ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>AKHB&#256R-I-DARB&#256R-I-MAH&#256R&#256J&#256 RA&#7750J&#298T SI&#7748GH</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i>A<u>KH</u>B&#256R-I-DARB&#256R-I-MAH&#256R&#256J&#256 RA&#7750J&#298T SI&#7748GH</i>, also called A<u>kh</u>b&#257r-i-&#7692eo&#7771hi Sard&#257r Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh Bah&#257dur, is a set of Persian manuscripts comprising 193 loose sheets of unequal size. and containing, as the title indicates, news of the court of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh (1780-1839). These sheets are believed to be newsletters sent from the Punjab for the Peshw&#257 Daftar at Poon&#257 (now Pu&#7751e). The collection was first discovered in 1932-33 by Dr Muhammad N&#257zim, an officer of the Archaeological Survey of India, in the Alienation Branch of the Divisional Commissioner's office at Poon&#257. The material was translated into English and published by Punjab Government Records Office in 1935 as Monograph No. 17, <i>Events at the Court of Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh</i> 1810-1817. The Languages Department, Punjab, brought out a reprint in 1970. Some of the original manuscripts are preserved in the Punjab State Archives at Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 under catalogue Nos. M-412 (I, II), M-419 (I, II) and M-352 (I, II). The newsletters, covering the period from 1 November 1810 to 2 September 1817 with one letter, dated 10 June 1822, are written in Persian <i>shikast&#257</i> or running hand. Each letter has a heading giving the title (usually, <i>A<u>kh</u>b&#257r-i-&#7692eo&#7771hi Sard&#257r Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh Bah&#257dur</i>) , the day of the week, the date in Hijr&#299 era, and the place from which the letter was sent. The newswriter remains anonymous. He also remains impersonal in that he relates bare facts without comment or opinion. Most of the letters were written from the Fort of Lahore where the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 held his court, while there are some written from widely disparate places such as Fort of Gobindga&#7771h (Amritsar), Gujr&#257t, A&#7789&#7789ock, Waz&#299r&#257b&#257d, R&#257jaur&#299, Si&#257lko&#7789, Fatehga&#7771h and R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299. Ten letters relating to the period 1810-12 end with the sentence, "<i>Zab&#257n&#299 <u>Kh</u>ush-h&#257l Si&#7749gh <u>Kh</u>abard&#257r nawishtah shud</i>--- this has been written on the basis of verbal information supplied by <u>Kh</u>ush&#257l Si&#7749gh, the informant, " while three letters of the year 1817 end with the word, <i>arz&#299</i> followed by a seal which reads "'Az&#299m Ullah 1236 A. H. " The latter remains unidentified, but the former has been conjectured to be <u>Kh</u>ush&#257l Si&#7749gh Jam&#257d&#257r, the <i>&#7693eo&#7771h&#299&#7693&#257r</i>, or chamberlain, under Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;These letters, rich in variety and detail, provide intimate glimpses into the life of Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, his daily routine, personal habits, character and pastimes. To refer to the newsletter, dated 9 June 1813, the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 rose early in the morning and came to the <i>d&#299w&#257n <u>kh</u>&#257n&#257</i>, where the <i>sard&#257rs</i> presented themselves and made obeisance. Here he received reports from different parts of the kingdom. Expeditiously disposing of State business, he would inspect troops mounted on a horse or an elephant. Thereafter, he returned to the <i>zan&#257n&#257</i>, took meals and rested in the afternoon. In the late afternoon, he would come to the Saman Burj and transact business for four hours.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The letters contain valuable information about Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's financial, military and judicial administration during the earlier period of his reign. For example, the extent to which the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 had succeeded in training and reorganizing his forces on Western model, even before the advent of European officers, is revealed through his consistent endeavours in this behalf and through the names of battalion and higher commanders mentioned. The instructions issued to his <i>'ad&#257lat&#299s</i> or justices indicate his concern for impartiality in the administration of justice. The frequent mention of <i>jo&#7771&#299s</i>, lit. pairs, who bring news from distant districts, even from foreign courts and offices, reveals the elaborate system of speedy and efficient intelligence-gathering which then exist.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Bhagat Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>