Baba Baghel Singh Dhaliwal ( ? – 1802) was a resident of village Jhabal (district Amritsar). He was one of the leaders of the Sikh army. He was the chief of one of 65 Jathas of the Sikh army. When the whole of the Sikh army was divided into 11 Misls, on March 29, 1748, his Jatha became a part of Karorsinghia Misl. He succeeded Bhai Karora Singh as the chief of Misl Karor Singhian, in 1765. He had an army of 12000 soldiers. Even before he became the chief of the Misl, he had captured the area of Jullundur Doab in 1763. Haryana (district Hoshiarpur) was his headquarters. In January 1764, he occupied the area up to Karnal and made Chhalaudi as his headquarters. In February 1764, he crossed river Yamuna and captured Saharanpur. He overran the territory of Najib-ud-Daula Ruhela. In April 1775, he, along with Bhai Rai Singh Bhangi and Bhai Tara Singh Ghaiba, captured the territory of Zabita Khan. Zabita Khan accepted his (Baba Baghel Singh’s) subordination and both of them joined hands and looted the area around Delhi. In March 1776, he defeated Mogul army at Muzaffarnagar. In 1779, he entered an alliance with the Mogul army, Sirdar Bhanga Singh (Thanesar) and Sirdar Rai Singh Buria and put siege to Patiala. Raja Amar Singh, the ruler of Patiala offered a compromise. Baba Baghel Singh initiated Amar Singh and forgave him. On March 11, 1783, Baba Baghel Singh, along with Bhai Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, entered the Red Fort at Delhi, occupied Diwan-i-Aam of Shah Aalam and hoisted the Sikh flag. Shah Aalam offered the Sikhs 37.5 % of the octroi duty in the capital. He stayed at Delhi (at a place now known as Sabzi Mandi), along with his 4000 soldiers. In the next six months, he raised shrines at the places associated with the memories of Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Harkrishan Sahib, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. He built Sis Ganj, Rakab Ganj, Bangla Sahib, Bala Sahib, Majnu Tilla, Moti Bagh, Telivara Gurdwaras. During his life time, he initiated several Sikhs, including Amar Singh and Sahib Singh, the rulers of Patiala. He died at Haryana (Hoshiarpur) in 1802.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)