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Maharaja; An essential lesson for Indian democracy

scorpionx

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Maharaja; An essential lesson for Indian democracy

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Yesterday I was going through an old Pritish Nandy blog published in the Times of India in 2010. Quite vividly it depicts the fallacy of our democracy. It said out of 543 Mps in Loksabha 315 are crorepatis and 43 out of 54 newly elected MPs in Rajyasabha are millionaires in a country where 68.7% live on less than $2 /-per day. After being granted with free electricity, furniture, water, subsidized gas and Rs.1000/- they can demand a 500% hike in their salary!! So who are these people? Public servants, semi monarchs or a bunch of democratically elected kings and queens? For they are elected by us, again we cannot blame them if we cannot blame ourselves. But amidst of moral bankruptcy and inept governance, as a common man of India like R K Laxman I intend to draw an example from the past from which these monarchs and semi monarchs can learn some vital lessons.

On 7th of July, 1799, an eighteen year old boy enters the city of Lahore through its colossal gateways not only to consolidate his ambitious plan for an unified state of Punjab which was divided by numbers of warring principalities in the following years but to lead an unconscious emergence of Punjabi Nationalism which would draw respectful attention and curiosity within the next twenty years from every corner of the world. He became perhaps one of the greatest conqueror of Northern India whose empire would stretch itself between the dry, cold mountain series of Hindukush in the North West, the lash green expanses of Ganga-Jumna doab in the south East and Kashmir in the North.

When tyranny is the usual expression of every monarchical rule, what lessons our democratically elected politicians can learn when they are guilty of shameful display of greed for more power and inefficiency in office? When entire Uttar Pradesh is frequented with ugly and pain in the eye statues of its former Chief Minister Mayavati just to immortalize herself, our Maharaja did not even built a grandiose throne for himself like Xerexes in Persepolis or the Mughals in Delhi. He preferred to sit cross legged on a simple chair and often received his visitors just reclining on a cushion on a carpet. He preferred to wear a simple turban quite discordant with the other monarchs, both in North and the south. Unlike other kings and queens, Ranjit Singh displayed his extraordinary humbleness by rejecting his own effigy and name to be inscribed on the coins and government seals. Both did not have any reference to him other than Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh faith.

When most of our Mps and MLAs are completely out of touch with the common people, Maharaja never lost his connection with his own men. The necessary flavour of a constitutional monarchy quietly departed from the land of five rivers with the establishment of Sarkar Khalsaji and Darbar Khalsaji.

The most significant and perhaps the most cardinal principal we need to imbibe from this leader is his idea of secularism. He famously said “God wanted me to look upon all religions with one eye, that is why he took away the light from the other.” The history between the three doabs of Punjab had been cruel, murderous. Its fertile landscape had been blood soaked with religious atrocities which exploded during the reign of Aurangzeb and continued till the Mughals were considerably subdued by its inherent weakness, the Marathas and the East India company. But Singh Sahib showed no unwanted prejudices and blind hatred for his Muslim subjects. After assuming the thrown of Lahore his first act would be paying homage to the Badshahi Mosque and the mosque of Wazir Khan.


When an obvious number of Indian politicians are accused and often found guilty of instigating religious violence and minority appeasement compromising the national security with unbroken continuity since Independence, Ranjit Singh’s offer to the minorities was not restricted to mere symbolic visit to its shrines. His administrative acumen did not offer any brotherly partisanship to his Sikh subjects and every job was awarded to its best and most worth candidate irrespective of cast, creed and religion. His Prime Minister Dhian Singh was a dogra Hindu, foreign minister Fakir Azizuddin was a Muslim and finance minister Dina Nath again was a Hindu. Two Muslims, Ghaus Mohammad Khan (Mian Ghausa) and later Sheikh Elahi Baksh were given the charge of his artillery brigade which consisted mostly Muslim gunners. Significantly, these gunners were quite instrumental in securing Attock, the gateway to North India and fought many gruesome battles for Punjab.During his reign, state of Punjab did not become a sacrosanct land for Sikhs, neither anything stopped Persian to be the official court language of it. Hope our leaders learn a bit from it and say hell to our reservation policy; let the best man to do his job.


Maharaja Ranjit Singh earned his thrown by his extraordinary courage and military aptitude, unified the state of Punjab by his unmatched diplomatic skills and ability to command with an iron fist, maintained peace and harmony by building Punjabi nationalism based upon honest faith in secularism and utmost respect for its body politic. Our leaders today, most of whom look down upon democracy with an appallingly contemptuous way and who are doubtless crippled with administrative inefficiency might learn how to behave like a King at least if not serving the commoners is their best forte.
 
@scorpionx perhaps the lack of such a leader for a long time has made india crave for a strong leader.
and perhaps that is why we see indian youths idealising hitler(there were a few threads on this if u remember) and atleast this one of the many reasons why people are rooting for modi,who does appear to be a strong leader.
what say??
 
