SAKALA

Sakala was the capital of Madras in the late Vedic period (c.1500 – c.200 B.C.). In those early days, Sakala was a wasteland, studded with thick forests and inhabited by a pastoral race called Yahars or Yirs. It was after the invasion of Alexander (326 B.C.) that people from other parts of India came and settled in, and around, Sialkot. Much later, The Huns ruled the city, and it also became the capital of Tormana in 5th century A.D.

THE RESTORATION PERIOD

During the Vikrama Ditya period (380-413 A.D) in the subcontinent, Shun and Dall were two of the most powerful tribes in Sialkot. However, the popular belief is that a powerful flood drowned the whole city, and it remained uninhabited for a very long time. The first accounts of restoration date from the time when Sialkot was formed a part of Kashmir under Raja Sam Dutt. During that time, Raja Salivahan (or Salwan) built the ancient fort and established Sialkot as the capital of his territory.

Raja Rasalu, son of Salwan, took great interest in restoring the old city. However, various events transpired in his time, like attacks from the neighboring Raja of Jehlum, which ruined the restored city. After Rasalu’s death in 400 A.D., the city fell into the hands of his elder step-brother Poran, and into degeneration! There are no significant accounts of Sialkot for the next 300 years in the history. In 790 A.D, one Raja Nairut, supported by the Yousafzai tribe attacked and demolished the city.

THE MUSLIM CONQUERORS

After a considerable long period, in which there is no mention of Sialkot except that it remained a part of Jammu under Raja Braham Deo’s rule, Shahab-ud-Din Ghauri invaded Punjab in 1811. He was unable to conquer Lahore but left a garrison in Sialkot. Later Sultan Khusro Malik tried to capture the city but failed to do so. In 1394, Taimur captured Jammu where he compelled the Raja to embrace Islam.

THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

The Mughal emperor Babar advanced to India by way of Sialkot which capitulated to his armies. In Akbar’s era, the current Sialkot district formed the part of Rachna-Bar Sarkar (district) of the Lahore province. Under Shah Jehan, Ali Mardan Khan held the charge of Sialkot.

At the end of the Mughal reign, the suburbs and outlying districts and areas of Sialkot were left to themselves. Sialkot itself was appropriated by a powerful family of Pathans, and the sub-mountainous tracts were in the hands of Raja Ranjit Deo.

In 1748, the four districts of Gujrat, Sialkot, Pasrur and Daska were given to Ahmed Shah Duurani. After 1751, Ahmed Shah left his son Taimur to rule Lahore and these districts. During that time, Raja Ranjit Deo expanded his domination over this area, but the Sialkot city was not included in it. The city was held strongly by a Pathan family till the time of Sikhs.

THE SIKH REIGN

During the Durrani decline, the Sikhs formed themselves into well organized groups called 12 Misls. Sialkot was wrested from the Pathans by two Sikh leaders, Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh, who represented the Bhangi Misl. Thus, the area came under the rule of Bhangis. During that time, Sialkot suffered from extreme famine and starvation leading to a mass migration of people to Kashmir.

From that time onwards, the Bhangi sardars carried incessant raids upon Raja Deo’s principality and ultimately the areas was appropriated between them. However, from 1797 to 1810, Raja Ranjit Singh succeeded in acquiring the Sialkot district and establishing his sovereignty in the area.

THE BRITISH RAJ