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Popularly known as the Lion of Panjab, Ranjit
Singh was not only the greatest man of his time in Panjab but was
also among the few leading figures of the history of that period.
Because of his extraordinary qualities as a fighter, conqueror and
an empire-builder, Ranjit Singh is often compared with Napoleon
Bonaparte, Bismarck and Akbar. Hero of many accounts by European
travellers and Indian chronicles, he is perhaps the most enduring
character in Sikh history. His reign was marked by benevolent rule,
all round development, secular values and patriotic fervour.
Ranjit Singh was much ahead of his times in almost every sphere-army
organisation, civil administration, foreign policy and, above all,
the treatment of his subjects belonging to diverse faiths and cultures.
Rising from the position of head of one of the twelve confederacies
in Panjab, he became the first Indian ruler who stemmed the tide
of continuous invasions from the North-west and succeeded in carrying
his flag into the homeland of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali -
the Afghan invaders and plunderers of the affluent Hindustan. His
encounter with Shah Zaman, grandson of Ahmad Shah Abdali, is thus
described in the contemporary accounts: "Oh grandson of Ahmad
Shah come down and measure swords with the grandson of Charat Singh."
Shah Zaman could not muster sufficient courage to face the powerful
challenger and retreated with his troops under the cover of darkness.
Ranjit Singh triumphantly entered the Lahore fort and laid the foundations
of the mighty empire in North India which extended from the Khybar
Pass in the North-west, Sutlej in the East, China in the North and
deserts of Sindh in the South.
Ancestors
The earliest known ancestor of Ranjit Singh, who was transformed
from an ordinary tiller of land into a saint soldier, was Budh Singh.
According to popular accounts, Budh Singh was a soldier of fortune
and is credited with having fought in various battles under Guru
Gobind Singh and Banda Singh Bahadur. Budh Singh is believed to
have crossed the rivers Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi on his favourite
mare named Desi at least fifty times. A valiant fighter, he is said
to have received thirty sword cuts and nine matchlock wounds on
his body. On Budh Singh's death, his elder son Naudh Singh came
forward to fight the Abdali invader Ahmad Shah under the command
of Nawab Kapur Singh and met his end in the battlefield in 1752.
Charat Singh, the eldest son of Naudh Singh, succeeded him. As chief
of the Sukarchakia Misl, he made significant contribution in consolidating
the territories of his misl through many conquests. Mahan Singh,
son and successor of Charat Singh, further extended the boundaries
of the principality he had inherited.
Birth and Childhood
On 13 November, 1780, Mahan Singh became the proud father of a son
who was destined to play a unique role in Indian history by establishing
a mighty empire in North India. The child was given the name of
Budh Singh but when his father got the happy news in the thick of
battle, he decided to change the name to Ranjit Singh, meaning victor
in the battlefield. True to his name, Ranjit Singh rose to be a
renowned warrior who fought many battles, sometimes in adverse situations,
and never suffered a major defeat in his long and chequered career.
As a young child Ranjit Singh suffered a virulent attack of small
pox, which not only left permanent scars on his face but also deprived
him of his left eye. An adventurous child that Ranjit Singh was,
he was not deterred by the attack from pursuing his favourite activities
of warfare, horse riding and swimming. Ranjit Singh accompanied
his father during most of the military campaigns when he was less
than ten years of age.
Chief of the Misl
The sudden death of his father in 1790 made Ranjit Singh
the leader of the Sukkarchakkia Misl. Ranjit Singh's mother was
worried as to what would happen to the territories conquered by
her husband. Young and confident, Ranjit Singh is said to have assured
her that he would not only keep the ancestral territories intact
but would also extend them further and bring honour and glory to
his family. Initially his mother acted as a regent but later Ranjit
Singh took the administration of his misl in his own hands, and
displayed rare tact and ability in the management of the territories
under his control.
