Kunwar Chain Singh: The first brave martyr of Malwa

Kunwar Chain Singh is celebrated as the first brave martyr from the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh.

Kunwar Chain Singh holds the honor of being the first brave martyr of the Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh. He was so powerful that he split an English cannon made of five metals with a single mighty blow of his sword. His heroic tale is still sung by bards today-

What tale of King Chain Singh can be told,

It made the foreigners forget the fight bold.

Who was Kunwar Chain Singh?

Narsinghgarh, located near Bhopal, was an independent state before independence. Narsinghgarh was famous for its picturesque natural beauty. It was referred to as ‘the Kashmir of Malwa’.

The king of Narsinghgarh was Sobhagya Singh. The jewel of Sobhagya Singh's family was Kunwar Chain Singh, the crown prince. Kunwar Chain Singh was extremely proud from childhood. His eyes were always filled with the dream of liberating Mother India from the clutches of the British.

In 1818, an agreement was made between Captain Stewart and Nawab Nazr-ud-Daula Nazr Khan of Bhopal. According to this agreement, the British established their camp in Sehore.

Madak was appointed as the first political representative in Sehore. There were a thousand soldiers in the Sehore camp, whose salaries were paid from the treasury of the Bhopal state. The British also granted political rights over the states of Bhopal, Narsinghgarh, Khilchipur, and Rajgarh to Madak.

Kunwar Chain Singh killed the traitor Diwan

The British, in accordance with their imperialist policy, lured the Diwan of Narsinghgarh state, Anand Ram Bakshi, to their side. The Diwan kept providing secret information about his state to the British.

When Kunwar Chain Singh learned about the Diwan's treachery, he disregarded his father's opposition and killed the Diwan. Another minister of Narsinghgarh, Roopram Bohra, also became a traitor.

The Holkar king of Indore had organized a secret meeting of all the native states of Central India to unite against the British, in which Kunwar Chain Singh also participated. Minister Roopram Bohra had informed Madak about this.

Upon learning this, Kunwar Chain Singh also killed the traitor Roopram. Roopram's brother complained against Kunwar Chain Singh to the British Governor General in Calcutta and to Madak in Sehore. The Governor General summoned Madak for a response.

Madak sent a message to Chain Singh to appear before him, but Kunwar Chain Singh did not go to Sehore. Madak set up a camp in Bairasia and summoned Chain Singh there. Kunwar Chain Singh went to Bairasia with his entourage and met Madak.

Madak placed three conditions before Kunwar Chain Singh. The first condition was that Kunwar Chain Singh must leave Narsinghgarh forever and go to Kashi. The second condition was that for two to three years, the Narsinghgarh state would remain under British control. The third condition was that the purchase of opium crops in the Narsinghgarh region would be done only by the British. Madak said that if the conditions were not accepted, a case would be filed against Kunwar Chain Singh for the murder of the Diwan and the minister. Kunwar Chain Singh rejected Madak's conditions. Madak summoned Kunwar Chain Singh again to Sehore.

When Madak conspired to kill Chain Singh

Kunwar Chain Singh went to Sehore on June 24, 1824, with 43 of his trusted companions. Madak praised Kunwar Chain Singh's sword and asked to see it. Kunwar Chain Singh handed over the sword, then Madak asked for a second sword as well. Chain Singh, having sensed the intent to arrest or kill him, refused to give the second sword, saying that a Rajput's waist is never empty of weapons.

As the dispute escalated, Madak ordered his soldiers to capture Kunwar Chain Singh. Before he could be captured, Kunwar Chain Singh bravely launched a fierce attack on Madak. Madak panicked and fled for his life. Kunwar Chain Singh pursued him. A fierce battle ensued between Chain Singh's companions and the British at the current Tehsil Chowk in Sehore.

Kunwar Chain Singh had only a few soldiers with him, while a vast British army faced them. The patriots fought valiantly, but soon all of Kunwar Chain Singh's companions were martyred. Kunwar Chain Singh and his two brave bodyguards, Himmat Khan and Bahadur Khan, made the British taste defeat. While fighting in the Dussehra Maidan of Sehore, Kunwar Chain Singh split the British eight-metal cannon with his sword, but the sword got stuck in the cannon. Taking advantage of this opportunity, a British artilleryman beheaded Kunwar Chain Singh.

Even after being separated from his head, Kunwar Chain Singh continued to wield his sword with both hands for some time. His two bodyguards also attained martyrdom. The British also killed Kunwar Chain Singh's loyal pet animal. Kunwar Chain Singh's faithful horse carried his body to Narsinghgarh.

Kunwar Chain Singh lives on in the folk songs of the Malwa region

In Sehore's Dussehra Bagh Maidan, Kunwar Chain Singh's queen built a chhatri in memory of her husband. Near the chhatri, there are also the graves of his two bodyguards. The queen also constructed a temple near Parshuram Sarovar in sacred memory of Kunwar Chain Singh's sacrifice, which is known as ‘Kunwarani ka Mandir’.

Kunwar Chain Singh is worshipped in Sehore and nearby villages. At his samadhi in Sehore and in many villages around, patriots make wishes in his memory and offer their tributes. The saga of the martyr of Malwa resonates in folk songs. Particularly, this folk song is still prevalent today:

Brother, the door is open, oh grandfather, your warrior's attire

While milking the buffalo, the elder brother said, oh brother, your age is not yet for fighting.

While arranging the bed, the fair one said, oh beloved, your age is not yet for going to war.

Hidar Khan and Bidar Khan said, look, Kunwar Chain Singh is alone in this battle.

All brothers and nephews stayed at home, and in the battlefield, Chain Singh jumped in alone.

For their freedom, the brave ones willingly sacrificed their heads. Their faces are adorned with the glory of self-sacrifice (gulal).

In the cantonment of Sehore, these heroes have set up camp. Even after their heads were cut off, the headless bodies of Kunwar Chain Singh continued to give a fitting reply to the foreign troops.

References

KAPIL MEWADA, MALWA KE MAHANAYAK-KUNWAR CHAIN SINGH, NATIONAL BOOK TRUST, INDIA 2023