The Aura and Mystique of the KOH-I-NOOR

DullaBhatti: Thanks for a very informative post. Chowk updates the front page after I had already sent my post #27 which is almost a copy of yours.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh is overall an admirable personality for all Punjabis despite some of the personal weaknesses as pointed out by you, Mannyd and myself. One should judge him against the 92 years of total anarchy, death, destruction and all other kind of miseries resulting from Ahmad Shah Abdali`s repeated attacks and almost non-stop fighting among Sikh missals. He brought peace, stability and more importantly pride among Punjabis as a distinct ethnic identity.

My favorite hero from the history of Punjabi empire is Sher Singh of Anglo-Punjabi wars. This is different than Ranjit Singh`s son Sher Singh. He fought very bravely all over west and central Punjab against British and only surrendered when he ran out of ammunition, food and everything else. You must read about him, if you have not already read about him. A truly truly great hero!!!

Please yaar eh sahib wahib likhan naal dosti da maza khatam ho janda eh. Yaar kyoN mainooN sharmida karde ho.

Ref: Sameer JB # 28

Dulla Bhatti # 27

Thanks a lot friends. The song about Dulla Bhatti has been bugging me for a while, because it gives no indication of the events surrounding his life except that he married off his beautiful daughter named Mundri and distributed around one seer of Shakkar to the mendicants.

Lohri in east Punjab is somewhat similar to Halloween, in that kids go around from house to house collecting sweets and firewood for a community bonafire, singing ` Sunder Munderiye, tera kaun Vichara, Dulla Bhatti Wala``....

Thanks again.

Sameer ji, I like your sense and detailed knowledge of history of Punjab. When you talk about it, you take us to a flight full of fancy through the past times.....I just imagined Jhang...Heer is singing and dancing around the trees and Ranjha is enjoying his choori.....forget about Chaudhari`s majhaN....dhahThe khooh ch paiyen.... it is Choori time:-)...or is it Heer time..I am hearing laughter echoing through the bailay......Shah Hussain is writing the most beautiful and pain filed poems... just few miles away in Lahore......mixing ishaq mazaazi and ishaq haqeeqi...just in the right proportion....what is that mithi mithi awaaz....mayeiN ni main kinnu aakhaN, dard vichhoRhay da haal.........Dulla is busy giving hard time to Akbar`s greatness......and maaN Ladhi is challenging Dullay`s anakh..and aan.... wah wah I am hearing some lalkaaray.......I think it is Dulla...main bhannaN dilli de kingray.....main rundiaN kar daaN bhegumaN.....aah...kithay giya Dulla?

MooraN`s actually lived in a small village bordering Lahore and Amritsar districts now. It, I believe is the last village on border couple of miles from Wagha border. Nothing remains from this village anymore other than the remains of baaradari, MoraN`s house and some other buildings, some of whihc were built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh(probably for MoraN). He also built a bazar in the village and set of encouraged businessmen to settle there. In 1947, muslims fled to Pakistan while being close to border, businessman laalas and Khatri Sikhs fled to interior cities of Punjab.

There was an article last year in Tribune about it. It is only 6-7 miles form my village but unfortunately I don`t remember the name now. May be you do...let me know if you do...damn... mere munh uttey phirda ay par yaad nai aa ria....

MannyD, the link of Dulla Bhatti with Lohri is that, Dulla helped a poor farmer to marry of his daughter and people treated him like a hero.

Do you remember the song..Lohri song....

Dulla Bhatti wala ho

...

Dullay ne dhee viahee ho

sair shakkar payee ho..

kuRi da laal pataka ho

kuRi da shaalloo paata ho...

Kafir sahib....if you are listening..it si Choori time:-)

Dulla Bhatti

ujj sanu daahDa loRhiNda ikk dulla bhatti hor

bhanneiN dilli de kingray te bhaajhaR paavay takhat lahore...

Mannyd (#24): Now that Koh-i-Noor is about to be eclipsed to the archives, let me answer some of the questions you have raised.