@scorpionx perhaps the lack of such a leader for a long time has made india crave for a strong leader.
and perhaps that is why we see indian youths idealising hitler(there were a few threads on this if u remember) and atleast this one of the many reasons why people are rooting for modi,who does appear to be a strong leader.
what say??
Whether or not Modi will prove to be an iron hand is a debatable issue and we should reserve our comments only when he assumes power. But so far our leaders have not reacted well in handling sensitive situations like 84' and 2001. Policy crippling is a major issue and hope he shows his firmness unlike his predecessor here.But on other issues, we do need time,my friend.
 
Whether or not Modi will prove to be an iron hand is a debatable issue and we should reserve our comments only when he assumes power. But so far our leaders have not reacted well in handling sensitive situations like 84' and 2001. Policy crippling is a major issue and hope he shows his firmness unlike his predecessor here.But on other issues, we do need time,my friend.
you are supporting modi,aren't you? :ashamed:
 
you are supporting modi,aren't you? :ashamed:

I am more against this present crippled government rather than a Pro-Modi. Look he is not God, neither he can do magic over night. His administrative aptitude has not been much satisfactory. But the point is Congress have spend enough time in office and sitting longer on a throne do yield back pains most of the times. So, let them have rest for some years.

(You are forcing me to sign my own death warrant.)
 
I am more against this present crippled government rather than a Pro-Modi. Look he is not God, neither he can do magic over night. His administrative aptitude has not been much satisfactory. But the point is Congress have spend enough time in office and sitting longer on a throne do yield back pains most of the times. So, let them have rest for some years.

(You are forcing me to sign my own death warrant.)
same here,a few people are thinking of him as the ultimate saviour or the ONE.
though i hope he turns out to be like that,someone who turns around everything,but practically saying,expecting too much from a single man is taking it too far.
also as you said,we have already given this government 10 years and it disappointed,the last term was horrible.
time for a much needed change.
 
same here,a few people are thinking of him as the ultimate saviour or the ONE.
though i hope he turns out to be like that,someone who turns around everything,but practically saying,expecting too much from a single man is taking it too far.
also as you said,we have already given this government 10 years and it disappointed,the last term was horrible.
time for a much needed change.
Development will continue to proceed as the present slow rate.We can't change it.But my hope hinges on some domestic social reforms like reservation policies. Would be waiting to see if he gets subdued against regional politics or not. If he can do it I will vote for him in next LS to.
 
same here,a few people are thinking of him as the ultimate saviour or the ONE.
though i hope he turns out to be like that,someone who turns around everything,but practically saying,expecting too much from a single man is taking it too far.
also as you said,we have already given this government 10 years and it disappointed,the last term was horrible.
time for a much needed change.
The only change you get will be Rahulji replacing Manmohanji who completes a successful 10 year tenure :coffee:.
 
Ranjit's singh rule cannot be put into context as a religious rule.. but rather the Rise of Punjab. After all, Sikhism is almost automatically associated with Punjab. It was a rise of a nationality more than anything else. Will the same principle be applicable in India when it comes to secularism.. yes. But is it not already in some struggling form of practice?

Ranjit Singh also went as far as Peshawar...and the two proverbial martial races of the Subcontinent clashed with each other. Yet, since it was a battle of races.. was Ranjit singh able to achieve the very same with regards to the Pashtun and their integration into his empire?

Additionally, the strong link of the clergy to their former Persian ruler --> Arab Ruler heritage found his rule opposition from them. Perhaps the issue then being with promoting utmost secularism within India today is to finish the last remnants of the lingering ideology that Islam is alien to India.. and that it is as much an Indian religion as is Hinduism and Sikhism. Instead of the preferential treatment to Muslims given today in terms of quotas and other nicities that causes a lot of disdain among other religions... promote the contribution of Islam to India.. celebrate it just as Hinduism is.. emphasize the "Hindu-Muslim"..and then take away the impression among them that they are a minority.
 
@scorpionx

My criticism and feedback.

I like the fact that you used a relatively well known figure in Indian/Punjabi history to draw parallels with our modern democratic system. Even though the current demagogues destroyed the monarchs, they have in turn become the next monarchs.

I liked the language used. Clean, crisp and fairly devoid of grammatical errors.

Weaknesses: A bit more specific numbers on the politicians would be good. Especially in terms of corruption. You know, some more names dropped.

I was hoping for more personal tidbits on Ranjit Singh. :D

Overall, a very good effort indeed.
 
@Ravi Nair

Thanks Ravi for your kind words. I thought to avoid the deficiency of Indian democracy in terms of handling communal issues because it could have led to unnecessary recriminations.But I will definitely try to improve in the next one (If I write anything though :D).
 
@Ravi Nair

Thanks Ravi for your kind words. I thought to avoid the deficiency of Indian democracy in terms of handling communal issues because it could have led to unnecessary recriminations.But I will definitely try to improve in the next one (If I write anything though :D).

I haven't read much about Ranjit Singh.

As a Keralite, I am frequently jealous of other states because of their rich history.

I mean we have the Ancient Cheras and that is it :angry:
 
I haven't read much about Ranjit Singh.

As a Keralite, I am frequently jealous of other states because of their rich history.

