Anglo-Sikh relations: The Grey Side of History

Battle of Saragarhi: 21 Sikhs vs. 10,000 Afghan Rebels

Often our intellectual class takes a black and white stance on the relations between the British subjects of Indian communities, who were cordial with the British in history and puts in the moral dock all those who chose a practical stand according to that situation. From the 17th century to 1947, the political and social situation changed in many ways and a change was seen in the attitude of the Indian subjects as subordinates. One such Indian group was of the Sikhs, whose relations with the British government are analyzed in this article in detail with evidence.

Treaties, Agreements and Mutual Benefaction between Khalsa Raj & British Raj

Actually, in 1758, the Sikh group Khalsa, under the leadership of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, joined hands with the Mughal Governor Adina Beg and the Marathas and attacked Sirhind.¹ But it would be more appropriate to focus on Anglo-Sikh relations. Remember, Anglo-Sikh friendship existed on the sole condition of mutual respect for each other’s boundaries.

In 1771, Jhanda Singh Dhillon, a strong leader of the Bhangi Misl of the Sikhs, wrote a formal letter to the British General Robert Barker, insisting that the Sikhs wanted cordial relations with the British.² Barker also believed that while the Sikhs were in India, no other external force can establish its presence in the Hindustani colony of East India Company.³

The Anglo-Sikh Treaty of 1809, also known as the Treaty of Amritsar, was signed between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the British, its condition was that Ranjit Singh should not cross the Maghribi threshold of Sutlej, so as to stop the French and establish the British did not face any problem in maintaining control over the remaining area of ​​Sutlej.⁴ As a result of this treaty, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was able to include Peshawar and Kashmir in his rule.

As a result of the subsequent Anglo-Sikh war, Kashmir and many other important parts came under the control of the East India Company. After the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the Company acquired a large part of Punjab, but despite this, the Sikhs fully supported the British and remained their loyalists.⁵

Sir Claude Martin Wade was one of the few British officers in the Sutlej who won the respect and affection of the Sikhs by his cleverness and amiable nature. In his relations with the Sikh government, Wade balanced the interests of both states in such a way that in time he became the personal advisor and friend of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Wade had a key role in organizing the Ropar meeting between Ranjit Singh and Lord William Bentinck in October 1831. He impressed upon Lord Auckland the need to retain the powerful Sikhs as allies. Wade’s personal influence with Ranjit Singh was one of the factors in his support of the Tripartite Treaty of 1838. The jewel-studded and gold Order of Merit was awarded to Wade, known as the ‘Auspicious Star of the Punjab’, by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.¹⁴

In 1849, the precious 108-carat Kohinoor diamond was also handed over to the British Queen by Dilip Singh, heir of Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in return for the help given by the East India Company⁸.

Sikh Recruitment in the British Armed Forces

The annexation of Punjab and the fall of the Khalsa Raj had an immediate impact on the Sikhs as a community as many who converted to Sikhism for a good life in the Khalsa Raj soon reverted to their old Hindu sects. Later in the 19th century, the recruitment of Sikhs into the British Army, and the special recognition and privileges that Sikhs began to receive under the British Raj, reversed this trend to some extent.⁹ By recognizing the Sikhs as a martial community on the model of Social Darwinism, the British recruited Sikhs in large numbers in their army and gave full support to the propagation of Sikhism.¹⁰

The revolution of 1857 could have been used against the British rule, but when the revolutionaries handed over their leadership to the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Sikhs were unhappy with it, because the Mughal history was behind the wanton martyrdom of Sikh Gurus. In such a situation, the Sikhs, on the contrary, along with the British, gave full cooperation as an army in suppressing the revolution of 1857.⁶

Along with this, Anglo-Sikh relations were also tested during the North West Frontier Campaign and the Battle of Saragarhi and the Sikhs showed their loyalty to the British on every front.⁷

Another deplorable chapter of history has been where Jalianwala Bagh massacre was carried out under leadership of General Dyer and by his fifty riflemen of 9th Gurkhas, 59th Sikhs and 54th Sikhs.

The Sikh Maharajas wholeheartedly supported the British war effort. Sikh regiments from the Sikh princely states were serving with the Indian British Army. Prominent among these was the Sikh Maharaja of Patiala who visited the front in Palestine on 20 August 1918 and met the soldiers of Sikh units.

