JP Singh
Maharaja Gulab Singh was born on 21 October 1792 at Andarwah, the estate of his father Mian Kishore Singh. He was descendent from one of the famous Dogra clan which had inhibited Jammu area during the decline of Mughal rule in the 18th century.
He received no formal education but was brought up as a warrior. At an early age, he became an accomplished horseman and proficient in the use of sword and gun. His elders inculcated in him a yearning to reassert the power of Dogra Clan lost to Sikhs.
While Gulab Singh was still a youth, political scene in Punjab underwent a radical change which was to significantly affect the entire Northwest. With Ahmed Shah Abdali’s death in 1773, Afghan power began to decline giving opportunities to Sikh Misls to rise in Punjab. The ambitious chief of one of the Misl, Sardar Mahan Singh attacked Jammu during the reign of Ranjit Dev but failed. He again attacked during the rule of Brij Dev Raj and occupied Jammu but decided not to annex it. It was at this point of time when Gulab Singh’s grandfather Mian Zorawar Singh and father Mian Kishore Singh managed to secure small estates of Dyman and Andarwah. The end of the eighteenth century saw the emergence of Mahan Singh’s son Ranjit Singh who destroyed all other Misls and declared himself the Ruler of Punjab. Contemplating further territorial expansion, Ranjit Singh attacked Jammu in 1808. Gulab Singh, only 16, leaped into fray with fiery zeal and brandished his sword brilliantly in the battle of Gumat which forced Sikhs to negotiate the end of war. Despite individual bravery of young Dogras like him and Mian Dido, Jammu was defeated and became part of Sikh Kingdom as Jagir of Prince Kharak Singh. But the Sikh Commander Sardar Hukam Singh spotted Gulab Singh and brought his valour to the attention of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Defeat of Dogras shattered Gulab Singh’s aspirations. He left home in search of new avenue elsewhere. He went to Peshawar where Shah Shuja, the deposed Afghanistan king, was raising an army attempting to regain his rule. Despite an opportunity, he changed mind and returned home and went on to serve under the Raja of Kishtwar. On the recommendations of Sardar Hukam Singh, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in 1810, enrolled him as Cavalryman.
Rise of Dogras in Lahore. Gulab Singh stood out as a remarkable horseman and earned Maharaja’s acclamation. Later he and his brothers Dhian Singh and Suchet Singh acquired influential positions through their innate ability and high ambitions allegedly combined with a calculated use of intrigues and ruthlessness. The alleged latter traits were abundantly exhibited by Gulab Singh on several military expeditions sent by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to extend his boundaries. In 1813, Ranjit Singh was particularly impressed by Gulab Singh’s performance in an otherwise disastrous campaign against Afghan occupied Kashmir and rewarded him with Jagirs and promoted him to command a unit of 200 horsemen.
In 1818, Gulab Singh took part in the invasion of Multan. During the siege of Multan Fort, he volunteered to rescue the body of Maharaja’s favorite commander who had fallen below the wall and despite heavy enemy firing brought it to safety which the Maharaja lauded publically in his Court.
In 1819, he sought Maharaja’s permission to crush Jammu uprising led by Mian Dido. Mian Dido moved around the country side with a gang of his followers, bidding open defiance to Sikh Ruler, robbing the wealthy and distributing to destitute. He came to be known as Robin Hood of Jammu Hills. Wherever Mian Dido went people used to offer him food and shelter. Therefore wily Gulab Singh impersonated as Dido and went around. Those who came forward to welcome him were punished as a result people refused to welcome Mian Dido either because he could be an impersonator or threat to their safety. Bereft of support, Mian Dido returned to his hometown Jagti. When Sikh troops surrounded his home, Dido escaped but his 90 years old father Mian Hazari valiantly appeared with his sword but got killed in the fight. However Sikh soldiers caught up with Mian atop Trikuta Hill. Gulab Singh was eager to take him alive and hence gave Mian chance to surrender. Mian not only refused but struck Attar Singh at head with his sword with a lightening speed bisecting the entire body. At last one soldier shot the dauntless Mian to death. On this Maharaja rewarded Gulab Singh with additional Jagirs.
