THE COINAGE OF THE SIKH STATE OF KALSIA

STATE OF KALSIA

Gurbakhsh Singh, a Sandhu Jat from the village of Kalsia in the tehsil of Kasur (near Lahore), was one of  the important chiefs of the Karorasinghia misls. In 1763, he captured Banbeli in the Jalandhar Doab (Hoshirpur District) from Adina Beg, the Governor of Lahore. In 1764, he captured Chhachhrauli in the Ambala District and thus established this small State of Kalsia.

Gurbakhsh Singh’s son, Jodh Singh, added the territory north of Ambala District and thus enlarged the State of Kalsia. Jodh Singh joined several expeditions of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and was rewarded by being given Chirak in Tehsil Moga, Laharpur near Sadhaura, Budala, Kheri and Garhdiwala in Jalandar Doab. The State of Kalsia was about 176 square miles in size and comprised of 175 villages.

Sardar Jodh Singh issued copper falus or dams which were struck at Chhachhrauli, which was the capital of the State of Kalsia. The designs of these coins denote the Mughal style which was very similar to the coins of Saharanpur. Two different dates are known to have been issued AH 1214 (1799), AH 1215 (1800) and AH 1218 (1803). These coins bear the name of the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II.

In 1902,  Ranjit Singh the ruler of the State of Kalsia, was granted the title of Raja by the British Government of India.

In August 1948, the State of Kalsia was merged with PEPSU. In November 1956, all the States of PEPSU merged with the State of Punjab.

 

Rulers of the State of Kalsia	Period of Rule
Gurbakhsh Singh	1764  -  1785
Jodh Singh	1785  -  1818
Sobba Singh	1818  -  1858
Lehna Singh	1858  -  1869
Bishan Singh	1869  -  1883
Jagjit Singh	1883  -  1886
Raja Ranjit Singh	1886  -  1908

 

 

 Falus or Dam, copper AH1215/42 (1800)

 Kalsia.  Chhachhrauli Mint

 (Coin drawing by Hans Herrli)