Chamar (Hindi: चमार, "tanner"; from the Sanskrit Charmakara) is a prominent occupational caste in India, Pakistan and Nepal. Chamar is a Dalit sub-caste mainly found in the northern states, such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and in Nepal at least north to the Himalayas. The traditional occupation of this caste was processing, manufacturing and trading in leather and leather goods, but agriculture is another important occupation in which they engage, either as owners or as tenants. However, professor Ramnarayan Rawat at the University of Pennsylvania posits that this association with tanning was constructed, and that the chamars were historically agriculturists^[1].

Chamars have a population of over 50 million. They are known to be one of the most highly influential groups amongst scheduled castes. Traditionally, their social status was low in the Indian caste system because of their association with tanning and thus are still considered as untouchables in some parts of India.

Background and origin[link]

Chamar were the diverse group of people who were engaged in manufacturing, processing and trading in leather and leather goods. A second occupation was farming, either in full ownership or on share cropping basis, by which they used to get a third or a quarter of the farm produce.

As now constituted, the Chamar caste is made up of a heterogeneous group of peoples. They do not belong to any one particular group, clan or area, but are those people from various castes who were classified into the Chamar castes by Mughal and British censuses from time to time for various reasons and purposes such as employment, political, and religion etc.The caste has been recruited from numerous sources. Many people and even whole sections of tribes have risen up from the lower levels and entered the caste, and this process is still going on.

The subjugation of tribe after tribe has been a recurring phenomenon in India. These movements have occurred over wide areas and over limited portions of the country as well. Local history fully illustrates this fact, and we may picture the flux of rising and falling tribes and clans under repeated foreign and local waves of conquest, and the consequent reconstruction, in more or less detail, of the social distribution of races and clans as a fairly constant process.^[2] This means that the fixed status of an occupational group may go hand in hand with the repeated recruitment of the group by those who have been degraded from better positions. In some instances this may mean that certain clans were unable to maintain their identity and prestige with the changing order, and that consequently they have sunk to lower levels.^[2]

There are more than 1000 Chamar subcastes or gots. Many of the these subclans originated from the local regions from a mixture of the local population and this is some sub-caste names showing the region names such as Azamgarhiya Banaudhiya, Kalkattiya, Ujjaini, Saksena, Chandariya, Guliya, Aharwar, and Jhusiya, are specifically local; while other sub-caste names, such as, Gangapari, Purabiya, Uttaraha, and Dakkhinaha, point to definite geographical origins.^[2]

There is one Mahasabha named Akhil Bhartiya Chamar Mahasabha in existence.^[3]

Many of the sub-caste names indicate that the caste has received large recruitments from higher castes above. For example Chamar sub-castes such as Banaudhiya,Ujjaini,Chandhariya, Sarwariya, Kandujiya, Chauhan, Chandel, Saksena, Sakarwar, Bhadarauriya, and Bundela are names of Rajput clbers of this caste are of a higher physical type than some other sub-castes and of lighter complexion.

On the other hand, there have been large accessions to the caste from castes that are considered to be lower than the Chamars in the caste system. Got and sub-caste names show that many Chamars have sprung from the Dom, the Kanjar, the Habura, the Koli, the Jaiswar and other casteless tribes. This movement of peoples upwards through successive stages is a well-known phenomenon.^[2]

Demographics[link]

Chamar Population in India by State State Population State Population % Bengal[4] 999,756 1.25% Bihar[5] 4,090,070 5% Delhi[6] 893,384 6.45% Chandigarh[7] 48,159 5.3% Chhattisgarh[8] 1,659,303 8% Gujrat[9] 1,041,886 2% Haryana[10] 2,079,132 9% Himachal Pradesh[11] 414,669 6.8% Jammu & Kashmir[12] 187,277 1.9% Jharkhand[13] 837,333 3.1% Madya Pradesh[14] 4,498,165 7.5% Maharashtra[15] 1,234,874 1.28% Punjab[16] 2,800,000 11.9% Rajasthan[17] 2,465,563 4% Uttar Pradesh[18] 19,803,106 14% Uttaranchal[19] 444,535 5%

Chamar Population Percentage of a State

Chamar Population by State

In Punjab[link]

The most politically and socially influential Chamars are from the state of Punjab, where they form 11% of the population (2.8 million), with Dalits comprising 27% of the population. In the Punjab they are divided into various groups, such as Ad-Dharm, Ravidasi, Ramdasia,^[20] and Chamar.

In Malwa most Chamars turned to Sikhism, whereas in Doaba most of them did not opt for Sikhism. In Majha they are called Ramdasia and Ravidasia, in Doaba they are called Adi Dharmi. They are highly concentrated in the Doaba, and the Malwa region of Punjab, where they form over 25% of the population.

In Haryana[link]

The total Chamar population in Haryana is more than 2,079,132, about 9% of the Population.^[21] Most Chamars in the districts of Hisar, Jind, Panipat, Karnal, Sonepat, Rohtak, Kaithal are Julaha Chamars. They are similar to the Kori Julahas of Western Uttar Pradesh and have family relationships with them. In distt's Hissar ,Jind,Rohtak,Panipat,Karnal,Sonepat,Kaithal are not the Julaha Chamar's ,They are Ravidasiya Chamar.

In Uttar Pradesh[link]

Most Chamars reside in Western Uttar Pradesh are known as Jatav. Total Chamar population in this state is almost 20 million and form 13-14% of the population.^[7] In this state, the political party of Chamars Bahujan Samaj Party has its political base and this has led to Bahujan Samaj Party to win the state elections and chief minister post by Ms Mayawati 4 times since 1990.

