Elite talking history Phulkian Versus Sindhawalia

Refer to the following report.

Amarinder Talks about his family

S Amarinder Singh is an ex-CM of Punjab and descendant of rulers of Patiala. The following report is a journalistic report talking nothing much except the usual stuff. However, the person who is the author he is definitely a part of history and directly related to Maharaja Ranjit Singh also.

The blogger had learnt that the family library of Amarinder Singh contains such documents which had hidden many secret not only from pre-colonial period but also from post independence period. Hence, this report is a befitting selection for reviving posting which had remained suspended for long only because of long and erratic electric supply in Punjab where only British ruled. (The Indian Punjab remained outside the control of Lahore Darbar after the Amritsar Treaty of 1809 between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Metcalfe).

As the topic taken in report is highly controversial as why the Punjab was annexed by Dalhousie after the Anglo-Sikh war, the issue is of Conspiracy History which sadly not undertaken seriously in India. But in the report, those events had been mentioned which had been behind the final annexation of Punjab.

Gobindgarh Fort (Bhangian Da Kila) face lifted to become a Tourist Place in Punjab

In a news report of The Tribune, Chandigarh, dated September 8, 2008, Punjab Section, it is told the restoration work of Bhangian Da Kila has started. Tracing the history, it is stated that bungalow of Gen O’Dyre, who had headed the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh is situated in the Gobindgarh Fort, the name by which the Bhangian Da Kila is known. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had rebuilt it and added Nalwa Gate, Keelar gate and a tunnel to Lahore which is yet not located. 

British Administration had added Darbar Hall, Hawa Mehal and O’Dyre had added Phansi Ghar to it. 

The report also shows an image of the bungalow of Gen O’Dyre.

Dakshini Sikhs: Glorious Past; Deplorable Social Status

On September 2, 2008, The Hindustan Times published a report on deplorable social status of the Dakshini Sikhs. The report has been borrowed from Indo-Asian News Service. 

Explaining the term Dakshini Sikh, the report tells that it means Southern Sikhs which include Sikligar, Vanjara and Lubana castes who live as gypsies in various states across India. 

Recently, the National Commission for Minorities has deputed several teams to collect the data on the socio-economic status of the Dakshini Sikhs. 

While giving the details of the news, the news items has given a snippet on the history of Dakshini Sikhs which is as follows. 

The Dakshini Sikhs were associated with Sikh Guru Hargobind ji in 1595. They made swords, spears and shields for the Sikh army. 

They fought against Mughals during the life time of Guru Gobind Singh ji. 

In 1832, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a force of 2000 Sikhs soldiers which mostly consisted of the above mentioned tribes to Hyderabad. The force was requested by Nizam of Hyderabad to save his territories from the attacks of his neighbours. 

The Nizam of Hyderabad had given jobs to Maharaja Ranjit Sigh soldiers in his kingdom and latter it was such Sikhs who became known as Dakshini Sikhs. 

British had left but left behind the babus

It has reference to an earlier report here and here.

As reported, the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, in response to an RTI application, located the files of the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 at Amritsar. He, under the hangover of colonial mindset which somehow continues to percolate down on the mind of Indians, decreed in highly indiscreet manner that they people who had lost their life while participating in the peaceful meeting against the Rowlatt Act had been already compensated by the existing government.

It is reported in the Hindustan Times, September 5, 2008, Front page, that the same Deputy Commissioner has sought the freedom fighter status for those who were killed on that fateful date. It is highly ironical and disgraceful that the administration had played all those acts which it usually perform in a matte which is of sanctity of history of the country before coming to the most logical decision.

British had left but left behind the babus.

Sukherchakia Emperor Bust may raise another Controversy

'Auction of Maharaja Ranjit's bust' -Chandigarh-Cities-The Times of India

A 19th century marble bust of the Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh, is reportedly coming up for bidding on October 9 at Bonhams in London.

The Punjab Heritage Site in its report by Amandeep Madra, is believed to come out with facts on it when the bust is shown in the public.

The Times of India report also traces some of the facts of the Punjab History. Amandeep Madra writes a more elaborate posts on Sher-i-Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Unfimiliarity and Ideological Bias lead to News on History.

