Biography
Maharaja Gulab Singh
The modern state of Jammu and Kashmir, as we know it today, has a long history that dates back to 15 March 1846, when Raja Gulab Singh, then a Raja of Jammu, was elevated to become the first Maharaja of entire Jammu and Kashmir, the borders of which he expanded all the way to Tibet, creating a vast territory and establishing modern-day Jammu and Kashmir as a secular nation.
Today, we will focus on the positive aspects of the first ruler of modern Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Gulab Singh, whose valour, statesmanship, deep foresight, wisdom, sagacity, and achievements propelled him to meteoric heights in a short period of time, allowing him to establish the second largest princely state in erstwhile India.
In an article, Col J P Singh writes, quoting a great historian KM Pannikar, that in India’s century of upheavals, Maharaja Gulab Singh stands out as a lone figure equipped with all the traits of a brave soldier, inspiring General, astute diplomat, great conqueror, merchant, trusted friend, remarkable statesman, and able administrator. He emerged on the scene just as the rich, huge, and powerful Jammu empire was crumbling. He was the one who restored it to its former splendour and expanded its borders by outwitting rivals and British officials. Maharaja’s greatness resided in his exceptional statesmanship combined with keen foresight, which enabled him to seize any chance that presented itself.
He goes on to say that Maharaja Gulab Singh, who established the large state of Jammu and Kashmir and altered the map of India, was a symbol of nationhood and secularism. He is one of the few historical legacies that India can truly be proud of. He supplied enough strategic depth to India’s capital by expanding its borders too far north.
He goes on to say that by stitching together the many provinces of Raja Rajgan Ranjit Dev’s former Jammu empire, he set the groundwork for a future state of Jammu and Kashmir. Gulab Singh gained enormous jagirs in Punjab, including the salt mines of Pind Dadan Khan on the right bank of the River Jhelum, worth lakhs on lease, and also ruled over hill areas from Ravi to Jhelum.
He consolidated his power by taking Ladakh, Baltistan, Gilgit, and 500 square miles of Tibet. No Indian king had attempted to conquer Tibet before, not even Chandragupta Maurya or Mughal rulers, but Raja Gulab Singh did so in 1841.
According to historians, Gulab Singh (1792-1857) was the founder of the royal Dogra dynasty and the first Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which was established following the defeat of the Sikhs in the First Anglo-Sikh War. The Treaty of Amritsar, 1846, confirmed the British sale to Gulab Singh of all the territories in Kashmir granted to them by the Sikhs in the Treaty of Lahore for 7,500,000 rupees.
Gulab Singh was born in a Hindu Jamwal Dogra Rajput household on October 18, 1792. Kishore Singh Jamwal, his father, was a distant cousin of Jit Singh, the Raja of Jammu. Gulab Singh was raised by his grandpa, Zorawar Singh, who taught him the techniques of horseback riding and combat. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Sikh army invaded Jammu in 1808, the 16-year-old Gulab Singh fought with his clansmen in the futile defence of Jammu.
After this loss, the Raja of Jammu gained internal authority over the principality, which became a vassal of the Sikh Empire. Gulab Singh travelled to Kabul in 1809 to join the army of Afghan Ruler Shah Shuja as a mercenary. When his troops refused to cross the Indus, he went to work for Sardar Nihal Singh Attariwala. Gulab Singh was soon discovered working as a running footman in Ranjit Singh’s court. He distinguished himself in various campaigns, including Multan’s conquest (1816). In 1816, he also conducted an independent expedition to take the hill-town of Reasi.
In 1820, Ranjit Singh gave the Jammu area as a hereditary fief upon Kishore Singh in recognition of services performed by the family, particularly Gulab Singh. Gulab Singh took Rajouri from Aghar Khan and Kishtwar from Raja Tegh Muhammad Singh in 1821. Gulab Singh took part in the Sikh capture of Dera Ghazi Khan the same year. He also apprehended and murdered his own clansman, Mian Dido Jamwal, who was conducting an insurgency against the Sikhs. Kishore Singh died in 1822, and his suzerain, Ranjit Singh, recognised Gulab Singh as Raja of Jammu.
In 1824 Gulab Singh captured the fort of Samartah, near the holy Mansar Lake. In 1827 he accompanied the Sikh Commander-In-Chief Hari Singh Nalwa, who fought and defeated a horde of Afghan rebels led by Sayyid Ahmed at the Battle of Shaidu. Between 1831-39 Ranjit Singh bestowed on Gulab Singh the jagir of the salt mines in northern Punjab, and the nearby Punjabi towns like Bhera, Jhelum, Rohtas, and Gujrat.
At this time, a significant portion of the Dogra army has been engaged in trans-Himalayan conquests. General Zorawar Singh, the governor of Kishtwar, had captured the Suru valley and Kargil in 1835, the remainder of Ladakh in 1836-40, and Baltistan in 1847. (1840). Mian Singh, the Sikh ruler of Kashmir, was worried by these victories and wrote to Prince Nao Nihal Singh that “Zorawar Singh, agent of Raja Gulab Singh, was getting entire possession of Baltistan” (Punjab Akhbars, 20 July 1840). Since the Dogra campaign posed a danger to the Sikh position in Kashmir and Gilgit, Zorawar Singh shifted his focus eastward to the conquest of Tibet.
Meanwhile, in Lahore, the Sandhawalia Sardars (connected to Ranjit Singh) assassinated Raja Dhian Singh and the Sikh King Sher Singh in 1842. Gulab Singh’s younger brother, Suchet Singh, and nephew, Hira Singh, were also assassinated. Once the regime crumbled, the Khalsa soldiery demanded their back pay. In 1844, the Lahore court ordered an invasion of Jammu to recover money from Gulab Singh, who was rumoured to be the richest Raja north of the Sutlej River after stealing the majority of the Lahore treasury.
Gulab Singh, on the other hand, volunteered to negotiate on his behalf with the Lahore court. The Raja was fined 27 lakh rupees as a result of these discussions. During the Anglo-Sikh wars, the defeated Lahore court was forced to hand up Jammu to Gulab Singh under the Treaty of Lahore.
Due to a lack of resources to hold such a wide territory immediately after annexing sections of Punjab, the British acknowledged Gulab Singh as a Maharaja directly subject to them in exchange for payment of the war indemnity of 75 lakh rupees.
This agreement was codified in 1846 with the Treaty of Amritsar. During the second Sikh War of 1849, he enabled his Sikh warriors to flee and fight with his Punjabi colleagues. The treaties of Chushul and Amritsar had defined the east, south, and west borders of the Kingdom of Jammu, but the northern boundary remained undetermined. The fort of Chilas in the Dard country was captured in 1850. Gilgit was lost to revolt in 1852, but his son reclaimed him 10 years later.
On June 30, 1857, Maharaja Gulab Singh died and was replaced by his son, Ranbir Singh. Some historians think he died on August 3, 1858, at the age of 66, at Srinagar.
Maharaja Gulab Singh Brigade
Shivang Satya Gupta
Chairman
Rajay Jamwal
President
Anil Singh Rakwal
, Working President
Devinder Padha
Organization Secretary
Tarsem Singh
, Vice President
Ravish Handoo
Publicity Secretary
