GS Paper 1
Topics covered: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Context:
A nine-foot-tall bronze equestrian statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, was vandalised in Lahore Fort earlier this week.
- India has expressed concern at the development, saying incidents of violence against Pakistan’s minorities are increasing at an “alarming rate”.
Ranjit Singh and Lahore:
- Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) seized Lahore in 1799 after he was invited to rule the city by its Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh elite.
- He brought peace and security to Lahore and revived its economic and cultural glory.
- He proclaimed himself maharaja of the Punjab in 1801, and proceeded to rule with religious tolerance for communities other than Sikhs.
- He carried out repairs to the Lahore fort — which was built by Emperor Akbar.
About Maharaja Ranjit Singh:
- Ranjit Singh was born on November 13, 1780 in Gujranwala, now in Pakistan. At that time, Punjab was ruled by powerful chieftains who had divided the territory into
- Ranjit Singh overthrew the warring Misls and established a unified Sikh empire after he conquered Lahore in 1799.
- He was given the title Lion of Punjab (Sher-e-Punjab) because he stemmed the tide of Afghan invaders in Lahore, which remained his capital until his death.
- His general Hari Singh Nalwa built the Fort of Jamrud at the mouth of the Khyber Pass, the route the foreign rulers took to invade India.
- At the time of his death, he was the only sovereign leader left in India, all others having come under the control of the East India Company in some way or the other.
Administration:
- He also employed a large number of European officers, especially French, to train his troops.
- He appointed French General Jean Franquis Allard to modernise his army.
His empire included the former Mughal provinces of Lahore and Multan besides part of Kabul and the entire Peshawar. The boundaries of his state went up to Ladakh — Zorawar Singh, a general from Jammu, had conquered Ladakh in Ranjit Singh’s name — in the northeast, Khyber pass in the northwest, and up to Panjnad in the south where the five rivers of Punjab fell into the Indus.
Architectural Contributions:
- He turned Harimandir Sahib at Amritsar into the Golden Temple by covering it with gold.
- He is also credited with funding Hazoor Sahib gurudwara at the final resting place of Guru Gobind Singh in Nanded, Maharashtra.
Insta Curious:
Did you know that during the Battle of Chillianwala the British suffered the maximum casualties of officers in their entire history in India? What were the outcomes of this war? Reference
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- About Ranjith Singh.
- His administration.
- About the Golden Temple.
- About Lahore Fort.
Mains Link:
Write a note on Ranjit Singh and his contributions.
Sources: Indian Express.
