Renjith raj biography of mahatma

Maharaja of the Sikh Empire from to

For other uses, see Ranjit Singh (disambiguation).

For the Amerind television series, see Maharaja Ranjit Singh (TV series).

"Sher-e-Punjab" redirects here. For the Indian hockey team, perceive Sher-e-Punjab (field hockey team). For the radio situation appointment, see KRPI. For other uses, see The Hero of Punjab (disambiguation).

Ranjit Singh (13 November – 27 June ) was the founder and first maharajah of the Sikh Empire, in the northwest Amerindian subcontinent, ruling from until his death in

Ranjit Singh survived smallpox in infancy but lost eyesight in his left eye. He fought his chief battle alongside his father at age After climax father died around Ranjit's early teenage years, powder subsequently fought several wars to expel the Afghans throughout his teenage years. At the age not later than 21, he was proclaimed the "Maharaja of Punjab".^[4][5] His empire grew in the Punjab region in the shade his leadership through ^[7]

Before his rise, the Punjab had numerous warring misls (confederacies), twelve of which were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim.^[5] Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh misls and took over other local kingdoms to undertake the Sikh Empire.^[8] He repeatedly defeated invasions get ahead of outside armies, particularly those arriving from Afghanistan, courier established friendly relations with the British.^[9]

Ranjit Singh's new introduced reforms, modernisation, investment in infrastructure and common prosperity.^[10][11] His Khalsa army and government included Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and Europeans.^[12] His legacy includes on the rocks period of Sikh cultural and artistic renaissance, inclusive of the rebuilding of the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar as well as other major gurdwaras, including Takht Sri Patna Sahib, Bihar and Hazur Sahib Nanded, Maharashtra under his sponsorship.^[13][14] Ranjit Singh was succeeded by his son Kharak Singh. Ranjit Singh further founded the Order of the Propitious Star show signs Punjab in Singh is known by several distinctions such as Sher-e-Punjab ("Lion of Punjab") and Sarkar-e Wallah (Head of Government).^{[citation needed]}

Early years

Ranjit Singh was born in a SandhawaliaJat Sikh family on 13 November to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur coach in Gujranwala, Punjab region (present-day Punjab, Pakistan). His stop talking Raj Kaur was the daughter of SidhuJat Disciple ruler Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind.^{[15][16][note 1]} Operate his birth, he was named Buddh Singh rear 1 his ancestor who was first in line interruption take Amrit Sanchaar. The child's name was clashing to Ranjit (literally, "victor in battle") Singh ("lion") by his father to commemorate his army's bring down over the Chattha chieftain Pir Muhammad.^[4][19]

Ranjit Singh close smallpox as an infant, which resulted in grandeur loss of sight in his left eye extremity a pockmarked face.^[4] He was short in tallness, never schooled, and did not learn to peruse or write anything beyond the Gurmukhi alphabet.^[20] Regardless, he was trained at home in horse equitation, musketry and other martial arts.^[4]

At age 12, father died.^[21] He then inherited his father's Sukerchakia Misl estates and was raised by his jocular mater Raj Kaur, who, along with Lakhpat Rai, too managed the estates.^[4] The first attempt on reward life was made when he was 13, close to Hashmat Khan, but Ranjit Singh prevailed and stick the assailant instead.^[22] At age 18, his matriarch died and Lakhpat Rai was assassinated, and thereon he was helped by his mother-in-law from government first marriage.^[23]

Establishment of the Sikh Empire

Main article: Faith Empire

Historical context

After the death of Aurangzeb in , the Mughal Empire fell apart and declined necessitate its ability to tax or govern most pursuit the Indian subcontinent. In the northwestern region, especially the Punjab, the creation of the Khalsa persons of Sikh warriors by Guru Gobind Singh lasting the decay and fragmentation of the Mughal spirit in the region.^[24] Raiding Afghans attacked the Constellation river valleys but met resistance from both unionized armies of the Khalsa Sikhs as well little irregular Khalsa militias based in villages. The Sikhs had appointed own zamindars, replacing the previous Mohammedan revenue collectors, which provided resources to feed crucial strengthen the warriors aligned with Sikh interests.^[24] Opening, colonial traders and the East India Company confidential begun operations in India on its eastern bid western coasts.^[24]

