Rani Sada Kaur

When Kabul's ruler, Badshah Jamaan, was convinced of continued his inability to rule
Punjab, he sent a secret message suggesting Ranjit Singh to assume control of Lahore.
The Lahore residents too were fed-up with continuously changing rulers with every
sunrise. So when they learned of Shah Jamaan's message, they too sent a message
asking Ranjit Singh to take control of Lahore.
Ranjit Singh was in Ram Nagar when he received both messages, from Kabuls
Badshah as well as the Lahore residents. He was being offered the throne of Lahore.
Accepting this offer wasn't as easy as it sounded wasn't. Neither the Lahore residents
had organized any militia for Ranjit Singh's support and nor had Kabuls Badshah
offered any military help. Ranjit Singh's own force weren't enough for the task.
Besides, the Bhangs and Ramgahria Sardars were his sworn enemies. As such the
acceptance of this tempting offer wasn't easy. And Ranjit Singh couldn't reach a
decision.
Very few people are aware of the fact that Ranjit Singh's control over Lahore wasn't
due to either his strength or intelligence but the result of an intelligent and brave
woman's resolve and wisdom. And that woman was Ranjit Singh's mother-in-law,
Rani Sada Kaur Walia of Batala.
Having received messages from Shah Jamaan and Lahore residents, Ranjit Singh
immediately left Ram Nagar and reached Batala.
After greeting his mother-in-law with "Jo Bolahe So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal," he
respectfully touched her feet. Rani Sada Kaur instantaneously moved forward to hug
him and lovingly fondled his head.
Immediately, both were engrossed in conversation. Ranjit Singh explaining the whole
situation and asked, "Matta Ji! Tell me, what should be done now?"
"What have you thought?" Asked Sada Kaur in response.
"Just to proceed, attack and capture Lahore." Ranjit Singh answered.
"How much force do you have with you?" Sada Kaur inquired once again.
"Oh, some 3500 soldiers."
"And here we have some 2000. So, say 5000 in total."
"Yes."
"Then, Biba, are you expecting to attack and successfully capture Lahore with this
force?"
Sada Kaur's question brought disappointment on Ranjit Singh's face. He lowered his
head and got lost in deep thoughts. Lahore was under the control of three Sikh
Sardars. Amritsar was under control of his archenemy Ramgahria and Bhangi. If he
was to announce his attack and leave Batala with a force of 5000, he wouldn't even
reach Lahore, leave aside capture it.
Observing Ranjit Singh in deep thoughts, Sada Kaur said, "Yes, there is a way to
success."
"What?" Ranjit Singh asked eagerly.
"No one should learn anything prior to your arrival in Lahore." Sada Kaur explained.
"How is this possible?" Saying this, Ranjit Singh once again got lost in thoughts.
"Everything is possible, Biba!" Sada Kaur said laughingly. She had a strategy in her
mind.
Forces were given orders to advance. But when the commanders inquired "Sardar,
Where to?"
"To bathe at Amritsar." Responded Sada Kaur.
The news spread all over like wildfire that Rani Sada Kaur, accompanied by her sonin-
law, is going to bathe at Amritsar.
The whole party left Batala in the afternoon and reached Sri Darbar Sahib by the
evening. Everyone bathed in the sacred pool, paid homage, and the camped just
outside the city. Now Rani Sada summoned all the commanders for a meeting and
explained her strategy. It was midnight by the time her meeting ended. Immediately,
the horses were saddled and the party was on the move. By sunrise, Ranjit Singh
accompanied by her mother-in-law and 5000 soldiers reached the Lahore gates and
established a cantonment in Nawab Wajir Khan's territory. He managed to sneak into
Lahore without anyone's knowledge. This was a result of Sada Kaur's strategy.
Noticing Ranjit Singh, the Lahore rulers sent some forces to defend. But these forces
did not engage in any battle. Why not? This was the magic of Sada Kaur's strategy
that had its intended impact. Sada Kaur successfully negotiated surrender and offered
them employment upon taking control of Lahore.
The Lahore residents kept their word. They opened the gates of Lahore entrances.
Ranjit Singh entered Lahore, without a single bullet ever gracing anyone or anything.
Two Sardars ran away while the third raised rebellion from the fort.
Ranjit Singh's forced immediately seized the Fort. But they had no canyons. So the
soldiers started firing from their trenches. Firing at the fort was like firing at a
mountain. What effect could bullets have on a mountain? Absolutely, none. Similarly,
their bullets couldn't have any affect on the fort. Mughal rulers had diligently built an
extremely strong and defendable fort. So inside Lahore, Ranjit Singh faced yet
another situation. Once again he had to seek Sada Kaur's advice. "Matta Ji! What
should we do now?" He asked. "Are you convinced that the fort can be captured with
bullets?" Sada Kaur answered with a question. Ranjit Singh immediately recognized
his mistake and responded in a very low voice, "No!" "Then why are you wasting
ammunition?" Ranjit Singh lowered his head.
After some thought Sada Kaur said, "Kaka, give orders to stop firing."
Ranjit Singh was convinced of his mother-in-laws wisdom. Without understanding or
questioning what she wanted to do, he obediently gave the orders to stop firing. Brave
Sada Kaur raised a white flag, came out of her trench, and moved towards the fort.
She found Chaet Singh's emissary waiting for her at the forts gate.
She said, "I want to see Chaet Singh."
