1 ‘MAHARAJA RANJ{T SINGH. 475
2 make any distinct settlement regarding the boundary with the Amirs
3 on the question relating to the supremacy of the Mazdris. Thus, though
4 avoiding an open rupture with his powerful British allies, he, never-
5 theless, continued to entertain ideas of final supremacy in Sindh at some
6 future date.
7 In the course of this year, General Allard, who had gone to his native
8 country on leave, returned to Lahore, bringing with him presents and a
9 friendly letter from the King of France for the Mahardjd. The General
10 returned by way of Calcutta, and brought from his country a number of
11 French cuirasses, which were worn with much pride by the Sikh sardars.
12 So great a desire he seems to have felt to return to Lahore and pay his
13 respects to his Sikh master that, on first seeing the Maharaja, on his return,
14 he recited the following Persian verses, composed at his instance, as he
15 said, by a Persian poet, and which he had learnt by heart for the purpose of
16 repeating in prayer to the Almighty:—
17 foly yort of cers od Shs Jols x33} pals oly cee]
18 ” cod
19 ce YRS WS wla ws ail 51e) 62) URh 302
20 PEP aE DQ ery age aalye tye yf 2y89 oy?
21 *°Q God! May my king live long !—
22 May the firmament be as a slave in his service ;
23 May I reach his royal court and be honoured ;
24 And, should I ever disobey his commands, may death come on me,
25 When I die, let my grave be in Lahore,
26 And my remains be interred in Anarkali,” *
27 The Mahardjé was greatly pleased to hear his French Officer recite these
28 lines; and he wished him a long life, and gave him the credit of being a
29 loyal and able servant of the State.
30 The year 1837 commenced with grand preparations for the approaching
31 marriage of Prince Nau Nehal Singh. The scene of the gay festivities was
32 Amritsar, where the Maharaja had already sent most of his trusted sardars
33 to make preliminary arrangements, and whither he himself now repaired,
34 It was the Mahardjd’s intention to make the event memorable in the
35 annals of the Panjéb for its splendour and magnificence, and both he
36 and his officers made every effort that the festivities might surpass those
37 of all previous occasions in the Panjab. The Radjds of Patidld, Jhind,
38 Nabhé and Faridkot, the Nawdb of Maler Kotla, the Sardars of Kapdrthala,
39 Kalsia, Nardingarh and Lddwa, the hill Rdjds of Stiket, Mandi, Chambdé
40 Nurpur, and most of the other Chiefs and Sardars from the Sutlej to the Indus,
41 were summoned and took part in the marriage festivities. Ranjit Singh had
42 also invited Lord Auckland, the Governor-General of India, Sir Charles Met-
43 calf, the Governor of Agra, and General Sir Henry Fane, the Commander-in-
44 Chief of the British Army in India, to be present at the nuptials, but the
45 officer last named was alone able to attend.
46 ._. The General was received at Hari k& Pattan on the Sutlej by Prince
47 Sher Singh and Sardar Lahnd Singh, Majithia, followed by a numerous
48 retinue of horse and foot. At a distance of five miles from Amritsar, His
49 Excellency was met by the heir-apparent, Kharak Singh, and the Prime
50 Minister, Rajé Dhian Singh, and Jamadar Khushal Singh, who congratu- oe
51 lated the chief on his arrival, and, presenting him with a purse of Rs. 5,000
52 as sarwdrna, conducted him to his camp. The deputation consisted . of
53 from 2,000 to 3,000 horsemen, all splendidly attired, and extending to half a
54 * Vide History of Ldhove (manuscript) by Dewan Amar Nath,
55 The return of General
56 Allard from France,
57 1836.
58 The marriage of
59 Prince Nau Nehal
60 Singh, 1837,
61 Several distinguished
62 native chiefs invited,
63 As also high British
64 Officers.
65 Reception of Sir
66 Henry Fane, the British
67 Commander-in-chief, in
68 the Panjab.
69 His Excellency at
70 ritsar.
71 The cayaleade,
72 Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com