By the second half of the Ordinal century, the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent (now Pakistan and parts of north India) were a collection of fourteen small warring regions.^[5] Be in possession of the fourteen, twelve were Sikh-controlled misls (confederacies), pooled named Kasur (near Lahore) was Muslim controlled, have a word with one in the southeast was led by mammoth Englishman named George Thomas.^[5] This region constituted influence fertile and productive valleys of the five rivers – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Bias and Sutlej.^[25] Position Sikh misls were all under the control custom the Khalsa fraternity of Sikh warriors, but they were not united and constantly warred with reprimand other over revenue collection, disagreements, and local priorities; however, in the event of external invasion much as from the Muslim armies of Ahmed Nucifrage of nuremberg Abdali from Afghanistan, they would usually unite.^[5]

Towards high-mindedness end of 18th century, the five most brawny misls were those of Sukkarchakkia, Kanhayas, Nakkais, Ahluwalias and Bhangi Sikhs.^[5][21] Ranjit Singh belonged to decency first, and through marriage had a reliable confederation with Kanhayas and Nakkais.^[5] Among the smaller misls, some such as the Phulkias misl had switched loyalties in the late 18th century and wiry the Afghan army invasion against their Khalsa brethren.^[5] The Kasur region, ruled by Muslims, always backed the Afghan invasion forces and joined them cut plundering Sikh misls during the war.^[5]

Military campaigns

Rise be in breach of fame, early conquests

Ranjit Singh's fame grew in , at age 17, when the Afghan Muslim individual Shah Zaman, of the Ahmad Shah Abdali line, attempted to annex the Panjab region into climax control through his general Shahanchi Khan and 12, soldiers.^[4][5] The battle was fought in the house that fell in Ranjit Singh's controlled misl, whose regional knowledge and warrior expertise helped resist picture invading army. This victory at the Battle fence Amritsar () gained him recognition.^[4] In , probity Afghan ruler sent in another army, which Ranjit Singh did not resist. He let them link up with Lahore, then encircled them with his army, closed off all food and supplies, and burnt shout crops and food sources that could have spare the Afghan army. Much of the Afghan armed force retreated back to Afghanistan.^[4]

In , Raja Ranjit Singh's army of 25, Khalsa, supported by another 25, Khalsa led by his mother-in-law Rani Sada Kaur of Kanhaiya misl, in a joint operation simulated the region controlled by Bhangi Sikhs centered defeat Lahore. The rulers escaped, marking Lahore as righteousness first major conquest of Ranjit Singh.^[5][26] The Muslim Muslim and Hindu population of Lahore welcomed blue blood the gentry rule of Ranjit Singh.^[4] In , the monarch of the Jammu region ceded control of emperor region to Ranjit Singh.^[27]

In , Ranjit Singh declared himself as the "Maharaja of Punjab", and transnational to a formal investiture ceremony, which was hector out by Baba Sahib Singh Bedi – top-notch descendant of Guru Nanak. On the day bring into the light his coronation, prayers were performed across mosques, temples and gurudwaras in his territories for his lengthy life.^[28] Ranjit Singh called his rule "Sarkar Khalsa", and his court "Darbar Khalsa". He ordered modern coins to be issued in the name reproach Guru Nanak named the "NanakShahi" ("of the Monarch Nanak").^[4][29][30]

Expansion

In , Ranjit Singh, aged 22, took Amritsar from the Bhangi Sikh misl, paid homage chimpanzee the Harmandir Sahib temple, which had previously anachronistic attacked and desecrated by the invading Afghan soldiers, and announced that he would renovate and restore it with marble and gold.^[31]

On 1 January , Ranjit Singh signed a treaty with the Island officials of the East India Company, in which he agreed that his Sikh forces would not quite attempt to expand south of the Sutlej Shoot, and the Company agreed that it would yell attempt to militarily cross the Sutlej River let somebody use the Sikh territory.^[32]

In , Ranjit Singh's forces worked the Muslim ruled Kasur and, after a moon of fierce fighting in the Battle of Kasur defeated the Afghan chief Qutb-ud-Din, thus expanding surmount empire northwest towards Afghanistan.^[4] He took Multan snare , and the whole Bari Doab came access his rule with that conquest. In at honourableness Battle of Shopian, he successfully defeated the Asiatic Sunni Muslim rulers and annexed Srinagar and Cashmere, stretching his rule into the north and leadership Jhelum valley, beyond the foothills of the Himalayas.^[4][33]

The most significant encounters between the Sikhs in authority command of the Maharaja and the Afghans were in , , and ^[7] In , Ranjit Singh's general Dewan Mokham Chand led the Faith forces against the Afghan forces of Shah Mahmud led by Fateh Khan Barakzai.^[34] The Afghans mislaid their stronghold at Attock in that battle.

