Tempo:
218
Punjab Monarchy and Imperialism
The Maharajah was blissfully unaware of the stab in the back that the governor general, Lord Minto, had planned for him. He returned from the tour of the Malwa to Amritsar, where the populace gave him a hero's welcome, singing songs of joy and showering him with flowers. For several nights the streets and the temple were illuminated. The monarch and his people gave themselves up lo merrymaking. Metcalfe arrived in Amritsar on 10 December 1808, with the governor general's ultimatum. He joined the Maharajah's nautch parties with great enthusiasm. Hehad to ·spin things out' until Ocbterlonywas in po~ition, the British agents had had time to renew contacts with the Malwa chiefa, and his colleague Elphinstone bad finished his mission in Kabul and had returned (through the Punjab) to British territory.!1 Metcalfe presented the note containing an 'irrevocable demand' that all the territory east of the Sutlej that the Maharajah had taken under his control since the arrival of the English mission should be restored forthwith. The Maharajah called off his parties and immediately returt1ed to Labore to consult with his ministers. 10 At Lahore Metcalfe broke the news that a British 9 Occasionally Metcalfe's thoughts wenl back to the initial object of his mission. 'I couJd not forget that I had been sent Lo establish an alliance and not bring on a war.' he wrote in his diary. About the changed attitude of his govemmt'nt, the envoy had no qualms. He was sure that they could find something in the behaviour of Ranjit Singh which would give !.hem the excuse to go to war against him. 'His conduct would soon have given an opportunity to get rid of any embaffassment which our engagement with him might have caused.' 10 Metcalfe gives another reason for Ranjit Singh's hurried departure from Amritsar. In a letter of 14 December 1808 he wtiLes: 'His favourite mistress, Moran. who is of the Moosulman faith, lately converted a Hindoo of the Khutree caste to the Moosulman religion, whether by force or persuasion I do not know. The town of Amritsar has been in a state of ferment, in consequence for many days. ... The populace on one occasion outrageously plw1dered the houses of all tile Moosulman dancing girls, of whom Moran was formerly one, and forced the Rajah to agree that they should be removed from the town.' (SC 100 of 30.1.1809.) Metcalfe did not do too badly himself. He not only participated in the bacchanalian festivities himself but also took an Indian mistress, who bore
Punjab Monarchy and Imperialism
The Maharajah was blissfully unaware of the stab in the back that the governor general, Lord Minto, had planned for him. He returned from the tour of the Malwa to Amritsar, where the populace gave him a hero's welcome, singing songs of joy and showering him with flowers. For several nights the streets and the temple were illuminated. The monarch and his people gave themselves up lo merrymaking. Metcalfe arrived in Amritsar on 10 December 1808, with the governor general's ultimatum. He joined the Maharajah's nautch parties with great enthusiasm. Hehad to ·spin things out' until Ocbterlonywas in po~ition, the British agents had had time to renew contacts with the Malwa chiefa, and his colleague Elphinstone bad finished his mission in Kabul and had returned (through the Punjab) to British territory.!1 Metcalfe presented the note containing an 'irrevocable demand' that all the territory east of the Sutlej that the Maharajah had taken under his control since the arrival of the English mission should be restored forthwith. The Maharajah called off his parties and immediately returt1ed to Labore to consult with his ministers. 10 At Lahore Metcalfe broke the news that a British 9 Occasionally Metcalfe's thoughts wenl back to the initial object of his mission. 'I couJd not forget that I had been sent Lo establish an alliance and not bring on a war.' he wrote in his diary. About the changed attitude of his govemmt'nt, the envoy had no qualms. He was sure that they could find something in the behaviour of Ranjit Singh which would give !.hem the excuse to go to war against him. 'His conduct would soon have given an opportunity to get rid of any embaffassment which our engagement with him might have caused.' 10 Metcalfe gives another reason for Ranjit Singh's hurried departure from Amritsar. In a letter of 14 December 1808 he wtiLes: 'His favourite mistress, Moran. who is of the Moosulman faith, lately converted a Hindoo of the Khutree caste to the Moosulman religion, whether by force or persuasion I do not know. The town of Amritsar has been in a state of ferment, in consequence for many days. ... The populace on one occasion outrageously plw1dered the houses of all tile Moosulman dancing girls, of whom Moran was formerly one, and forced the Rajah to agree that they should be removed from the town.' (SC 100 of 30.1.1809.) Metcalfe did not do too badly himself. He not only participated in the bacchanalian festivities himself but also took an Indian mistress, who bore
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