I mean we have the Ancient Cheras and that is it :angry:

You can read about him. He was an extraordinarily courageous leader to unite warring Misls into one single force against foreign invasions at the age of twenty, an excellent leader spending two to three hours regularly with his army encouraging them like a true skipper and an superb horse raider who could have spent almost a day on horse back. He had a great taste for western liquor,quite a remarkable quality in the contemporary society.Unlike the notorious depiction of him as a greedy, cunning king when it comes to "Kohinoor" episode people often forgot how generous this leader was to Suja's family and was constantly being deceived by the exiled Suja and his wife.These qualities made him an immensely charismatic leader of his own time we should all revere about.
 
@scorpionx I am sorry to hurt your feelings here. But mate I've got to share my views without shying away from serious disagreement about Sikh Raj and Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

I admit that Maharaja Ranjit Singh had brilliant qualities, which he put to good use for his cause. One must also mention the fact that his rule did bring to an end a prolonged period of anarchy in Punjab. So there was some good in his rule. Sikh philosophy found an expression (however inadequate given the times and circumstances) in governance. The qualities of brotherhood and an egalitarian spirit were manifest during that time within Sikh community.

But then one must confront the problems / deficiencies of his rule.

1. The necessary condition of his rule was a strong and numerous army. In order to finance it, Ranjit Singh had to put it to work to conquer territories adjacent to his kingdom. When the push for expansion was halted, the army turned out to be a very serious burden with political ambitions. This could / should have been foreseen (probably was) but in conjunction with a non-existent (or weak) succession policy, the preponderance and overbearing character of the army weakened and eventually contributed to the collapse of the kingdom.

2. As mentioned in #1 above, the succession was not clear. The first choice was not fit to rule, there were serious political dissensions and eventually this one factor turned out to be the most damaging to Ranjit Singh's political legacy, his kingdom.

3. The kingdom's subjects were disaffected. As suggested in #1, the army was a drain on resources and the job of financing it was tough on the population. It is very important to note that pre-British Punjab was not as prosperous, nor as populous as it is now. The British rule was actually a boon for Punjab, and this factor is often ignored when discussing Sikh rule in Punjab. It is easy to make the mistake of projecting realities that existed during and after British times onto the past Sikh Kingdom.

4. The Muslims keenly felt the loss of government. Imagine not being able to do much or anything about Badshahi Mosque when it was turned into a stable. One of the first steps taken by the British administration was allowing Muslims to repossess Badshahi Mosque and offer prayers therein.

5. The local vernacular added a term "Sikha-Shahi" which was no complement to the quality of Sikh rule. I've come across references to it in various places and by different authors. So it is not a figment of my family's imagination. My grand parents did relay stories of how Sikhs would not be placated until they had made sure that they could get nothing more when they came to a village to collect taxes. Apparently there was no set guideline to be followed or a certain proportion that was customary. I could be wrong in my assumption that this was a general rule. After all the Sikh rule depended upon the legacy of Mughal administration (Persian language, terminology, perhaps even certain precedents), so there could have been an official policy. However, given the generally negative sentiment that I have come across, tax collection seems to have been a messy affair. Had the Kingdom remained in power there could have been improvements, but that was not to be.

6. The city of Lahore had been in decline. Even after a stable reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, it is reported that a significant fraction of Lahore remained depopulated. Cholera was epidemic because of seriously inadequate sewerage. One of the first civil works undertaken by the British administration was improving sewerage condition in Lahore and building a large drain that emptied into River Ravi. Evidently, Sikh Raj ignored people's problems while it concentrated on conquest.

7. After the passing of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the subsequent rulers could do nothing against the encroaching British because there was no capacity or willingness to form alliances. When British annexed Sindh, Punjab's fate was sealed. Having a superb army could only delay the inevitable. This too can be viewed as a result of Maharaja's reckless expansionist policy. This policy made enemies and there were no friends to support the Kingdom when its end came at the hands of British.

8. Though much is made of the 'Punjabi' nationalism in wake of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's successes, I have never bought the idea or the story. Punjab was divided then, in hearts and minds, and Punjab is divided today by borders. Had Punjabi nationalism been an actual or real force, Punjab would not have been divided as it is today. Muslims did not miss the Sikh Raj during British times. In fact the lack of general interest among Punjabi Muslims for 1857 episode still rankles with people of UP, etc... The support lent to British during that time by Punjabi land owners was crucial to British position. It happened because Muslims had a feeling that they had exchanged masters and got better ones. In short, the Punjabi nationalism is over-hyped and only by certain people who have a vested interest in doing so. To illustrate my point let me ask the protagonists of the said nationalism how they would feel if Punjab's Sikh leaders had accepted Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnnah's offer of a united Punjab in Pakistan?

9. One could argue that seeds of Pakistan were sown during the Sikh rule. That was the first time Muslims had been out of government in about 800 years and they did not like the experience. The feeling of otherness was ingrained since Sikhs themselves had a lot of issues with Mughals and their opposition to Mughals' faith is understandable.

I am not going to say anything about the whole Koh-i-Noor episode. I would, however, note that it is generally considered a blot on Maharaja's reputation. The details of how it was extorted are not flattering - to say the least.
 

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