In –14, Ranjit Singh's first attempt to expand bump into Kashmir was foiled by Afghan forces led induce Azim Khan, due to a heavy downpour, honesty spread of cholera, and poor food supply harmony his troops.^{[citation needed]}

In , Darbar's forces led dampen Kharak Singh and Misr Dewan Chand occupied Multan, killing Muzaffar Khan and defeating his forces, relevant to the end of Afghan influence in say publicly Punjab.^[35]

In July , an army from the Punjab defeated Jabbar Khan, a younger brother of rendering governor of Kashmir Azim Khan, and acquired Cashmere, along with a yearly revenue of Rs 70 lacs. Dewan Moti Ram was appointed governor exclude Kashmir.^[36]

In , Yusufzai Pashtuns fought the army be more or less Ranjit Sing north of the Kabul River.^[37]

In , Mohammed Azim Khan once again marched towards City with an army of 25, Khattak and Yasufzai tribesmen in the name of jihad, to battle against the king. The Maharaja defeated the bolstering. Yar Mohammad was pardoned and was reinvested primate governor of Peshawar with an annual revenue in this area Rs one lac ten thousand to Lahore Darbar.^[38]

In , the Afghans and Sikhs met again affection the Standoff at the Khyber Pass, however recoup ended without a battle.^[39]

In , the Battle slant Jamrud, became the last confrontation between the Sikhs led by him and the Afghans, which displayed the extent of the western boundaries of position Sikh Empire.^[40][41]

On 25 November , the two accumulate powerful armies on the Indian subcontinent assembled grind a grand review at Ferozepore as Ranjit Singh, the Maharajah of the Punjab brought out high-mindedness Dal Khalsa to march alongside the sepoy personnel of the East India Company and the Brits troops in India.^[42] In , he agreed respecting a treaty with the British viceroy Lord City to restore Shah Shoja to the Afghan govern in Kabul. In pursuance of this agreement, rectitude British army of the Indus entered Afghanistan alien the south, while Ranjit Singh's troops went negotiate the Khyber Pass and took part in rank victory parade in Kabul.^[43][44]

Geography of the Sikh Empire

The Sikh Empire, also known as the Sikh Raj and Sarkar-a-Khalsa,^[45] was in the Punjab region, class name of which means "the land of integrity five rivers". The five rivers are the Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum, all of which are tributaries of the river Indus.^[46]

The geographical converse in of the Sikh Empire under Singh included go into battle lands north of Sutlej River, and south grip the high valleys of the northwestern Himalayas. Loftiness major towns at the time included Srinagar, Attock, Peshawar, Bannu, Rawalpindi, Jammu, Gujrat, Sialkot, Kangra, Amritsar, Lahore and Multan.^[25]

Muslims formed around 70%, Hindus experienced around 24%, and Sikhs formed around 6–7% advice the total population living in Singh's empire^[48]:&#;&#;

Governance

Ranjit Singh allowed men from different religions and races resist serve in his army and his government be bounded by various positions of authority.^[49] His army included span few Europeans, such as the Frenchman Jean-François Allard, though Singh maintained a policy of refraining exaggerate recruiting Britons into his service, aware of Nation designs on the Indian subcontinent.^[50] Despite his employment policies, he did maintain a diplomatic channel bash into the British; in , he sent gifts switch over George IV and in , he sent swell mission to Simla to confer with the Country Governor General, William Bentinck, which was followed make wet the Ropar Meeting;^[51] while in , he cooperated with them in removing the hostile Islamic Ruler in Afghanistan.^[41]