The following two posts as published in Hindustan Times in the month of September 2008 and August 2008 may explain the meaning of the title.

REMEMBER THIS MARTYR TO REMEMBER OUR HISTORY

WHO's TO BLAME FOR BHAGAT STATUE

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The Hindustan Times
August 27, 2008
and
September 1, 2008

wikipedia for Photographs.

Jarnail, Zail, Darbara and 80s of Punjab

There is a news report in The Tribune date September 2, 2008, titled "Zail Singh had no hand in building Bhindrawale."

The report is attribute to an interview with Trilochan Singh, an ex MP and former Secretary of Late President Zail Singh.

According to this report President Zail Singh had met Jathedar Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale on the Bhog ceremony of Jathedar Santokh Singh, who was near to Jatherdar Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale and also Mrs. Indira Gandhi.

Whenever, the history of post independence Punjab in India will be written after fifty years from now, there will definitely the chapters on the Partition of Punjab, the creation of Punjab in 1956 after merging with PEPSU, then Language Formula, Bhim Sen Sachar, and Tara Singh, then Naxalite Movement and finally unrest of 1980s which the intellectual world was never able to understand that why did it actually take place at all.

It was believed that it was clash between the interest of Darbara Singh and Zail Singh which created Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale and this equation then went out from their hands.

In any case, it was news coming out history of recent past or contemporary history.

Bhai Maharaj Singh Ji, the Freedom Fighter of pre-1857 Uprising

London British Library has a policy of displaying some of the rarest collections in the library on their website. I believe such items are also made public for few days. Or it may be, that one organization, namely, United Kingdom Punjab Heritage Association (UKPHA), is involved in cataloguing Punjabi manuscripts, happens to locate it in the British library.

It seems that somewhere in the month of June 2008, British Library had displayed the belongings and manuscripts of Bhai Maharaj Singh (Sant Nihal Singh Ji), a saint and freedom fighter in pre 1857 period. He had joined with Diwan Mul Raj, Subedar of Multan, as appointed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, to fight the Anglo Sikh War. Some of the belongings which were displayed were gifted to the library by the decedents of Henry Vanistrat, who, in the capacity of Deputy Commissioner of Jaladhar at that time(Jullundur - as the office record of the British period spell the name of the Demon King, who was son of Samudra and had been killed by Lord Shiva because he had the audacity of going beyond the limits.), had arrested Bhai Maharaj Singh.
The above mentioned activities had been reported by Amandeep Madra (Madra refers to cis Ravi Region in Vedic Period and considered as the real Punjab which had helped Chandragupta Maurya to defeat Dhana Nand of Nanda Dynasty of Pataliputra.) The same story has again became the part of Punjab Newsline on August 20, 2008 and reported by Amandeep Madra Paramjit Singh.

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Disclaimer: I have not verified the facts. I am reporting only what has been access on the mentioned links as accessed and retrieved on August 31, 2008.

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Sources:
Punjab Heritage News: http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/11815/40/" Newly catalogued : The Bhai Maharaj Singh Collection>Newly catalogued : The Bhai Maharaj Singh Collection
Punjab News: Bhai Maharaj Singh Collection is preserved in British Library
Sant Nihal Singh, alias Bhai Maharaj Singh a saint-revolutionary of the 19th century Punjabby M. L. AhluwaliaPublished in 1972, Punjabi University (Patiala) as accessed on Google Books.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Heritage Hill in Rupnagar (Ropar)

The Punjab Department of Cultural Affairs, Archives, Archaeology and Museum had declared Maharaja Ranjit Singh National Memorial Heritage Hill Park as a heritage hill under the Punjab Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1964.


It is reported by Bahadurjeet Singh in Hindustan Times Chandigarh dated August 30, 2008 wherein he substantiated by pointing out Maharaja Ranjit Singh had set up a surveillance post on heritage hill during his historic meeting with British Governor General of India, Lord William Bentinck in 1831 for settlement of boundary issues.


Later, the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh had hoisted the Sarkar - e - Khalsa banner on the hill.

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Source: Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, page 2, HT Punjab, Date: August 30, 2008.