1 MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH. 401
2 him. A demand for these was accordingly made, and, on the Shah’s
3 declaring that none were left, he sent Bhdi Ram Singh with a party of
4 females, to make a search in the interior apartments of the Shah’s harem,
5 and bring away -any boxes or bundles containiug precious stones that
6 might be found there, The female searchers committed acts, which were
7 grossly insulting, against the persons of the unfortunate royal ladies, who had
8 to bear the treatment with patience: and every box and packet which was
9 found in their possession was brought before the Sikh ruler. In addition
10 to jewels, a large collection of swords, pistols and valuable property, including
11 carpets of rare beauty, and rich dresses, worn by the ladies of the harem,
12 were seized‘and brought before the rapacious sovereign. Ranjit Singh had
13 these boxes opened by the king’s head eunuch, and retained, for himself,
14 all the jewels and other articles of exquisite beauty and great value.
15 The Shah, who had been allowed a temporary residence in the gardens
16 of Shalimar, was ordered to remove to the city, where he was again subjected
17 to strict surveillance.
18 The Shah, divested of an article of inestimable value, as well as of
19 all the treasures that once decorated the throne of the great Durrani family,
20 conceived that, should he continue his stay longer in the Sikh capital, the
21 next step of his rapacious host would be to take his life if a pretext could
22 be found. He, accordingly, determined to effect his escape, with his family.
23 The Sikhs on guard were bribed, and communications opened with Balak
24 Ram, the treasurer, a native of Hindostan and the agent ‘of Sugan Chand,
25 the great banker at Delhi and treasurer of the British Residency in that
26 town. The Begums of the Shah, having, one night, dressed as Hindu
27 females, and taken their seats in a cart drawn by bullocks, passed out of
28 the city, with the assistance of Balak Ram, and were conveyed to Ludhiand,
29 where they were received, with due courtesy, by the Assistant Agent,
30 Captain Birch. The circumstance of the flight of the Shah’s harem having
31 been brought to the notice of Ranjit Singh, towards the end of November,
32 his rage was irrepressible. He placed astrong guard of artillery over the
33 Shah, who was threatened with personal violence, to induce him to declare
34 where the ladies were. He denied all knowledge of their movements, and
35 declared that he knew nothing of their intentions. A strict search was
36 made in the city, and egress from it to veiled women was prohibited. All
37 merchants possessing any property belonging to the Shah, or to any member
38 of the royal family, were ordered.to surrender it to the Léhore Treasury.
39 It having been, at last, represented to the Léhore ruler that the Afghan
40 ladies had effected their escape from the Sikh capital, through the assistance
41 rendered by the treasurer, Balak Ram, that official was seized at Amritsar,
42 his residence, and made over to Hira Singh, Topi. His houses at Amritsar
43 were seized, and he was compelled to show his account books. All the
44 property belonging to the Shah or his family in possession of the Hindu
45 was seized, after which he was set at liberty.
46 The Shah himself made his escape, in disguise, on a dark night in
47 April 1815. A breach having been made in the wall of the furrash-
48 Lhana on the side facing the street, the Shah made his way through it,
49 accompanied by two of his slaves, and the princes Haidar and Zafar,
50 Finding the gates. of the city closed, the Shah then effected his exit
51 from the town through the drain of the Lahori Gate. Repairing then
52 to the tomb of Datdé Ganj Baksh, outside the Bhati Gate, he washed
53 his clothes, which had become soiled in the drain, and, having offered up
54 his prayers before the tomb of the- saint, he swam across the Ravi at
55 about 2 AM. The passage to the Sutlej was intentionally avoided to
56 Escape of the Shah’s
57 harem from Lahore,
58 _ The Shah's own
59 flight from Lahono,
60 1815,
61 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com