I am familiar with sadapunjab because I download old Punjabi songs by Rafi and Shamshad Begum, from there once in a while. Thanks anyway!

1) It is true Ranjit Singh killed his mother as well as her two lovers. It is common habit for men to take advantage of women when they are down as it happens here in the US all the time. So many lawyers end up dating or marrying their female clients when they are contesting divorce cases on their behalf. Similarly Ranjit mother, Mai Malvain, got involved with two of her advisors, Lakhpat Rai and Laiq Misr, after the death of her husband. Ranjit Singh could not tolerate it. Moreover he caught her red handed with Laiq and killed her on the spot. He siad something to the effect that he has comitted a terrible crime but also saved her mother from further sinning and then respectfully cremated her.

2) Ranjit Singh`s second or third wife was a Muslim from Lahore named MooraN. She was said to be very pretty and remaind his favorite for few months. She was not from any well known political family and did not play any role later, as the case of some of his other wives. Ranjit Singh did issue a commemorative coin in her honor ststing MooraN to be her favorite wife.

3) I believe he never had a Muslim chief minister but he did have very influential and loyal advisor named Faqeer Aziz-Ud-Din whose brother Faqeer Noor-Ud-Din was his personal physician. Asides from that there were several other influential Muslims in his court. Actually Muslim ledership of Lahore invited Ranjit Singh to take over Lahore and conspired against previous Sikh rulers(three sardars) of Lahore.

3) Banda Bahadur met Guru Gobind Singh in Deccan. He was a Bairagi with hundred of followers. He became a close friend of the Guru and took over the Sikh leadership after Guru Gobind Singh`s death. I am certain he was a southerner, not sure if dosa lover or not. I ma not familiar how Sikhs remember him but he did plunder, looted and burned Sirhind and Batala and many other small towns during his 5-6 year rebellion and massacres a large number of Muslims, supposedly as a revenge for the cold blooded murder of Guru Gobind Singh`s sons by the ruler of Sirhind. in the end he was arrested along with hundred of his followers, humiliated and tortured, in Lahore and Delhi before being put to death.

4) Dulla Bhatti (from a place near Lyallpur called Pindi Bhattian) was a rebel, who reputedly refused to bow before akbar saying that he would not bow to a mirasi, when encountered with Akbar during a hunting party. Akbar arrested his mother after failing to arrest Dulla Bhatti. Dulla and his men attacked the kotwali where his mother was kept and got her out. He continued harassing Akbar`s men for a while but ultimately captured and hanged in Lahore. This was the peak time of Bhagti movement with famous Sufi Madhu Shah Hussain in Lahore making a name for himself. He was also arrested for his insulting remarks about Islamic orthodoxy and probably was an eyewitness to Dulla Bhatti`s last moments. Dulla`s last words were very revolutionary, nationalistic and abusive about Akbar the great. Interestingly it is about the same time that an official in Jhang named Damodar wrote the story of Heer Ranjha and claimed it to be the eyewitness to whole story (Waris Shah popularized it in the 18th century), and Anarkali/Saleem story was also becoming popular. Heer, Ranjha, Anarkali, Dulla Bhatti and Shah Hussain were contemporaries--in the late 16th century--of Akbar.

Sameer Sahib...nice recount of Lahore takhat after Ranjit Singh`s death.

NauhNihal Singh`s wife was daugther of Sham Singh Attari Wala, a close associate of Maharahaja who was pushed aside by Dogras after Maharaja`s death. He died in the war of SabhraawaN

fighting the British...Shah Mohammad has written few passages on his bravery in his epic poem.

Sham Singh sardar Attari wale, bann shashtriN jorh vichhoR suttey.

Shah Mohammada singhaN ne goreyaN de vaangh nimbooyaN lahoo nichoRh suttey.

anyways, The news of NauhNihal`s wife being pregnant was floated by his mother Chand Kaur after NauhNihal`s death so that she can retain the power untill the time child is born(hopefully). NauhNihal`s wife and Chnd Kaur were later prisoned by Dogras and eventually killed....One of them , I am not sure which one, was allegedly beaten up to death by her golis who were working for Dogras. So that kid was probably never conceived or and if did conceive was never born.

