Life of Ahmad — Page 210
BAI‘AT AT LUDHIANA as 210 It is said that Shah Shuja‘, King of Afghanistan, stayed at Ludhiana; he was driven out of his country by Mahm u d Shah and found refuge and a pension in British territory. The town came under the British about the time of Ahmad’s as birth. Bute Shah says: 'In the reign of Sikandar, son of Bahlol Lodi, the people about Ludhiana were oppressed by the plundering Biluchis, and applied to the Emperor for assistance. Sikandar, in answer to their prayer, sent two of his Lodi Chiefs, by name Yusaf Khan and Nihang Khan, with an army. These Chiefs fixed on the present site of Ludhiana city, which was then a village called M i r Hota, as their headquarters and restored order to the country about. . . Nihang Khan remained at M i r Hota as the Emperor’s Lieutenant; and called the place Ludhiana (about 1481 A. D. ). He was succeeded by his son and grandson. The latter, Jal a l Khan, built the fort of Ludhiana out of the bricks found at Sunet. On the downfall of the Mughal Empire it passed quickly into the hands of the Rais about the year 1760. Maharaja Ranjit Singh took it with the rest of the country from Rani Bhag Bhari in 1806 and gave it to his uncle Rajah Bhag Singh of Jind. When Sir D. Ochterlony advanced to the Sutlej in 1809 land was allotted to us for a cantonment to the west of the town,