ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>V&#256R SH&#256H MUHAMMAD</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>V&#256R SH&#256H MUHAMMAD</i>, also known as <i>Ja&#7749gn&#257m&#257 Sh&#257h Muhammad</i> or <i>Hind Pañj&#257b d&#257 Ja&#7749g</i>, is a long poem in Punjabi in the traditional <i>baint</i> metre dealing with the events following the death of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, notably the Sikhs' war with the English in 1845-46. The author is a Muslim, Sh&#257h Muhammad (1782-1862), who lived at Va&#7693&#257l&#257 V&#299ram, near Amritsar. He identifies himself with the Sikh clan and ascendancy and recalls with pride the glorious days of Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's empire. With equal personal concern and anguish, he relates the tragic events which overtake it after the passing away of the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sh&#257h Muhammad's poem comprises 105 <i>baints</i>, each <i>baint</i> having four verses. The first forty-five <i>baints</i> describe the murderous intrigues which follow the death of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh in 1839. Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh &#7692ogr&#257, the prime minister, enticed Ka&#7749var N&#257u Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, son of Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh, who had succeeded Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh as the ruler of the Punjab. He set aside Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh and got rid of his favourite Chet Si&#7749gh who was murdered in his presence in his bedchamber. This was the beginning of the bloody story of intrigue and murder which engulfed prince as well as courtier. Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh, his son Ka&#7749var Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh, and his son Ka&#7749var Part&#257p Si&#7749gh fell victims to intrigue. Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh himself was killed by the Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 who had murdered the reigning Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh and his son Part&#257p Si&#7749gh within minutes of each other.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sh&#257h Muhammad has related this tale of political nightmare with a historical precision and brevity of expression unusual in a popular poet. Then follows a description of the engagement between the English and the Sikhs during the first Anglo-Sikh war. In several of his <i>baints</i>, Sh&#257h Muhammad lyrically evokes the memory of bygone days when the Sikh warriors had subdued <u>Kh</u>aibar, K&#257&#7749g&#7771&#257, Jamm&#363 and numerous other places. He describes with admiration the deeds of heroism and sacrifice of <i>sard&#257rs</i> such as Sh&#257m Si&#7749gh A&#7789&#257r&#299v&#257l&#257 and Ra&#7751jodh Si&#7749gh. The historical framework the poet has laid out for the events that took place has not so far been superseded.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Kohl&#299, S&#299t&#257 R&#257m, ed., <i>V&#257r Sh&#257h Muhammad</i>. Ludhiana, 1966<BR> <li class="C1"> Ga&#7751&#7693&#257 Si&#7749gh, ed., <i>Pañj&#257b d&#299&#257&#7749 V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>. Amritsar, 1946<BR> <li class="C1"> Ashok, Shamsher Si&#7749gh, <i>Pr&#257ch&#299n V&#257r&#257&#7749 te Ja&#7749gn&#257me</i>. Amritsar, 1950<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Harj&#299t Si&#7749gh Gill<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>