At the age of sixteen Ranjit Singh was married to Mehtab Kaur, daughter
of Rani Sada Kaur, an ambitious and capable lady who has been described
by historians as "a ladder by which Ranjit Singh climbed to
power in his early years". Because of the weakening authority
of the Mughal empire, Afghan invaders frequently attacked and plundered
Panjab. Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded Panjab nine tunes. The negative
impact of his frequent invasions can be gauged from the following
popular doggerel:
Khada Peeta lake da Baki Ahmad shahe
da
(What we eat and drink is ours; Whatever is saved belongs to Ahmad
Shah)
Three Afghan invaders, Mohamad Ghazni, Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah
Abdali, took away all that was valuable in India-the peacock throne
of Shah Jahan, the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond and other precious
jewels, sandalwood doors of Somnath Temple studded with precious
stones and caravans of elephants loaded with valuables and whatever
they could lay their hands upon. Young women, who were forcibly
captured and sold in the markets of Afghanistan, were the worst
sufferers. While the Marathas made concerted efforts to assert their
sovereignty and even managed to take control of Delhi, the imperial
capital, they failed to check the advancing armies of Ahmad Shah
Abdali and were defeated in the Third Battle of Panipat. However,
it goes to the credit of the Sikh chiefs who, through their guerrilla
tactics, chased the retreating army of Ahmad Shah Abdali and succeeded
in retrieving some of the booty. Their most creditable achievement
was the liberation of a large number of young Hindu women from the
custody of the invading army and restoring them to their parents.
Impressed by the heroic deeds of the Sikh guerrillas, Ahmad Shah
Abdali asked the Mughal Governor of Panjab, Zakaria Khan, as to
who these people were and where did they live. The governor is reported
to have replied that they were followers of Guru Nanak and the saddles
of their horses were their homes. Upon this Ahmad Shah Abdali is
reported to have remarked: "Beware! One day they will rule
Panjab." It was not surprising therefore to find Ranjit Singh,
the young chief of the Sukkarchakkia Misl, wresting power from the
grandson of Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1799.
Ruler of Lahore
Based upon papers in the family archives of the distinguished Fakir
brothers, who served as ministers under the Maharaja, Fakir Sved
Waheed-ud-Din, a descendant of Fakir Aziz-ud-Din, mentions an interesting
story which had a great bearing on Maharaja Ranjit Singh's rule
in Panjab. According to Waheed-ud-Din, author of The Real Ranjit
Singh, on entering the Samman Burj of Lahore Fort, Ranjit Singh
found a shadow which appeared like a tiger. When Ranjit Singh tried
to retreat he heard a voice calling him from inside the tower: "Ranjit
Singh, don't be frightened, come in." Upon entering the burj,
Ranjit Singh found himself in the presence of a frail, white bearded
old man of medium height who motioned to him to come up and, when
he had done so, prophesied that he would soon establish an independent
kingdom in Panjab and advised him to observe the following rules:
1. Say his prayers every morning without fail.
2. Never hold court sitting on the throne of the Mughal emperors.
3. Treat his subjects equally, without distinction of caste and
creed.
4. Respect and befriend Fakir Syed Ghulam Mohi-udDin of Lahore,
a godly man who had been appointed spiritual guardian of the new
state and whose sons would serve it truly and well.
The story may or may not be literally true, but what is true is
that the commandments of the godly man remained the epitome of Ranjit
Singh's policies and personal conduct till his death in 1839
Daily Routine of Ranjit Singh
The daily routine of Ranjit Singh started with early morning prayers.
After listening to the Gurbani, the Maharaja would take a wak from
the Guru Granth Sahib. Before starting the day's business, the Maharaja
would place over his eyes and forehead the sacred kalgi of Guru
Gobind Singh with great reverence. So deep was his faith in the
Guru Granth Sahib that he would never take any major decision without
seeking guidance from the Holy Book. We learn from contemporary
accounts that the Maharaja led a very active life.
