Massa Ranghar

Massa Ranghar, formally Ranghar, also known by his birth name Musalal Khan was the Ranghar choudhary of Mandiala. In 1738, Qazi Abdul Razzaq was killed in an encounter with the Sikhs under Nawab Kapur Singh. The Subahdar (Governor) of Lahore Zakariya Khan Bahadur, appointed Massa Ranghar as the Commandant of Amritsar. He used the precincts of the Golden Temple for amusement with dancing girls.^[1]

Massa Ranghar
Massa Ranghar being entertained by Nautch dancers at the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Born	Musalal Khan
Died	11 August 1740(1740-08-11) (aged 40) Amritsar, Punjab
Religion	Islam

Assassination

Sukha Singh and Mehtab Singh return with severed head of Massa Ranghar

The news of this sacrilegious use of the gurdwara spread to the remote areas. Two Sikhs, Sukha Singh and Mehtab Singh, decided to kill Massa Ranghar.^[1][2] They disguised themselves as lambardars, entered the gurdwara and beheaded Massa Ranghar while he was enjoying the dance.^[3][4][5]

On 2 January 1741, Massa Ranghar met his end at the hands of Mehtab Singh.^[6][7]

References

1. Fenech, E. Louis; Mcleod, H.W. (2014-06-11). "Massa Ranghar". Historical Dictionary of Sikhism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 202. ISBN 978-1-4422-3601-1. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
2. Singha, H.S. (1 January 2005), Sikh Studies, Book 6, Hemkunt Press, ISBN 978-81-7010-258-8
3. Fenech, E. Louis; Mcleod, H. W. (2014-06-11). Historical Dictionary of Sikhism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-4422-3601-1.
4. Fenech, E. Louis; Mcleod, H. W. (2014-06-11). "Sukha Singh". Historical Dictionary of Sikhism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. xxvi. ISBN 978-1-4422-3601-1.
5. Singha, Dr H. S. (2005). Sikh Studies. Hemkunt Press. ISBN 9788170102588.
6. Callewaert, Winand M.; Snell, Rupert (1994). According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-03524-8.
7. Johar, Surinder Singh (1998). Holy Sikh Shrines. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 978-81-7533-073-3.