Today in Sikh History – 6th November

==> NAUNIHAL SINGH: was born in Lahore on Feb. 11, 1820, to mother Chand Kaur, daughter of Sardar Jaemal Singh of Kanaeya Misl, and father Khadak Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Naunihal was Maharaja’s favorite since early childhood. He received timely religious educated from Giani Sant Singh, weaponry education from Sardar Lehna Singh Majiniya, Sardar Hari Singh Nalua, and General Vaentura Bapaegae. He married Nanaki (daughter of Sardar Sham Singh Attariwalae) in March of 1837.

From early childhood, Naunihal was being personally groomed for succession by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He proved to be worthy of such attention and enlarged the Sikh raj boundaries by conquering several neighboring states. The conquest of Peshawer in 1834 was monumental in establishing a deep affection for the young Naunihal, among the Khalsa forces and the public at large.

When Maharaja Khadak Singh assumed power after Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death, Raja Dhyan Singh Dogra’s jealousy plotted the friction among Naunihal and his father. Slowly through false information, father was turned into an arch enemy.

As a result, Naunihal Singh put his father under house arrest and assumed the control of SikhRaj. On Nov. 5 1840, as Naunihal Singh was returning from the cremation of his father’s body, he was crushed by the unexpected fall of fort entrances roof. From the eye witness accounts of Col. Alexander Gardner, it is evident that Naunihal was deliberately murdered.

-Ref. Mahan Kosh (pp. 721-722)