According to Col. C.M. Wade:
In the hot weather the Maharaja
goes out at about 5:00 a.m. and spends an hour or two riding and
inspecting his troops, and then takes his first meal, often without
Dismounting from his horse. At about 9:00 a.m. he retires to his
residence and holds the court, receiving reports, issuing orders
to his officers and examining minutely the financial accounts of
his government. At noon he rests for an hour having a secretary
by his side to write his directions as different things requiring
execution cross his mind. When the day begins to close he sends
for a set of dancing girls to beguile the time or secludes himself
in meditation until his second repast. He goes to bed between 8:00-9:00
p.m., a secretary still beside in attendance to whom he frequently
dictates his orders.
(Despatch dated 31 May, 1831, front
Col. C.M. Wade to the Secretary to the Governor-General of India)
Respect for Other Religions
Though a devout Sikh himself, the Maharaja
had the same reverence for the religious beliefs of other faiths.
Soon after becoming the ruler of Lahore, the first act of the Maharaja
was to offer prayer at the Badshahi Masjid adjacent to the Lahore
Fort. The Maharaja gave liberal grants to the shrines of Jawala
Mukhi in Kangra, Jagannath Puri, Benaras, Haridwar, Dargah of Mian
Mir in Lahore and the birthplace of Baba Farid in Pak Pattan.
According to a popular story, when the Maharaja and Fakir Aziz-ud-Din
were walking on the outskirts of Lahore, they came across a bullock
cart carrying a huge book. The Maharaja stopped the cart driver
and asked as to what he was carrying. hi The driver replied that
he was a calligraphist and was carrying the manuscript of the Holy
Quran, which was his lifetime's work. When the Maharaja asked the
man as to where he was heading for, the man replied that he was
going to the ruler of Hyderabad because he had been told that the
Muslim ruler of that state was a pious and generous man who would
pay him a handsome price for his work. Ranjit Singh turned towards
Fakir Aziz-udDin and said, "This man thinks that there is nobody
this side of Hyderabad who is generous enough to pay him a good
price for his work." The Maharaja asked the calligraphist as
to how much did he expect for his work, and was quoted ten thousand
rupees, which in those days was considered a huge amount. Before
the minister could intervene, the Maharaja finalised the deal and
asked Fakir to pay the settled amount.
Early Victories
Ranjit Singh vas twelve years old when
his father Mahan Singh died. Without wasting time, he apprised himself
of the situation: his kingdom was sandwiched between non-friendly
powers like the Afghans and the British. Panjab was divided among
twelve misls: Ahluvalia, Bhangi, Kanhaiya, Ramgarhia, Sukkarchakkia
held lands north of Sutlej, and Phulkian, Singhpuria, Krorsinghia,
Nishania, Dalewalia, Nakkais, Shahids held lands south of Sutlej.
His vision was of a strong kingdom in Panjab. After assuming the
leadership of the Sukarchakia Misl, he embarked upon a career of
conquests. Within a decade he had conquered the cities of Lahore
and Amritsar and brought under his sway the neighbouring territories
of Sikh, Rajput and Muslim chiefs.
When checkmated by the British to advance beyond the Sutlej under
the Treaty of 1809, Ranjit Singh expanded his empire northwards
and westwards. His more remarkable achievements were conquests of
the Afghan principalities of Attock, Multan, Kashmir, Derajat and
Peshawar, which greatly extended the areas under his control.
Maharaja of Panjab
Though Ranjit Singh refused to sit on a throne or wear a crown in
keeping with the egalitarian traditions of the Sikh faith, need
was felt to organise some sort of ceremony to celebrate the fact
that the young Sukarchakia chief had become de jure Maharaja of
the Panjab. According to the account of the court historian Sohan
Lal Suri, a grand durbar was organised on the Baisakhi day, 12 April,
1801, in the Lahore Fort when Baba Sahib Singh Bedi, a direct descendant
of Guru Nanak, daubed Ranjit Singh's forehead with tilak and proclaimed
him as the Maharaja of Panjab. Then he took up a sword and tied
it round the Maharaja's waist declaring him to be the sole leader
of the Sikh community. All dissidents were asked to lay down their
arms before Ranjit Singh, which they did. When the ceremony was
over, a royal salute was fired from the Lahore Fort heralding the
establishment of Ranjit Singh's rule in Panjab. In the afternoon
the young ruler rode on his elephant, showering gold and silver
coins on the jubilant crowds. In the evening all homes in the city
were illuminated. It is important to note that upon being declared
the Maharaja of Panjab, Ranjit Singh did not issue coins in his
name as was the custom. On the contrary, the coins he issued bore
the inscription:
Degh-o-Tegh-o-Fateh Nusrat
Bedrang Yaft az Nanak Guru Gobind Singh
(Hospitality, sword, victory and conquest
unfailing have been received from Guru Nanak - Gobind Singh.)