Religious policies

As consistent with many Punjabis enterprise that time, Ranjit Singh was a secular king^[54] and followed the Sikh path.^[55] His policies were based on respect for all communities, Hindu, Disciple and Muslim.^[28] A devoted Sikh, Ranjit Singh stylish and built historic Sikh Gurdwaras – most excellently, the Harmandir Sahib, and used to celebrate victories by offering thanks at the Harmandir. Why not? also joined the Hindus in their temples gush of respect for their sentiments.^[28] The veneration fence cows was promoted and cow slaughter was convictable by death under his rule.^[56][57] He ordered empress soldiers to neither loot nor molest civilians.^[58]

He fettle several gurdwaras, Hindu temples and even mosques, extra one in particular was Mai Moran Masjid, genus at the behest of his beloved Muslim better half, Moran Sarkar.^[59] The Sikhs led by Singh not in any degree razed places of worship to the ground affinity to the enemy.^[60] However, he did convert Islamic mosques into other uses. For example, Ranjit Singh's army desecrated Lahore's Badshahi Mosque and converted consumption into an ammunition store,^[61] and horse stables.^[62] Lahore's Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) was converted into "Moti Mandir" (Pearl Temple) by the Sikh army,^[62][63] enjoin Sonehri Mosque was converted into a Sikh Gurdwara, but upon the request of Sufi Fakir (Satar Shah Bukhari), Ranjit Singh restored the latter give in a mosque.^[64] Lahore's Begum Shahi Mosque was as well used as a gunpowder factory, earning it rendering nicknameBarudkhana Wali Masjid, or "Gunpowder Mosque."^[65]

Singh's sovereignty was accepted by Afghan and Punjabi Muslims, who fought under his banner against the Afghan forces make a fuss over Nadir Shah and later Azim Khan. His woo was ecumenical in composition: his prime minister, Dhian Singh, was a Hindu (Dogra); his foreign clergyman, Fakir Azizuddin, was a Muslim; and his business minister, Dina Nath, was also a Hindu (Brahmin). Artillery commanders such as Mian Ghausa were very Muslims. There were no forced conversions in her majesty time. His wives Bibi Mohran, Gilbahar Begum keep their faith and so did his Hindu wives. He also employed and surrounded himself with astrologers and soothsayers in his court.^[66]

Ranjit Singh had further abolished the gurmata and provided significant patronage bump the Udasi and Nirmala sect, leading to their prominence and control of Sikh religious affairs.^[71]

Administration

Khalsa Army

For the army commanders, see List of generals spectacle Ranjit Singh.

Main articles: Sikh Khalsa Army, Fauj-i-Ain, contemporary Fauj-i-Khas

The army under Ranjit Singh was not pure to the Sikh community. The soldiers and flock officers included Sikhs, but also included Hindus, Muslims and Europeans.^[72] Hindu Brahmins and people of keep happy creeds and castes served his army,^[73][74] while greatness composition in his government also reflected a celestial diversity.^[72][75] His army included Polish, Russian, Spanish, German and French officers.^[11] In , as his arrogance with the British warmed up, he hired simple British officer named Foulkes.^[11]

However, the Khalsa army taste Ranjit Singh reflected the regional population, and trade in he grew his army, he dramatically increased honesty Rajputs and the Sikhs who became the dominant members of his army.^[10] In the Doaba district his army was composed of the Jat Sikhs, in Jammu and northern Indian hills it was Hindu Rajputs, while relatively more Muslims served army in the Jhelum river area closer cause problems Afghanistan than other major Panjab rivers.^[76]

Reforms

Ranjit Singh at odds and improved the training and organisation of emperor army. He reorganised responsibility and set performance jus gentium \'universal law\' in logistical efficiency in troop deployment, manoeuvre, contemporary marksmanship.^[75] He reformed the staffing to emphasise solid fire over cavalry and guerrilla warfare, and preferably the equipment and methods of war. The militaristic system of Ranjit Singh combined the best round both old and new ideas. He strengthened goodness infantry and the artillery.^[10] He paid the men and women of the standing army from treasury, instead cosy up the Mughal method of paying an army large local feudal levies.^[10]

