| Is this the only surviving photograph of Maharaja Ranjit Singh ? |
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| Written by Amandeep Madra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wednesday, 29 August 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In 1991 Des Pardes, the popular Punjabi language newspaper published this photograph and identified it as a genuine photograph of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (seated centre), his general Hari Singh Nalwa (standing second from left) and Fakir Nur-u-din (Standing second from the right), one of the Maharaja’s three Muslim ministers of state. The photographs was found by the British based historian Dr CS Chan and immediately caused a major stir. Today, a copy of this photograph takes pride of place at Bangla Sahib gurdwara in Delhi and is to be found at the Samadhi of Ranjit Singh in Lahore. Was this a major historical find? Was this the only glimpse of some of the most important characters in Sikh history at that vital meeting of the Maharaja and Lord William Bentick at Ropur in 1809? or was it a fake? This is just one of the hundreds of historical Sikh photographs that historian Parmjit Singh, co-author of “Warrior Saints” and “Sicques, Tigers or Thieves” presents during a lavishly illustrated video lecture on UKPHA’s new Punjab Heritage Lectures website on www.punjabheritagelectures.org . Parmjit’s authoritative expose of this photograph and many others makes this talk one of the highlights of the series which also includes the journalist and author Christy Campbell narrating the tragic story of Maharaj Duleep Singh. Click here for Parmjit's lecture A Picture of the Sikhs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SANTOKH SINGH CHHINA
said:
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| I KNOW DR. CHAN , A GREAT SIKH HISTORIAN AND I THINK THIS IS THE REAL PHOTO OF SIKH KING MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH.. ALL OTHER HISTORIAN HAS THE RIGHT TO PRESENT THEIR OWN VIEWS AND THEY HAVE TO MARKET THEMSELVES TOO. LET ALL DISCUSS IN DETAILS AND FIND OUT THE REALTY. ..THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR THE SIKH COMMUNITY WORLDWIDE.... |
SIMRANJEET SINGH KHALSA
said:
| WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH HAI JIIIIIIIII. WE R VERY MUCH THANK FOR BRINGING THIS ORIGINAL PIC OF OUR PANTHS FIRST GREAT KING MAHARAJA RANJEET SINGH JI ,WHO IS ALSO TO BE KNOWN AS "GURMUKH MAYA VICH UDASI" AND OUR PANTHS GREAT MAJOR GENERAL, SAINT-SOILDER, BHAI SAHEB HARI SINGH NALWA JI. GURMUSTAK SINGH JI , WAHEGURU MUST GIVE U AND UR TEAM A BLESSING, FOR DOING SEVA OF KHALSA PANTH AND MUST PROGRESS MORE IN CHARDIKALA, OK JI. WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH HAI JIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII.............................................. |
Harpreet Singh Marwah
said:
| Hello There Wahe Guru Ji Da Khalsa Wahe Guru Ji Di Fatah!! The Gallary and silde shows are amazing. I have got chance to learn more about my Panth. This is our heritage and we should take to next generation, so they are also aware about the scarifices made by our ancestors. Sat Sri Akal!! |
Mohan SIngh Dhariwal
said:
| this is not the picture of the Maharaja. this was investigated in the past. please note that the wrong eye is blind. the camera was invented around the time of the Maharaja's death. Even if someone had a camera, he would be much older. |
Rajwant Singh Kalsi
said:
| Some writers wrote that the meeting happened on the back of the elephants. I do not agree with Mr.Dhariwal's comment, this photo and some books in my possession show his blindness on the left eye. The Bromide paper photography was marginally available during that period. |
Harpreet Singh
said:
| I have seen the above photograph at museum in patna sahib there are many other photos too shows maharaja & his warriors |
Joravar Rai
said:
| To all those who have posted before me, If you even bothered to look at the presentation you would have heard the arguments that completely debunk the theory that this is a picture of Ranjit Singh. Ranjit died 20 years before the invention of clear photography. The picture that you see if of an Afghan and the person, often mistaken to be Nallua, is infact Sher Ali. |
Baljinder Singh mann
said:
| Sat Shri Akalji, I would like to appriciate the efforts of Dr. Chan for the photograph, Reading the articles and comments of many of our brothers, i have observed that there is a lot of difference of opoinion about the photograph, some observations are that bromide was not available at that time, but my dear brothers the motive behind making this photograph available is to prove the authenticity of the photograph, i feel in todays time technology is moving very fast and any thing is possible with the corbon redevelop facility even if there will be a standard newsprint it could have be converted to art papar picture to get the clarity of the picture. Any how lets wait and watch till the time there will be more clarity about the same. Sat Shri Akal, |
taranjeev singh
said:
| wjkk wjkf this pic i have seen with my parents but as u said its the only photo of maharaja ranjeet singh , now i realise what a valuable asset we hold. thanx for informing us. |
jarnail singh
said:
| wjkk wjkf I have seen this picture in gurudwara bangla sahib sikh museum. I am still not sure if it is a picture of maharaja ranjit singh and hari singh nalwa. reason for my doubt is i have seen the picture of sher ali too. they were two ali brothers who have done remarkable job for muslims in 19 century. nalwas so called real picture is actually very much same to sher ali. i think scholars should examine this and dont come to conclusion in hurry as we have old habit. |
injamaven
said:
| 1809? Photography hadn't been invented yet~ |
Manjit Singh
said:
