Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal
|
|
|---|---|
| رائے احمد خاں کھرل | |
Modern digital painting depicting Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal by Arsalan Khan
|
|
| Born | 1776 |
| Died | 21 September 1857 (aged 80–81) |
| Cause of death | Killed in battle |
| Monuments | Tomb of Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal |
| Other names | Nawab of Jhamra |
| Known for | Freedom fighter |
| Parents |
|
Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal (Punjabi: رائے احمد خان کھرَل; around 1776 – 21 September 1857) was a brave leader from the Kharal tribe in Punjab. He was also known as the Nawab of Jhamra. He led a big fight against the British East India Company during the War of Independence of 1857. Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal died fighting for freedom on September 21, 1857, when he was 81 years old. Today, many people in Punjab see him as a true folk hero.
Biography
Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal was born into a wealthy family. His family owned a lot of land. They belonged to the Kharal tribe. He was born in the Sandal Bar region of Punjab. His village, Chak 434 Gb Jhamra, was near Tandlianwala and Faisalabad.
He was the leader, or nawab, of Jhamra. He owned much land and many animals. People from his own tribe, the Kharals, respected him greatly. Other tribes like the Kathia, Wattoo, and Fatayana also looked up to him. Rai Kharal was a very important person in the entire Sandal Bar area.
In 1857, a British officer named Leopold Oliver Fitzhardinge Berkeley, or Lord Berkley, was in charge of Gogera. He held a meeting with important local leaders, including Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal. Berkley asked all the leaders to provide soldiers and horses. He wanted them to help the British stop the revolt. Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal famously replied, "Kharals do not share wife, horse, and land with anyone." After saying this, he left the meeting.
Role in the War of Independence (1857)
On July 8, 1857, the British arrested many people from the Joiya tribe. They arrested men, women, and children. This happened because the Joiya tribe refused to pay very high taxes. When Rai Kharal heard this news, he made a plan. He decided to break into the Gogera jail. He wanted to free the innocent people held there.
With help from his friends from the Fatayana, Wattoo, and Kathia tribes, Rai Ahmad attacked Gogera Jail on July 26. British records say that 17 prisoners died, 33 were hurt, and 18 escaped. However, local stories say that 145 prisoners died. They also claim that over 100 British soldiers were killed. The British arrested Rai Ahmad, but they had to let him go. Local tribes put pressure on them, and there was not enough clear evidence against him. But Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal did not stop. He kept fighting against the British.
To try and arrest Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal, Berkley attacked Jhamra. But he could not catch Rai Kharal. However, he did arrest 20 regular people. Among them was Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal's youngest son, Bala Khan Kharal. The British also took many animals. Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal then started a special kind of fighting. He used hit-and-run tactics, called guerrilla warfare. He did this with the help of the Kathia, Wattoo, Fatayana, and Joiya tribes.
According to records from the Punjab government, there were between 20,000 and 30,000 rebels. A writer named John Cave-Browne said these rebels hid in thick forests and tall grass. They attacked in groups of 3,000 to 5,000 fighters. The sound of drums beating was a sign that they were about to attack. The road connecting Jhang to Lahore was completely blocked. Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal planned a big attack on Gogera. He met secretly with other tribal leaders. But someone named Sarfraz Kharal from Kamalia told the British about the plan. The British got ready for the attack. When the rebels attacked, they were pushed back and lost many fighters.
Rai Ahmad and his friends ran away to the Jungles of Gashkori. They kept fighting there. The British found out that Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal was in the Gashkori Jungles. A group of soldiers led by Captain Black was sent there. This group managed to kill Ahmad Khan while he was praying in the afternoon. Many of his close friends, like his helper Sarang Khan Kharal, were also killed in this fight.
A trusted friend of Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal, Murad Fatayana, got revenge for Ahmad Khan's death. He attacked Lord Berkley and killed him. He also killed 50 British and local soldiers in a successful attack. The rebellion continued until the middle of 1858. It ended when the local tribes lost the fight.
Death
Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal was killed by soldiers led by Captain Black on September 21. He was praying when he was attacked. His body was badly treated; his head was cut off. His head was then put on display at Gregora Jail. This was a great insult to his supporters. A few days later, one of his supporters bravely stole his head. He buried it in Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal's family graveyard in Jhamra. Local poems, called dhola poems, were made after his death. They describe Ahmad Khan's death as Britain bringing down the pride of Punjab. Here is a line from one of those poems:
احمَد خان شہید ہویا تاں سِر پَنجاب دے نوُں جا گھَتیا اے ہَتھ
With Ahmad Khan's martyrdom, Britain has lowered the head of Punjab.
See also
- Murree rebellion of 1857
- Mai Bakhtawar
- Nizam Lohar
- Hemu Kalani
- Kadu Makrani
- Ajab Khan Afridi
- Bhagat Singh
- Udham Singh
- Kartar Singh Sarabha
- Chandrasekhar Azad
Images for kids
-
Tomb of Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal in Jhamra