In Rajasthan[link]

The castes which were involved in leather work in past (before independence) were termed "Chamar". Chamars in Rajasthan can only be identified in the districts adjoining to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The districts of Bikaner, Shriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dhaulpur are inhabited by Chamars. In the districts of Bharatpur, Dhaulpur and parts of Alwar (adjoining to Bharatpur) they are known as Jatav. Raigar (leather tanners) and Mochi (shoe makers) are other two castes related to the leather profession.

In Himachal Pradesh[link]

The Chamars are the second largest SC caste in the state after the Kori. Chamars are mainly found in the following districts: Kangra, Mandi and Una.

Religion[link]

Chamars are mostly Hindus. The long term foreign rules by Mughals and British meant that their condition declined day by day. This especially peaked with British rule who practiced divide and rule and preferentially allotted seats in education sector to other castes while ignoring Chamars. In military too, they were excluded. But Hindu revivalists starting from the 15th century preached emancipation of the Chamars. It ultimately culminated in the new Constitution of India; formulated by Dr B.R.Ambedkar. It was hugely supported by most Hindu leaders and reservations in large numbers were provided. Gradually numerous Chamars en-masse increased their standard of living. So much so, that many Muslim authors in the past few decades have lamented that their standard of living in India is far below that of even Chamars. It is symbolic of how much change has occurred since independence. Many Chamars have also joined other religious groups such as the Ravidasi, Arya Samaj. Others joined deras such as Nirankari & Radhaswami.

Ravidassia Chamars[link]

Chamars from the community working professionally in leather are usually referred to as Ravidassia. The term Ravidasi is an adaptation from Ravidassias, as some Chamar castes came to be called. Many Chamars were drawn to the Bhakti movement by the teachings of Guru Ravidas, himself a Chamar shoemaker.Ravidassias are Sikhs. As the teachings of Guru Ravidas has also been included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.^[22]

Conversion of Hindu Chamars to Ravidassia accelerated towards the end of the nineteenth century. This was due to the rise of the Adi Dharm mission, launched in 1903 for the restoration and propagation of Guru Ravidass teachings, including the removal of caste distinctions. The number of Chamars who declared Ravidassia as their religion increased from 100,014 in 1881 to 155,717 in 1931. Today they have formed their own religion termed as "Ravidassia" Religion, the step was taken after the incident of vienna attack of Guru Ravidass Temple by Sikh Terrorist which has resulted in a death of Ravidassia Saint.

Politics[link]

The Chamar Community are one of the most involved and influential castes involved in UP politics. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), a dalit-dominated political party, is very powerful in U.P and is expanding all over India. The BSP is one of the most powerful political parties of India. It was founded by Kanshi Ram and is led today by Mayawati Kumari, a Chamar. The BSP was created and is dominated by the dalits but currently includes all castes.

Julaha Chamar[link]

A portion of the Chamar are weavers, and identify themselves as Julaha Chamar; R. K. Pruthi suggests this is in preparation for a move to be considered simply Julaha in the future, for having abandoned "degrading" leatherwork for more prestigious weaving.^[23]

Military[link]

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The Chamar Community has a history of military service and are heavily represented in the Sikh Light Infantry.

Many Chamars have played an active role in the Indian War of Independence of 1857. Banke Chamar of Kurarpur, Jaunpur district (Uttar Pradesh) is one noted revolutionary, who was hanged by the British. Chetram (Jatav) and Belluram also died for their role in the Barrackpur revolution.

Chamar Regiment[link]

The 1st Chamar Regiment was an infantry regiment formed by the British during World War II. Officially, it was created on 1 March 1943, as the 27th Battalion 2nd Punjab Regiment was converted.^[24] The Chamar Regiment which was involved in the Pacific War Japanese front and was awarded the Battle Honor of Kohima for theirs distinguished role in the Battle of Kohima.^[25] The Regiment was disbanded in 1946.^[26] Recently, several politicians have demanded that the The Chamar Regiment be revived.^[26]

Satnami kingdom[link]

There was a Satnami Kingdom of Narnaul (Haryana). The Satnami sect of Hinduism was founded in 1657 in Narnaul (a town in today's Indian state of Haryana, situated about 100 km south-west of Delhi), by a saint named Birbhan.^{[citation needed]} They are considered to be an offshoot of the followers of the great saint Ravidas. The name Satnami reflects the major religious activity of the sect-which is the chanting and meditation of the true name (satnam, names of God). Fixing the mind devotedly on divine names, the fluctuations of the consciousness are stabilised, which makes one fit to receive higher intuitive knowledge of the divine. The sect is comprised mostly, but by no means exclusively, of the lower strata of Hindu society--particularly the leather working, sweeper, carpenter, and goldsmith communities—and they observe no caste distinctions—judging people only be their actions. They were known to have dressed simply like saints, and keep shaved heads (and were hence also called mundiyas), and abstain from intoxicants and animal foods. These tenets are still practiced by many today. Today the sect numbers over 15 million, and followers are to be found in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra. This huge spread is because those who survived the genocide following their rebellion against the Moghuls spread out into small units over vast tracts of land.

