Harking Back: ‘Takht-i-Lahore’ and how Ranjit Singh captured it

The circumstances under which Maharajah Ranjit Singh took over Lahore have seldom been researched in detail. We all know he entered through Lohari Gate after camping at Wazir Khan’s ‘haveli’ – behind today’s Lahore Museum and part of the Punjab Public Library – but not much more.

This column seeks to explore the circumstances and twist of events that finally saw him win his ‘dream and crowning glory’ – ‘Takht-i-Lahore’. The first thing to remember is that Sikh rule started in 1768 and ended in 1849 when the East India Company took over. So, in these 81 years, events kept changing fast and furiously. Ranjit Singh entered Lohari Gate on July 7, 1799 as the chief of the Sukerchakia Misl of Gujranwala. He ended the 31-year rule of the Sikh triumvirate which started with Lahna Singh and Gujjar Singh of the Bhangi Misl and Sohba Singh of the Kanhiya Misl. How these three captured Lahore was explored in last week’s column. By the time Ranjit Singh stood outside the city walls, the triumvirate had died and their three feeble sons taken their place. The time for weak leadership to fall had come.

To understand the complete picture, let us start from 1796 AD when news of invasion of the Punjab by Afghan Shah Zaman reached Lahore. The three Sikh rulers immediately sent their precious belongings and families to the Kashmir hills. He entered Lahore in 1798 and stayed for a month and left in a hurry without appointing any governor, as his brother Mahmud Shah was taking over Kabul with the help of Baba Khan Qachar of Iran. On his way home he lost 12 cannons in the Jhelum river. On the promise of Ranjit returning at least eight of them, he was, allegedly, given a ‘royal investiture’ of the capital of the Punjab. At least Ranjit claimed he was given one but never showed it to anyone.

But by then Chet Singh, Muhr Singh and Sahib Singh, sons of the original triumvirate, quickly returned and took over their lost rule. The ‘zamindars’ of Lahore who had supported Shah Zaman, namely Mehr Mohkam, quickly invited the Kasur pathan ruler, Nizamuddin Khan Kasuri, to invade Lahore. The army of the triumvirate defeated Kasuri as well as punished the ‘zamindars’.

It was in such circumstances that the ‘Arains’ of Lahore approached Ranjit Singh to capture the city. Ranjit Singh instead of responding maintained silence and sent Kavi Khan Ghulam to check out the situation inside the city and also meet the Arains. He reported back that the Arains were not strong enough to back the Sukerchakia army and would betray if the fight got tough. So Ranjit Singh called for Qazi Abdul Rehman of Rasoolnagar to meet the important people inside and near the Walled City and prepare grounds for an assault which should have reasonable support inside.

The Qazi met Mian Muhammad Ashiq, Mehr Mokham of Nawankot, Abid Khan of Attari, Muhammad Azim and Hafiz Muhammad of Baghbanpura, Mehr Shadi Qatarbund and Ahmad Khan Bandar of Lahore. He also paid his respects to Mian Jan Muhammad of Laverian, who was the ‘disciple’ of his keep Moran Mai. All of them agreed to help Ranjit and they sent Mohammad Azim, who would arrange for Lohari Gate to be opened for the Sukherchakia troops to enter the city.

Once this plan was in place, it emerged that Azim had instead set into motion another plan to blow up the northern wall between Khizri Gate (now called Sheranwala) and Kashmiri Gate. He sent out a messenger to Ranjit who got late and by this time the Sukerchakia army was approaching Lohari Gate. To his shock it emerged that the triumvirate army was waiting for them and suddenly attacked an unprepared Ranjit. He was rounded beaten and lost some very fine soldiers, retreating in the process towards Chah Miran. It emerged that spies within Ranjit’s camp had betrayed him.

So the Arain immediately sent word that if he approached Lohari Gate the next night, he will find it open, and that they will try to blow up the wall near Khizri Gate as a distraction. This plan worked and Ranjit Singh entered Lohari Gate to take over the city. On entering, he let Muhr Singh, son of Sobha Singh who lived in the ‘haveli’ of Lala Lakhpat Rai, flee with his belongings. The Lahore Fort was in possession of Chet Singh, son of Lahna Singh, who seeing that Ranjit Singh’s army had started surrounding it for a long siege, fled with his belongings. Both of them headed towards the hills of Kashmir.

Ranjit Singh instead of living in the fort decided to live in the house of his keep Moran. That house still stands in Pappar Mandi, the first lane to the left as you enter Shah Alam Bazaar. Every morning he would leave her house to work in the fort, but always used the same horse which he was riding when he took Lahore on July 7, 1799. Moran Mai was to emerge as the ‘power behind the maharajah’ and Ranjit stamped his first coin in her name and named them ‘Moran Shahi’, samples of which can be seen in the Lahore Museum.

As for all those who helped him enter the fort, Ranjit Singh rewarded them -- with Mehr Mokham being made the first administrator of the Walled City. He was bestowed the title of ‘harf baba’, meaning that he was the message bearer. After a few months this title was revoked and it was discovered that they had been communicating with Sikh ‘misl’ sardars opposed to Ranjit. He was fined Rs20,000 and jailed for non-payment. After arrangements were made to pay the fine he was released. On his arrest, other friends of Mehr Mokham suddenly disappeared from the city. Moran Mai initially ran the affairs of the city and to everyone’s amazement set up a very efficient police force which dealt fairly with everyone.