conditions which distinguish him as a military general from most of the others. He always believed in personal example and was often found amongst the leading troops in the battle. In fact, he was always present wherever his personal presence was required. He would have defeated the Tibetan troops and occupied Lhasa before the winter. However, it was not to be. After having been deflected from his main aim by a strange hand of destiny cast through the British diplomacy, Zorawar was content with his achievements and went for a pilgrimage to various religious monasteries, the sacred Manasarovar Lake and Mount Kailas. He decided to withdraw to Leh after stationing garrisons at important places and forts. But his death on December 12, 1841, upset the apple cart of his Tibetan campaigns turning the Tibetan expedition into a complete disaster.
The human machinery with whose medium Zorawar got such great victories, was organized on such sound, lines which gave it unity and strength and developed its confidence, optimism, and high morale. Good administration seems to be Zorawar’s strongest point. He knew that high altitude warfare in cold regions required acclimatization, hard training, and proper administration. The first he achieved in Kishtwar where his troops got training for many years at a height of more than 1,830 meters before they entered a career of conquests in Ladakh and Baltistan.
General Zorawar Singh had no son to perpetuate his line. He had three wives. The first one was from the Langeh Rajput house of Ambgarohta village in Jammu, who died at an early age. The second and third wives were real sisters belonging to a Rajput family of Gai village near Pauni-Pahrakh. Their names were Asha Devi and Lajwanti, the latter being the elder of the two. Asha Devi accompanied the General on his Tibetan expedition and had performed pilgrimage to the Sacred Kailash and the Manasarovar lake in the company of her husband. When the General decided to give battle to the Tibetans, he sent Asha Devi back to Leh under military escort, from where she returned to Riasi under the protection of the Dogra officers.
As the mountain passes were blocked by snow, the news of the death of Zorawar Singh reached Riasi a month and a half later. On the receipt of this sad news, the two wives of the General prepared for the Sati rite. Maharaja Gulab Singh sent his eldest son, Udham Singh to prevail on them to refrain from this act. The elder, Lajwanti, thus changed her mind, but the younger, Asha Devi, unable to withstand the pangs of separation, could not refrain from the act. Holding in her lap the turban of her husband she immolated herself on the banks of the Chenab which flows under Bijaipur, the residence of General Zorawar Singh. The funeral pyre was lit by Thakur Dharam Singh, lifelong faithful companion of the General, whom she blessed with a boon. A Samadhi was built at the spot where she performed Sati, but the same has now been washed away by high floods in the river.
Thus ended the saga of one of the bravest Rajput, a son of the soil.
For his Martyrdom Day,
Nation should pay tributes to the great warrior and his soldiers on 15 April to commemorate their legendary adventures.
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| Army men during the trekking expedition in Kargil district. |
Like As a mark of respect and tribute to legendary Dogra Rajput warrior General Zorawar Singh, the Army has retraced the steps of the brave officer who led six campaigns from Kishtwar across the Himalayas to conquer Baltistan and Ladakh 184 years ago, a feat which remains unmatched to this day.
An Army team with one officer and 14 other ranks conducted a trekking expedition from Inshan in the Waran valley of Kishtwar District to Tesuru in the Suru valley of Kargil district in Ladakh. They covered approximately 140 kilometres, defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said.
The Army expedition was also aimed at paying tribute to the historical legacy of..
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| Hall of fame, Leh |
Let's pay tribute to him by taking oath that we will move towads path that he had shown and bringing glory to our ancestors. May! His blessings awake the slept dogras of state of Jammu Kashmir and Aksai Tibet Allied.
The original flag of the princely state of Jammu,Kashmir, Gilgit, Baltis and Ladakh under the Dogra Jamwal dynasty.
It needs to rise and shine again...🚩
It needs to rise and shine again...🚩
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