NauhNihal was killed by a falling gate to the palace while returning after cremation of his father. What a co-incidencet? right?....naah....Dogras again!

Mannyd:(are you Manny Dhillon?:-)

1. The prime minister of Punjab under Ranjit was a Muslim. Who was he?

-Not Sure who but out of his one time 5 member cabinet 2 were muslims and 3 were Dogras/others, none Sikh. Fakirudin was one of his most trusted advisors in good old days before Dogras hypnotised Ranjit Singh. I once saw all these characters in a fotograph taken before Maharaja`s death in a paper( meeting with British,Sutlej treaty?). It might be on inernet soemwhere too.

2. Ranjit married a Muslim lady (among many others), who remained a Muslim after marriage.

- No idea. But MoraN was his favourite:-)

3. Ranjit Singh murdered his own mother, caught by him in an adulterous act. True?

hmm..He prisoned his mother-in-law who was parterner in the original kingdom and I think eventually died in prison. Both were poles apart in their plans for future.

4. He accidently gaged upon, from his palace roof, a young Muslim girl, taking a bath. In atonement He adopted her as his daughter and married her off properly.

well, most kings do that kind of fraib(khaikhan) to have a good name in public. He was no different.

5. When did the term `Sikha-Shahi` come into vogue? Before, during or after Ranjit`s rule?

I think it was refering to the time before Maharaja came to light as a central power in Punjab. Times of Sikh missals probably.....yeah they used to have fun fighting with each other too...

6. Who was the Muslim poet, who accompanied Hari Singh Nalwa on his battles and wrote about his death-bed wish in Afghanistan?

Shehryaar?? I can check that later.

7. Who was Dulla Bhatti Wala? Why would Hindus in East Punjab sing about a Muslim (?) on their Lohri festival? Is Lohri (like Basant) celebrated in Pakistan Punjab?

oye meri gall ho rai ay?..:-) yeah he was the real first hero of Punjabis. I have great admiration for him. He was contemporary fo Shah Hussain and first time when Mughals caught him, Shah Hussain protested from the crowd in Lahore and was taken into custody also.....heehehe.. vechara Maadho Laal...

8. Was Banda Bahadur a Punjabi or a Dosa eater?

Dosa eater:-) but most of his success was due to the Jatt Punjabis who give him unconditional support and fought in his army.

DullaBhatti

Thanks for your very kind offer. If I may impose on your friend, I would like to check on the veracity of the following folk lores:

1. The prime minister of Punjab under Ranjit was a Muslim. Who was he?

2. Ranjit married a Muslim lady (among many others), who remained a Muslim after marriage.

3. Ranjit Singh murdered his own mother, caught by him in an adulterous act. True?

4. He accidently gaged upon, from his palace roof, a young Muslim girl, taking a bath. In atonement He adopted her as his daughter and married her off properly.

5. When did the term `Sikha-Shahi` come into vogue? Before, during or after Ranjit`s rule?

6. Who was the Muslim poet, who accompanied Hari Singh Nalwa on his battles and wrote about his death-bed wish in Afghanistan?

7. Who was Dulla Bhatti Wala? Why would Hindus in East Punjab sing about a Muslim (?) on their Lohri festival? Is Lohri (like Basant) celebrated in Pakistan Punjab?

8. Was Banda Bahadur a Punjabi or a Dosa eater?

Ref Sameer JB #25:

Thanks Sameer Sahib for the info on Post-Ranjit Punjab. By the way, I came across something about Maharaja Dileep Singh on a link provided by Pardesi.

http://www.sadapunjab.com/newpage5.htm

``Not much else to say about Koh-i-Noor diamond. I doubt if we are ever gonna get it. But if we do, it can be used to raise funds for charity through exhibitions, with both India and Pakistan owning it alternately for 3-6 months at a time.``

Great Idea! With enough sticky fingers and pink panthers on the sub-continent though, the exhibitions may end up with Zirconia.

