Obelisk of Colonel Canora: The American Artillery Commander in Maharaja Ranjit Singhs Army

Canora or Colonel John Canara was a  notable figure in Hazara, Pakistan, was an American artillery commander and foreign employee of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Raja Chattar Singh, the Sikh governor of Hazara, stationed him in Haripur. By this time, the Sikh rule had weakened due to defeats against the British, who had appointed their own officers across the country. James Abbott served in Hazara under this arrangement.

Meanwhile, Mulraj, the ruler of Multan, opposed the British and sought assistance from the Sikhs. Raja Sher Singh, Chattar Singh's son, prepared the Sikh army in Hazara to move to Multan. Abbott, displeased with this, attempted to obstruct their plans. Upon learning of Abbott's intentions, Chattar Singh assembled the entire Sikh army in Haripur and ordered Canora to move. However, Canora refused to comply, leading to his murder by some Sikh soldiers when he pointed guns at the Sikh armies and threatened to blow them up.

Canora is buried in the present Ladies Garden (Chaman Park), near the District Headquarters Hospital to the right side of the main road in Haripur bazar (Lat. N 33. 99485 and Long. E 072. 93097). During the British period, a pyramidal structure was erected on the grave, consisting of locally available stone blocks fixed in lime mortar and brick powder. Originally four meters in height, the present height has reduced to two meters due to surrounding filling.

The south side of the structure, almost in the middle, once held a square inscribed slab (now missing). The inscription on it, before disappearing, read: "Canora, who fell nobly in the performance of his duty. Being summoned by the rebel Sikh Army to surrender his guns and being basely deserted by his men, he seized the linstock and fell singly combating a host, July 6, 1848" (Wace 1883-84: 34). The monument's structure tapers gently upwards and concludes with a square slab measuring 0.80 m a side. The top stone exhibits a grooved line running on all four sides.

It's worth noting that there's a discrepancy in the date of Canora's murder; Sabir mentions August 4, which is deemed erroneous. James Abbott identifies Canora as an American soldier of fortune named Kennedy. However, in the Gazetteer of Hazara (1883-84), Canora is incorrectly mentioned as French.