The First Punjab War (Shah Mohammed's Jangnamah)

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One, the poem was written after the first Anglo-Sikh War. In other words, the second such war which was to lead to the annexation of the Punjab by the East India Company had yet to take place. That important developments, social as well as political, began to occur even in the wake of the first Anglo Sikh War, becomes evident from a close reading of the poem. To quote the translator, "All wealth is today garnered by the sons of moneylenders and gumashtas in the main." In other words, a class of commercial entrepreneurs came into existence as soon as that war was over and the British settled down to appropriate Ranjit Singh's empire. It was this very class which was to rise into prominence during the later years. But then, the author was obviously not in a position to foresee what would happen later. However, what he observed with his own eyes is referred to by him. Taking into account the later history of the state of Punjab, one cannot but admire the incisiveness of the poet in noting what would not have been noted by those who were not so observant.

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