Ref Ylh # 19:

A Hindu princess allegedly sent a Rakhi to Humayun, who accepted it and put his life and empire on the line to help out his `sister` against invasion. Could be the same person in your story. I can not remember her name but it was definitely not Benazir.

Ref AI # 16:

Thanks for your very kind offer. If I may impose on your friend, I would like to check on the veracity of the following folk lores:

1. The prime minister of Punjab under Ranjit was a Muslim. Who was he?

2. Ranjit married a Muslim lady (among many others), who remained a Muslim after marriage.

3. Ranjit Singh murdered his own mother, caught by him in an adulterous act. True?

4. He accidently gaged upon, from his palace roof, a young Muslim girl, taking a bath. In atonement He adopted her as his daughter and married her off properly.

5. When did the term `Sikha-Shahi` come into vogue? Before, during or after Ranjit`s rule?

6. Who was the Muslim poet, who accompanied Hari Singh Nalwa on his battles and wrote about his death-bed wish in Afghanistan?

7. Who was Dulla Bhatti Wala? Why would Hindus in East Punjab sing about a Muslim (?) on their Lohri festival? Is Lohri (like Basant) celebrated in Pakistan Punjab?

8. Was Banda Bahadur a Punjabi or a Dosa eater?

Ref Sameer JB #25:

Thanks Sameer Sahib for the info on Post-Ranjit Punjab. By the way, I came across something about Maharaja Dileep Singh on a link provided by Pardesi.

http://www.sadapunjab.com/newpage5.htm

``Not much else to say about Koh-i-Noor diamond. I doubt if we are ever gonna get it. But if we do, it can be used to raise funds for charity through exhibitions, with both India and Pakistan owning it alternately for 3-6 months at a time.``

Great Idea! With enough sticky fingers and pink panthers on the sub-continent though, the exhibitions may end up with Zirconia.

Ref Ylh # 19:

A Hindu princess allegedly sent a Rakhi to Humayun, who accepted it and put his life and empire on the line to help out his `sister` against invasion. Could be the same person in your story. I can not remember her name but it was definitely not Benazir.

Ref AI # 16:

Thanks for your very kind offer. If I may impose on your friend, I would like to check on the veracity of the following folk lores:

1. The prime minister of Punjab under Ranjit was a Muslim. Who was he?

2. Ranjit married a Muslim lady (among many others), who remained a Muslim after marriage.

3. Ranjit Singh murdered his own mother, caught by him in an adulterous act. True?

4. He accidently gaged upon, from his palace roof, a young Muslim girl, taking a bath. In atonement He adopted her as his daughter and married her off properly.

5. When did the term `Sikha-Shahi` come into vogue? Before, during or after Ranjit`s rule?

6. Who was the Muslim poet, who accompanied Hari Singh Nalwa on his battles and wrote about his death-bed wish in Afghanistan?

7. Who was Dulla Bhatti Wala? Why would Hindus in East Punjab sing about a Muslim (?) on their Lohri festival? Is Lohri (like Basant) celebrated in Pakistan Punjab?

8. Was Banda Bahadur a Punjabi or a Dosa eater?

Mannyd( #15): Thanks for your kind words with respect to Punjab history. Actually Punjabi history after the Maharaja Ranjit Singh death upto British accession of Punjab is difficult to remember. The governments were changing so rapidly and so much intrigue in the palace during the ten years following MAharaja`s death (1839-1849). I have to actually make a short chronological list of events and actors during these ten years to get an idea about who was who and who sided with who.

The order is something like, Kharak Singh s/o Ranjit Singh, Naunehal Singh s/o Kharak Singh, Chand Kaur w/o Kharak Singh, Sher Singh s/o Ranjit Singh, Jindan w/o Ranjit Singh/ Dileep Singh s/o Ranjit singh.

in a nutshell, it was dadly rivalry in Lahore darbar, between Ranjit Singh and Chand Kaur clan of Sindhianwalia and the powerful dogra clan of Gulab Singh and his brothers and their children, which led to the destruction of empire within ten years. This is the same Gulab Singh who later on bought Kashmir from British and we have deadly Kashmir problem for 53 years.