Ranjit Singh preferred to be addressed
as Singh Sahib, Bhai or Sarkar, and his government to be called
Sarkar-e-Khalsa. He transacted most of the state business either
sitting cross-legged in one of the chairs which he had used as a
misldar, or sometimes sitting on a carpet or even the saddle of
his horse. "I am a peasant and a soldier, and do not care for
external pomp and show. My sword is enough to win me all the distinction
1 need," said the Maharaja. It is important to note that while
the Maharaja liked his family and nobles to be dressed in the best
of silk and jewels, he himself wore simple white clothes and, on
ceremonial occasions, tied the famous Koh-i-Noor round his arm.
The first challenge before Ranjit Singh after being declared the
ruler of Lahore was to win over the confidence of his subjects.
The Maharaja displayed great tact and farsightedness by appointing
Imam Baksh as the kotwal and Nizamuddin as the gazi of the city.
These steps went a long way in restoring confidence among his Muslim
subjects who constituted a majority in the newly established empire.
Ranjit Singh also sanctioned liberal funds for immediate repairs
of the boundary walls of the city so that the citizens could live
in peace.
Expansion
of Territories
After securing his position in Lahore, Ranjit Singh thought
of expanding the boundaries of his empire to become the Maharaja
of Panjab in the real sense of the term. There were a number of
hostile elements that the Maharaja had to subdue. The nawab of Kasur
had not reconciled himself to Ranjit Singh being declared the ruler
of Lahore. In conjunction with Sahib Singh, chief of the Bhangi
Misl, he thought of challenging Ranjit Singh's authority. Ranjit
Singh himself led an army to chastise the Bhangi ruler of Gujarat
and another contingent was dispatched under his trusted ally, Fateh
Singh Kallianwala. Both the Bhangi chief and the nawab of Kasur
were defeated and they accepted Ranjit Singh's sovereignty.
Ranjit Singh next turned his attention to the holy city of Amritsar.
With the help of his own forces and those of his mother-in-law,
Rani Sada Kaur, he marched to Amritsar and besieged the Gobindgarh
fort where the Bhangi forces had entrenched themselves. Noticing
the invading army, Bhangi forces started firing at Ranjit Singh's
forces. To avoid any damage to the Golden Temple and the Akal Takhat
in fierce fighting, Ranjit Singh did not return the fire but succeeded
in securing the surrender of the Bhangi forces through negotiations
with the help of Akali Phoola Singh. He annexed Amritsar to his
empire and took away the famous Zamzama gun to Lahore, which proved
very useful to the Maharaja in his future military campaigns. He
paid homage at the Harimandir and the Akal Takhat and made valuable
offerings as thanksgiving.
Friendship
Treaty with the British
Ranjit Singh's conquests of the nearby territories in quick
succession greatly alarmed the British Government, which had by
then established its hold on most of the Indian states. The British
intervened to prevent Ranjit Singh's move to further expand towards
the east by subjugating the Sutlej Sikh states. These Sikh states
also feared the expansionist policies of the Maharaja and took shelter
under the British by signing subsidiary alliances with the British
Government. In 1809 Ranjit Singh signed a treaty of friendship and
peace with the British by which he agreed not to interfere in the
affairs of the Sutlej Sikh chiefs. In return, the British Government
acknowledged Ranjit Singh's sovereignty over Panjab and, by implication,
agreed to his expansion towards the North-west. Having secured his
borders with the British through the treaty, Ranjit Singh made determined
advances towards the other side. In a series of rapid victories
he succeeded in greatly expanding his empire whose borders touched
north-west frontier on one side and Ladakh, Tibet and China on the
other.
