When Manimajra & Patiala Fought Water Wars

Books published in 19th century and even gazettes and census documents, both from before and after Independence, talk of these battles
Most people believe that the water disputes in the region are outcome of new prob lems like lack of rainwater harvesting systems and over exploitation of resources. While these bad practices have surely contributed to the overall situation, the fact remains that the annals of history has enough accounts of wars fought over water in the area. The closest being between the

Raja of Manimajra

and the army of

Raja of Patiala

, as early as 1768.
The matter was never satisfactorily settled for both the parties, and skirmishes, especially over waters of the Ghaggar were nearly a routine thing, as Captain Birch wrote to the Resident of Delhi on May 31, 1818. Excerpts from books like The Rajas of the Punjab, the history of the principal states in the Punjab by Sir Lepel Henry Griffin published in 1870, and even gazettes and census documents, both from before and after the Independence, talk of these water wars.

History of Manimajra
Gharib Das, founder of the

Manimajra

royal family, extended his territory by seizing the fort of Pinjore. Here the Raja of Nahan attacked him, but without success; and placing his father in charge, Gharib Das left intent on fresh conquest. It was during this absence that the Raja of Nahan, having obtained aid from Patiala, attacked the fort, and captured it, Ganga Ram (father of Gharib Das) being slain.

Gharib Das hastened back, but was not strong enough to attempt to recap ture the fort. He, however, expelled the Nahan Raja from Chandangarh, which he had captured shortly before.

The census document

The Census document from 1961 says this about the Ghaggar: The Ghaggar.-It rises in the territory of Sirmur District of Himachal Pradesh and, passing through Morni, leaves the hills a few miles above Manimajra. It then skirts the border of Kharar Tahsil for a few miles and crosses the district at its nar rowest point. Then it passes on to Patiala district but again touches the border of Ambala district, a short distance to the west of Ambala town where its water is used for irrigation.The bed is stony for a few miles. Below the hills it soon becomes a wide tract of sand. “The upper portion of the course contains water throughout the year about a foot deep in summer but six to seven feet during the rains. A big pacca bridge across it on the Ambala-Kalka road is a post-Independence construction.

The tributaries joining the river are Sarswati, Cuiuiang, Tangri, Sukhna and Laiidra or

Paliala

nadi. Interestingly, Chandigarh and Manimajra were treated as urban units for the first time in the 1961 census, the document points out.

Patiala Vs Manimajra

After securing this throne, Raja of Patiala Amar Singh sent a thousand men in 1786 against the chief of Manimajra, Gharib Das, “who during the confusion that followed the death of Ala Singh, had managed to take possession of the fort and district of Pinjore, an ancient Hindu town. The place was very strong, and Bakhshi Lakhna, a Dogra general whom the Raja sent with a thousand men to reduce it, aided by the Rajas of Hindur, Kahlur, and Nahan, had a month and a half of hard fighting. But they were at last successful, and Gharib Das allied himself with the chiefs of Sialba and Rupar in order to attack the Raja of Nahan to whom the Raja of Patiala had left the fort,“ the book reads.

The aggression was the result of Garib Das's taking over fort of Pinjore, a few years ago, as he wanted to control the Ghaggar waters. This latest contest, however, left both sides dissatisfied.

“Raja Amar Singh had not forgotten the doubtful contest of in 1768 with Gharib Das of Manimajra, and in 1778, he determined to reduce these chiefs under his authority . The estates...were in the plain, where the river Gaggar debouches from the hills, and the Patiala force, before Gharib Das had time to summon his friends to his assistance, had overrun the country and forced him to shut himself up in his fort. For three months, he held out bravely , but seeing no prospect of release from his position, he offered a large sum of money to the Patiala chief to retire and leave him in undisturbed possession of his estate,“ it adds.

The documents also quote a report to British Resident in Delhi, which Captain Birch wrote on May 31, 1818.Karam Singh was the Raja of Patiala at that time. “The Rani and Misr remained in power, and no more grave disputes arose between neighbouring states, than an old standing quarrel with Manimajra regarding the distribution of the waters of the Gaggar nallah, an important question in a dry and sandy country .“