What Made Maharaja Ranjit Singh Such A Great Sikh Leader

[CuriousObserver]

To fully understand his role you need to look at history. He was chosen to lead the sikhs when Sada Kaur called sarbat khalasa in order to organize the sikhs beacuse of an impending attack. He failed the sikhs in my opinion because he didnt restore sarbat khalsa and became a king. Also he had 46 wives and concubines and hundreds of dancing girls. Sure he did great things like religious tolerance but he screwed the newer generations. after his death his family started killing each other for control. Sikhs could have easily fended of the british if they were organized. 2 of the leaders betrayed the sikhs and gave away battle plans to the british. After that battle the khalsa lost numbers and money and couildnt recover. all this because the leaders wanted to be kings. this all started with ranjit singh. Hari singh nalwa didnt want monarchy.

[Guest dasguruka]

what was his mistake regarding Sikhi, I have heard this before

He married a Muslim girl...and he put gold on major shrines in Sikhism. I heard in a katha that Guru Gobind Singh Ji didn't want Hazoor Sahib to be covered with gold

[lsingh]

To fully understand his role you need to look at history. He was chosen to lead the sikhs when Sada Kaur called sarbat khalasa in order to organize the sikhs beacuse of an impending attack. He failed the sikhs in my opinion because he didnt restore sarbat khalsa and became a king. Also he had 46 wives and concubines and hundreds of dancing girls. Sure he did great things like religious tolerance but he screwed the newer generations. after his death his family started killing each other for control. Sikhs could have easily fended of the british if they were organized. 2 of the leaders betrayed the sikhs and gave away battle plans to the british. After that battle the khalsa lost numbers and money and couildnt recover. all this because the leaders wanted to be kings. this all started with ranjit singh. Hari singh nalwa didnt want monarchy.

The creation of a monarchy did great damage to the Sikhs in the long term as after Ranjit Singhs death there was no strong single leader. If control had been passed to a Sarbat Khalsa we would have had stability instead of anarchy. Ranjit Singh's tolerance got the better of him as he allowed the Dogras to get a grip on power over the Sikh state. The Dogras under Gulab Singh and his brothers took on a Sikh look but were never loyal to Sikhs they conspired for years secretly against Ranjit Singh. True Sikh leaders such as Akali Phoola Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa wanted to expand the Sikh Raj and were eventually killed in battles with the Afghans. The Dogra brothers sat in Lahore enjoying the pleasures of wealth and power and got Ranjit Singhs son hooked on Opium so that he became virtually useless as a leader. Even before Ranjit Singh died in 1839 the Dogras were in communication with the British and how they were willing to bring down the Sikh Empire if the British rewarded them.

So during the Sikh wars of 1845-46 and 1848-49 the Dogras along with the Brahmin Generals Lal Singh and Tej Singh who ended up commanding the Sikh army did their best to help the British and bring down the Sikh Empire. The Dogras were then given the state of Kashmir for their help.They quickly dropped their Sikh appearance and declared themselves staunch Hindus.

The problems created for the Sikhs are evident today and also for Kashmir.

[sat]

no matter what THE MAN KICKED A88 AND BIG TIME -- WE SHOULD NOT CRITICIZE NONE OTHER THAT GURU SAHIB AND AKAL PURAKH ARE PERFECCT - ALL OF US ARE PRONE TO WEAKNESS AND FAILURES - SO TAKE A POSITIVE LEAVE OUT OF HIS BOOK AND LIFE NOT NEGATIVE

I think you misread my quote, it was not criticizing but merely point out that there was more forgiveness and tolerance in those times it seem. please read it again slowly.

WJKK WJKF

[CuriousObserver]

The creation of a monarchy did great damage to the Sikhs in the long term as after Ranjit Singhs death there was no strong single leader. If control had been passed to a Sarbat Khalsa we would have had stability instead of anarchy. Ranjit Singh's tolerance got the better of him as he allowed the Dogras to get a grip on power over the Sikh state. The Dogras under Gulab Singh and his brothers took on a Sikh look but were never loyal to Sikhs they conspired for years secretly against Ranjit Singh. True Sikh leaders such as Akali Phoola Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa wanted to expand the Sikh Raj and were eventually killed in battles with the Afghans. The Dogra brothers sat in Lahore enjoying the pleasures of wealth and power and got Ranjit Singhs son hooked on Opium so that he became virtually useless as a leader. Even before Ranjit Singh died in 1839 the Dogras were in communication with the British and how they were willing to bring down the Sikh Empire if the British rewarded them.

