1 MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH. 3891
2 in the holy temple of the Darbar Sahib at Amritsar, had, in his royal,
3 illiterate way, stamped a leaf of the Granth with his open palm dyed with
4 saffron. He was not particular as to keeping pledges, however solemn, but
5 Jodh Singh proved such a devoted follower and ally that he had no excuse for
6 annexing his territory, and feigned the greatest affection for him. The new
7 fort of Govindgarh was builé after the fashion of the one at Ramgarh, belong-
8 ing to the Ramgarhia territory, where the Mahardjé went almost unatiend-
9 ed, to cajole’his distinguished follower.
10 This period of the great Sikh leader’s life was marked by the extraordi-
11 nary favours lavished on a young Gaur Brahman, of Hindostén, named
12 Khushhéla. He was the son of Har Govind, a poor Brahman shopkeeper
13 of Ikri in the Sardhdéna pargané of the Mirath District, and, coming
14 to Lahore to seek his fortune, in 1807, he enlisted as a soldier, on a salary
15 of five rupees a month, in the newly-raised regiment called the Dhounkal
16 Singhwala. Through the influence of Gangdé Singh and Jatri, the Maha-
17 rdjé’s chamberlains, he became one of the body-guard of Ranjit Singh, and
18 soon won advancement by his assiduous devotion to his duties and his smart
19 and soldierly bearing. It is related that young Khushhald, who possessed
20 a fine voice, combined with a pleasing exterior, first attracted the Mahardja’s
21 attention as he was singing one night, while keeping guard over his tent.
22 He was raised to the trusted and much-coveted office of Lord Chamber-
23 lain, or Deorhiwdlé, in 1811, with the title of jamadar, and was, soon after,
24 created a rdéjé aud endowed, besides, with extensive jégirs. The post was
25 a lucrative and important one, for the Lord Chamberlain was master of
26 ceremonies, regulated seats in the darbar, and arranged processions. No
27 person, however high in rank, could be admitted to a private audience of
28 the Mahardj4 without his mediation, and this became the means of young
29 Khushhdla’s enriching himself, for every one of note wished to obtain an
30 interview with so celebrated a personage as the Sukerchakia chief had now
31 become. In 1812, Khushhdld received the Sikh baptism, and came to be
32 called Khushhdl Singh. All household appointments were at his disposal,
33 and he read daily reports of the army to the Maharaja. Khushhdl Singh
34 and his nephew, Te} Ram, whom Khushhdl Singh had sent for from Mirath,
35 to act as his deputy, were now placed on active service. This Tej Ram,
36 who was the son of Niddha, the brother of Khushhala, also became a Sikh,
37 in 1816, and adopted the name of Tej Singh.
38 In November, 1811, Lahore was visited by the dethroned, exiled, and
39 blind king of the Afghans, Shah Zaman. He brought with him his
40 family and dependants, and, for a time, took up his residence in the town;
41 but the neglect he experienced at the hands of the Sikh monarch caused
42 him to return to Rdwalpindi, where he had, some months previously, found
43 an asylum. His brother, Shah Shujdé, was equally unfortunate. After
44 vainly attempting to obtain a reception at Multdn, and reduce the country
45 beyond the Indus, a desperate undertaking, in which he lost his ablest
46 general, Akram Khan, he was compelled to take refuge in flight. The
47 brothers then deputed Eunis, a son of Shah Zaman, to Ludhidnd, in the
48 hope of securing British co-operation. The prince was received with due
49 attention by Sir David Ochterlony, but was distinctly informed that the
50 British Government was not disposed to meddle in domestic broils ab Kabul,
51 and that, by the treaty entered into with Shah Shuj4 in 1809, the
52 British Government had only pledged itself to help in the defence of
53 Afghanistén against the French, and not to take a part in internal feuds.
54 Lahore was the scene of great rejoicings and festivities in the beginning
55 of 1812, in connection with the marriage of the heir-apparent, Kanwar
56 Khushhala, a Brahmin
57 pe ventures, of Hindos-
58 ‘an.
59 He attracts the
60 Mahardju’s attention.
61 He rises daily in hig
62 nuster’s favour,
63 Is created Lord
64 Chamberlain,
65 _ Becomes a Sikh, and
66 is called Khushhat
67 Bingh.
68 Ris nephew, Tej Ram,
69 afterwards Tej Singh.
70 Shah Zaman repairs
71 to Luhore, 1811.
72 His brother, Shah
73 Shuja.
74 _ Their fruitless nego-
75 tiations with the
76 British Government,
77 The marriage of-
78 Prince Kharak Singh,
79 1812,
80 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com