Introduction

A contemporary of Napoleon Bonaparte, Ranjit Singh burst onto the world scene when he led the Sikh army into the capital city of Lahore in 1799 as conqueror. He was 19 years old.

Under the tutelage of his mother-in-law, the charismatic Sada Kaur, he had succeeded in uniting the twelve Sikh and two other confederacies ('Misls') that held sway over Punjab, and henceforth wielded the consolidated power to easily keep the Afghans and other invaders in the north and the British invaders in the south, at bay. Ranjit Singh was proclaimed Emperor (Maharaja) of Punjab in 1801. However, he refused to wear a crown or sit on a throne, declaring that his rule was 'Sarkar Khalsa', that is, of the people. He insisted on being addressed as 'Sarkar' and no other ostentatious titles: a simple 'Sir'. His court was henceforth known as 'Darbar Khalsa'. Coins of the empire were issued in the name 'Guru Nanak Guru Gobind Singh' and were popularly referred to as Nanakshahi and Gobindshahi currency.

Lahore became the capital of the far-flung empire which ultimately held suzerainty over Afghanistan, Kashmir, Ladakh and the Himalayan kingdoms, and drew tribute from, inter alios, both the Afghans and the British. Though an ancient walled city, it became a thriving centre under the Mughals and served as the capital of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar. Its pride and joy was the fort and palace towering on the southern bank of River Ravi, on the north side of the city. Various wings were added to it under the successive Mughals and thereafter by Ranjit Singh himself.

Popularly known as The Shahi Qila or The Royal Fort, the Lahore Fort was first occupied by a Sikh confederacy in mid-eighteenth century, and remained in Sikh hands until the conquest of Punjab by Ranjit Singh. It then became the capital of the Sikh Empire and remained so until mid-nineteenth century. It served as Ranjit Singh's flagship fortress, court and palace until his death in 1839 and remained in the hands of the Sikh Maharajas that followed until 1849, when Punjab was annexed by the British through the treachery of the royal court's Dogra Hindu employees (who in turn were rewarded for the betrayal with part of the empire, specifically the kingdom of Kashmir).

The hallmark of Ranjit Singh's rule was that even though it was unequivocally a Sikh Empire, people of all faiths and ethnicities were treated as equals, with no preference given to either Sikhs or Sikh institutions. His closest ministers included, in addition to Sikhs, a majority of Muslims, Hindus and Christians. All places of worship were equal beneficiaries of the State's largesse.

The Lahore Fort and Palace remain among the greatest masterpieces of architecture on the subcontinent. They have suffered from neglect under the British occupation, and after the Pakistani takeover in 1947. UNESCO, however, has taken interest in it in recent years and has begun to finance a number of restoration projects within its grounds, citing its value as world heritage.

The complex is one of the must-see sites for any visitor to the City of Lahore, which in itself is a gem worthy of an extended visit.

ABOUT OUR CALENDAR PHOTOGRAPHER – JAG SINGH REYATT

Jagjit "Jag" Singh Reyatt was born, brought up and trained in professional photography in Kenya. He is the official photographer for Sikhlens and has covered its regular events at Chapman University and at its annual Sikh Arts and Film Festivals. He has travelled around the world photographing Sikh historical sites and seminal events, including in England, Scotland East Africa, Pakistan, India, the United States and Canada. His albums from his photography at, inter alia, The Anglo-Sikh Heritage Tour (2008-9), the 350th birthday celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh (Patna, 2017), The Parliament of World Religions (Utah, 2017), and The Sikh Heritage Tours of Pakistan (2019-20) are much sought-after.