Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Context
- A nine-foot-tall bronze equestrian statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, was vandalised in Lahore Fort.
About
- Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780 –1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century.
- Prior to his rise, the Punjab region had numerous warring misls (confederacies).
- Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh misls and took over other local kingdoms to create the Sikh Empire.
- He repeatedly defeated invasions by outside armies, particularly those arriving from Afghanistan, and established friendly relations with the British.
- Ranjit Singh's reign introduced reforms, modernisation, investment into infrastructure and general prosperity.
- His Khalsa army and government included Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and Europeans.
- His legacy includes the rebuilding of the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar as well as other major gurudwaras, including Takht Sri Patna Sahib, Bihar and Hazur Sahib Nanded, Maharashtra under his sponsorship.
- Ranjit Singh brought peace and security to Lahore and revived its economic and cultural glory.
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