Conquests in the North-west
Checked in the East by the treaty of 1809, Ranjit Singh
made successful inroads into the territories to the North-west of
his empire. After consolidating his hold over Kasur, Sialkot and
Sheikhupura, Ranjit Singh turned to Multan, which, apart from its
strategic military importance, was also a leading commercial centre.
Ranjit Singh dispatched a force of 20,000 men under the joint command
of his son Kharak Singh and General Diwan Chand. The artillery,
which included the Zamzama gun, was under the command of General
Ilahi Baksh. Ranjit Singh's army succeeded in capturing the forts
of Muzzafargarh and Khangarh. Muzzafar Khan put up stiff resistance
but was killed in action and Multan was captured by the invading
army. He then marched to Hazara and, a little later, captured Peshawar.
It was for the first time in Indian history that tables had been
turned against the Afghan invaders when one of the native Indian
rulers subdued the most ferocious tribesmen on the North-west frontier
through his tact and heroism. In 1819 Ranjit Singh also annexed
the beautiful valley of Kashmir.
Durbar of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
As chief of the misl, Ranjit Singh did not have much of
an administrative setup, his only staff being a financial manager,
a few clerks and, of course, bands of soldiers of fortune. After
the occupation of Lahore and further expansion of territories, Ranjit
Singh needed a proper system of administration. With the help of
Diwan Bhawani Das, the Maharaja soon built up a departmental organisation
where he employed competent persons from different walks of life,
irrespective of their religious affiliations. At its height, the
Maharaja's Durbar had fifteen major departments, each headed by
a trusted and competent minister. For the purposes of administration,
his vast empire was divided into four provinces, namely: Lahore,
Multan, Kashmir and Peshawar. In addition to these provinces under
the direct control of the Maharaja, there were a number of hill
principalities which had accepted his sovereignty. A governor controlled
each province. Influential men like Hari Singh Nalwa, Diwan Sawan
Mal, Sardar Lehna Singh Majithia and General Avitabile held these
positions.
Popular Panjabi Maharaja
Ranjit Singh vas able to rise above the communal prejudices of his
times and treated all his subjects on equal footing. Competent persons
from all faiths - Sikh, Hindu, Muslim - occupied high positions
in the court of the Maharaja. That the Maharaja was able to create
a sense of Panjabi nationalism is evident from the fact that when,
after his death, the British compelled the Lahore Durbar to take
up arms, all communities-Hindu, Muslim and Sikh-fought shoulder
to shoulder and ungrudgingly mingled their blood in a vain attempt
to save the first Panjabi sovereign state established by Ranjit
Singh. The Maharaja was able to do what no other Indian ruler had
done before by making Panjabis realise that being a Panjabi was
more important than being Muslim, Hindu or Sikh. He was the founding
father of Panjabiyat-his army and administration fully represented
all the three communities.
There were a large number of Muslim officers in the civil and military
administration of Ranjit Singh. He gave them a place of honour in
the government and the society. The famous Fakir brothers were three
strong pillars of Ranjit Singh's empire. Fakir Aziz-ud-Din was the
foreign minister, Fakir Nur-ud-Din was the home minister and his
personal physician while Fakir Imam-ud-Din was in charge of the
treasury at Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar. Ranjit Singh established
a powerful Panjabi state which was secular in character. There were
no forced conversions in his reign, no communal riots, no language
tensions and no second-class citizenship.
Queens: Brave and Beautiful
As was common with the monarchs during those days, Ranjit singh
had many queens, some of whom he married according to Sikh custom.
