Sukh Jiwan Mal

Template:Use dmy dates Sukh Jiwan Mal (Template:Langx) was a Punjabi soldier and Amir who was the Raja of Kashmir from 1754 to 1762. He rose from the rank of a soldier to a governor and then finally became a ruler. He was the last independent monarch of Kashmir.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

Early life

Sukh Jiwan Mal was born and raised in the city of Bhera, then in the Subah of Lahore, into a Punjabi Hindu Khatri family.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=Parmu>Template:Cite book</ref>

History

Background

Kashmir under Afghan rulers was in a bad state. Locals were tortured and killed during the reign of Afghans. The very first Afghan chief Abdullah Khan Isk Aquasi appointed by Ahmad Shah Abdali would line up all Kashmiris whom he considered rich and would ask them to either part with their wealth or to face death. The Afghan army would often raid and loot common Kashmiri houses.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref>

Rise

After the loot and plunder, Abdullah Khan Isk Aquasi returned to Kabul leaving Kashmir under the charge of Abdullah Khan Kabuli. Kabuli appointed Sukh Jiwan as his chief advisor.<ref name=":1" /> A local leader of the Kashmiri Muslims, Abu'l Hasan Bandey wanted to get rid of the cruel Afghan rulers.<ref name=":0" /> Bandey convinced Sukh Jiwan to kill Kabuli and become independent. Subsequently, Kabuli was assassinated and Sukh Jiwan became the independent ruler after formally getting the title of Raja.<ref name=":1" />

Reign

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} As the ruler of Kashmir, Sukh Jiwan appointed Bandey as his prime minister. As a retaliation, Ahmad Shah Abdali sent Khwaja Kijak and Abdullah Khan Isk Aquasi to Kashmir. They were both defeated. In another occasion, Afghan prisoners of war were paraded in the streets with Kashmiri crowds spitting at them.<ref name=":1" /> The locals of Kashmir were at large happy with the smooth and efficient administration but the happiness did not last very long. A destructive famine occurred in 1755 followed by locust attack. These natural calamities forced the locals to desperately eat dead locusts.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Sukh Jiwan distributed 80 lakh kg rice for free among the poor people.<ref name=":0" />

According to Schwartz, "Kashmir's only respite from economic and political pressures during the Afghan and Sikh rule occurred during the reign of Sukh Jiwan Mal, marked by a flowering of literacy activity attached to patronage." Sukh Jiwan held weekly symposiums to which he invited all the poets. He also employed poets to produce history of Kashmir in the style of Book of Kings.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Under the advice of Mahanand Dhar, Sukh Jiwan in order to facilitate his work imported many Khatri Hindus from Punjab to Kashmir.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Defeat

When force did not work, Abdali used wit to get control of Kashmir. He attempted to destroy the good relations between Sukh Jiwan and Bandey by putting a wedge against them. Taking advantage of this situation, Abdali sent an army led by Nur-ud-Din Khan Bamzai to Kashmir. A major portion of Raja Sukh Jiwan's army including his commander-in-chief Bakth Mal betrayed him.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Eventually, he was captured, blinded and sent to Abdali in Lahore where he was killed by throwing him under an elephant.<ref name=":1" />