Kings and Rulers of Kullu & Major Historical Events
Pal Dynasty (c. 1st Century AD – c. 1450 AD)
- Bihangmani Pal (c. 1st Century AD):
- Founder of the Pal line.
- Overthrew local Thakurs.
- Capital: Jagatsukh.
- Visudh Pal:
- Shifted capital to Naggar.
- Kailash Pal (c. 1450 AD):
- Last Pal ruler.
- Followed by a 50-year interregnum.
Singh Dynasty (c. 1500 AD – 1841 AD)
- Sidh Singh (c. 1500 AD):
- Founder of the Singh dynasty (believed to be a Pal descendant).
- Subdued local Ranas and Thakurs.
- Built Naggar Castle (c. 1460 AD).
- Goddess Hidimba became patron deity.
- Bahadur Singh (1532 AD):
- Completed subjugation of Ranas and Thakurs.
- Annexed Waziri Ruppi from Suket.
- Built a palace at Makarasa.
- Married into the Chamba royal family (c. 1559 AD).
- Jagat Singh (1637-1672 AD):
- Most powerful ruler of the dynasty.
- Expanded territory: annexed Lag area and Outer Saraj (from Suket and Bushahr), capturing forts like Sirigarhi, Srigarh, Himgiri.
- Shifted capital from Naggar to Sultanpur (c. 1660 AD).
- Installed Raghunathji idol from Ayodhya (1653 AD) as principal deity.
- Established Kullu Dussehra festival.
- Aurangzeb recognized him as “Raja of Kullu” (earlier called “Zamindar”).
- Bidhi Singh (1672-1688 AD):
- Extended kingdom boundaries.
- Freed upper Lahaul from Ladakh.
- Annexed Kothis of Dhaul, Kot Khandhi, and Baramgarh in Outer Saraj from Bushahr.
- Man Singh (1688-1719 AD):
- Territorial zenith of Kullu.
- Invaded Mandi (conquered Darang salt mines temporarily).
- Annexed Outer Saraj from Bushahr.
- Annexed Chhota and Bara Bangahal from Mandi.
- Forced Ladakh to fix boundary at Lingti Plain; Spiti paid tribute.
- Seized Shangri from Bushahr, built forts.
- Repulsed Mandi invasion.
- Assassinated by Rana of Kumharsain.
- Raj Singh (1719-1731 AD):
- Guru Govind Singh visited Kullu seeking help against Mohammedans, but Raja was unfavorably disposed.
- Jai Singh (1731-1742 AD):
- Expelled wazir, leading to revolt.
- Fled to Lahore seeking Mughal support.
- Mandi invaded and took Chuhar territory.
- Went on pilgrimage to Ayodhya, did not return to Kullu.
- Tedhi Singh (1742-1767 AD):
- Reign marked by revolts.
- Bajaura temple images mutilated (possibly by Mohammadans).
- Pritam Singh (1767-1806 AD):
- Recovered forts of Deogarh, Mastpur, Sari, and Amargarh from Mandi.
- Faced plots from neighboring rulers (Mandi, Kangra, Chamba alliance in 1778).
- Lost Bangahal to combined attack in 1778.
- Proposed alliance with Chamba against Kangra’s Sansar Chand Katoch (1801 AD).
- Bikram Singh (1806-1816 AD):
- Mandi retook forts (Deogarh, Mastpur, Sari).
- Became subject to Sikhs (1809 AD) after Ranjit Singh’s Kangra fort capture.
- Paid tribute to Sikh force (Rs. 40,000 in 1810, Rs. 3 lakh after Sikh plunder in 1813).
- Ajit Singh (1816-1841 AD):
- Illegitimate son, but acknowledged as Raja.
- Disputed succession by uncle Kishan Singh (supported by Kangra’s Sansar Chand).
- Briefly defeated, recaptured kingdom from Kishan Singh.
- Paid fine of Rs. 80,000 (or Rs. 30,000) to Ranjit Singh after Shah Shuja’s escape.
- Raided Spiti (1818) and Zanskar (1818-19) for treasury.
- First European visit by Mr. Moorcroft (1820 AD).
- Captured by Sikhs (1839/1840 AD) and forced to surrender state.
- Rescued by Sarajis but fled to Shangri (British protection) and died (1841 AD).
- Sikhs massacred Sarajis in retaliation, burned villages, and plundered country.
- Saraj handed over to Mandi for Rs. 32,000.
Post-Annexation by Sikhs/British
- Thakur Singh (1841-1852 AD):
- Appointed as titular Raja by Sikhs with Waziri Ruppi in Jagir.
- Confirmed by British Government after Anglo-Sikh War (1846 Treaty).
- Kullu ceded to British by Sikhs (Treaty of 9th March 1846).
- Spiti separated from Ladakh and annexed to Kullu.
- Rai Gyan Singh (1852-1869 AD):
- Illegitimate son, title changed to ‘Rai’, political powers withdrawn.
- Pratap Singh (claiming to be Kishan Singh’s son) appeared, aroused trouble, and was hanged (1857).
- Rai Dalip Singh (1869-1892 AD):
- Succeeded on attaining majority (1883).
- Rai Megh Singh (1892-1921 AD):
- Illegitimate son, ruled with ‘Rai’ title under special restrictions.
- Raja Bhagwant Singh (1921-1948 AD):
- Born 1907, succeeded his father Rai Megh Singh.
- Raja Mahender Singh (1948-1999 AD):
- Born 1929, succeeded his father Raja Bhagwant Singh.
- Raja Maheshwar Singh (Current):
- Born 1949, succeeded his father Raja Mahender Singh.
- Member of Parliament, founder of Himachal Lok Hit Party.
Administrative Changes (Post-British)
- 1846 AD: Kullu became a subdivision of Kangra district (Punjab).
- 1960 AD: Lahaul and Spiti separated from Kullu tehsil and became a distinct district.
- 1963 AD: Kullu became a separate district of Punjab state.
- November 1, 1966: Kullu district, along with other hill areas, transferred to Himachal Pradesh during Punjab Reorganisation.