u/horhun56

This song is not merely an emotional or devotional bhajan, but is also deeply connected with the political struggles, wars, sieges, and battles surrounding Kangra Fort, which has always remained one of the most important symbols of the Kangra region.

Kangra Fort is one of the oldest and largest forts in northern India, especially in the Himalayan region. Because of its strategic mountain location, immense wealth, and political importance, it attracted the attention of several foreign powers throughout history. Invaders and empires such as Mahmud of Ghazni, the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughals repeatedly attempted to establish control over Kangra in order to dominate the surrounding hill states and trade routes.

By the late eighteenth century, Kangra Fort was under the authority of the Mughal governor Saif Ali Khan after the region came under Mughal influence. At that time, Raja Sansar Chand of the Katoch dynasty dreamed of restoring the lost glory of his ancestors and freeing Kangra from outside control. The weakening authority in the Kangra hills had allowed the Mughals to take advantage of the situation and capture the fort. For Sansar Chand, reclaiming Kangra Fort was not only a political ambition but also a matter of heritage, prestige, and regional pride.

However, the fort was considered nearly impossible to capture because of its powerful fortifications and difficult mountain terrain. Realizing that he could not conquer it alone, Sansar Chand sought military support from Sikh misls. In exchange for their help, he reportedly promised money and political alliances.

Among the important Sikh misls involved were the Kanhaiya misl led by Jai Singh Kanhaiya and later by his son Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya, along with other Sikh forces from the Doaba region. Together, the allied armies surrounded Kangra Fort and laid siege to it for a long period. As the siege continued, conditions inside the fort became increasingly difficult because of declining food supplies and growing military pressure.

During the siege, Saif Ali Khan died, and his son Jiwan Khan took control of the fort. According to several historical interpretations, after the death of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya directly negotiated with Jiwan Khan. This political move created tension and mistrust within the alliance and weakened Sansar Chand’s position in the struggle for Kangra Fort.

The “Garba Singh” mentioned in the bhajan is widely believed to refer to Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya. Through oral tradition and local pronunciation, “Gurbaksh” gradually became “Garba” or “Garbh” Singh.

These events deeply angered Sansar Chand. After this, he formed new alliances with influential Sikh misls in order to challenge both the Kanhaiya misl and the Mughal forces. One of these allies was the Sukerchakia misl led by Mahan Singh Sukerchakia, who was the father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Another important ally was the Ramgarhia misl led by Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.

This rivalry eventually led to the fierce Battle of Achal in 1785 near present-day Batala. During the battle, Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya was killed in combat, which became a major turning point in the political struggle of the region.

After years of warfare, negotiations, and shifting alliances, an agreement was finally reached around 1786 that allowed Sansar Chand to reclaim Kangra Fort. Recovering the fort became one of the greatest achievements of his reign and marked the revival of Katoch authority in the Kangra hills. Under Sansar Chand’s rule, Kangra later experienced a major cultural and artistic revival, especially in temple patronage, literature, and the world-famous Kangra miniature painting tradition.

Even today, this story survives through this bhajan, oral traditions, and devotional singing across Kangra dedicated to Maa Bajreshwari of Nagarkot. The song is not remembered merely as a folk song, but as a living memory of Kangra’s history, its struggles, political rivalries, battles, devotion, and the deep emotional connection of the people with Kangra Fort and their goddess.

a fusion of three traditional art forms — Pahari miniature art representing the Himalayan heritage, Kalamkari, and terracotta pottery from South India.

One thing I would like to share is that I don't do any specific school of miniature art, neither I am an artist by profession or background, nor have I received any formal training, support, or encouragement from people or anyone around me or anyone in this miniature field whom I tried to approach. Whatever I have learned and created so far has come from my own passion, practice, interest, and dedication towards this art form and the cultural heritage of the Himalayan region, which I try to promote through my work.

I would especially like to thank some friends ( from Himachal and Jammu ) which I met through Reddit, who supported and encouraged me a lot throughout this journey. Their motivation genuinely helped me continue with confidence. A special thanks to the moderator of the Jammu subreddit, Berserker, for his constant support and encouragement. I truly feel that things would not have been this smooth without his encouragement and guidance . Reddit really helped me connect with people who believed in and appreciated my work. which I never found in real life .

This opportunity feels like one of the first artistic achievements in my journey related to miniature painting, and I am truly grateful for it.

Thank you.