The Satnami revolt occurred in the reign of the Moghul Emperor Aurungzeb. Many Hindus resented Aurungzeb's strict Islamic policies-which included reviving the hated Islamic Jiziya tax (poll tax on non-Muslim subjects), banning music and art, and destroying Hindu temples. The revolt began in 1672 when a Moghul soldier killed a Satnami. Other Satnamis took revenge on the Moghul soldier, and in turn the Moghul soldiers went about repressing the Satnamis. The result was that about 5,000 Satnamis were up in arms. They routed the Moghul troops situated in the town, drove away the Moghul administrators and set up their own administration in its place. The uprising gained the enthusiasm of Hindus in Agra and Ajmer also. Though totally lacking in weaponry and money, the Satnamis inflicted several defeats on the Moghul forces. The contemporary Moghul chronicler, Saqi Mustaid Khan, expressed amazement as to what came over this "destitute gang of goldsmiths, carpenters, sweepers and tanners and other… artisan castes that their conceited brains became so overclouded? Rebellious pride having found a place in their brains, their heads became too heavy for their shoulders." This also shows the thinking of Muslim intelligentsia who regard them as untouchables. Amusingly, in contrast, Hindus have greatly respected the Satnamis throughout for their beliefs like prohibition of intoxicants and meat. The resentment of the Satnami's against the Moghul persecution meant that they even enacted revenge by destroying mosques in the area. It was only with great difficulty that any Muslim soldiers could be brought to face the Satnamis, such was the wrath of the Satnamis at the time. It was only when Aurungzeb himself took personal command and sent 10,000 troops with artillery that the Satnamis fell. They put up a brave defense. According to Saqi Mustaid Khan they believed that they were re-enacting scenes from the Mahabharata war. 2,000 Satnamis were slain on the battlefield and many more were slain in pursuit. What followed was an attempt to slay every remaining member of the Satnamis, and destroy all their homes. The remnants of the Satnamis fled in all directions and for a long time were totally disorganized and leaderless.

Notable Chamars[link]

• Kanshi Ram (1934–2006), founder of Bahujan Samaj Party and mentor of Mayawati Kumari^[27]
• Jagjivan Ram (1908–1986), first Labour Minister of India, former Defence Minister of India, former Deputy Prime Minister of India and father of Meira Kumar^[28]
• Mayawati, Leader of B.S.P, Chief Minister of U.P.
• Meira Kumar,Present Loksabha speaker

See also[link]

• Jatav
• Hindu Mochi]]

References[link]

Bant Singh is a lower caste Mazhabi, Dalit Sikh farmer and singer from the Jhabhar village in Mansa district, Punjab, India, who has emerged as an agricultural labour activist, fighting against the power of the landowner.^[1] Described by Amit Sengupta as "an icon of Dalit resistance"^[2] he has been active in organizing poor, agricultural workers, activism that continues despite a 2006 attack that cost him both of his lower arms and his left leg."^[1]

After his minor daughter was raped by some powerful men in 2000, he dared take them to court, an unusual occurrence when a Dalit is raped by a non-Dalit, braving threats of violence and attempted bribes. The trial culminated in life sentences for three of the culprits in 2004, "the first time that a Dalit from the region who had complained against upper-caste violence had managed to secure a conviction."^[3][4]

On the evening of January 7, 2006^[3] Bant Singh was returning home through some wheat fields. He had just been campaigning for a national agricultural labour rally to be held in Andhra Pradesh in January. He was suddenly waylaid by a gang of seven men, suspected to be sent by Jaswant and Niranjan Singh, the current and former headmen of his village who have links with the Indian National Congress party. One of them brandished a revolver to prevent any resistance while the other six set upon him with iron rods and axes beating him to pulp.

He was left for dead, and a phone call was made to Beant Singh, a leading man in Jhabhar, to pick up the dead body. However, Bant Singh was alive, though barely.

He was first taken to civil hospital in Mansa but was not given proper treatment there.^[3][5] Then he was taken to the PGI at Chandigarh, where both lower arms and one leg had to be amputated since gangrene had set in by then, and his kidneys had collapsed due to blood loss. The doctor was eventually suspended for his conduct.^{[6][citation needed]}

Notes[link]

Ranjit Singh
Maharaja of Punjab
Ranjit Singh
Reign	12 April 1801 – 27 June 1839
Coronation	12 April 1801
Full name	Ranjit Singh
Titles	Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab) Maharaja of Lahore Sarkar Khalsaji (Head of State) Napoleon of East[1] Lord of Five Rivers[2]
Born	13 November 1780[3]
Birthplace	Gujranwala
Died	20 June 1839
Successor	Kharak Singh
Father	Maha Singh
Mother	Raj Kaur

Maharaja Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 20 June 1839) was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.

Early life[link]

Ranjit Singh belonged to a Sikh clan of Northern India.^[4][5] He was born in Gujranwala, now in modern-day Pakistan. According to some historians, into a Jatt Sikh family^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]} and some that he was born into a Sansi Sikh family^{[5][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]} who were Sukerchakia misldars.^[5] As a child he suffered from smallpox which resulted in the loss of one eye. At the time, much of Punjab was ruled by the Sikhs under a Confederate Sarbat Khalsa system, who had divided the territory among factions known as misls.

Ranjit Singh's father Maha Singh was the Commander of the Sukerchakia misl and controlled a territory in the west Punjab based around his headquarters at Gujranwala. After his father's death he was raised under the protection of Sada Kaur of the Kanheya Misl.^[21] Ranjit Singh succeeded his father at the age of 18.^[22] After several campaigns, he conquered the other misls and created the Sikh Empire.

Pashtun King Amir Ahmad Shah Abdali 1747–1772 of Afghanistan Durrani Known as Kings of Kings first crossed the Indus River in 1748, the year after his ascension – his forces sacked and absorbed Lahore during that expedition. The following year (1749), the Mughal ruler was induced to cede Sindh and all of the Punjab including the vital trans Indus River to him, in order to save his capital from being attacked by the Afghan Pashtun forces of the DurraniEmpire.