Britishers’ Role in Propagation of Sikhism

After the 1857 Indian Revolution, the attitude of the British towards the Sikhs changed. Sikh scholars increasingly came into contact with British scholars and initiated reforms to ensure the survival of Sikhism as a distinct religion. Directly or indirectly, British influence helped the Sikhs. A well-organized Sikh reform movement, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha held its first meeting on October 1, 1873. The British played a role in promoting a distinct Sikh religious and cultural identity.¹¹

In September 1915, Amritsar was declared a “holy city” by CM King CIE, DC of the British Government, in which tobacco/liquor was prohibited. ¹⁴

Interestingly, The manager of the Golden Temple, Aroor Singh (grandfather of Simranjit Singh Mann), paid tribute to Dyer soon after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. General Dyer was presented a Saropa by Aroor Singh (Simranjeet Singh Mann’s grandfather) and Dyer was subsequently retired by the British and he returned to England where people had put up a reward of £80,000 for him.

In recognition of Aroor Singh’s loyal services, the British Government honored him with a knighthood on New Year’s Day 1921. He was awarded CIE in 1913. He is now Sardar Sir Aroor Singh, KCIE. (Knight Companion of the Indian Empire). Aroor Singh died in 1926.¹³

Policy of Land Endowments

The Sikhs of Punjab prospered during fighting the wars on the side of the British. Most families, especially farming families in villages (Jat Sikhs), had one or more family members serving in the British Indian Army. The old feudal system of granting jagirs (land grants for services rendered) was revived by the British in a more progressive manner. The Britishers allotted 25 to 55 acres of land to retired soldiers and 500 acres or more to officers with good service. For example, the next of kin of the heroes of Saragarhi were given Rs 500 (a significant sum in those days) and 50 acres of land.¹²

Military promotions and honors, along with civilian honors and appointments, boosted the morale of the Sikh community and strengthened Anglo-Sikh relations at a non-political level. Therefore, between the two world wars (1918–1939), Punjabi Sikhs prospered as farmers and as providers of services to agriculture.

Conclusion

There are no heroes or villains in history. Everyone is a character. Seen from this perspective, the Sikhs used their fighting instincts to fight wars for the British and also maintained cordial administrative relations, due to which, due to their political expansion and share in royal power, the Sikhs have remained as a ‘dominant class’ in the society till date.

References

¹When Marathas had face-off with Sikhs in Punjab: April 1, 2018, 8:18 AM IST Lt General H S Panag in Shooting Straight, India, TOI

² Singh, Raghubir. “ANGLO-SIKH RELATIONS IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY : EVIDENCE OF KHUSHWAQT RAI’S TARIKH-I-SIKHAN.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, vol. 44, 1983, pp. 376–80.

³ Calendar of Persian Correspondence Vol. iii. №868, P. 236).

⁴Treaty of Amritsar | United Kingdom-India [1809]

⁵¹⁸⁵⁷ Indian Mutiny; Sikhs; Gurkhas; https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/1274391/pages/1857-indian-mutiny-sikhs-gurkhas-optional?module_item_id=11173844

⁶ Singh, Raghubir. “ANGLO-SIKH RELATIONS IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY : EVIDENCE OF KHUSHWAQT RAI’S TARIKH-I-SIKHAN.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, vol. 44, 1983, pp. 376–80.

⁷ Singh, Gurmukh. (2021). Anglo-Sikh Relations & The World Wars

⁸ The information was given by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in response to a RTI query.

⁹ Singh, Gurmukh. (2021). Anglo-Sikh Relations & The World Wars

¹⁰ The Oxford Handbook of the Protestant Reformations edited by Ulinka Rublack, P.752.

¹¹Singh, Gurmukh. (2021). Anglo-Sikh Relations & The World Wars

¹² ibid.

¹³Colvin, Ian (1929). The Life Of General Dyer. London: William Blackwood And Sons

¹⁴ https://eos.learnpunjabi.org/WADE%20SIR%20CLAUDE%20MARTINE%20(1794-1861).html#:~:text=Martine%20Wade%20was%20one%20of,agent%20(1832%2D40).