92 The District of Ludidaa. [No. 2, 



His son and successor, Rai Muhammad, died in S. 1850, leaving the 

 inheritance in the hands of a child, Rai Ilyas. The Sikhs took advantage 

 f his tender age, to appropriate Dharmkot and other portions of his 

 dominions. In S. 1856, Baba Sahib Sing Bedi of Una in the 

 Hoshyarpiir district, and others pressing him hard, Rai Ilyas hired the 

 assistance of the adventurer George Thomas, then ruler of Hansi, and 

 known here as " Jarj Sahib." Thomas got a lakh of rupees for 

 his services, and with his assistance the Sikhs were driven across the 

 Satlaj. Three years after this, young Ilyas Avas out hunting in the 

 bir, half way between Jagraon and Sidhiiwan. He was holding a 

 drawn sword, when suddenly his horse reared with him. He fell and 

 van the sword into his thigh, inflicting a mortal wound. His mother 

 Rani Nur-unnisa then became chief of the Rais ; but in S. 1863 and 

 S. 1864, corresponding to A. D. 1806, and 1807, Ranjit Singh overran 

 most of her dominions, leaving her only Raikot itself. In A. D. 1831, 

 Nur-unnisa died, and was succeeded by another lady, Rani Bagbari, 

 widow of Ilyas. On her death, Raikot lapsed to the British Govern- 

 ment. 



We now return to the general history of the district. Tbe invad- 

 ing armies of Nadir Shah, Ahmad Shah Durani, and the Mahrattas, 

 must have frequently crossed the district, but have left few traces 

 behind them. A local history states that Nadir Shah, on some 

 complaint being made, ordered a general massacre in Ludiana. I 

 am unable to say whether this is true or is merely a local version 

 of the Delhi massacre. Ahmad Shah Durani gave Machiwara and 

 other portions of the district to Bhikam Khan, Nawab of Maler 

 Kotla. The Maler Kotla family who are still sovereign princes, 

 claim descent from a faqir, Hazrat Shaikh Sadr Jahan, disciple of 

 Baha-ul Haq, and this faqir is said to have been he who sold the 

 empire of Delhi for 2000 dinars to Bahlol Lodi. 



The struggle for supremacy, between Sikh and Musalman during 

 the letter half of the eighteenth century was much more important 

 in its permanent results than these invasions from Kabul, and it is 

 much fresher in the memory of the people. This neighbourhood 

 is classic ground in Sikh history. Machiwara and Bhilolpur were 

 the scene of Guru Govind Singh's adventures and persecutions 

 (see Macgregor's History, chapter V., pages 88 and 94), and Sarhind, 