The Pashtun King Amir Ahmad Shah Abdali 1747–1772 was not Interested as a Policy to remain in his Domain of India as a King but rather wanted to live the Life of a General or Soldier always on the Move and in Battle to Uphold his Kingdom

Then in 1756-57, in what was his fourth invasion of India, Ahmad Shah sacked Delhi Agra, Mathura, and Vrndavana.

However, The Pashtun King Amir Ahmad Shah Abdali 1747–1772 did not displace the Muslim Mughal dynasty as a Policy, which remained in nominal control as long as the ruler acknowledged Ahmad Shah Abdali suzerainty over the Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir.

He installed a puppet emperor, Alamgir II, on the Mughal throne, and arranged marriages for himself and his son Timur Shah 1772 – 1793 into the imperial family that same year.

Ahmad Shah Abdali married the daughter of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah.Leaving his second son Timur Shah 1772 – 1793 (who was wed to the daughter of Alamgir II) to safeguard his interests, Ahmad Shah Abdali 1747–1772 finally left India to return to Afghanistan.

About 30 years before Maharaja Ranjit Singh came to power in 1799, Lahore and its environs were ruled by a triumvirate of Sikhs which included Lehna Singh Majithia as the Lahore Governor.

The rule of these three Sikh chieftains started when Afghan, Pashtun Amir Ahmad Shah Abdali 1747–1772, As a Policy decided to give Lahore to a sardar named Lehna Singh Majithia.

Lehna Singh Majithia teamed up with two other Sikh chieftains to secure the environs around Lahore in 1765 and that is how the triumvirate of Lehna Singh Majithia,Gujjar Singh Banghi and Suba Singh came to occupy power in and around Lahore.

For thirty long years Lehna Singh Majithia,Gujjar Singh Banghi and Suba Singh ruled supreme and kept paying the Afghan Pashtun Ahmad Shah Abdali 1747–1772 and his offspring Timur Shah 1772 – 1793 an annual sum as Taxes.

The Lahore Fort and the Walled Lahore City and its gates went to Lehna Singh Majithia. He was, for formal purposes, the Governor of Lahore, and was so recognized.

To Suba Singh went the area to the south of the Walled Lahore City, and he resided in the garden of Zubaida Begum in Nawankot, where he built a small fort for himself.

The area between Amritsar and Lahore, or more correctly between the Shalamar Gardens and Lahore, went to Gujjar Singh Banghi.

Gujjar Singh Banghi erected that part of the city, then a jungle and invited people to settle there. He also dug wells to supply water. A mosque was also built for the Muslims in the area. He also built himself a small fort called Qila Gujar Singh. Today, a few walls of that old fort can be seen in a street between today’s Nicholson Road and Empress Road, and the area is still called Qila Gujar Singh.

On a final note, their rule of ended when Ranjit Singh besieged the Lahore Fort in 1799 and the three chieftains Lehna Singh Majithia,Gujjar Singh Banghi and Suba Singh fled, leaving the city firmly in the hands of the young man from Gujranwala Ranjit Singh.

Lehna Singh Majithia, was later made Mahraja Ranjit Singhs most able ministers and advisers and a General in His Army

The Maharaja[link]

Ranjit Singh's Empire

Sher e Punjab Ranjit Singh

Ranjit Singh was crowned on 12 April 1801 (to coincide with Baisakhi). Sahib Singh Bedi, a descendant of Guru Nanak Dev, conducted the coronation.^[23] Gujranwala served as his capital from 1799. In 1802 he shifted his capital to Lahore. Ranjit Singh rose to power in a very short period, from a leader of a single Sikh misl to finally becoming the Maharaja (Emperor) of Punjab.

He then spent the following years fighting the Afghan invaders, driving them out of the Punjab. He also captured Pashtun territory including Peshawar (now referred to as North West Frontier Province and the Tribal Areas). This was the first time that Peshawari Pashtuns were ruled by Punjabis. He captured the province of Multan which encompassed the southern parts of Punjab, Peshawar (1818), Jammu and Kashmir (1819). Thus Ranjit Singh put an end to more than a thousand years of Muslim rule. He also conquered the hill states of punjab including north of Anandpur Sahib, the largest of which was Kangra.

When the Foreign Minister of the Ranjit Singh's court, Fakir Azizuddin, met the British Governor-General of India, Lord Auckland, in Simla, Lord Auckland asked Fakir Azizuddin which of the Maharaja's eyes was missing, Azizuddin replied: "The Maharaja is like the sun and sun has only one eye. The splendor and luminosity of his single eye is so much that I have never dared to look at his other eye." The Governor General was so pleased with this reply that he gave his gold watch to Azizuddin.

Ranjit Singh's Empire was secular, none of the subjects were discriminated against on account of their religions.^[24] The Maharaja never forced Sikhism on his subjects and respected all religions.

Secular Sikh rule[link]

The empire of the Sikhs was most exceptional in that it allowed men from religions other than their own to rise to commanding positions of authority. Besides the Singh (Sikh), the Khan (Muslim) and the Misr (Hindu Brahmin) feature as prominent administrators. The Christians formed a part of the militia of the Sikhs. In 1831, Ranjit Singh deputed his mission to Simla to confer with the British governor general, Lord William Bentinck. Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, Fakir Aziz-ud-din and Diwan Moti Ram ― a Sikh, a Muslim and a Hindu representative ― were nominated at its head.

