The Tribune – Supreme Court rejects petition against renaming Amritsar’s Rajasansi airport

R Sedhuraman, Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, March 8. The Supreme Court today virtually put its seal of approval on the renaming of Amritsar’s Rajasansi airport as Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport by rejecting a PIL challenging the government’s notification in this regard.

“Changing the name of an airport does not undermine the contribution of any individual to the national cause,” a three-member Bench headed by Justice R M Lodha remarked while dismissing the plea by an organisation representing the ‘Sansi’ community.

However, the Bench, which included Justices J Chelameswar and Madan B Lokur, granted liberty to the petitioners to approach any appropriate forum (either the government or the Punjab and Haryana High Court) questioning the renaming. The PIL was dismissed as withdrawn.

The Bench observed that such issues were best left to the executive and the judiciary, particularly the SC, had no scope to intervene by entertaining PILs. It also did not agree with advocate Dr K S Chauhan that the Centre and the state government had belittled the role of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the development of Punjab and in the construction of the Golden Temple at Amritsar.

“Such people and their contributions remain in the hearts of the people, irrespective of the fact whether any landmark is named after them,” the Bench reasoned.

Pleading for quashing the November 29, 2010, notification on renaming the airport, the PIL had contended that the Centre and the state government had ignored the sentiments of 30 million Sansis in the country and that the change of name was illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130309/punjab.htm#12

Dawn – The death of a Maharaja

Maharaja Ranjit Singh
The One-Eyed Man

Muhammad Hassan Miraj

The Maharaja breathed his last on the fifth day of his sickness, the 15th of Asarh, 1896 (Bikrimi / Punjabi Calendar and 20 June 1839 Gregorian Calendar), Thursday, around dusk. It had already grown dark, Raja Dhiyan Singh, the Prime Minister was ordered to maintain calm in the city, in case riots broke out. The next day, in accordance with royal tradition, the dead body of the Maharaja was bathed and made up the way he appeared in court, in a royal dress and jewels. A podium of gold was prepared for his last rites.

His last two Rajput wives, Maharani Rajdai and Maharani Hardai, daughters of Raja Sansar Chand, ruler of Kaangra, started their preparations for Satti. At first, they declared all their estates and property including jewels, gems and stones to charity. Driven by the Maharaja’s love, they dressed up in their bridals and walked out of the palace, bare feet.

Amongst the men, Raja Dhiyaan Singh, the Prime Minister, declared that he would also burn to death with the Maharaja and ordered his effects to be given to charity. On seeing this, the nobles from the court came and persuaded him to change his decision. They pleaded that the Maharaja had chosen Raja Dhiyan Singh, amongst all men because of his wisdom and it was in the greater interest of Punjab that he looked after the affairs, run the state and guided the crown Prince Kharag Singh.

Raja Dhiyan Singh, however, refused to listen. Prince Kharag Singh then, walked up to him and convinced him to change his mind. He offered him to leave the assignment as soon as calm prevails, to which he agreed.

Both the Ranis, moved out of the palace and sat around Maharaja’s dead body. Geeta, the holy book, was placed on the Maharaja`s body. The Satti Ranis administered the oath on Geeta and the body of Maharaja, by Raja Dhiyan Singh and Prince Kharag Singh to fulfill their duties for the best of Khalsa Raj and the Punjab Empire.

The Maharaja’s dead body was lifted with great prestige. Hundreds of gold coins, minted with the Maharaja’s figure, were thrown in the air. A large number of servants and citizens accompanied the funeral procession. The procession was taken out from the western gate of Hazoori Bagh and it moved alongside the River Ravi, where it was placed on a heap of Chandan wood for cremation.

Prince Kharag Singh lit the fire. Both the Ranis sat in the fire, holding the head of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and 11 Kaneez (maids) sat on both side of the dead body, to be burnt with the Maharaja. Raja Dhiyan Singh went near the Ranis and requested for prayers for Prince Kharag Singh, the Sattis did not reply and stayed still with tight lips and closed eyes.

When flames flickered high, oil, ghee (purified butter) and scents were thrown in. A pigeon flew from nowhere and fell into the fire to become Satti. After a little while, it started to rain. The skies also seemed to mourn the death of the Maharaja.

After the fire finally extinguished, the bodies of the Maharaja, Ranis and the maids had completely burnt and the rituals had been completed, Prince Kharag Singh took a bath and returned to palace.

On the 4th day, the remains (of cremation) were dispatched honourably, to Ganga. The remains were taken out in the form of a procession. All the courtiers, who attended the royal procession, paid their respect to the Maharaja’s remains. The reagents of the area, from where the remains passed on their way to Ganga, came out to pay homage. On the 13th day, when the remains were finally merged into Ganga, millions were given to Brahmins and the last rites culminated.

