An account on Sikhs By Richard Joseph Sulivan - 1784

[amardeep]

Sir Richard Sulivan wrote several books but readers of Sikh history will be interested in his work pertaining to India. The “An Analysis of Political history of India” was published in 1779. An enlarged second edition came out in 1784 which included an account on Sikhs, Jats (of Bharatpur) and Rohillas among others.

This account is important because it a contemporary source from when Sikh Misls ruled the territories between rivers Indus and Yamuna. This period prior to the rise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who ruled from 1799 to 1839 has been ignored. The Sikh confederacy ruled over the provinces of Lahore, Sirhind, Multan (lost in 1794 and later regained under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.) The Sikhs’ incursions into Western and Central UP, their cooperation with the Jats of Bharatpur and treaties with Rajput rulers of Rajputana have been largely disregarded by non-Sikh historians.

Read the full account here:

https://www.sikhnet.com/news/account-sikhs-richard-joseph-sulivan-1784

[amardeep]

Some interesting quotes from the main text:

We have to mention the Seiks. They are a powerful and an extraordinary people: until very lately, however they have been quite unknown to Europeans: the cause of this shall be explained hereafter. The Seiks were originally of the tribe of Hindoos, called Jates. They are now composed of all casts. They admit proselytes from all religions; and even allow them to retain a belief of their own persuasions, and to perform their several rites, provided they comply with the external duties of a Seik, which are but few and simple. They never, it is true, heartily adopt a Mussulman. A disciple of the Koran, though in every respect a Seik, they distinguish by the name of Nemazi-Singh, which denotes him to be a renegade Mahommedan.

The Seiks have a high notion of the equality of mankind.

Their cities and principal towns abound with Mahommedan artificers and tradesmen, who are most liberally encouraged. They countenance and protect all foreign merchants. The ryots and farmers are assessed with moderation: not a moiety so much as they are by Europeans, Moohammedans and Hindoos. Their government is most lenient. Even many Affghan families have hereditary estates on their dominions, which they allow them quietly to posses.

At length being freed from the Mohammedan yoke, the Seiks assembled from their lurking places, and formed themselves into a new community. They adopted no regular system of government. The richer sort assumed the title of Rajah, and annexed to it a full and sovereign authority, independent of each other. The next in consideration called themselves Sardars, and established an equal share of independency, both of each other and of the Rajahs. They formed a federal association, not a commonwealth, as it hath been erroneously denominated. They erected, as it were, distinct principalities; to act together in concert, only when a common enterprise should be in question. Their leaders were then to assemble in congress, on a perfect equality, and each to rear his standard in the general cause.

 

From small beginnings, like the Maharattahs, the Seiks have risen to such an alarming degree of consequence that they now possess an extent of dominion, computed at eight hundred miles in length and four hundred miles in breath; its capital Lahore.

It is not, therefore, requiring too much to say, that the Seiks are a power which should be carefully watched by the English. They certainly are of great consequence on the political scale of India.

Large bodies of them annually quit their homes, and advance to the frontiers of the Owd dominions; besides others, who, though not exclusively of the community, are yet in every respect Seiks. Gujput-Singh, Ummar-Singh, and the chiefs who possess the districts of Kurnaul, Thannaisser, Puttialah, etc., are of this number. They are absolutely Seiks, although they have little intercourse with more distant leaders of Punjaub and Lahore.

These chiefs originally belonged to the one or other of the inferior tribes of Hindoos; but having erected their Zemindaries into independencies, they found it politically convenient to adopt the manners, and assume the name of their northern neighbours; but neither the character nor the power of the latter should be eliminated from the figure or appearance of the chief who resides in the neighbourhood of Panipat and Seharinpoor. For though their strength has late been sufficient to furnish considerable employment to Nudjif-Cawn and his successors; to lay Zabtah-Cawn, whose country is situated between the Ganges and the Jumna, under heavy contributions, and to molest even the suburbs of Delhi; yet they are neither to be compared with the genuine Seiks for political importance, nor regarded on account of their institutions, in the same important view.

In a word, the Seiks and their relatives, have every appearance of being one day or other a very formidable power in Hindostan.

Edited November 20, 2017 by amardeep