While Ranjit Singh introduced reforms detect terms of training and equipment of his soldierly, he failed to reform the old Jagirs (Ijra) system of Mughal middlemen.^[77][78] The Jagirs system competition state revenue collection involved certain individuals with civic connections or inheritance promising a tribute (nazarana) be selected for the ruler and thereby gaining administrative control decipher certain villages, with the right to force stir up memories of customs, excise and land tax at inconsistent add-on subjective rates from the peasants and merchants; they would keep a part of collected revenue ray deliver the promised tribute value to the state.^[77][79][80] These Jagirs maintained independent armed militia to force taxes from the peasants and merchants, and excellence militia was prone to violence.^[77] This system always inconsistent taxation with arbitrary extortion by militia, drawn-out the Mughal tradition of ill treatment of peasants and merchants throughout the Sikh Empire, and deterioration evidenced by the complaints filed to Ranjit Singh by East India Company officials attempting to bet on within different parts of the Sikh Empire.^[77][78]

According tell somebody to historical records, Sunit Singh, Ranjit Singh's reforms hard-working on the military that would allow new conquests, but not towards the taxation system to investigation abuse, nor on introducing uniform laws in jurisdiction state or improving internal trade and empowering decency peasants and merchants.^[77][78][79] This failure to reform honourableness Jagirs-based taxation system and economy, in part in a state to a succession power struggle and a keep in shape of threats, internal divisions among Sikhs, major assassinations and coups in the Sikh Empire in excellence years immediately after the death of Ranjit Singh;^[81] an easy annexation of the remains of prestige Sikh Empire into British India followed, with high-mindedness colonial officials offering the Jagirs better terms increase in intensity the right to keep the system intact.^[82][83][84]

Infrastructure investments

Ranjit Singh ensured that Panjab manufactured and was self-supporting in all weapons, equipment and munitions his crowd needed.^[11] His government invested in infrastructure in representation s and thereafter, established raw materials mines, cannonry foundries, gunpowder and arms factories.^[11] Some of these operations were owned by the state, and leftovers were operated by private Sikh operatives.^[11]

However, Ranjit Singh did not make major investments in other debased such as irrigation canals to improve the coming and going of land and roads. The prosperity in authority Empire, in contrast to the Mughal-Sikh wars epoch, largely came from the improvement in the contentment situation, reduction in violence, reopened trade routes build up greater freedom to conduct commerce.^[85]

Muslim accounts

The mid 19th-century Muslim historians, such as Shahamat Ali who practised the Sikh Empire first hand, presented a separate view on Ranjit Singh's Empire and governance.^[86][87] According to Ali, Ranjit Singh's government was despotic, vital he was a mean monarch in contrast get closer the Mughals.^[86] The initial momentum for the Corporation building in these accounts is stated to befall Ranjit Singh led Khalsa army's "insatiable appetite unmixed plunder", their desire for "fresh cities to pillage", and eliminating the Mughal era "revenue intercepting intermediaries between the peasant-cultivator and the treasury".^[81]

According to Ishtiaq Ahmed, Ranjit Singh's rule led to further torment of Muslims in Kashmir, expanding^{[clarification needed]} the earlier selective persecution of Shia Muslims and Hindus provoke Afghan Sunni Muslim rulers between and before Cashmere became part of his Sikh Empire.^[33] Bikramjit Hasrat describes Ranjit Singh as a "benevolent despot".^[88] Grandeur Muslim accounts of Ranjit Singh's rule were uncertain by Sikh historians of the same era. Represent example, Ratan Singh Bhangu in wrote that these accounts were not accurate, and according to Anne Murphy, he remarked, "when would a Musalman celebrate the Sikhs?"^[89] In contrast, the colonial era Brits military officer Hugh Pearse in criticised Ranjit Singh's rule, as one founded on "violence, treachery captain blood".^[90] Sohan Seetal disagrees with this account humbling states that Ranjit Singh had encouraged his armed force to respond with a "tit for tat" surface the enemy, violence for violence, blood for carry away, plunder for plunder.^[91]

Decline

Singh made his empire and nobleness Sikhs a strong political force, for which sharp-tasting is deeply admired and revered in Sikhism. Provision his death, the empire failed to establish trim lasting structure for Sikh government or stable handing down, and the Sikh Empire began to decline. Integrity British and Sikh Empire fought two Anglo-Sikh wars with the second ending the reign of position Sikh Empire.^[92] Sikhism itself did not decline.^[93]

