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The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia: Stories from the Court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
In 1801, the young scion of a petty fiefdom in the Punjab was invested with the title of Maharaja of Punjab. The young man, whose name was Ranjit Singh went on to carve out a kingdom for himself that stretched from the borders of Afghanistan in the west to the boundaries of the British Raj in the east. It included the lush hills and valleys of Kashmir, the barren mountains of Ladakh and the fertile plains of his native Punjab. The British valued him as an ally who would keep their western frontier safe and while they coveted his kingdom, they did not dare to engage in military adventures in Punjab during his lifetime.
The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia is an examination of Ranjit Singh and his times that focuses on a wide array of colourful characters that populated his court. Some of them are foreigners or firangis, such as Josiah Harlan, a Quaker from Philadelphia (the camel merchant of the title), who entered Ranjit Singh’s service and rose to become a trusted administrator, only to fall out of favour and defect to the Afghans. Other firangis include Jean Baptiste Ventura and Jean Francois Allard, French officers who went on to form and command Ranjit Singh’s famed French legions and rose to the highest ranks of the empire’s armies.
The Punjabi characters whose stories are told are no less colourful. Akali Phoola Singh, the tempestuous leader of the militant Sikhs who handed Ranjit Singh some of his most notable victories, while never fully submitting to his authority is one of them. The teenaged Muslim courtesan, Bibi Moran, who went on to become the love of Ranjit Singh’s life is another.
Ranjit Singh’s complex relationship with his mother-in-law, Mata Sada Kaur, arguably the chief architect of his ascension to the throne is examined as is the rise of the Dogra brothers, who entered his service as humble soldiers and went on to scale unimaginable heights of power and glory in his court.
All these stories combine to present a nuanced and complex image of Maharaja Ranjit Singh through his interactions with these characters. The work humanises Maharaja Ranjit Singh and presents him as the brilliant man he clearly was, without attempting to gloss over his flaws and foibles.
- GenresHistoryIndiaNonfiction
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 26, 2019
27 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 18, 2019
For those who have grown up hearing of the legendary Ranjit Singh, the Lion of Punjab, this book brings together some gems from his life and times. Though it sets out to introduce us to the man behind the king, it does much more. It takes one on a journey filled with nostalgia and longing, for the country we once were, the people we once were. It acquaints us with the intrigues and foibles of those who would lead us, yet proved only to be mere humans at the end of it all. It traverses the history of the Sikh empire through neatly partitioned chapters, each centred around one figure or anecdote from the once magnificent Lahore Durbar. The book is painstakingly researched and lucidly written, interspersed with frequent quotes from memoirs and poetry and idioms handed down over the generations. For enthusiasts of Indian history, it is invaluable reading. For me, the greatest takeaway from the book has been that the truth is an elusive prey, that slips from your hands just as you think you might have stumbled on it at last. And the truths hidden in the pages of history are even more so, being covered under layers of politics and prejudice. We can only continue this quest and a book like this serves as the lodestar.
July 9, 2023
Author did a decent job in highlighting the various events during the era of Ranjit Singh by segmenting them into multiple chapters, however this book lacks the flow of storyline because too many disjointed events and characters were presented together! It is more like reading a history book, very difficult to retain the information as we move through the chapters. Even after finishing the book, i fail to understand how is the title of the book relevant since there is hardly any mention of camel merchants of Philadelphia except for the first chapter. Not recommended!
July 16, 2020
This book covers a topic that is near and dear to my heart: the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. But frankly, it was awful. It deserves 1 star but I gave it 2 because of the topic of choice.
POSITIVES
- none
- seriously, none
NEGATIVES
- the stories simply aren't particularly interesting; his choices of stories were dubious at best
- the writing was subpar and even worse, the sophomoric and distracting use of exclamation points (there must have been hundreds of them) could not have been more annoying
- didn't believe poem translations; how does a poem get translated from Punjabi to English and still rhyme?
- !!!!!!!!!! (yeah, the exclamation points still bother me... this is grade school style)
- it meanders over useless details all the time
2/10.
POSITIVES
- none
- seriously, none
NEGATIVES
- the stories simply aren't particularly interesting; his choices of stories were dubious at best
- the writing was subpar and even worse, the sophomoric and distracting use of exclamation points (there must have been hundreds of them) could not have been more annoying
- didn't believe poem translations; how does a poem get translated from Punjabi to English and still rhyme?
- !!!!!!!!!! (yeah, the exclamation points still bother me... this is grade school style)
- it meanders over useless details all the time
2/10.
April 6, 2020
A disjointed and repetitive narrative though It has its highlights. In fact the chapter: Game of Thrones: The Afghans and the Sikhs gives a good account of Afghan History especially about Ahmad Shah Abdali a.k.a Durrani. About Maharaja Ranjit Singh we get very little. The stories do not present a nuanced and complex image of Maharaja Ranjit Singh as the author claims. We only get a confused image of a ruler at times visionary but always a despot.
May 6, 2024
Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Modern India
The rapid decline of the Sikh Empire within a decade of the demise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is the greatest tragedy to beset India in the nineteenth century. The contribution of Ranjit Singh to modern India has not been adequately acknowledged. Two significant achievements stand out.