In 1820, Maharaja sent Gulab Singh on other campaigns when he seized Rajouri and Bhimber. In 1821, he captured the strong fort of Basohli. Same year he captured Kishtwar by engineering dissension between Raja Tegh Singh and his Wazir Lakhpat Raj by writing an incriminating letter addressed to Wazir but made to land in Raja’s hands. The Raja ordered capture of Wazir who nevertheless escaped. Taking advantage, Gulab Singh entered Kishtwar, arrested the Raja and occupied the state. Wazir Lakhpat Raj later joined the services of Dogra leader.
Coronation. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was so elated by Gulab Singh’s territorial acquisitions that he anointed him as Raja of Jammu on 17 June 1822 at a place in Akhnoor called Jeo Pota by personally applying the Raj Tilak in a colorful ceremony. Thereafter Raja Gulab Singh was allowed to spend most of his time at Jammu governing Jagirs of his family and undertaking new expeditions into adjoining areas.
In 1830s, Gulab Singh was given the responsibility of administering Gujarat and salt mines of Pind Dadan Khan near Jhelum. In 1836, Gulab Singh suppressed the rebellion of Yusufzai Tribemen near Hazara. (Pak Nobel Laureate Malala Yusufzai belongs to this tribe). In 1837, Gulab Singh marched to Poonch against Shamas-ud-Din Khan, the man he had nominated to manage Jagirs of Dhian Singh. In 1839, Maharaja sent Gulab Singh to Peshawar to assist his British Allies to cross the Khyber Pass during 1st Anglo-Afghan War.
Conquests of Ladakh, Gilgit and Tibet. The ambition to add new territories was certainly the factor behind Jammu Raja’s decision to conquer Ladakh. Capture of Leh was to give control over important route between Tibet and Kashmir over which passed the lucrative Pashmina trade. Through his able Gen Zorawar Singh, he captured Ladakh in 1834-35 and Gilgit-Baltistan in 1840. Reviving old Ladakhi claim to Tibet’s Western districts, Gen Zorawar Singh, in May 1841, entered Tibet and swiftly captured Rudok and Gartok. Encouraged by easy successes, the Dogra General continued to advance and succeeded in capturing strategic town of Taklakot thus cutting off the trade route between Tibet and British protectorate of Bashahr and placed a Dogra contingent at a site opposite the Company held office of Almora. Seeing this, British forced Maharaja Sher Singh to order withdrawal from Tibet. But before Raja Gulab Singh could make contact with Gen Zorawar Singh, the military situation in Tibet underwent a drastic change. Early in November, Lhasa sent an army of 10,000 to drive the Dogras from Tibet. After initial skirmishes the adversaries met on 10th December and began the fierce three days battle on the shores of Mansarowar, Northeast of Taklakot. On 12th December 1841, Gen Zorawar Singh was fatally wounded in the shoulder. The Dogras avenged their commander’s death by slaying the Chinese commander. Dogra General’s death determined the outcome of the battle. Bereft of the will to fight, survivors hurriedly dispersed to save themselves.
Diplomatic Masterstroke. When the Sikh army was finally routed in the Anglo-Sikh war in 1846, Raja Gulab Singh as prime minister of Sikh empire, negotiated with the British and signed the ‘Treaty of Lahore’ in which he secured most honorable terms for the defeated Darbar. In recognition of his audacious leadership and superb diplomacy, Lord Hardinge, the Governor General of India, extended his rule to entire J&K and elevated him to the status of Maharaja on 15th March 1846. By the ‘Treaty of Amritsar’ signed on 16 March 1846, he got control of Kashmir for which he paid Rs 75 lakh and became sovereign ruler of J&K.
Gulab Singh’s rise to prominence is attributed to four salient features. (i) He was able, assiduous and robust, the qualities which earned him Maharaja’s admiration. (ii) Generally soft spoken, gracious and affable, he could, if the occasion demanded, transform himself into a cold blooded schemer and savage tormentor. (iii) In his phenomenal rise, he had tremendous support of his brothers Dhian Singh and Suchet Singh, who through their political acumen had acquired remarkable strength and patronage at Lahore Darbar. (iv) Lavish rewards for his services because Sikh ruler was gratified by the degree Gulab Singh extended the borders of Sikh empire.
His Highness left for his heavenly abode on 30th August 1858 from Srinagar at the age of 66 having created a vast state of J&K. He is one of the few historical legacies that India can be genuinely proud of. By extending borders too far to the Northwest, he provided ample strategic depth to the Capital of India. His contributions to the broad spectrum of India’s strategic, political and cultural spheres are immense and laudable.
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