Externally, everyone in the Sikh empire looked alike; they sported a beard and covered their head, predominantly with a turban. This left visitors to the Punjab quite confused. Most foreigners arrived there after a passage through Hindustan, where religious and caste distinctions were very carefully observed. It was difficult for them to believe that though everyone in the Sarkar Khalsaji looked similar, they were not all Sikhs. The Sikhs were generally not known to force either those in their employ or the inhabitants of the country they ruled to convert to Sikhism. In fact, men of piety from all religions were equally respected by the Sikhs and their ruler. Hindu sadhus, yogis, saints and bairagis; Muslim faqirs and pirs; and Christian priests were all the recipients of Sikh largess. There was only one exception – the Sikhs viewed the Muslim clergy with suspicion. Mullahs were not looked upon kindly, as they were known to rightly defend their religion.^[25]

In their conquests, the Sikhs never perpetrated atrocities as by invaders into the sub-continent. It was true that the Sikhs held a grudge against the Afghans for the atrocities they had perpetrated, over decades, against them. Before them, the Mughals had hunted down the Sikhs like animals in the field. Every Sikh carried a price on his head. The Afghans had caused havoc and mayhem in the Punjab during the lifetime of both Ranjit Singh's father and grandfather. Despite that, during the rule of the Sikhs there were no reports of torture of the kind routinely inflicted upon the Sikhs by some of the Muslim rulers of Hindustan and subsequently by the Afghan invaders. The Sikhs were reportedly a most tolerant nation.

At present, flushed by a series of victories, they (the Sikhs) have a zeal and buoyancy of spirit amounting to enthusiasm; and with the power of taking the most exemplary revenge, they have been still more lenient than the Mohammedan were ever towards them".^[26][27][28]

— Masson

The horses were attacked with an epidemic disease from which a Mohammedan, who resides in a neighboring sanctuary, is believed to have cured them. Though a Mohammedan the Sikhs repaired and beautified his temple, which is now a conspicuous white building that glitters in the sun. I have always observed the Sikhs to be most tolerant in their religion…^[29]

— Alexander Burnes, British Agent, narrating an incident at Royal Stud-Farm, Putte

The Sikhs were never accused of the routine inhuman behaviour attributed to the Muslims. In fact, they made every attempt not to offend the prejudices of Muslims noted Baron von Hügel, the famous German traveler,^[30] yet the Sikhs were referred to as being harsh. In this regard, Masson's explanation is perhaps the most pertinent:

"Though compared to the Afghans, the Sikhs were mild and exerted a protecting influence, yet no advantages could compensate to their Mohaomedan subjects, the idea of subjection to infidels, and the prohibition to slay kine, and to repeat the azan, or summons to prayer".^[31]

Hinduism emphasizes the sanctity of cows,^[32] which has carried over into Sikhism. The ban on cow slaughter was universally imposed in the Sarkar Khalsaji.^[33]

The Sikhs never razed places of worship to the ground belonging to the enemy. The Sikhs were utilitarian in their approach. Marble plaques removed from Jahangir's tomb at Shahdera were used to embellish the Baradari inside the Fort of Lahore, while the mosques were left intact. Forts were destroyed however, these too were often rebuilt ― the best example being the Bala Hissar in Peshawar, which was destroyed by the Sikhs in 1823^[34] and rebuilt by them in 1834.^[35]

Gurdwaras built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh[link]

Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)

At the Harmandir Sahib, much of the present decorative gilding and marblework date back from the early 19th century. The gold and intricate marble work were conducted under the patronage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Maharaja of the Punjab. The Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of the Punjab) was a generous patron of the shrine and is remembered with much affection by the Sikhs. Maharaja Ranjit Singh deeply loved and admired the teachings of the Tenth Guru of Sikhism Guru Gobind Singh, thus he promoted the teachings of the Dasam Granth (the Tenth Granth) and built two of the most sacred temples in Sikhism. These are Takht Sri Patna Sahib, the birth place of Guru Gobind Singh, and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, the place where Guru Gobind Singh took his final rest or mahasamadhi, in Nanded, Maharashtra in 1708.

Ranjit Singh's generals[link]

Jean-François Allard became a General in the army of Ranjit Singh.

Ranjit Singh encircled himself with an array of strong generals and soldiers. They were men from different clans, castes and regions

These included:

• Mahan Singh Mirpuri
• Hari Singh Nalwa
• Desa Singh Majithia
• Hukma Singh Chimni
• Dewan Mokham Chand
• Fateh Singh Ahluwalia
• Veer Singh Dillon later Jallaha of Gurdaspore
• Sawan Mal
• Sirdar Gulab Singh Pahuwindia
• Sham Singh Attariwala
• Sardar Sangat Singh Saini
• Sher Singh
• Shaikh Elahi Bakhsh^[36]
• General Ghause Khan (Mian Ghausa)^[37]
• Sultan Mahmud Khan (Son of Ghause Khan)^[38]
• Zorawar Singh
• Chattar Singh Attariwalla
• Balbhadra Kunwar – Gorkhali General who served for Ranjit Singh after the Anglo-Gorkha war (1814–1816).
• Mahan Singh Mirpuri
• Akali Phula Singh
• Lehna Singh Majithia
• Misr Diwan Chand

Among his European Mercenary Generals were:

• Jean-François Allard
• Jean-Baptiste Ventura – Italian (Modena)
• Paolo Di Avitabile – Italian (Naples)
• Claude August Court – French

Americans of note:

• Josiah Harlan – American general and later governor of Gujrat
• Alexander Gardner – American (Scots – Irish)

Conquests[link]

Runjeet Singh and his Suwarree

Ranjit Singh's earliest conquests as a young misldar (baron) were effected by defeating his coreligionists, the heads of other Sikh Sardaris (popularly known as the Misls). By the end of his reign, however, he had conquered vast tracts of territory strategically juxtaposed between the limits of British India to the East and the powerful Afghan Empire to the West. The land that eventually became the Kingdom of the Sikhs had been ruthlessly subjected to the worse kind of atrocities by invading armies coming through the Khyber Pass into the Indian sub-continent, over eight centuries.

