Tempo:
The Himalayas to Tibet
281
The Maharajah's body was cremated the next day. The newswriter described the scene in the following words: 'Having arrived at the funeral pile made of sandalwood, the corpse was placed upon it. Rani Guddun10 sat down by its side and placed the head of the deceased on her lap; while the other ranis with seven slave girls seated themselves around, with every mark of satisfaction on their countenances.' 16 Dr Honigberger takes up the tale: 'The Brahmins performed their prayers from the Shaster ... the priests of the Sikhs did the same from their holy scripture called Oranth Saheb, and the Mussalmen accompanied them with their "Ya Allah! Ya Allah!" <17 The prayers lasted nearly anhour. The newswriter resumes: 'Al 10 o'clock, nearly the time fixed by the Brahmins, Koonwar Khturuck Singh set fire to the pile and the ruler of the Punjab with four ranees and seven slave girls was reduced to ashes.... 18 A small cloud appeared in the sky over the burning pile and, having shed a few drops, cleared away. No one saw hope of relief but in resignation.... The heart is rent in attempting a description of the distress and lamentations in the palace among the ranees and among the citizens of every age, sex, and religion. >1 9 In the history of the Punjab, no man has excited the imagination of the people as much as Ranjit Singh. His looks contributed little to his popularity. He was of medium stature and dark-brown complexion; he wore a long grey beard on a face pitted with smallpox; his blind left eye was like a gaping wound. He was 'exactly like a mouse with grey whiskers and one eye; 15 Daughter of Sansar Chand of Kangra. 16 l.Alwre Akhbar, June 1839. 17 Honigberger, 'Thirty-Five Years in the Easl,' p. 102. 18 During the rise of Lhe misls greal numbers of Hindus accepted conversion to Sikhism (which they regarded as another branch of Hinduism). The Hindus brought customs and prejudices with them and considerably altered the faith of Nanak and the gurus. The Brahmins again gained influence and re-introduced caste prejudices and cow-worship. The Sikh aristocracy, which was largelyJat, began to look upon itself as the Kshatriya and to imitate the customs of the Kshatriya. 19 ~ Akhbar, June 1839.
281
The Maharajah's body was cremated the next day. The newswriter described the scene in the following words: 'Having arrived at the funeral pile made of sandalwood, the corpse was placed upon it. Rani Guddun10 sat down by its side and placed the head of the deceased on her lap; while the other ranis with seven slave girls seated themselves around, with every mark of satisfaction on their countenances.' 16 Dr Honigberger takes up the tale: 'The Brahmins performed their prayers from the Shaster ... the priests of the Sikhs did the same from their holy scripture called Oranth Saheb, and the Mussalmen accompanied them with their "Ya Allah! Ya Allah!" <17 The prayers lasted nearly anhour. The newswriter resumes: 'Al 10 o'clock, nearly the time fixed by the Brahmins, Koonwar Khturuck Singh set fire to the pile and the ruler of the Punjab with four ranees and seven slave girls was reduced to ashes.... 18 A small cloud appeared in the sky over the burning pile and, having shed a few drops, cleared away. No one saw hope of relief but in resignation.... The heart is rent in attempting a description of the distress and lamentations in the palace among the ranees and among the citizens of every age, sex, and religion. >1 9 In the history of the Punjab, no man has excited the imagination of the people as much as Ranjit Singh. His looks contributed little to his popularity. He was of medium stature and dark-brown complexion; he wore a long grey beard on a face pitted with smallpox; his blind left eye was like a gaping wound. He was 'exactly like a mouse with grey whiskers and one eye; 15 Daughter of Sansar Chand of Kangra. 16 l.Alwre Akhbar, June 1839. 17 Honigberger, 'Thirty-Five Years in the Easl,' p. 102. 18 During the rise of Lhe misls greal numbers of Hindus accepted conversion to Sikhism (which they regarded as another branch of Hinduism). The Hindus brought customs and prejudices with them and considerably altered the faith of Nanak and the gurus. The Brahmins again gained influence and re-introduced caste prejudices and cow-worship. The Sikh aristocracy, which was largelyJat, began to look upon itself as the Kshatriya and to imitate the customs of the Kshatriya. 19 ~ Akhbar, June 1839.
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