Welcome to Rankers Choice! If you are preparing for PSSSB, SSC, or other competitive exams, Punjab History is a high-scoring and essential section. Among all the Sikh Misls, the Bhangi Misl is very special because it was the first to create an independent Sikh rule in its areas.
How the Bhangi Misl Started
The Bhangi Misl was started by Chajja Singh. He was a Jat farmer from Panjwar village, near Amritsar. He was also the first friend of Banda Singh Bahadur to take Sikh baptism.
The name “Bhangi” comes from Bhang (a traditional strong drink made from hemp). After Chajja Singh died, Bhima Singh became the leader. At first, people called him Bala-bash (which means “high-head” or proud). Bhima Singh did not like this proud name. To show humility, he started crushing and making bhang for the Sikh community. Because of this, people started calling him and his group “Bhangi”. Bhima Singh was a very good leader who made the group strong, but he died in the Chhota Ghallughara of 1746.
The Best Time of the Misl: Hari Singh and Jhanda Singh
The Misl reached its highest point under two great leaders: Hari Singh and his son, Jhanda Singh.
Hari Singh was the adopted son of Bhima Singh. He was a brave fighter. Under his leadership, the Bhangi army grew to 20,000 men. He won many areas like Sialkot, Chiniot, and Jhang, and made the ruler of Jammu pay tax to him.
Jhanda Singh was the most powerful ruler of the Bhangi Misl. He was a great manager and leader. During his time, the Misl won the rich city of Multan in 1772. The Misl earned about 1 Crore Rupees every year. To protect the holy city of Amritsar, Jhanda Singh built the famous Qila-i-Bhangian (Bhangi Fort) near Loon Mandi in 1767. Sadly, he was killed in 1770 in a secret plot by rival leaders.
The Famous Zamzama Gun
No exam question on the Bhangi Misl is complete without the Zamzama Gun, also known as the Bhangi Gun or Top-e-Bhangian.
This very large gun was made of brass and copper in 1761 by a skilled worker named Shah Nazir for Ahmad Shah Abdali. In 1762, Hari Singh Bhangi bravely took this famous gun from the weapon store of the Lahore governor. It became a great symbol of the Misl’s power. Later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh took this gun and used it in his big battles. Today, this historic gun is still kept in Lahore.
Important Sub-Leaders (Misldars)
The Bhangi Misl was not run by just one family. It had strong sub-leaders called Misldars. Two of the most famous were Lehna Singh and Gujjar Singh.
Lehna Singh was known for being very fair and just. When he helped take control of Lahore in 1765, he ruled so well that Ahmad Shah Abdali offered him the official job of Lahore’s governor. Lehna Singh proudly said no. He replied that he eats simple roasted grams (chana) and will not take gifts from an enemy.
Gujjar Singh was another very strong leader. He made Gujrat his capital city. He brought people back to live in Gujrat after a war and expanded his area to Jammu. He also built the Qila Gujjar Singh in Amritsar to help protect the city.
The End of the Bhangi Misl
Even though the Misl was very strong at first, it slowly became weak. The later leaders, like Desu Singh and Gulab Singh, were not strong rulers. They also fought among themselves. At the same time, the Sukarchakia Misl, led by Mahan Singh and his son Ranjit Singh, was becoming very powerful.
The people of Lahore were tired of the fighting between the Bhangi leaders. They secretly invited Maharaja Ranjit Singh to bring peace. Ranjit Singh successfully took control of Lahore in July 1799.
The final end of the Misl happened in Amritsar. Mai Sukhan, the mother of the young ruler Gurdit Singh, bravely defended the city. She refused to give the Zamzama gun to Ranjit Singh. However, after a long wait, she was advised to give up to save lives. She handed over Amritsar to Maharaja Ranjit Singh on February 24, 1805. This marked the end of the Bhangi Misl as an independent power.