"Who are you?" Chaet Singh's emissary questioned.
"I am Rani Sada Kaur from Batala. I want to meet with Chaet Singh for his own
benefit."
The emissary left and returned after a short duration. He announced, "Sardar is only
prepared to talk inside the fort."
"Doesn't matter, I can come inside. To me, Chaet Singh is same as my son, Ranjit
Singh." Saying this Rani followed the emissary inside the fort. Chaet Singh was a
distant relative too.
Entering the fort, Sada Kaur immediately accesses the situation. In her assessment,
the situation inside the fort was rapidly deteriorating.
Upon meeting Chaet Singh, she said, "Biba! I have come for your sake. I don't wish
you any harm."
Chaet Singh was already concerned and her words further scared him. He didn't know
what disaster was awaiting him.
"Ranjit Singh is entrenched with heavy canyons. With great difficult, I managed to
convince him to stop firing. His fate is shining while his destiny is around the corner.
All Sardars have accepted his conditions. You don't have enough strength to face him.
Consider, you may be killed." Rani Sada Kaur explained.
"If I am to die, then why not die like a brave solider?" Chaet Singh responded.
"There is no need to die. After all you have children. If I desired death for you, why
would I come this far? I have come to save you." Sada Kaur answered.
She repeated once again "Biba! Leave the fort. This will not only save you and your
family's life but I will take personal responsibility for your continued sustainment."
Sada Kaur's words hit the right target. Chaet Singh agreed to leave the fort. After two
hours, he accompanied Sada Kaur into Ranjit Singh's tent and deposited the keys to
the Lahore fort. As per her agreement, Rani Sada Kaur ensured that Chaet Singh got
his Jagir in compensation. The fort was under Ranjit Singh's control now while the
Kesri flag fluttered over it. Without Sada Kaur's brave and wise moves, the fort
couldn't have been captured so easily and that too in such a short time. Any delay
could have been nothing less than disastrous, as the enemy forces were already on
their way to get it released from his occupancy. Having captured the fort, Ranjit Singh
now controlled Lahore. All gates to the city were ordered shut and the fort was
reinforced with canyons and prepared to defend against any possible attack. In the
meantime, news reached that Jodh Singh Ramgahria, Gulab Singh Bhangi, Sahib
Singh Bhangi, Nijaam Deen Ksuriya and numerous other Sardars with heavy forces
had camped in the fields of Baseen. They were awaiting additional reinforcements
and planned to attack Lahore.
Ranjit Singh got extremely worried -- not that he was scared of the battle but because
of his own estranged forces. After the victory at Lahore, he had neither allowed his
forces to loot the town nor had he paid their salaries for several months. The soldiers
had openly declared that they wouldn't fight any more battles without their salaries.
On the other hand Ranjit Singh coffers were empty. His treasury was in Sialkot,
which was inaccessible due to blockage by enemy forces. As a result fetching
anything from the treasury was almost impossible and out of question. Then what
could be done? He had no answers to resolve this situation. That morning, he had
expressed his anxiety to Rani Sada Kaur. She has assured him that some arrangements
will be made. However, it was a matter of funds, large sums in lakhs of Rupees.
Where could Rani produce such a large sum? He was deeply disturbed with such
thoughts.
His anxiety was worsening while he roomed the main hall. Once a while some
thought would come to him but disappear as easily. His anxiety wasn't lessening at
all, instead continued to get worse."Rani Ji is headed this way." The watch-keeper
announced. "Let her come." Ranjit Singh said while his face lighted up expectedly.
Rani Sada Kaur arrived. But she wasn't alone. A 100-year- old Muslim gentleman
accompanied her. Ranjit Singh started gazing them expectedly. His worries had
worsened to such an extent that he couldn't understand anything.
Nevertheless, when he learned from Sada Kaur that the accompanying old man knew
the location of Meer Manus buried treasures, his worries transformed into happiness.
Sada Kaur had spent the whole day trying to find the old man. Woman could be so
wise and intelligent, no one had ever realized before. Ranjit Singh hadn't thought of
this even in his dreams. Yet it was crystal clear, right in front of him. With deep
respect, he touched his mother-in-laws feet and expressed gratitude to VaahGuru.
Based on the old man's instruction, a corner of the fort was dug up where Meer Manus
hidden treasure, worth crores of Rupees, was discovered. This solved Ranjit Singh
immediate problem. Soldiers were not only paid all their salaries in arrears but also
given two months advance. Now every soldier was eager to fight for his master. It
was nothing but a simple matter of money. Digging yet another place based on the old
mans instructions, yielded a huge stock of arms and ammunition. After honoring the
old man with numerous gifts and bidding him farewell, Ranjit Singh turned his
attention to defensive preparations against the pending enemy attack.
Sada Kaur accompanied Ranjit Singh in the battle of Baseen. It was her wise moves,
once again, that resulted in a large number of enemy forces joining Ranjit Singh. Now
Ranjit Singh reentered Lahore with resounding echoes of battle victory.
Now he was in full control of Lahore and faced no immediate threat. Sada Kaur,
having positioned her son- in-law on the Lahore throne as the new Maharaja, prepared
for her return to Batala. Ranjit Singh accompanied her until Amritsar. He considered
her a Goddess. Why not? After all she was the maker of his fate. Without her wisdom,
he could never have occupied the Lahore throne. In reality, she was the true founder
of the Sikh rule