Wazir Ram Singh Pathania

Keeping in tune with their valorous tradition, the last battle fought by the Rajputs of the Kingdom of Nurpur was in 1848 A.D. against the British by Ram Singh Pathania, for his King who was still a minor.

In 1845 after death of King Veer Singh, ruler of Nurpur (then a hill state in present Himachal Pradesh), the natives wanted to name Prince Jaswant Singh Son of Veer Singh as their new King. Therefore, King's Minister Sham Singh (Father of Ram Singh Pathania) escorted Prince Jaswant from Chamba to a Camp at Kushinagar near Nurpur. Since the prince was a minor the British objected to his being named as new king and sought to take over administration of the Nurpur state. Minister Sham Singh along with other ministers approached Colonel Lee of British Army to recognize minor Prince as their new King. However, Colonel Lee mocked and insulted this delegation lead by Sham Singh on their authority to declare new King. Ram Singh Pathania angered by insult of his father Sham Singh pledged to avenge it. In defiance to British Raj he declared Prince Jaswant as new king. This was the start of Guerilla campaign led by brave Ram Singh Pathania. On the morning of 15 Aug 1845 after a fierce battle he evicted British troops from the fort of 'Shahpur Kandi'.

Freedom fighter Ram Singh Pathania had organized his main defenses around hilly terrain of 'Kumni da Pail' area. This is from where he led guerilla raids to frustrate the several attempts undertaken by British troops to recapture forts of 'Nurpur' and 'Shahpur Kandi' which were under Ram Singh Pathania.

Finally then Lt Governor of Punjab John Lawrence sent a strong contingent led by Gen Wheeler to capture Ram Singh Pathania dead or alive. Ram Singh shifted his defences from 'Kumni da Pail' to further deeper into hills of 'Dallah dhee Dhar'. Here in a major battle with the troops of 51 Sikh Light Infantry in January 1849 Ram Singh Pathania's men inflicted heavy losses on British troops. Following words are inscribed on the grave of British officer killed in this action:-

In the sacred memory of Lieutenant John Peal, 51st Sikh Local Infantry:- He succumbed on 17th Jan 1849 to wounds received in action near Dallah on 16 Jan 1849 when engaged with insurgents under Ram Singh Pathania while gallantly leading his men. This tablet is placed in his memory by the officer (51st Sikh F.F.)

Such was the intensity of Ram Singh Pathania's campaign against the British that locals still sing a ballad praising his courage:

Killa Pathania Khoob Ladayya, Balley Pathania Khoob Ladayya, Dallay di Dhara Dafale Jo Bajdi, Kumni Bajjay Tamur...

After the battle of Dhaula Dhar the British bribed a local Priest to tell them when and where Ram Singh Pathania could be found alone and unarmed. Based on this information British soldiers laid an ambush and captured Ram Singh Pathania while he was offering prayer on the banks of the Ravi river near the Shahpurkandi fortress. Some historians believe that he was betrayed by the Raja's of Jammu and Guler, and handed over to the British.

Because of this rebellion, which locals believed was first armed revolt against British Raj, Ram Singh Pathania was sentenced to life imprisonment and deported to Rangoon (Burma). He died there on 11 November, 1856.

During the main Hindu festivals such as Dusshera Durga Puja, the Baren or Martial Ballads of Ram Singh Pathania are sung to the accompaniment of dafale[music of Himachal Pradesh] by singers known as Adavale and folk artists. These songs are sung in all the districts of Himachal Pradesh as well as the Gurdaspur district of Punjab.