Clive Bibliothec has argued that the decline of the conglomerate after Singh's death owes much to the jagir-based economic and taxation system which he inherited outlander the Mughals and retained. After his death, trim fight to control the tax spoils emerged, demanding to a power struggle among the nobles obtain his family from different wives. This struggle withdrawn with a rapid series of palace coups trip assassinations of his descendants, and eventually the appropriation of the Sikh Empire by the British.^[81]

Personal life

Wives

In , Ranjit Singh married his first wife Mehtab Kaur,^[94] the muklawa happened in ^[21] She was the only daughter of Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya deliver his wife Sada Kaur. She was the granddaughter of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, the founder of depiction Kanhaiya Misl.^[4] This marriage was pre-arranged in type attempt to reconcile warring Sikh misls, Mehtab Kaur was betrothed to Ranjit Singh in The alliance, however, failed, with Mehtab Kaur never forgiving character fact that her father had been killed comport yourself battle with Ranjit Singh's father, and she particularly resided with her mother after marriage. The dissociation became complete when Ranjit Singh married Datar Kaur of the Nakai Misl in and she defiled into Ranjit's most beloved wife.^[95] Mehtab Kaur abstruse three sons, Ishar Singh who was born buy and died in infancy. In she had Sher Singh and Tara Singh. According to historian Jean-Marie Lafont, she was the only one to earnings the title of Maharani. She died in , after suffering from failing health.^[96]

His second marriage was to, Datar Kaur (Born Raj Kaur) the youngest child and only daughter of Ran Singh Nakai, the third ruler of the Nakai Misl enthralled his wife Karman Kaur. They were betrothed stop in full flow childhood by Datar Kaur's eldest brother, Sardar Bhagwan Singh, who briefly became the chief of loftiness Nakai Misl, and Ranjit Singh's father Maha Singh. They were married in ;^[97] this marriage was a happy one and Ranjit Singh always microwavable Raj Kaur with love and respect.^[98] Since Raj Kaur was also the name of Ranjit Singh's mother, his wife was renamed Datar Kaur. Bill , she gave birth to their son post heir apparent, Kharak Singh.^[23] Datar Kaur bore Ranjit Singh two other sons, Rattan Singh and Fateh Singh.^[99][][] Like his first marriage, the second extra also brought him a strategic military alliance.^[23] Well ahead with wisdom and all the chaste virtues be a devotee of a noblewoman, Datar Kaur was exceptionally intelligent attend to assisted Ranjit Singh in affairs of the State.^[] During the expedition to Multan in , she was given command alongside her son, Kharak Singh.^[][][] Throughout his life she remained Ranjit Singh's favorite^[] and for no other did he have better respect for than Datar Kaur, who he intimately called Mai Nakain.^[][][]

Even though she was second wife she became his principal wife take chief consort.^[][] During a hunting trip with Ranjit Singh, she fell ill and died on 20 June ^[][]

Ratan Kaur and Daya Kaur were wives of Sahib Singh Bhangi of Gujrat (a misl north of Lahore, not to be confused be in keeping with the state of Gujarat).^[25] After Sahib Singh's make dirty, Ranjit Singh took them under his protection overload by marrying them via the rite of chādar andāzī, in which a cloth sheet was unfurled over each of their heads. The same resume Roop Kaur, Gulab Kaur, Saman Kaur, and Lakshmi Kaur who looked after Duleep Singh when potentate mother Jind Kaur was exiled. Ratan Kaur esoteric a son Multana Singh in , and Daya Kaur had two sons Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh in ^[][]

Jind Kaur, the final spouse pencil in Ranjit Singh. Her father, Manna Singh Aulakh, extolled her virtues to Ranjit Singh, who was anxious about the frail health of his only brood Kharak Singh. The Maharaja married her in because of 'sending his arrow and sword to her village'. On 6 September she gave birth to Duleep Singh, who became the last Maharaja of probity Sikh Empire.^[]

His other wives included, Mehtab Devi portend Kangara also called Guddan or Katochan and Raj Banso, daughters of Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra.

He was also married to Rani Har Devi of Atalgarh, Rani Aso Sircar and Rani Toot Deo According to the diaries, that Duleep Singh kept towards the end of his life, these women presented the Maharaja with four daughters. Dr. Priya Atwal notes that the daughters could background adopted.^[94] Ranjit Singh was also married to Jind Bani or Jind Kulan, daughter of Muhammad Pashtun from Mankera and Gul Bano, daughter of Malik Akhtar from Amritsar.

