1 POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE SIKHS. 281
2 mising followers of Govind, opposed these innovations with the greatest
3 obstinacy, and preferred dying as martyrs in the cause of their religion to
4 living and adopting new modes of life and changing the tenets and _ precepts
5 of their great Guru. On the byragi’s death, all the institutions of Nanak and
6 Govind were restored, though the blue dress, which was previously worn by
7 all the Sikhs, become from that time the privileged colour of the Akalis,
8 who had proved themselves truly worthy of this distinguishing mark of a true
9 Sikh by the courage and bravery with which they had resisted the innova-
10 tions of Bandé. A sect called Banddis, who follow the doctrines of Banda,
11 still exists in the Panjab, and its members live in Multan, Tata and other
12 towns on the banks of the Indus. They recieve the Adi Granth of Nanak,
13 but not the Daswan Badshéh ké Granth of Guru Govind Singh.
14 Devoid of all the better qualities of his illustrious predecessor, Bandé
15 had nothing to commend his memory to posterity, save an undaunted spirit.
16 . Govind’s selection of Banddé, as his successor, does not appear t» have been
17 the result of any very great opinion he had formed of his piety, or of his
18 ability to propagate the religion of which he had been so long the leader,
19 but rather to have been made with a view to his avenging the death of his
20 father and two sons, for which purpose he could not have singled out a
21 better instrument than this ruthless bloodsucker.
22 CHAPTER III.
23 THE POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE SIKHS INTO A
24 THEOCRATIC CONFEDERATE FEUDALISM.
25 ON the departure of Ahmad Shah from Hindostdn in 1761, disorder and
26 confusion prevailed throughout the Panjab. The absence of all regular
27 Government and the turbulent state of the country which followed the
28 commotions at Panipat, increased the power of the Sikhs. The king con-
29 cerned himself little about the disorder that had overtaken the internal
30 administration of the province, and his governor at Lahore was in no better
31 position than the military commander of an outlying post. The Sikhs
32 grew more daring and rapacious than ever, laying waste the surrounding
33 country and levying contributions upon the villages. All the principal sardars
34 appropriated lands to themselves, calling the tracts under their jurisdic-
35 tion after the names of their native villages, such as Ramgarhia, Ahluwalia;
36 while others were named according to the habits of the people, such as Bhangi,
37 from their being addicted to the use of bhang, Cannabis Indica. They built
38 strongholds and fastnesses for the purpose of better securing their persons
39 and property against the Mussalman invasions, and to serve as the basis of
40 military operations against their opponents. These active measures contri-
41 buted much to the strength and resources of the Sikh nation. One of the
42 chiefs who laid the foundations of the political greatness of the nation, was
43 Charat Singh, ancestor of Ranjit Singh,* the future Mahardjé of the Pan-
44 jab. He appeared early in the field, and, by his activity and enterprize,
45 soon acquired the reputation of being a good soldier and a successful leader.
46 * For a more detailed account of Ranjit Singh’s family, see the History of the Suker-
47 chahia misl.
48 His distinguishing
49 characteristics
50 Distracted state of
51 the Panjab after the
52 departure of Ahmad
53 Shah in 1761,
54 The Sikhs increase
55 in strength.
56 1
57 The rise of Charat
58 Singh, Sukerchaha,
59 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com