In 1799, Ranjit Singh captured Lahore and made it his Capital. After the capture of Lahore, Ranjit Singh rapidly annexed the rest of the Punjab, the land of the five rivers. Having accomplished this, he extended his empire further north and west to include the Kashmir mountains and other Himalayan kingdoms, the Sind Sagar Doab, the Pothohar Plateau and trans-Indus regions right up to the foothills of the Sulaiman and Hindu Kush mountains.

Ranjit Singh took Amritsar from the Bhangi Sardari and followed this with the more difficult conquest of Kasur, the fabled twin city of Lahore, from the Pathans.^[39] With the conquest of Multan the whole Bari Doab came under his sway.^[40] In the year 1819, Ranjit Singh successfully annexed Kashmir.^[41] This was followed by subduing the Kashmir mountains, west of the river Jhelum (today, Hazara in Pakistan and Pakistan Administered Kashmir).^[42]

The most significant encounters between the Sarkar Khalsaji and the Afghans were fought in 1813, 1823, 1834 and in 1837. In 1813, Ranjit Singh's general Dewan Mokham Chand led the Sikh forces against the Afghan forces of Shah Mahmud led by Fateh Khan Barakzai.

Following this encounter, the Afghans lost their stronghold at Attock. Subsequently, the Pothohar plateau, the Sindh Sagar Doab and Kashmir came under Sikh rule. In 1823, Ranjit Singh defeated a large army of Yusafzai tribesmen north of the Kabul river, while the presence of his Sikh general, Hari Singh Nalwa prevented the entire Afghan army from crossing this river and going to the aid of the Yusafzais at Nowshera. This defeat led to the gradual loss of Afghan power in the trans-Indus region. In 1834, when the forces of the Sarkar Khalsaji marched into Peshawar, the ruling Barakzais simply fled the place without offering a fight.^[43] In April 1837, the real power of Maharaja Ranjit Singh came to the fore when his commander-in-chief, Hari Singh Nalwa, kept the entire army of Amir Dost Mohammad Khan, the Wali of Kabul, at bay, with a handful of forces till reinforcements arrived from Lahore over a month after they were requisitioned.^[44]

Geography of the Sikh Empire[link]

The former haveli of Nau Nihal Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab, Lahore

The Sikh Empire was also known as Punjab, the Sikh Raj, and Sarkar Khalsaji,^[45] was a region straddling the border into modern-day People's Republic of China and Islamic Republic of Afghanistan then popularly referred to as the Kingdom of Cabul.^[46] The name of the region "Punjab" or "Panjab", comprises two words "Punj/Panj" and "Ab", translating to "five" and "water" in Persian. When put together this gives a name meaning "the land of the five rivers", coined due to the five rivers that run through the Punjab. Those "Five Rivers" are Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum, all tributaries of the river Indus, home to the Indus Valley Civilization that perished 3000 years ago. Punjab has a long history and rich cultural heritage. The people of the Punjab are called Punjabis and they speak a language called Punjabi. The following modern day political divisions made up the historical Sikh Empire:

• Punjab region till Multan in south^[47]
  • Punjab, India
  • Punjab, Pakistan
  • Ganganagar, India
  • Haryana, India. Including Chandigarh.
  • Himachal Pradesh, India

• Kashmir, conquered in 1818, India/Pakistan/China^[48][49]
  • Jammu, India
  • Gilgit, Northern Areas, Pakistan (Occupied from 1842 to 1846)^[50]
• Khyber Pass, Afghanistan/Pakistan^[51][52]
  • Peshawar, Pakistan^[53] (taken in 1818, retaken in 1834)^[54]
  • North-West Frontier Province and FATA, Pakistan (documented from Hazara (taken in 1818–22)^[55] to Bannu)^[56]
• Parts of Western Tibet (1841), China^[57]

The Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) is the temple of worship of Sikhs.

Legacy and aftermath[link]

The Samadhi of Emperor Ranjit Singh in Lahore, Pakistan

Maharaja Ranjit Singh died in 1839, after a reign of nearly forty years, leaving seven sons by different queens. He was cremated. His ceremony was performed by both Sikh and Hindu priests, his wife Maharani Mahtab Devi Sahiba, the Princess of Kangra, daughter of Maharaja Sansar Chand, the Empress of Punjab, committed Sati with Ranjit's body as Ranjit's head lay in her lap, some of the other wives also joined her and committed Sati.^[58] The throne went to his eldest son Kharak Singh, who was not entirely fit and prepared for ruling such a vast empire. Some historians^[who?] believe that the other heirs would have forged an even more durable, independent and powerful empire, had they come to the throne before Kharak Singh. However, the empire began to crumble due to poor governance and political infighting among his heirs. The princes died through internal plots and assassinations, while the nobility struggled to maintain their power.^[59]

In 1845 after the First Anglo-Sikh War, Ranjit Singh's Empire was defeated and all major decisions were managed by the British East India Company. The Army of Ranjit Singh was reduced, under the peace treaty with the British, to a nominal force. Those who gave the stiffest resistance to the British were severely punished and their wealth confiscated. Eventually, Ranjit Singh's youngest son Dalip Singh, was crowned Maharaja of Punjab in 1843 succeeding his brother, Maharaja Sher Singh. In 1849, at the end of the Second Anglo Sikh War, it was annexed by British India from Dalip. Thereafter, the British took Maharaja Dalip Singh to England in 1854, where he was put under the protection of the Crown. Dalip Singh's mother, Maharani Jind Kaur, escaped and made her way to Nepal where she was given refuge by Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal, who then negotiated on her behalf to allow her to be reunited with her son. Maharani Jind Kaur and her son met at Spence's Hotel, Calcutta, on 16 January 1861, after some thirteen and half years apart. She was granted permission to come to England. A residence was taken up at No. 1 Lancaster Gate (now No. 23).