The crown prince ordered to build a Tomb (Samadh) and valuable stones were called for across India. The tomb was under construction, when Maharaja Kharag Singh died. A pause prevailed throughout the regimes of Maharaja Sher Singh and Maharaja Duleep Singh.

Finally, when the British assumed the rule of Punjab, the tomb was completed. Many people visited the tomb in the coming years. On account of the heaviness of the upper Dome, cracks were observed in the eight supporting pillars. When British administrators observed this, they contacted me and as In charge of the buildings of Lahore, I was given the responsibility to stabilise and restore the tomb. I added eight more supporting pillars and the cracking pillars were strengthened through iron rings. To date, the Samadh is stable and attracts visitors throughout India.

Excerpts from Chapter 44, Tareekh-e-Punjab by Kanhaya Lal Hindi
Translated by Muhammad Hassan Miraj

http://dawn.com/2012/11/09/the-death-of-a-maharaja/

The Tribune – Rs 25 cr for restoration of Gobindgarh Fort

G S Paul, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 20. For restoration and conservation of the historic Gobindgarh Fort at Amritsar, the Punjab Government today allocated a sum of Rs 25 crore. After completion of the first phase of renovation, the mid-18th century fort would be opened for public by mid of 2013.

At present, conservation work under the supervision of the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board to the tune of Rs 26 crore was under progress. Funds have been arranged partly from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Central Government.

Officials said the on going conservation work would require at least Rs 5 crore for the boundary walls of the fort, Rs 2.5 crore for the Darbar Hall and Rs 3 crore each for four bastions and other part of the fort, which has rich cultural and monumental values.

After completion of the first phase, visitors would be able to visit the legendary building of Maharaja Ranjit Singh distinguished by its 20-foot high circular plinth, which has already been restored.

The British had constructed a colonial-style bungalow after demolishing some of its floors. The building, erroneously shown as the residence of General Dyer, would be restored as an artifacts based museum which would showcase defence equipments of the Maharaja’s army, which was termed as Asia’s only modern army at that time. Apart from this, a historical narrative showing defence strategy of the Maharaja in decimating Afghan rulers and preventing invasions from uncertain western border would also be on display in this section.

The ADB had already provided Rs 7 crore for the second phase of restoration. This phase would see two-acre parking at the entrance of the fort, landscaping, construction of moat walls, four gates, northwestern bastion, rampart walls and the Toshakhana.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120621/punjab.htm#12

372.The Man in Blue – The North West Frontier Province

The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan is part of the inheritance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, taken over in 1849 by the East India Company and after the 1857 Mutiny by the British Empire.

In the period before independence of India and Pakistan the leading political party of the NWFP would probably have preferred to be part of India. This might be because they were conquered by Panjabis in the past, and did not fancy being part of a state dominated by Panjabis.

It was good for the North West of India that Ranjit Singh conquered this border area of Afghanistan, and so controlled the Khyber Pass. But the Sikh Kingdom conquered the NWFP against the will of its population. It was ruled very harshly by the likes of General Paolo Bartolomeo Avitabile, an Italian general in the service of Ranjit Singh.

Avitabile was a ruthless ruler, summary executions became usual, and he had people executed by throwing them from the top of one of the city’s mosques. What was true then is true still : Pathans, whether in the NWFP or in Afghanistan are not the easiest to people to rule (and neither are Sikhs).

Under the Lahore Kingdom, under British rule and as part of Pakistan the so-called tribal areas were given a degree of autonomy because it was simply too difficult to control them. The Swat Valley which is very much in the news these days was a semi-independent princely state until 1969.

Although the valley does not have as turbulent a history as the tribal areas, part of the reason why there is support for the Taliban in Swat is that they were integrated in Pakistan without having any say in the matter.

I am just trying to give you a feel of the modern history of the NWFP and of the role played by the Sikhs. I have no brilliant suggestions on how to solve the present problems in the province.

Pakistan could of course give the NWFP back to Afghanistan, and maybe some parts of the border areas of Baluchistan as well. This will change the nature of the problems, but will not make them go away. Having violence in areas just across your borders is different from having them just inside your borders, but is not necessarily much better.

Pakistan should try to reach out to the people of the NWFP and their traditional leaders, bypassing the Taliban, and allow local autonomy in exchange for adherence to basic human rights.

I would be very surprised if this were to be accomplished by corrupt and incompetent Pakistani politicians like Ali Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif.