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The
Patron of the Arts
The hallmark of the art of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is thus its truthfulness.
It is of the earthly earth. And, in spite of the import of some of the
painters from the Pahari courts, the abundance of portraiture shows
how almost everyone, including the Maharaja, was in search of an
identity in their new exalted status, which they had acquired from
modest origins in the villages of the Punjab plains. Thus, every
expression under the patronage of Ranjit Singh and his nobles, shows a
vitalist urge for freedom to open out to life, and more life, in the
midst of things of beauty which may please the eyes, make the heart
glow and intensify the emotions, says Mulk
Raj Anand
Nature
of Ranjit Singh's polity
A ruler much ahead of his
times
The most notable trait of
Ranjit Singh's polity was the complete freedom of expression and
worship enjoyed by all his subjects. Though he was born and brought up
in the Sikh faith and listened to the recitation from Sikh scriptures
every day, he did not proclaim Sikhism as the religion of the state.
He also did not make any conscious effort to propagate it. His broad
religious outlook was reflected in his according due respect to all
religions. The spirit of forbearance displayed by him was in sharp
contrast to the inhuman practices of the Mughal rulers, their plunder,
and forced conversions, writes
Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon.
How
relevant are Ranjit Singh's ideas today
by
Surjit Hans
According to Budh Singh, the
ruler is always right; the people wrong. A king lays the people under
obligation by ruling over them. If the king does not overlook the
fault of the people, the world would stop. In developing countries,
leaders coming to power through the modern institutions of electoral
democracy, soon revert to pre-modern mentality when faced with a
crisis.
Maharaja
Ranjit Singh - a visionary
by
Prithipal Singh Kapur
THE
rise of Ranjit Singh in the Punjab was a unique phenomenon. It can in
no way be associated with the decline of the Mughal Empire or
consequential rise of the provincial satraps in various
regions of the Indian sub-continent. However, some historians have
attempted to make an odious comparison between Tipu Sultan of Mysore
and Ranjit Singh.
Modernisation
of the army
by
Shiv Kumar
Gupta
The Sikhs, after passing
through a series of vicissitudes, first established themselves as a
political power in the Punjab in 1765, when Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
captured the territory annexed by Ahmed Shah Abdali and struck a coin
in commemoration of this historic event. But the mode of fighting of
Sikhs then was desultory and hardly suited to the requirements of a
well-settled state. "The army of the Khalsa
consisted of horsemen, brave indeed, but ignorant of war as an
art. Saddle was the home of the Khalsa for several
generations." According to Forster, "They were armed with a
matchlock and a sabre. Their method of fighting was queer
indeed."
Maharaja
Ranjit Singh's Subjugation of
North Western Frontier
by
Kirpal Singh
Hari Singh Nalwa knew how to
match the Sikh hatred of Afghans. He set up a very strong
administration in the Peshawar valley. He levied a cess of Rs 4 per
house on the Yusafzais. This cess was to be collected in cash or in
kind. For its realisation, personal household property could be
appropriated. There was scarcely a village which was not burnt. In
such an awe were his visitations held that his name was used by
mothers as a term of fright to hush their unruly children.
Jewels
and Relics from Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Toshakhana
by
Mohinder Singh
AFTER
consolidating his victories and establishing an independent kingdom in
Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh built a unique collection of jewels and
relics. The world famous Koh-i-Noor is the most precious in the
category of jewels and the Kalgee of Guru Gobind Singh in the
category of relics.
The
king who refused to sit on a throne
by
Prabhjot Singh
AFTER
the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa, it is now time for Punjab
to plan the festivities for the bicentenary celebrations of the
coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, falling on April 12 this year.
Against the lavish celebrations of the Khalsa tercentenary,
the fund-starved state government has chalked out a plan to
commemorate the occasion in a befitting but economical manner.
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