Lehal Library

192 Punjab Monarchy and Imperialism of his nation by yielding to the insidious proposals of Zaman Shah.'7 The British sent Mir Yusuf Ali to warn the Sikhs against the Afghans. The Mir met the chiefs of MaJwa and then Sada Kaur and Ranjit Singh. Since he had nothing to offer except gratuitous advice and since Zaman was reported to be mustering a large army for another invasion, the Sikh chiefs treated English ovenures with courteous cynicism. Fortunately civil strife in Kabul and the advance of the Persians across Afghanistan's western frontiers prevented Zaman from invading India. The Punjab heaved a sigh of relief and Ranjit Singh decided to make it secure against future invasions. Maharajah of the Punjab Raajit Singh hesitated to assume the fonnaJ title of Maharajah, for he wished to avoid doing anything which would give the other chiefs cause to conspire against him. Gradually he came to the conclusion that the advantages of investing an established fact with a legal title would outweigh the danger of arousing the hostility of the feudal aristocracy. The move would undoubtedly be popular with the masses, who had not had a ruler and a government of their own for many centuries. It would induce other Punjabis who were not yet citizens of the new state co recognize the compulsions of language and a common way of life, and throw in their lot with the country. The neighbouring powers which were casting covetous glances on the Punjab would aJso grow accustomed to the idea that the people of the Punjab were one people and Ranjit Singh was their 1uler.11 On the 1st of Baisakh (12 April) 1801, Sahib Singh Bedi daubed Ranjit Singh's forehead with saffron paste and proclaimed him Maharajah of the Punjab. A royal salute was fired from the fort. In the 7 SC 74 of 24.4.1800. 8 There was perhaps also a personal reason: the birth of a son to the Nakkain, Rani Raj Kaur, his second and favourite wife. Ranjit's desire to make his son an heir-apparent to a kingdom was perhaps as compelling as any political reasons.