| It doesn't matter to me even if it was a real picture of Maharaja Ranjit Singh! I don't understand why Sikhs cater to Ranjit Singh and his royal family so much. Yes, he was responsible for uniting missles and ruling fairly, but he wasn't probably any different than some of current Sikh politicians of Punjab like Badal or Amrinder Singh. Here are the reasons why I don't care about the guy: 1) Although I give him credit for uniting Sikh missles and bringing Punjab under one rule, but it came at the expense of his various marriage alliances. 2) Him declaring himself a Maharaja and his love for jewles, gold, diamonds etc. shows his straying away from Khalsa ideals which ultimately led to his kingdom. 3) Some of his four wives committing satti (burning themselves in fire) after his death. 4) His love for an exotic drink made of blood, animal liver etc. 5) trusting foreigners and outsiders for the top posts of Khalsa Army instead of his own Gursikhs who sacrificed so much for the panth and were the reason behind his success. So, I think he was as much under the influence of maya as anyone else and may have strayed away from the Khalsa ideals. |
gursevak singh
said:
| Can we carbon date this photograph? I think this would solve the case hands down. There is a carbon dating facility at Kings College London England. |
Amritpal S. Mangat
said:
| It is really very sad to note that a great majority of us are very ignorant of our own history. The first kind of fuzzy photographs taken in the Punjab were around 2nd Anglo-Sikh Wars, if some body is telling us otherwise he or she is not telling the truth. This picture is the biggest hoax either perpetrated (by Dr. Chan or by some one who sold or gave it to him) on the Sikhs and insulted our intelligence. This picture was taken in March 1869 at Ambala. Showing Lord Mayo and Afghan Amir Sher Ali with their entourage. The original picture in the British Library, is larger showing Phulkian Chiefs sitting on left handside and British Army Officers on the right hand side. It appears to have been conveniently cut down to a smaller size to exclude the Sikh Rajahs because they could be easily recgonized. I have this picture in three books covering ninteenth century Punjab and India. The last one I bought in 1985 " The Viceroys of India by Mark Bence-Jones published by Constable UK. |
Jaskirat Sandhu
said:
| As much as I hate to say...this photo is an utter hopeless fake. And here is why/ i have a done a lot of research on old manuscripts and historical pictures, and surprisingly it is easy as pie to tell the real thing from clever counter-feits. This one surely, and sadly for some is a genuine fake. |
Sonu
said:
| Definitely Sikhs in the picture, but whether or not it's M. Ranjit Singh is up to debate. We should be consciously conscious of those who would wish to suppress or distort Sikh history, as is happening all too often in India today. Glad other countries keep our relics better than the central gov't and its officials do. |
Dr.Mandeep Singh Tuli
said:
| pyari sadh sangat jeeo its fantastic to see such a robust debate amongst the sangat.....i am of the firm opinion that we need to discuss our value systems, our heritage, our language and literature, within us and especially with our children. We have lost this in the Indian Parliament. I beleive this debate and discussion vital to the future of Sikhism.....and to spread the comprehension of the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Saheb. |
Jaspreet Singh
said:
| 1809 ?????? still photography is possible in 1809 ??? |
raj karega khalsa
said:
| its not...investigated before.. would hari singh nalwa ji be fat and immobile??? he was supposed to be a warrior pf muscular build, strong enough to take on several men... to be honest no one really knows but the people who took the picture...its up to the individual to make their own mind up. wjkkwjkf!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Devinder Singh
said:
| I think these kind of photographs should come out , so that everybody accessing the site should know about our rich culture. I think this is a great attempt to make excitment among the new generation. |
RAJA DR. ASHOK K. THAKUR
said:
| It seems that it is not the real picture of Maharaja Ranjit Singh cos everybody knows that whenever he met outsiders,he always came in his proper dress. Here someone sitting in casual dress. Maharaja never came out like this. |
RAJA DR. ASHOK K. THAKUR, PRESENT TITLED SIBAIA RAJA
said:
| According to Protocol Rule of the Rulers,it is very strange that how a Maharaja came out and met the strangers without wearing his proper dress,hence,I have doubt in my mind that this picture is not of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. |
Yogish Sahota
said:
| I am a professional photographer. Photography as we know today was not discovered until 1840 or thereabouts by Fox Talbot at Lacock Abbey in England. The type of photograph allegedly portraying Maharaja Ranjit Singh did not come into vogue until late 1850's or early 1860s. The style in which this photograph has been taken indicates that it may have been taken around the time of Indian Mutiny 1857. I would urge the Sikh community to be realistic and debunk this photograph as that not of Illustrious Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji |
Maneet
said:
| I dont no if its Maharaja Ranjit Singh ..but how could this photo have been taken in 1809 when the first photo was taken in 1826??-Nicéphore Niépce's earliest surviving photograph, circa 1826 |
L singh
said:
| This is not photograph of Maharaja Ranjit singh.These are afghan amirs.This photo is a copy from the illustrated News London.I have the original page with me. |
Varinder Singh
said:
| Photo has been proven to be false. See the following for a comparason. http://www.vsingh.net/blog/2008/07/10/distorted-history/ |
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