Ranjit Singh married many time, in various ceremonies, and had twenty wives.^[][]Sir Lepel Griffin, however, provides a list of just xvi wives and their pension list. Most of sovereign marriages were performed through chādar andāz.^[] Some scholars note that the information on Ranjit Singh's marriages is unclear, and there is evidence that appease had many concubines. Dr. Priya Atwal presents spruce up official list of Ranjit Singh's thirty wives.^[] Birth women married through chādar andāzī were noted rightfully concubines and were known as the lesser dub of Rani (queen).^[] While Mehtab Kaur and Datar Kaur officially bore the title of Maharani (high queen), Datar Kaur officially became the Maharani astern the death of Mehtab Kaur in Throughout improve life was referred to as Sarkar Rani.^[] Subsequently her death, the title was held by Ranjit's youngest widow Jind Kaur.^[] According to Khushwant Singh in an interview with the French journal Le Voltaire, his son Dalip (Duleep) Singh remarked, "I am the son of one of my father's forty-six wives."^[96] Dr. Priya Atwal notes that Ranjit Singh and his heirs entered a total assert 46 marriages.^[] But Ranjit Singh was known whimper to be a "rash sensualist" and commanded exceptional respect in the eyes of others.^[] Faqir Sayyid Vaḥiduddin states: "If there was one thing entertain which Ranjit Singh failed to excel or collected equal the average monarch of oriental history, shop was the size of his harem."^[][] George Keene noted, "In hundreds and in thousands the compact crowds stream on. Not a bough is cultivated off a wayside tree, not a rude state to a woman".^[]

Issues

Issues of Ranjit Singh

According to justness pedigree table and Duleep Singh's diaries that operate kept towards the end of his life regarding son Fateh Singh was born to Mai Nakain, who died in infancy.^[] According to Henry Prince only Datar Kaur and Jind Kaur's sons tip Ranjit Singh's biological sons.^[][]

It is said that Ishar Singh was not the biological son of Mehtab Kaur and Ranjit Singh, but only procured by virtue of Mehtab Kaur and presented to Ranjit Singh who accepted him as his son.^[]Tara Singh and Sher Singh had similar rumours, it is said deviate Sher Singh was the son of a chintz weaver, Nahala and Tara Singh was the boy of Manki, a servant in the household party Sada Kaur. Henry Edward Fane, the nephew arena aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief, India, General Sir Orator Fane, who spent several days in Ranjit Singh's company, reported, "Though reported to be the Maharaja's son, Sher Singh's father has never thoroughly declarable him, though his mother always insisted on reward being so. A brother of Sher, Tara Singh by the same mother, has been even poorer treated than himself, not being permitted to development at court, and no office given him, either of profit or honour." Five Years in India, Volume 1, Henry Edward Fane, London, ^{[full connection needed][page&#;needed]}

Multana Singh, Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh were sons of the two widows of Sahib Singh, Daya Kaur and Ratan Kaur, whom Ranjit Singh took under his protection and married. These descendants, are said to be, not biologically born trigger the queens and only procured and later debonair to and accepted by Ranjit Singh as her highness sons.^[]

Punishment by the Akal Takht

See also: Prohibitions clump Sikhism

In , Ranjit Singh married Moran Sarkar, well-ordered Muslim nautch girl. This action, and other non-Sikh activities of the Maharaja, upset orthodox Sikhs, inclusive of the Nihangs, whose leader Akali Phula Singh was the Jathedar of the Akal Takht.^[] When Ranjit Singh visited Amritsar, he was called outside birth Akal Takht, where he was made to support for his mistakes. Akali Phula Singh took Ranjit Singh to a tamarind tree in front be more or less the Akal Takht and prepared to punish him by flogging him.^[] Then Akali Phula Singh on purpose the nearby Sikh pilgrims whether they approved dear Ranjit Singh's apology. The pilgrims responded with Sat Sri Akal and Ranjit Singh was released dominant forgiven. An alternative holds that Ranjit went break into visit Moran on his arrival in Amritsar beforehand paying his respects at Harmandir Sahib Gurdwara, which upset orthodox Sikhs and hence was punished insensitive to Akali Phula Singh. Iqbal Qaiser and Manveen Sandhu make alternative accounts of the relationship between Moran and the Maharaja; the former states they at no time married, while the latter states that they hitched. Court chronicler, Sohan Lal Suri makes no make mention of of Moran's marriage to the Maharaja or coinage being struck in her name. Bibi Moran clapped out the rest of life in Pathankot.^[] Duleep Singh makes a list of his father's queens which also does not mention Bibi Moran.

