1 1 MAHARAJA BANJEL SINGH. 409
2 serious notice of the matter. The dewén was thrown into confinement
3 and called on to account for his stewardship of the estates. The
4 Kanwar’s mother was removed to Shekhupura, and the prince himself
5 reprimanded for allowing matters to fall into such reckless confusion, and
6 Dewdn Bhawani Das, Peshawaria, was appointed manager of the Kanwar’s
7 estates, in place of Ram Singh. Uttam Chand, the banker, with whom
8 Ram Singh had accounts, was then put in chains, and jewels and precious
9 stones, valued at a lakh of rupees, together with four lakhs in hundis
10 and cash, belonging to the deposed dewan, were confiscated to the State.
11 For the disgrace inflicted on Kharak Singh, the Mahardjé made ample
12 amends soon after. A grand darbdr was held at Anarkali, with the object
13 of installing the prince on the gadz of heirship to the Ldhore throne. 181
14 Astrologers were consulted as to the most propitious day for the ceremony
15 of installation, and, at their suggestion, the 15th of Magh, 1873 Samvat,
16 was fixed as the date of the ceremony. Tents and shamidnas were pitched
17 on the plain of Anarkali, and invitations issued to rajds, chiefs, sardars
18 and jagirdars to be present at- the ceremony. The chiefs repaired to
19 Lahore, in obedience to the summons, and, on the date fixed, the darbdr
20 was held with appropriate pomp and magnificence. The heir-apparent,
21 seated on the masnad, received nazars trom all the chiefs assembled
22 to do him honour, and, the ceremony being over, all returned to their
23 respective States well pleased with their reception at the Sikh capital,
24 and the festivities on the occasion. :
25 Having celebrated the Dasahra at Lahore, in October, the Mahardjd
26 visited Amritsar, where he performed his ablutions in the sacred tank
27 of the Sikh temple. Orders were given to cut a branch from the
28 Madhopur canal to Amritsar, to convey water to the tank. Ranjit Singh
29 then proceeded to Adinanagar, previously to going on a hull tour.
30 There he was visited by the agents of the hill rajds, among whom was 11
31 the agent of the Chamba Raja, who presented him with a hundé for
32 Rs. 40,000, in part payment of his tribute, -together with a number
33 of curiosities consisting of hill birds and porcelains, Dewdn Moti Ram
34 was ordered to proceed to Jawdlé Mukhi with his troops, and the Maharaja
35 himself left for Nurpur on the 14th of Maggar. The place had suffered
36 greatly from the recent disasters which had followed the expulsion of
37 Raji Bir Singh, and the Mahardj4 adopted measures to repopulate the
38 town, the traders and artizans being exhorted to return to their abodes
39 and resume business. After these arrangements had been completed, the
40 Mahardjé reached Kangra, where, having made offerings to the holy temple
41 of Jawdldé Debi, he collected his yearly tribute from the hill rajds. The
42 raja of Chamba offered Rama Nand, the banker, and Ildchigir Gosain,
43 as sureties for the balance of the tribute due by him, and their security
44 was approved. Rdjd Isri Sen, of Mandi, paid Rs, 65,000 by way of tribute,
45 and Rs. 30,000 as nazrénd, and the rdja of Suket Rs, 10,000. Raja
46 Bikrama Sen, of Kulla, having died, the Mahardja thought it a fitting
47 opportunity for interference. He accordingly repaired to Kullt, and, having
48 received a nazrdné of a lakh of rupees from Thakur Das, the younger son
49 of the deceased rdjd, placed him on the gudi, to the exclusion of the elder
50 son and the legitimate heir, whose appeal to the justice of the Sikh ruler
51 passed unheeded. Having then received a nazrdénd from Raéj& Lal Deo of
52 Jasrot, Ranjit Singh visited Nadaun, where he met his old ally, Raja Sansar
53 Chand, and then returned to the plains. On his way to Amvitsar, he seized
54 the remnants of the Ramgarhia possessions, including the fort of Miani, near
55 Tanda, the repository of Jodh Singh’s wealth, all of which fell into the hands
56 Formal {ustallation
57 of Prince Kharak
58 Singh as heir to
59 eee sane of Lahore,
60 The Mahardja’a tour
61 in the hills of Kangra,
62 5.
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