There were situations where the Maharaja had to enter into matrimonial
alliances with the daughters of other Sikh chiefs and neighbouring
rulers in order to strengthen his political base. What is noticeable
about the queens of the Maharaja is the fact they not only possessed
beautiful looks and feminine charm but also qualities of leadership,
which was best demonstrated by Maharani Jindan. As Queen Mother
and Regent of her young son Duleep Singh, who occupied the throne
in 1843, Maharani Jindan gave ample evidence of being a brave and
fearless queen with abilities to guide in matters of state. The
Maharani provided able leadership to the Khalsa army and did not
allow them to compromise their honour and dignity at the hands of
treacherous British officials who were devising strategies to put
to an end the last of the independent native states. While not much
is known about the other queens of the Maharaja, such as Mehtab
Kaur, Raj Kaur, Gul Begum and Raj Banso, Moran emerged as the favourite
queen of the Maharaja. A year after his coronation when Ranjit Singh
was a young man of twenty two, he fell in love with Moran. The Maharaja's
decision to marry Moran greatly upset the orthodox Sikhs, who created
a storm of protest. They met at the Akal Takhat and decided to summon
the Maharaja and ordered him to undergo public flogging for violating
the Sikh code of conduct. The Maharaja readily agreed to abide by
the word of the Akal Takhat and presented himself before Akali Phoola
Singh, then Jathedar of the Takhat, and bared his back to receive
the lashes. Akali Phoola Singh was greatly moved by the Maharaja's
humble submission and changed the corporal punishment to a fine
of one and a quarter lakh rupees.
Moran was most beautiful of the queens of Ranjit Singh and the Maharaja
fondly called her Moran Sarkar. Unlike other queens of the Maharaja,
she did not observe purdah. She appeared with Ranjit Singh in public
and rode on an elephant with the Maharaja in the processions. There
is a popular tradition, though untenable, that the Maharaja even
got a series of coins issued in her name. When the British Governor-General,
Lord William Bentick, and his wife came to meet the Maharaja at
the Ropar Durbar, noticing the couple's fondness for each other,
Ranjit Singh remarked that he was reminded of Moran for whom he
had the same kind of love and could not bear separation from her
even for a moment.
Leili: The Favourite Horse
The Maharaja's passion for horses is evident from the battles he
fought simply because he wanted to possess a particular horse and,
upon the owner's refusal to part with the animal, he would not hesitate
to wage a war. Baron Hugel, a contemporary European traveller who
visited Panjab and met the Maharaja, claims to have been told by
Ranjit Singh himself that it cost him 12,000 soldiers and 60,00,000
rupees to possess Leili, a legendary horse of its time. It was in
AD 1822 when Ranjit Singh learnt that Yar Muhammad Barakzai, Chief
of Basawan, had a Persian horse of rare breed called Leili. He sent
Fakir Aziz-ud-Din to Peshawar to persuade the chief to part with
Leili. Yar Muhammad offered a number of horses but Leili, the desired
animal, was not one of them. When the Maharaja asked the reason
for not sending Leili, Yar Muhammad told a lie saying the celebrated
horse was dead. The shrewd Maharaja did not believe him. He sent
a force under Budh Singh Sandhanwalia. In the ensuing battle, Budh
Singh was killed; and the Maharaja sent his French Generals Allard
and Ventura, who managed to bring Yar Mohammad's brother and twelve-year-old
son as hostages to the Maharaja's court. Once, when the young boy
was comparing Maharaja's horses with Leili, Ranjit Singh asked whether
Leili was alive, to which the young boy innocently said yes. Losing
no time, the Maharaja sent word to Yar Muhammad to send Leili forthwith
and, on his refusal to do that, waged a bloody war and finally succeeded
in securing Leili. The legendry horse entered Lahore almost in a
bridal procession when it was decorated with world's costliest jewels,
including the Koh-i-Noor. The court poet, Qadir Yar, even composed
a poem in praise of Leili. A few years later when Leili died, the
Maharaja wept inconsolably and the steed was given state burial
with the firing of 21-gun salute. Such were Maharaja's passions.
Koh-i-Noor and Other Jewels
Maharaja Ranjit Singh not only possessed the world's
finest horses and the legendary Leili but also built a priceless
collection of jewels, including the world's most precious jewel,
the Koh-i-Noor. The following account of the nephew of Henry Edward
Fane, an ADC of Colonel Wade, the British Political Agent posted
in Ludhiana, describes the British astonishment over the fabulous
collection of the Maharaja.
