Lehal Library

':t 11. Maharajah of the Punjab The Road to Lahore A s soon as the news of Shah Zaman's departure for Afghanistan reached the Sikh chiefs at Amritsar, they broke camp and hurried back to reclaim their estates. Ranjit Singh quickly took back Gujranwala and went in pursuit of the Afghans. He kept QP a running fight with them right up to the Attock. The people of India heard of the new star which had risen in the Punjab's firmament. Collins, who was the British Resident at the Mughal court, wrote: 'At present this chief is regarded throughout Hindustan as the protector of the Sikh Nation; it being generally believed that were it not for the fortitude and excellent conduct of Ranjit Singh the whole of the Punjab would ere this have become a desert waste since it is the boast of these northern savages [the Afghans} that the grass never grows where their horses have once trodden.' 1 While Ranjit Singh was pursuing the Afghans, Lahore was reoccupied by the three Sardars2 who had possessed it before Zaman's invasion. The Sardars were men ofloose character who constantly squabbled with each other. 'The people of Lahore,' wrote Ranjit Singh's official biographer, Sohan Lal, 'being extremely oppressed, raised their voices ofwailing to the skies.• l SC 4 of 16.10.1800. 2 These were Chet Singh, Sahib Singh, and Mohar Singh.