When Maharaja Ranjit Singh consolidated his Empire in Punjab after merging smaller states in it, he gave the best of Administration in all respects. He modernized his army and established a secular system in which all people belonging to different religions could follow their religion without any hindrance. Whereas Maharaja Ranjit Singh is known to have rendered the service of Gold plating Sri Harmandir Sahib, he also gave ample grants for the maintenance of Hindu and Muslim shrines. For that purpose he even sent grants for the shrines outside the boundaries of his empire. It was he, who sent tons of gold for gold plating of domes of Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. While making a treaty with the Afghans, he had demanded the precious doors of Somnath temple back from them for their restoration to the shrine. He had also expressed his desire to donate certain valuables for the temple at Jagannath Puri. Some of the unique features of his rule are mentioned below
He established a modern empire of toleration, which extended even beyond the Indian frontiers.
He ruled by exercising power with a positive impact on humanity for exploring their achievements and legacy.
There is no other Indian Ruler in whose rule Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and even Foreigners like French and Spanish lived in perfect peace and harmony and enjoyed equality of opportunity and freedom of following their own religion.
There is no other Indian Ruler who received so many gifts from other rulers, but was generous enough to distribute either for the benefit of people or for constructions and repairs of religious places of different religion like Gurdwaras, Temples and Mosques.
He rendered the justice in a fair and impartial manner and in his rule not a single person was awarded capital punishment.
He was one of the few Indian rulers who possessed the costliest diamond Kohinoor, which was taken away from India by foreign invaders, but he brought it back by defeating the Afghans.
He had the most modernized and trained army with peerless generals like Hari Singh Nalwa and others with many hailing from a diversity of Nations and Religions like Allard and Ventura.
There is no other Indian Ruler with whom the Britishers were compelled to enter into a friendly treaty and they never dared to think of attacking him.
Among other notable Sikhs during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh mention may be made of his great Generals Akali Phoola Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa. Akali Phoola Singh not only played a crucial role in Maharaja’s Military engagements, but was also Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib who punished even the Maharaja for violation of Sikh code of conduct. S. Hari Singh Nalwa is the only General in the history who had defeated the Afghans. It is believed that he was such a terror for the Afghan people that the Afghan mothers have been frightening their children by saying that ‘Nalwa will come’. The battle of Jamrud in which he had defeated the Afghans was a historic victory, although it also killed the great warrior. When Maharaja reached the spot of Nalwa’s death, he noticed that the Pathans had all run away. Jamrud was again with the Sikhs but the loss of Nalwa was a very high cost. It is, however,a matter of great pride for all the Indians, particularly the Punjabis that last year Hari Singh Nalwa was adjudged as the greatest general of the World History by Billionaires Australia, and this year Maharaja Ranjit Singh the great Sikh ruler of the early 19th Century has been adjudged as the greatest leader of all times in a poll conducted by BBC World History Magazine.