The dresses and jewels of the raja's court were the most superb
that can be conceived; the whole scene can only be compared to a
gala night at the Opera. The minister's son, in particular, the
reigning favourite of the day (Hira Singh) was literally one mass
of jewels; his neck, arms and legs were covered with necklaces,
armlets and bangles, forms of pearls, diamonds and rubies, one above
the other, so thick that it was difficult to discover anything beneath
them.
During the marriage of the Maharaja's grandson, Kunwar Nau Nihal
Singh, the Britishers not only saw the Maharaja wearing the world
famous Koh-i-Noor and his sons and nobles donning equally valuable
jewels, they also discovered to their dismay unique hardihood and
skill of his troops, both traditional and non-traditional, trained
on European lines by the French Generals employed by the Maharaja.
While the Maharaja got most of the jewels from the treasury of Multan
during the capture of the city or as presents, Koh-i-Noor came into
his possession in a rather dramatic manner. Shah Shuja, after being
deposed as the ruler of Afghanistan, was sent to Kashmir as a prisoner
while his wife Wafa Begum took refuge under Maharaja Ranjit Singh
in Lahore. In order to get her husband released from captivity,
she approached the Maharaja and promised to give the fabulous diamond
in return for his help. The mighty and shrewd Maharaja thought out
a strategy by which he succeeded in capturing Kashmir and also getting
Shah Shuja released. After restoring Shah Shuja to his family, Ranjit
Singh expected that the diamond as promised would be handed over
to him, which did not happen. The Maharaja cut off all supplies
to the haveli where Shah Shuja and his family were camping, which
compelled the Shah to hand over the promised diamond to the Maharaja.
Ranjit Singh felt very proud in getting Koh-i-Noor back to India
and thus vindicating the honour of his motherland. The Koh-i-Noor
remained a proud possession of Ranjit Singh and his family till
1849. When Ranjit Singh's kingdom was annexed to the British Empire,
the Koh-i-Noor and other valuables of the Maharaja were sent to
England.
Kalgi of Guru Gobind Singh and Other Sikh Relics
Deeply religious, Ranjit Singh greatly valued the relics of the
Sikh faith. He made a special room in the Lahore Fort where he kept
the original volume of Guru Granth Sahib prepared by Guru Arjan
Dev Before starting his day's work, he would listen to hymns, take
a wak and finally kiss the kalgi (plume) of Guru Gobind Singh. With
the passage of time, Ranjit Singh was able to build a valuable collection
of the Sikh relics. According to the details given by Misar Beli
Ram, in charge of Maharaja's toshakhana in Lahore, the sacred kalg
was presented to the Maharaja by a Bedi descendant of Guru Nanak
from Vyrowal in AD 1824. The toshakhana also lists various other
weapons of Guru Gobind Singh and those of the Maharaja which were
taken away by the British in AD 1849.
Beautification of the Golden Temple
by the Maharaja
Amritsar, being the spiritual capital of the Sikh religion, received
special attention from the Maharaja. The Maharaja would visit the
Harimandir quite often and listen to the singing of the holy hymns
sitting on the floor of the temple complex. It was because of the
Maharaja's devotion that the Harimandir was covered with gold-plated
copper sheets and came to be known as Swaran Mandir, or the Golden
Temple. A gold plate at the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum records:
"The Guru was kind enough to allow the privilege of service
to the temple to his humble servant Sri Maharaja Singh Sahib Ranjit
Singh." Master craftsmen under Ranjit Singh's instructions
redecorated the Golden Temple, and he himself took a keen interest
in the details of the work. The stone inlay and floral decorations
were executed by expert Muslim artisans and the murals by painters
from the famous Kangra School of Art. In terms of its architectural
style, the Golden Temple stands out as unique among all the shrines
of India.