Maharaja Ranjit Singh's throne, c. 1820–1830, Hafiz Muhammad Multani, now at V & A Museum

Jind Kaur stayed for a short while at Mulgrave Castle, later she was placed in the charge of an English lady at Abingdon House, Kensington. On the morning of 1 August 1863, Maharani Jind Kaur died peacefully. Her body was temporarily housed at London's Kensal Green Cemetery, and in the spring of 1864, Duleep Singh left for India and arranged for the cremation of her body.

Portrait of Maharaja Ranjit Singh

In the spring of 1864, Maharani Jind Kaur was cremated at Nasik in Bombay on the Panchvati side of the river. The authorities would not allow Dalip Singh to cremate his mother in the Punjab. On the left bank the Maharaja erected a small samadh built as a memorial in the memory of his mother. For a number of years the Kapurthala State Authorities maintained the memorial until 1924, when her remains were dug out and brought to Lahore by her granddaughter, Princess Bamba Sutherland, and deposited at the Samadh of Maharajah Ranjit Singh.

Dalip Singh was converted to Christianity in his youth, upon reuniting with his mother during his adult years, he reconverted to Sikhism, he then petitioned the Crown to have his kingdom returned. He never received any justice or the respect he deserved. He died in 1893, in Paris, France.

Maharajah Dalip Singh had three sons. The eldest Prince Victor was born on 10 July 1866, followed by Prince Frederick in 1868, and then Prince Albert Edward Alexander Dalip Singh (died at the age of thirteen), who was born on 20 August 1879.

Prince Victor Albert Jay Dalip Singh was Maharajah Dalip Singh's eldest son. He was honourable A.D.C. to Lord Halifax, and was promoted to Captain in 1894, but his military career, however, was a shambles, his interest lay in other things and he resigned in 1898. During the First World War, he was ordered to remain in Paris and not to leave, but shortly after the war ended, Prince Victor died on 7 June 1918, without any issue.

Princess Sophia, the youngest of the Maharajah's daughters. On 22 August 1948, Princess Sophia died in her sleep. Her solicitor arranged for her cremation at Golders Green on 26 August. It was her request that her ashes be taken to India for burial.

Princess Catherine was born on 27 October 1871, and was named Catherine Hilda Dalip Singh. Princess Catherine died peacefully in her bed on the night of Sunday 8 November 1942 at her home in Penn, aged seventy-one. The cause of death was said to be heart failure. She was cremated.

Princess Ada Irene Helen Beryl Dalip Singh, born on 25 October 1889. On 8 October 1926, she committed suicide, local fishermen dragged her body from the sea, off Monte Carlo. She was apparently much aggrieved with the death of her brother Prince Frederick who had died two months earlier.

Princess Pauline Alexandrina Dalip Singh, born 26 December 1887, her death was unrecorded, she disappeared in war-torn France during the Second World War.

Princess Bamba Sutherland (Princess Bamba Sofia Jindan Dalip Singh) was born on 29 September 1869 in London, a year after her brother Prince Frederick. In England, Princess Bamba began styling herself as the Queen of Punjab. She was truly her father's daughter and had her father's rebellious nature and seemed to be the more aggrieved one among her siblings. She was the most affected at the realisation of who she was and her ancestry. She was often visited by her cousin Karl Wilhelm, grandson of Ludwig Muller, at Hilden Hall, by which time she was already dreaming of going back to India to die. In his memoirs Karl Wilhelm referred to Princess Bamba as 'the true heiress of Ranjit Singh' meaning that she was most conscious of the actual desperate situation of the whole family. 'She considered the Punjab and Kashmir as the lost possession of her family and was absolutely furious when the border between Pakistan and India was drawn right across the Punjab.' In Princess Bamba's eyes, Pakistan or India did not exist, there was just the Punjab and its capital Lahore. She met distant relatives throughout her travels in India, trying to have one last glimpse of the glory that she was denied. She located the families of Wazir Ishwari Singh Katoch of Kangra and Hari Singh Nalwa, both residing in Nabha at the time. She met members of several Hindu and Sikh royal families in an attempt to prevent the division of her grandfather's empire.

On 10 March 1957, Princess Bamba, the daughter of Maharaja Dalip Singh, died of heart failure at the age of eighty-nine, the last of the family. Her funeral was conducted in a Christian ceremony in Lahore. The rites were witnessed by a select few Pakistani dignitaries, the Pakistani authorities did not allow any of her distant relatives to attend, Sikh or Hindu, nor were any Sikhs in Pakistan allowed to attend her rites, thus no Sikh was present at Princess Bamba's funeral, the last of Dalip Singh's line.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh is remembered for uniting the Punjab as a strong nation and his possession of the Koh-i-noor diamond. Ranjit Singh willed the Koh-i-noor to Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa while on his deathbed in 1839.^[58] His most lasting legacy was the golden beautification of the Harmandir Sahib, most revered Gurudwara of the Sikhs, with marble and gold, from which the popular name of the "Golden Temple" is derived.

He was also known as "Sher-e-Punjab" which means the "Lion of Punjab" and is considered one of the three lions of modern India, the most famous and revered heroes in Indian subcontinent's history. The other lions are Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha ruler. The title of "Sher-e-Punjab" is still widely used as a term of respect for a powerful man.

