Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal

Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal (c. 1776 – 21 September 1857), the Nawab of Jhamra, was a Punjabi Muslim chieftain of the Kharal tribe who led the rebellion in Punjab against the British East India Company during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was killed by British forces while he was offering his Zuhr prayer (afternoon prayer) in September 1857, at the age of 81, which turned him into a martyr and folk hero in Punjabi literature.

Born in Jhamra, Sukerchakia Misl, he became the chief of the Kharal tribe after his youth years had passed. In his later life, the British East India Company defeated the Sikh Empire during the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 and extended its rule over the Punjab region and administratively established it as a part of the Bengal Presidency.

In 1857, a rebellion against the Company rule ensued all across the Indian subcontinent. After the British forces arrested a large number of Johiya tribesmen, women and children after they refused to pay the heavy colonial taxes, Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal gathered his tribal forces, which were joined by various other Punjabi tribes of the Sandal Bar which opposed colonial rule, and raided the Gogera jail.

Kharal was arrested by the Company forces but was later released under pressure from local tribes. Kharal continued resisting the British forces after being released. After more arrests were made by the British, Kharal started a guerilla campaign, with the help of allied tribes, against the British. Secret information of a major assault on Gogera was leaked by Sarfraz Kharal of Kamalia to the British.

Kharal and his forces fled to the forests of Gashkori to continue their struggle, where the British reached and killed Kharal and other major tribal leaders while they were offering the Zuhr prayer on 21 September 1857. Ahmad Khan Kharal’s head was decapitated and put on display at Gogera Jail. A few days later, one of his supporters stole the head and buried it in his ancestral graveyard in Jhamra.

Murad Fatayana, a trusted associate of Ahmed Khan Kharal, took revenge of Kharal's killing and killed Lord Berkeley alongside 50 British and Company-aligned Indian troops in a successful attack. The rebellion continued until it ended in 1858 as local tribes lost to the British reinforcements.

Biography
Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal was born in Jhamra into a landowning family of the Kharal tribe which was prominent in the Sandal Bar region of Punjab. Kharals had vied for dominance with Bar tribal groups such as the Kathia, Wattoo, Fatayana and others. Ahmed Khan Kharal was able to briefly maintain influence over all of Sandal Bar.

Leopold Oliver Fitzhardinge Berkeley, or better known as Lord Berkley, was the Assistant Commissioner of Gogera in 1857. He held a meeting with important personalities of Gogera including Ahmad Khan Kharal. Berkley demanded all the leaders to supply the British with men (soldiers) and horses to crush the ongoing revolt. To this, Ahmad Khan Kharal replied: "Kharals do not share women, horses and land with anyone" and left.

Role in the Revolt of 1857
On July 8, the British arrested a large number of Joiya tribesmen, women and children after they refused to pay the heavy taxes (Lagan). When Ahmed Khan Kharal received this news, he planned to break into the Gogera jail and rescue the innocent people imprisoned there. With help of his Fatayana, Wattoo and Kathia allies Ahmad Khan Kharal attacked the Gogera Jail around 26 July. According to British records 17 prisoners were killed, 33 were injured and 18 fled. But native accounts disagree suggesting that 145 prisoners died and 100+ EIC troops were also killed. The British arrested Ahmad Khan Kharal but released him due to pressure from local tribes and insufficient evidence available to charge him. Ahmed Khan Kharal continued resisting against the British after being released.

In order to arrest Ahmad Khan Kharal, Berkley attacked Jhamra but was unsuccessful although he imprisoned 20 civilians including Ahmad Khan Kharal's youngest son Bala Khan Kharal. The British also took with them a large number of cattle. Ahmad Khan Kharal with the help of Kathia, Wattoo, Fatayana and Joiya tribesmen started a guerilla campaign against the British. According to Punjab government records, the rebels numbered 20,000 to 30,000 men at their height. John Cave-Browne writes that these rebels took refuge in thick jungles and grass and attacked with groups of 3000-5000 guerillas. The sound of drum beating was the sign that they would attack. The connection of Jhang to Lahore was completely cut. Ahmed Khan Kharal planned a major assult on Gogera with other tribal leaders in a secret meeting but the information was leaked by Sarfraz Kharal of Kamalia to the British. The British prepared themselves to face the upcoming assult and when the rebels attacked they were repulsed with heavy losses.

Ahmad Khan Kharal with his companions fled to the jungles of Gashkori and continued the struggle. The British received news about Ahmad Khan Kharal's presence in the jungles of Gashkori and a force under Captain Black was sent there. The detachment succeeded in killing Ahmad Khan Kharal while he was offering afternoon prayers. Many of his close companions such as his deputy Sarang Khan Kharal was also killed in this engagement.

Murad Fatayana, a trusted associate of Ahmed Khan Kharal, took revenge of Ahmad Khan's killing and killed Lord Berkley alongside 50 British and Indian troops in a successful attack. The rebellion continued until it ended in 1858 as local tribes lost to British EIC reinforcements.

Death
Ahmad Khan Kharal’s head was decapitated and put on display at Gogera Jail. A few days later, one of his supporters stole the head and buried it in his ancestral graveyard in Jhamra. The local dhola poems recited after his death describe Ahmad Khan's martyrdom as Britain lowering the head of Punjab:

احمَد خان شہید ہویا تاں سِر پَنجاب دے نوُں جا گھَتیا اے ہَتھ

With Ahmad Khan's martyrdom, Britain has lowered the head of Punjab.