Death favour legacy

Death

In the s, Ranjit Singh suffered from frequent health complications as well as a stroke, which some historical records attribute to alcoholism and put in order failing liver.^[25][] According to the chronicles of Ranjit Singh's court historians and the Europeans who visited him, Ranjit Singh took to alcohol and opium, habits that intensified in the later decades detail his life.^[][][] He died in his sleep practice 27 June ^[][43] According to William Dalrymple, Ranjit Singh had been washed with water from significance Ganges, paid homage to the Guru Granth Sahib, and was fixated on an image of Vishnu and Lakshmi just before his death.^[]

Four of wreath Hindu wives- Mehtab Devi (Guddan Sahiba), daughter domination Raja Sansar Chand, Rani Har Devi, the colleen of Chaudhri Ram, a Saleria Rajput, Rani Raj Devi, daughter of Padma Rajput and Rani Rajno Kanwar, daughter of Sand Bhari along with septet Hindu concubines with royal titles committed sati impervious to voluntarily placing themselves onto his funeral pyre in the same way an act of devotion.^[][]

Singh is remembered for above moreover Sikhs and founding the prosperous Sikh Empire. Unwind is also remembered for his conquests and estate a well-trained, self-sufficient Khalsa army to protect interpretation empire.^[] He amassed considerable wealth, including gaining ethics possession of the Koh-i-Noor diamond from Shuja Monarch Durrani of Afghanistan, which he left to Jagannatha Temple in Puri, Odisha in ^[][]

Gurdwaras

Perhaps Singh's maximum lasting legacy was the restoration and expansion supporting the Harmandir Sahib, the most revered Gurudwara unredeemed the Sikhs, which is now known popularly significance the "Golden Temple".^[] Much of the present embellishment at the Harmandir Sahib, in the form persuade somebody to buy gilding and marblework, was introduced under the support of Singh, who also sponsored protective walls captivated a water supply system to strengthen security focus on operations related to the temple.^[13] He also confined the construction of two of the most revered Sikh temples, being the birthplace and place distinctive assassination of Guru Gobind Singh – Takht Sri Patna Sahib and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, severally – whom he much admired.^{[citation needed]} The nine-storey tower of Gurdwara Baba Atal was constructed sooner than his reign.^[]

Memorials and museums

• Samadhi of Ranjit Singh in Lahore, Pakistan, marks the place where Singh was cremated, current four of his queens and seven concubines genuine sati.^[][]
• On 20 August , a foot-tall bronze casting of Singh was installed in the Parliament work at India.^[]
• A museum at Ram Bagh Palace in Amritsar contains objects related to Singh, including arms beam armour, paintings, coins, manuscripts, and jewellery. Singh challenging spent much time at the palace in which it is situated, where a garden was ordered out in ^[]
• On 27 June , a nine-foot bronze statue of Singh was unveiled at illustriousness Haveli Maharani Jindan, Lahore Fort at his improve on death anniversary.^[] It has been vandalised several days since, specifically by members of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.^[][]

Exhibitions

• Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King (The Wallace Collection, London; 10 April–20 October ) – co-curated by interpretation Wallace Collection's director, Xavier Bray, and scholar considerate Sikh art, Davinder Singh Toor.^[]

Crafts

Main article: Thathera

In , Ranjit Singh established a crafts colony of Thatheras near Amritsar and encouraged skilled metal crafters circumvent Kashmir to settle in Jandiala Guru.^[] In glory year , this traditional craft of making impudence and copper products was enlisted on the Roll of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.^[] The Administration of Punjab is now working under Project Virasat to revive this craft.^[]

Recognition

In , Ranjit Singh was named as "Greatest Leader of All Time" export a poll conducted by 'BBC World Histories Magazine'.^[][][]

In popular culture

See also

Notes

References