Sikh Rule (1819-1846 AD)
⚫ On the request of Pandit Birbal Dhar and Rajakak Dhar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent 30,000 Sikh soldiers. These soldiers fought with the Afghan Army and defeated them in 1819. With this, Kashmir was included in the Sikh dynasty..
🟣Gulab Singh was the commanding officer of Jamwal Cavalry in Ranjit Singh's Army. He undertook the expedition and conquered Rajouri and Kishtwar in 1819.
⚫ Kashmir remained under Sikhs for 27 years i.e. from 1819-1846.
During this period, administration of Kashmir was undertaken by Governors who were appointed by the Lahore Darbar.
🔴There were ten Sikh Governors appointed in Company. succession. The first Governor was Diwan Moti Ram. He ordered Jama Masjid to be closed. Mian Singh (1834-1841) was the most able Governor and was popularly called Colonel.
🟠Last two Governors of Kashmir under Sikh rule were Sheikh Moin-ud-Din (1842-1845) and his son Sheikh Imam-ud-Din (1845-1846).
⚫ Moin-ud-Din once again opened Jama Masjid that was closed since 1819 and got Shankaracharya Temple repaired.
🟣Sikhs divided Kashmir into six Parganas (districts). One Korwal (Police Officer) was appointed in each pargana to look after the law and order.
🟡After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, a period of chaos and confusion started. Sikh rulers were seated at Lahore and Kashmir was too far from there, so they paid very little attention towards that region.
🟢Governors were also weak and incapable. Natural calamities, early snowfall, famines, diseases like Plague and Cholera made the conditions even worse.
⚫ French naturalist, Victor Jacquemount visited Kashmir in 1832 to carry out Botanical Survey.
⭕Two British officials of East India Company (1846) visited Kashmir. They found the people poverty stricken and in miserable condition. They were dying either of starvation or from diseases.
🔶️In 1845-46, Anglo-Sikh War broke out between Sikhs and the East India Company.
🟩Kashmir was under Sikh rule, so it was greatly affected from this war. Sikhs were defeated by the English and Lahore went under British rule. Kashmir.
Two treaties were signed during the Anglo-Sikh War which changed the fate of Kashmir.
1. Treaty of Lahore
⚫ This treaty was signed on 9th March, 1846 between the Sikhs and the East India
⚫ Sikhs surrendered the region between Beas and Sutlej rivers (known as Jullundur Doab) and required to pay 15 million rupees to the Britishers.
As they were not able to pay, they surrendered the region between Beas and Indus rivers (the region of Kashmir valley). Due to this,
Kashmir was taken over by Britishers.
2. Treaty of Amritsar
⚫ This treaty was signed on 16th March, 1846 between the East India Company and Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu and is also known as Sale of Kashmir.
⚫ Gulab Singh acquired the rights of all hilly and mountainous regions, east of river Indus and west of river Ravi including Chamba. • In return, he paid 75 lakh (7.5 million)
Nanak Shahi rupees to the company. . This treaty marked the beginning of Dogra rule in Kashmir. So, Kashmir became a part of Dogra Empire in 1846
.
⚫ Kashmir remained a part of Dogra empire for next 100 years. This emerged many communal disputes that gave rise to religious tensions between Hindus & Muslims
🟣During the Indian freedom struggle, Kashmir became an active region for revolt against the Dogra rule.
🟢Finally in 1947, when India gained independence, Kashmir along with Jammu became a state of the Indian Union in October 1947. From then onwards till 2019, it was known as the State of Jammu and Kashmir
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