Ranjit Singh in the Panjabi Folklore
Ranjit Singh was one of the few rulers who became a legend in his
lifetime. There are number of stories in the Panjabi folklore still
popular among the people of Panjab on both sides of the India-Pakistan
border. It is said that soon after the Maharaja established his
control over Lahore, a deputation of Sikhs waited upon the Maharaja
and complained that they were finding it difficult to put up with
the loud sound of the muezzin five times a day and made a forceful
plea to stop the practice of azan. The Maharaja told the deputation
to take up the responsibility of knocking at the door of each Muslim
house in their vicinity to summon them for prayers five times before
he could order the stoppage of azan. The Sikhs agreed to this arrangement.
After doing this for a week they approached the Maharaja, looking
more worried than before, and prayed for restoring the old practice.
This was Maharaja's way of helping religious communities understand
each other's point of view. Two other stories shed light on about
Maharaja's concern for his poor subjects. At one time during a famine,
the Maharaja ordered free distribution of ration from the royal
granary. To ensure that his orders were faithfully implemented,
the Maharaja used to visit various distribution points incognito.
One day as he was walking past a hovel he saw an old man sitting
on a sack, "Night is approaching, old man, why are you sitting
here in darkness?" asked the Maharaja. The old man replied
that the sack was too heavy for him to carry home. The Maharaja
carried the sack to the old man's house and was blessed.
In another incident when the Maharaja was going out in a procession,
an old woman rushed to him and banged her old iron pan on the Maharaja.
On being arrested, she was produced before the Maharaja and asked
to explain her mad act. She explained that she had heard that the
Maharaja was like a paras whose mere touch would convert iron into
gold. Being very poor and old, she thought this might end her misery.
The Maharaja is said to have ordered his officials to give the old
woman gold equivalent to the weight of her old iron pan.
There are stories which demonstrate Ranjit Singh's wit and sense
of humour. Once Akali Phoola Singh noticed the Maharaja riding on
an elephant and shouted, "You one-eyed man, who gave you this
buffalo to ride on?" Rather than lose his temper and teach
Phoola Singh a lesson, the Maharaja smiled and said in mocking humility,
"It is a gift from Your Honour." In another incident,
Moran, while exchanging pleasantries with him asked, "Maharaj
where were you when God was distributing good looks?" "I
was busy conquering territories and building an empire," retorted
the quick-witted Maharaja.
The Last Phase
Hero of many decisive battles, Ranjit Singh possessed unusual vigour
and vitality. Like most strong men of his times, Ranjit Singh overstrained
himself. More often he plunged himself into some of the most difficult
operations because he was not used to giving up and achieved success
in almost all cases. How could he be outdone by anyone in any field?
Noticing that because of continuous exertions he had exhausted himself,
his doctors advised him rest but he hardly listened to them. Even
after his first serious illness in 1826, the Maharaja refused to
change his lifestyle. Some European doctors who treated him described
him as a 'difficult patient' because he would consult everyone but
hardly listen to the advice of anyone. Eight years later, the Maharaja
got a second stroke which, according to Hugel, had occurred on account
of the Maharaja overexerting himself. Fakir Aziz-ud-Din also confirms
that "lack of rest eroded the iron constitution of the Maharaja"
The third stroke occurred when the Maharaja was busy entertaining
the royal guests, including Lord Auckland, Governor General of India
in AD 1838.
The iron-willed Maharaja managed to survive the two serious attacks.
After his last attack, he was unable to speak but his mind was still
active. He would give orders through the language of signs while
the faithful minister Fakir Aziz-udDin would reduce them to writing
and ensure their implementation. Before the final and fatal stroke
on 22 June, 1839, the Maharaja was managing the affairs of the state
as efficiently as before. In spite of having been incapacitated
by repeated strokes, Ranjit Singh retained his passion for horse
riding. Invincible hero of many battles, he lost his battle of life
on 27 June, 1839. According to Osborne, "Ranjit
Singh died like the old Lion as he had lived. He preserved his senses
to the last, and was (which is unusual with the native princes)
obeyed to the last by all his chiefs... ."
While Ranjit Singh died in AD 1839 and his kingdom was annexed to
the British empire ten years later, he continues to live in the
memory of the people on both sides of Panjab and rule over their
hearts as a popular Panjabi Maharaja.
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