Ranbir Singh
Encyclopedia
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Shriman Rajrajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Sri
Sri
Sri , also transliterated as Shri or Shree or shre is a word of Sanskrit origin, used in the Indian subcontinent as polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." in written and spoken language, or as a title of veneration for deities .-Etymology:Sri has the root meaning of radiance, or...
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Ranbir Singhji, Indar Mahindar Bahadur, Sipar-i-Sultanat, Mushir-i-Khas-i-Kaiser-i-Hind GCSI, CIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, Kaiser-i-Hind
Kaiser-i-Hind
The Kaisar-i-Hind was a medal awarded by the British monarch between 1900 and 1947, to civilians of any nationality who rendered distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British Raj....
(August 1830–12 September 1885) was the son of Maharaja Gulab Singh
Maharaja Gulab Singh
Maharaja Gulab Singh was the founder and first Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the second largest princely state in British India...
, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
and head of the Jamwal
Jamwal
Jamwal is a suryavanshi Rajput clan of Chattari lineage in Jammu and Kashmir that claims solar origin by direct descent from Sri Rama Chandra of Raghav Rajput clan. Jamwal traditions state that their ancestor, Raja Agnigarba, came from Ayodhya and founded a small state on the banks of River Tawi...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clan.
The trans-Himalayan territories of Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
, Astore
Astore
Astore may refer to:*Astore District*Astore River*Astore Valley*Astore, Pakistan*Astore Sports, a sports brand...
, Hunza
Hunza
Hunza may refer to*Hunza Valley*Former State of Hunza*Hunza River*Hunza Peak*Hunza people*Hunza is the Muisca name of the city of Tunja, Colombia...
-Nagar were conquered and made part of Jammu and Kashmir in his time. He was noted as a great scholar of classical Persian
Classical Persian
Classical Persian may refer to:*Middle Persian*New Persian...
, and was also learned in Pashtu, Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Singh's Reign
Following the death of his father, Shri Ranbir Singh ascended the throne of Jammu and Kashmir . The new Maharaja was popular with his people. The state made some considerable progress during his reign. Reorganisation of the state administration was the first to engage his attention. Three separate departments dealing with the revenue, civil and military affairs were established . To make justice cheaper and efficient, regular Courts of Justice were set up, uniform laws were framed and a new State Panel Code, Shri Ranbir Dandh Bidhi, was issued." The people could air their grievances and seek redress at the Maharaja's public Darbars as well.In order to encourage trade and industry, the system of taxation was overhauled and means of transport and communication were improved. Thus while tax on the shawl manufacturers was reduced, a number of imports were altogether abolished . About fifty thousand rupees was spent on repairing the pathways since there were no roads in the state at that time. Postal arrangements were made more efficient. Postal services between Srinagar and Muree (Now in West Pakistan) were also introduced, and letters were delivered within 72 hours . After Gilgit was finally subjugated in 1860, it was decided to connect it to Srinagar by a telegraph line. Telegraphic links were established between Srinagar and Jammu as well.
Many old bridges were repaired and some new ones were also built over the Jhelum in Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag. For the benefit of the cultivators, an attempt was made to assess the land revenue at a fixed rate. New staples were introduced into the country and money was freely spent on sericulture, hops, vines and presses. The cumulative effect of the above noted measures on the trade was that on the whole it increased. The shawl trade, however, received a setback mainly due to a fall in their demand in Europe after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.
For the physical and moral upliftment of the people a number of medical dispensaries and schools were opened. Expenditure on the latter amounted to about fifty thousand rupees . Maharaja Gulab Singh had laid the foundation of the Dharmarth Fund. Maharaja Ranbir Singh put it on a permanent basis by the grant of a number of villages in the provinces of Jammu and Kashmir. A Dharmarth Code, describing the aims, objects, scope and the rules of its administration, was also compiled.
Trade between Central Asia and British India was carried on through the state territory. In 1863, the Maharaja reduced transit duties. Two additional measures gave a further fillip to the trade. The first, the posting of a British Agent at Leh in 1867, regulated the flow of the trade, The second, a commercial treaty concluded in 1870 between the Maharaja and the Government of India, which resulted the abolition of all the duties in return for a similar concession made by the Government of India on the trade between the state and British India .
The Government of India also endeavoured to strengthen its defence against any aggression from the side of state, the meeting place of the three greatest empires of the east. The Russian conquest of Tashkent, Khokand, Khojand and Samarkand during the late sixtees had indeed created an alarming situation for the British . And on the side of the state, Gilgit occupied a strategic position of great importance. This particular gate of the (British) Empire covered all the passes over the Hindu Kush... 1149 Therefore, in 1877 an agreement was reached with Maharaja Ranbir Singh for the establishment of a Political Agency at Gilgit. Although due to certain unfavourable circumstances this Agency was withdrawn in 1881, it was re-established eight years later.
The road to Gilgit lay through Kashmir whose borders also touched the tribal territories wherein the important passes leading across the Hindu Kush were situated. Therefore, it became a matter of policy with the British Government to tighten their hold over Jammu and Kashmir as well . But the pace of progress in Kashmir was further quickened as a result of it. The Gilgit question itself was finally solved in 1935 when it was transferred to the Government of India on a sixty year lease basis. The closing years of Ranbir Singh's reign were marked by the ravages of the great famine of 1877-79 in Kashmir,and trade came to a stand-still. . To prevent the rigor of famines in future, he took up the construction of a cart road from Srinagar to Rawalpindi (now in West Pakistan). The assessment of land revenue was also revised.
Ranbir Singh passed away on September 12, 1885 and was succeeded by his eldest son Pratap Singh.
Italic text
Family
Maharajadhiraj Sri Sir Ranbir Singh married five times and had six children, four sons:- Maharaja Pratap Singh (18 July 1848-23 September 1925). Succeeded his father as Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir in 1885.
- GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
RajaRajaRaja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Ram Singh, KCB, Kaiser-i-HindKaiser-i-HindThe Kaisar-i-Hind was a medal awarded by the British monarch between 1900 and 1947, to civilians of any nationality who rendered distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British Raj....
(31 May 1861-22 June 1899); issue - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
RajaRajaRaja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Amar Singh, KCSIOrder of the Star of IndiaThe Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
, Kaiser-i-HindKaiser-i-HindThe Kaisar-i-Hind was a medal awarded by the British monarch between 1900 and 1947, to civilians of any nationality who rendered distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British Raj....
(14 January 1864-1909). Married twice and had one son:- Hari SinghHari SinghMaharaja Hari Singh was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in India.He was married four times...
(30 September 1895-26 April 1961). Succeeded his uncle as Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir in 1925.
- Hari Singh
- Mian Lakshman Singh (1870–1875)
Ranbir Singh The Owner of Kreative Travel India
and two daughters.