Most talented in this list was Naunehal Singh but he died probably accidently immediately after cremating his father. Naunehal Singh was about 20 at his death and his wife was pregnant. I do not know if she gave birth to son or a daughter. This child alongwith the children of Dileep Singh could be considered descendants of Ranjit Singh. Moreover, Beant Singh could claim a descendant through Ranjit Singh`s daughter(?) just like Syed Muslims claim descendency from Muhammad through his daughter.

Kant Patel: Thanks for the link and sorry for digressing.

Not much else to say about Koh-i-Noor diamond. I doubt if we are ever gonna get it. But if we do, it can be used to raise funds for charity through exhibitions, with both India and Pakistan owning it alternately for 3-6 months at a time.

RE: Kafir K. Khan

Thanks for enlightening us with that short (de)tour into the history. Dare I ask for a little correction when you said:

``Plans are also afoot to rename Taj Mahal and call it ``Ashok Mahal````

According to my information based on a research done by BJP`s court historian, Mr. Adhopia, the plan is to (re)name Taj Mahal as ``Tejo Mahal``. According to Mr. Adhopia that was the name of the building before Shah Jehan confiscated it.

SameerJB #18

Thanks. Ignoring Tennyson (beauty lies in beholder`s eyes) am sorry to disappoint you but Daljit Dhaliwal doesn’t hold a candle to former Toronto native Monica Deol, an anchorperson of the local CITY-TV.

Cupid chased her away to the warmer climes of BC a couple of years away. Don’t know what she does now.

regards,

t

PS: In any case this comparison between the Koh-i-Noor and femme fatales is unfair. As unfair as any comparison between the eternal and the temporal!

PPS: Besides 111 is needed where it is stationed.

KOHINOOR MEDAL FOR GEN MUSHARRAF:

I have noticed that certain elements unsympathetic of certain core issues have proposed that the Kohinoor diamond be affixed to a medal earmarked for Gen Musharraf who has been insultingly called Sir Charles ! There is no point in making fun of this Charles fellow in reference to the Kargil episode. The real mastermind is another not unknown soldier of fortune named Gen Aziz. He is reputed to be the mastermind of that great operation. He initiated the coup d`etat as he expected the new Chief of Staff, Gen Ziauddin, to dismiss him for his responsibility in the Kargil episode. I think we may have to split the Kohinoor in two if we retrieve it.

Sameer #18

We may be digressing here. But WTH, it is a comforting relief from the current bout of literary (or, is it, illeterary!) obscenity going on the Chowk (no offense to the learned Chowk editorial staff though).

You may already know(?), there is an unofficial website for the DD admirers. It is `http//zapatop.net/daljit.html`.

Happy surfing!!

Kant...

I believe that the Kohinoor was presented to Babur`s crown prince Humayun in 1527 by a little known maharani ... on the other hand it is also quite possible that it was presented to Babur by Ibrahim`s mother ...

But there is one thing that is for certain ... that Bhutto was one heck of a man ...

JIYE BHUTTO!!!!!!!!!

temporal and Kant: temporal, DD is Daljit Dhaliwal. She is the anchor lady for ITN international news and could be seen on Public Television at around 5:30 PM in the NY area. She is a knockout and that is what Kant Patel is refering to; roiting in the Desi neighborhood of Southhall. Even leaving her talent aside, I believe she is prettier than most of the bollywood actresses combined.

Kant: You bet Koh-i-Noor is nothing compared to her, in beauty.

S..JB, #13

But the snatching of DD will cause riots in Southhall!

Kant.....

SIKH AND PUNJABI HISTORY:

There are some extraordinarily knowledgeable people on the regions history. I personally know a elderly medical doctor whose knowledge of sikh history is encyclopaedic. If you have specific question post it and I can get you an answer.