Captain William Murray's memoirs on Maharaja Ranjit Singh's character:

Ranjit Singh has been likened to Mehmet Ali and to Napoleon. There are some points in which he resembles both; but estimating his character with reference to his circumstances and positions, he is perhaps a more remarkable man than either. There was no ferocity in his disposition and he never punished a criminal with death even under circumstances of aggravated offence. Humanity indeed, or rather tenderness for life, was a trait in the character of Ranjit Singh. There is no instance of his having wantonly infused his hand in blood."^[60][61]

Many famous folk stories about Maharaja portray a leader and the inspiration Maharaja Ranjit Singh was. In one famous incident, when Maharaja was about to cross the badly flooded river near Attock (now in Pakistan and called Kabul River). One of Maharaja's generals reported this fact to Maharaja, saying that the river cannot be crossed and it is now an Atak (an obstacle in Hindi) for us. Maharaja retorted "eh Attock uhna lai atak hai, jehna de dillan wich atak hai" or "This river Attock is an obstacle for those, who have obstacles in their hearts", then crossed the river successfully. The army and other generals followed his lead.^{[citation needed]}

Another famous folk story about the Maharaja is that he was accidentally hit by a stone thrown by a 5-year-old boy, who actually wanted to hit a fruit tree to knock down some of its fruit. When he was brought before the Maharaja, Ranjit Singh gave him a gold coin. He said, "How can I punish him for hitting me with a stone, when this tree will give him fruit for the same?"^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

• Baradari of Ranjit Singh
• History of Punjab
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Generals
• Preminder Singh Sandhawalia
• Sikh Empire

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Heath, Ian (2005), The Sikh Army 1799–1849, Oxford: Osprey Publishing (UK), ISBN 1-84176-777-8 
• Lafont, Jean-Marie Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lord of the Five Rivers. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002 ISBN 0-19-566111-7
• Marshall, Julie G. (2005), Britain and Tibet 1765–1947: a select annotated bibliography of British relations with Tibet and the Himalayan states including Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan (Revised and Updated to 2003 ed.), London: Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-33647-5 
• Sandhawalia, Preminder Singh Noblemen and Kinsmen: history of a Sikh family. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1999 ISBN 81-215-0914-9
• Waheeduddin, Fakir Syed The Real Ranjit Singh; 2nd ed. Patiala: Punjabi University, 1981 ISBN 81-7380-778-7 (First ed. published 1965 Pakistan).

Further reading[link]

• Umdat Ut Tawarikh by Sohan Lal Suri, Published by Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar .
• The Real Ranjit Singh by Fakir Syed Waheeduddin, published by Punjabi University, ISBN 81-7380-778-7, 1 Jan 2001, 2nd ed. First ed. published 1965 Pakistan.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh: First Death Centenary Memorial, by St. Nihal Singh. Published by Languages Dept., Punjab, 1970.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his times, by J. S. Grewal, Indu Banga. Published by Dept. of History, Guru Nanak Dev University, 1980.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, by Harbans Singh. Published by Sterling, 1980.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, by K. K. Khullar. Published by Hem Publishers, 1980.
• The reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh: structure of power, economy and society, by J. S. Grewal. Published by Punjab Historical Studies Dept., Punjabi University, 1981.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, as patron of the arts, by Ranjit Singh. Published by Marg Publications, 1981.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Politics, Society, and Economy, by Fauja Singh, A. C. Arora. Published by Publication Bureau, Punjabi University, 1984.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his Times, by Bhagat Singh. Published by Sehgal Publishers Service, 1990. ISBN 81-85477-01-9.
• History of the Punjab: Maharaja Ranjit Singh, by Shri Ram Bakshi. Published by Anmol Publications, 1991.
• The Historical Study of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Times, by Kirpal Singh. Published by National Book Shop, 1994. ISBN 81-7116-163-4.
• An Eyewitness account of the fall of Sikh empire: memories of Alexander Gardner, by Alexander Haughton Campbell Gardner, Baldev Singh Baddan, Hugh Wodehouse Pearse. Published by National Book Shop, 1999. ISBN 81-7116-231-2.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Last to Lay Arms: The Last to Lay Arms, by Kartar Singh Duggal. Published by Abhinav Publications, 2001. ISBN 81-7017-410-4.
• Fauj-i-khas Maharaja Ranjit Singh and His French Officers, by Jean Marie Lafont. Published by Guru Nanak Dev University, 2002. ISBN 81-7770-048-0.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, by Mohinder Singh, Rishi Singh, Sondeep Shankar, National Institute of Panjab Studies (India). Published by UBS Publishers' Distributors with National Institute of Panjab Studies, 2002. ISBN 81-7476-372-4,.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Lord of the Five Rivers, by Jean Marie Lafont. Published by Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-19-566111-7.
• The Last Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Lahore Durbar, by Amarinder Singh. Published by Roli Books, 2010.
• Glory of Sikhism, by R. M. Chopra, Sanbun Publishers, 2001.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sikh Empire

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh Biography
• True Account of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
• Extra profile from sikh-history.com
• Foreign officers in Ranjit Singh's Court
• Ranjit Singh profile from sikh-history.com
• Ranjit Singh
• Official government of Pakistan cultural history article on Maharaja Ranjit Singh
• RoyalArk on Punjab's dynasty, includes extensive bios
• Genealogy of Lahore (Princely State) Queensland University

Biographies

• Ranjit Singh military career profile
• Detailed article on Ranjit Singh's Army
• Ajitweely
• Article on Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum
•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ranjit Singh". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Awtar Singh is an Afghan politician. He was the Sikh representative to the Loya Jirga from Paktia.

External links[link]

• Afghan Hindus, Sikhs see hope The Tribune - June 9, 2002

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