So during the Sikh wars of 1845-46 and 1848-49 the Dogras along with the Brahmin Generals Lal Singh and Tej Singh who ended up commanding the Sikh army did their best to help the British and bring down the Sikh Empire. The Dogras were then given the state of Kashmir for their help.They quickly dropped their Sikh appearance and declared themselves staunch Hindus.

The problems created for the Sikhs are evident today and also for Kashmir.

"Gulab Singh contrived to hold himself aloof till the battle of Sobraon (1846), when he appeared as a useful mediator and the trusted advisor of SirHenry Lawrence. Two treaties were concluded. By the first the State of Lahore (i.e. West Punjab) handed over to the British, as equivalent for one crore indemnity, the hill countries between the rivers Beas and Indus; by the second the British made over to Gulab Singh for 75 lakhs all the hilly or mountainous country situated to the east of the Indus and the west of the Ravi i.e. the Vale of Kashmir)."

Do you know how the got the money to buy kashmir. because i thought punjab was close to bankruptcy. did they steal?

How did the get the princes addicted to opium?

[lsingh]

The Dogras were able to steal the treasury of the Sikhs from Lahore and transferred it to Jammu. They acquired immense wealth after starting as low level employees in the Sikh state and were able to buy Kashmir with the money of the Sikhs. The Sikh army oppossed the Dogras hence they planned its destruction by starting a war with the British and then betraying them.

The eldest son of Ranjit Singh, Kharakh Singh was befriended by the Dogras and over time distracted to pleasures rather than learning about Governance.

'In January 1841 Sher Singh, son of Ranjit Singh, tried to seize the throne of Lahore but was repulsed by the Jammu brothers. The defence of the fort was in the hands of Gulab Singh. According to his European artillery commander Alexander Gardner:

"The Dogras on the walls began to look over and were jeered at by Sher Singh’s troops, the little fort was surrounded by a sea of human heads. Gulab Singh made contemptuous replies, and roared out to Sher Singh, demanding that he should surrender... With a wild yell some 300 Akalis swept up the Hazuri Bagh and crowded into the gate. Just at that moment, when the crowd was rushing in on us, their swords high in the air, I managed to fire the ten guns, and literally blew them into the air... Then Sher Singh fled and grievous carnage ensued. The Dogras, always excellent marksmen, seemed that day not to miss a man from the walls... we counted the bodies of no less than 2800 soldiers, 200 artillerymen, and 180 horses."

After peace was made between the two sides, Gulab Singh and his men were allowed to leave with their weapons. On this occasion, he is said to have taken away a large amount of the Lahore treasure to Jammu. Subsequently, Gulab Singh conquered the fort of Mangla (near the present Mangla Dam on the Jhelum River'

[stingers12]

His respect for Guru Granth Sahib ji

[Malhi]

the fact that he was stable in gurmat and politics (knowledable)

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjHEee4om6YNg27oj8fKleg

EDCUATE PUNJAB PROJECT:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnYC9LFhVjU

[ks55]

He was given to the Sikh Kaum as a blessing from Akal Purakh- lets take the positives from his jeevan and learn and adpat accordingly.

Each and every human has faults none of us are perfect - lets work at our faults first and before any critcisms -

Ranjit Singh did immense seva - even though not an Amritdhari -

[sat]

He was given to the Sikh Kaum as a blessing from Akal Purakh- lets take the positives from his jeevan and learn and adpat accordingly.

Each and every human has faults none of us are perfect - lets work at our faults first and before any critcisms -

Ranjit Singh did immense seva - even though not an Amritdhari -

Hold on if Maharaja Ranjit Singh was not an Amritdhari as You say, then why was he ordered to be lashed by Akali Phula Singh ji for his marrying a muslim woman (mora). Which i guess was his punishment for breaking rehat. ( Allthough he was forgiven and not lashed in the end)

Bhai Bhag Singh was his tutor who taught him about sikh history , Then Ranjit singh asked about his own ancestors he was told Sardar Budh Singh was your fathers grandfather, that is your great grandfather.

He had the honour and privilege of having been baptized by Guru Gobind Singh ji himself.

To which Ranjit singh exclaimed, How lucky he was! what would i not give to drink amrit from the tenth masters own hands!

He came from amritdhari ancestors, so why would he not be amritdhari, It makes no sense, His Mother In law Sada Kaur was amritdhari.

It was the time in our history when sikhi saroop, Amrit Gurus teaching were more important than ones own life!!

Sure he made mistakes and none of us are perfect even amritdharis, but no one says they are or at least i am not !

Please provide more info regarding this as i am always ready to learn, but i assumed he was.

WJKK WJKF