by Jia Lal Kilam

CHAPTER XXI
Pandit Sahaj Ram - The Diwan

AMONGST all the Kashmiri Pandits who rose to prominence during Afghan period of Kashmir history, there is the personality of Sahaj Ram Dar who by dint of his farsightedness, sagacity and political wisdom, continued at the helm of affairs for a very long time. Kingships rose and fell in Kabul, Subedars were appointed and dismissed in, Kashmir, rebellions occured one after the other in Kashmir, but Sahaj Ram Dar continued in his office with his power and prestige undiminished. Today we find a loyal Subedar appointing him as his Madarulmiham. The next day the Subedar turns a rebel, but Pandit Sahaj Ram continues as before. The rebel Subedar is defeated and replaced by a loyal one, but Pandit Sahaj Ram is there and wins fresh honours and prizes. And this goes on for a number of years and during the reigns of many Subedars. In this he can be compared to the French statesman Talleyrand. But there is one thing which distinguishes Pandit Sahaj Ram from the French statesman. Unlike the Feench statesman, Sahaj Ram was neither faithless nor an opportunist. He never turned a traitor to his masters, but served them, honestly and loyally as long as cir cumstances permitted him to do so, but after their fall he never betrayed them.

In the last chapter we have seen how Abdullah Khan appointed Pandit Sahaj Ram as his Sahib Kar. After his rebellion and defeat Atta Mohammad Khan was appointed as Subedar in the year 1807 A. D. Atta Mohammad in spite the fact that Pandit Sahaj Ram had sided with the rebel chief Abdullah Khan in his turn also appointed Sahaj Ram as his Diwan, indeed a high tribute to his integrity and great administrative merit.

The relation of Kashmir with Kabul those days was that of a crown appanage and periodical accounts had to be submitted to the Afghan king, in addition to the annual tribute. Pandit Sahaj Ram as Diwan was in charge of the accounts also. We, therefore, find Pandit Sahaj Ram Dar next going to Kabul with the accounts of the country which were to be presented to the king there. But while crossing Indus in a ferry the pony which carried the accounts took fright and dumped into the river and got drowned along with the accounts. But unmindful of the loss of the accounts, Sahaj Ram pursued his journey and on reaching Kabul sought audience with the king and related to him the mishhap, but he undertook to prepare a duplicate from his memory within a short period of only four days. This was done and the accounts were found to tally in every detail with the copy of the accounts which was lying at Kashmir and later sent for from there. This pleased the king beyond measure. He bestowed a Khillat and the hereditary title of Diwan upon him. Besides this the villages of Dachhan Para and Marhama were bestowed upon him as Jagir in perpetuity. In addition to this, Pandit Sahaj Ram secured the Governership of Kamraj for his brother Mirza Pandit, and the Illaqa of Deosar for Pandit Birbar. The latter, after making his appearance on the political scene, as we shall soon see played a decisive part in the history of Kashmir.

Atta Mohammad Khan started his career as the Subedar with very great promise. Himself a man of simple habits, and deep religious convictions, he bestowed his earnest attention upon raising the material prosperity of the people of Kashmir. In this he largely drew upon the administrative skill of his Diwan Pandit Sahaj Ram. Under the guidance and supervision of the Pandit, agriculture was improved, and during his regime bumper harvests came to be reaped after a period of decay and despair. Trade was revived as a result of administrative stability which was established in a short period. But then there was again unrest at Kabul. This time Mohammad Shah conducted a successful rebellion against Shah Shuja, who was then the king of Kabul. Shah Shuja escaped and took shelter with Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The anarchic state of affairs at Kabul had its reactions upon Atta Mohammad too, and following the footsteps of his predecessors he also declared his independence. But Mohammad Shah could not take this affrontry on the part of the Subedar lying down, and he deputed a huge force under the command of a veteran general Akram Khan Bamezai for the conquest of Kashmir. But the expedition led by Bamezai met with a total defeat and Atta Mohammad came back to Srinagar, victorious and happy. Atta Mohammad did not remain content only with having scored a victory. He built a fortress on the top of the Hari Parbat hill and many more in Sopore Baramulla, and other towns. A munition factory was started and the army was reorganised and strengthened. But Kashmir had not vanished from the eyes of Mohammad Shah - the Kabul ruler. Again he organised an expedition for its conquest - this time under another general of greater fame though not of much talent - by name Wazir Fateh Mohommad Khan. It seems that Atta Mohammad Khan in order to hide the true purpose of his rebellion under the cloak of bolstering up the claims of a defeated puppet king, and also to win support of his partisans in the Afghan country opened negotiations with Shah Shuja to come to Kashmir. Diwan Nand Ram Tikul was deputed to approach Shah Shuja. Diwan Nand Ram succeeded in his mission and Shah Shuja came to Kashmir, only to find himself a virtual prisoner in the newly built Hari Parbat fort. Atta Mohammad Khan now took the time by the forlock and deputed his brother Jahandar Khan to seize the Attok fort which in those days commanded the gateway to Kashmir. Wazir Fateh Mohammad Khan the Afghan General dared not attack the fort and opened negotiations with Maharaja Ranjit Singh for help. The Maharaja agreed to help the Wazir on condition that an annual tribute of eight lacs was paid to him from the Kashmir revenues. The condition have been accepted, the Sikh ruler deputed Diwan Mohkam Chand with a considerable forceto help Wazir Fateh Mohammad Khan and in the battle that ensued at Rawalpora village, Atta Mohammad was defeated, some of his close followers having played a treacherous part at the cruicial moment. Atta Mohammad after a further feeble and unsuccessful resistance opened negotiations with Diwan Mohkam Chand, and succeeded in getting a safe passage back to Kabul. Diwan Mohkam Chand also left Kashmir, but not without taking a Hundi for eight lacs of rupees.

Wazir Fateh Mohammad Khan did not stay in Kashmir for more than a few months and accompanied by Diwan Nand Ram Tiku he left for Kabul leaving the administration of the country in the hands of his brother Azim Khan in the year 1813 A. D. Azim Khan then appointed Sahaj Ram Dar as his Diwan, and Pandit Haradas Tiku as his Sahib Kar, the latter appointment probably having been made to ward off opposition on behalf of his brother Diwan Nand Ram Tiku who as has been already mentioned was a great notable figure at Kabul. By this the whole administrative machinery was put under the Pandits. Atta Mohammad Khan on his way to Kabul handed over the Attok fort to Maharaja Ranjit Singh in lieu of one lac of rupees which the latter paid him. Azim Khan interpreted this action of the Sikh Maharaja as a breach of faith on his part and refused to pay the annual tribute of eight lacs which was stipulated with him by Wazir Fateh Mohammad Khan in consideration of the help which he had secured from Maharaja Ranjit Singh against Atta Mohammad Khan. Ranjit Singh was greatly incensed at the unseemly behaviour of the Subedar and he at once ordered an expedition to be organized for the conquest of Kashmir. On his part Azim Khan also made strong prepartions to meet his formidable foe. But this expedition of Ranjit Singh met with a complete disaster. Sikh forces were routed and it was with very great difficulty that the main force which was under the direct command of the Sikh ruler was saved from total annihilation. With Sikhs driven out of the country, Azad Khan returned back to Srinagar fully intoxicated with his victory. What repercussions this event had on the general condition of the Pandits will be presently seen.