(1) The Afghans, for nearly a century had made it a habit to raid the northwestern parts of India periodically to carry away loot whenever they needed revenue. Ranjit Singh not only put an end to this, but also comprehensively defeated them, seized Peshawar, and separated it from Afghanistan permanently- a state of affairs that continues to this day. Peshawar today is a part of Pakistan.
(2) Ranjit Singh conquered Kashmir, and made it a part of his empire. He went further east, and added the Ladakh plateau, then called ‘Little Tibet’ to Kashmir. This province continues to be a part of India today.
The collapse of the Sikh empire and the annexation of Punjab had a grievous consequence on the future of India. When the sepoys rose in revolt in 1857, the East India Company drew from the highly trained Sikh soldiers to constitute the Delhi Field Force, to retake Delhi. The Field Force went on retake Lucknow, where the fighting was long drawn, and fierce. The Sikhs were ruthless in battle against the Muslim soldiers of the Oudh (Awadh) army, to avenge the brutal treatment meted out to the Sikh Gurus by the Moghul emperors of the past.
What if the Sikh empire had stayed? Would the Sepoy revolt have succeeded if the Company had not drawn on the Sikh army? These are questions for writers of alternative History.
Prior to all this, Ranjit Singh managed to unify the marauding and itinerant Sikh Misls into an almost invincible empire. The rising British military power was wary of Ranjit Singh, and bought peace by signing the Amritsar agreement which demarcated the British controlled territory, and committed both parties to the agreed boundary. This freed Ranjit Singh to consolidate his empire by unifying the numerous kingdoms in what is today’s Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand into his empire.
How did Ranajit Singh acquire such power? Apart from the innate fighting qualities of his men, he was shrewd enough to move with the times, to discipline and professionalize the armed forces for perhaps the first time among the kingdoms in India. To achieve this he employed European mercenaries to train his men. The defeat of Napoleon in Europe, caused an exodus of his officers from France. Several of these arrived in Punjab. They were received with generous gifts, and they served the empire with loyalty. Ranjit Singh’s court included several such foreigners. In this book, the author writes brief biographies of some of the noteworthy members of Ranjit Singh’s court.
The author also captures the sad history of the decline and fall of the Sikh empire in the last two chapters of his book. One cannot but be moved by the tragedy, caused by petty ambitions, and competing greed of lesser men and women.
The book could have been better edited. There are numerous typos, but the most significant and misleading error occurs on Page 51. The sole survivor of the first Afghan war, Dr. Brydon limps into Jalalabad, not Kandahar as stated in the book. The arrangement of the chapters could have been better. For instance the Chapter on Sada Kaur (A Woman of Substance) should have appeared before ‘The Rise of the Dogras’.
Finally about the title of the book. The quirky title may have been given to attract attention, but is actually distracting. The book is however outstanding for its cover design. The book is worth possessing in hard copy, just for the cover.
The rapid decline of the Sikh Empire within a decade of the demise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is the greatest tragedy to beset India in the nineteenth century. The contribution of Ranjit Singh to modern India has not been adequately acknowledged. Two significant achievements stand out.
(1) The Afghans, for nearly a century had made it a habit to raid the northwestern parts of India periodically to carry away loot whenever they needed revenue. Ranjit Singh not only put an end to this, but also comprehensively defeated them, seized Peshawar, and separated it from Afghanistan permanently- a state of affairs that continues to this day. Peshawar today is a part of Pakistan.
(2) Ranjit Singh conquered Kashmir, and made it a part of his empire. He went further east, and added the Ladakh plateau, then called ‘Little Tibet’ to Kashmir. This province continues to be a part of India today.
The collapse of the Sikh empire and the annexation of Punjab had a grievous consequence on the future of India. When the sepoys rose in revolt in 1857, the East India Company drew from the highly trained Sikh soldiers to constitute the Delhi Field Force, to retake Delhi. The Field Force went on retake Lucknow, where the fighting was long drawn, and fierce. The Sikhs were ruthless in battle against the Muslim soldiers of the Oudh (Awadh) army, to avenge the brutal treatment meted out to the Sikh Gurus by the Moghul emperors of the past.
What if the Sikh empire had stayed? Would the Sepoy revolt have succeeded if the Company had not drawn on the Sikh army? These are questions for writers of alternative History.
Prior to all this, Ranjit Singh managed to unify the marauding and itinerant Sikh Misls into an almost invincible empire. The rising British military power was wary of Ranjit Singh, and bought peace by signing the Amritsar agreement which demarcated the British controlled territory, and committed both parties to the agreed boundary. This freed Ranjit Singh to consolidate his empire by unifying the numerous kingdoms in what is today’s Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand into his empire.
How did Ranajit Singh acquire such power? Apart from the innate fighting qualities of his men, he was shrewd enough to move with the times, to discipline and professionalize the armed forces for perhaps the first time among the kingdoms in India. To achieve this he employed European mercenaries to train his men. The defeat of Napoleon in Europe, caused an exodus of his officers from France. Several of these arrived in Punjab. They were received with generous gifts, and they served the empire with loyalty. Ranjit Singh’s court included several such foreigners. In this book, the author writes brief biographies of some of the noteworthy members of Ranjit Singh’s court.
The author also captures the sad history of the decline and fall of the Sikh empire in the last two chapters of his book. One cannot but be moved by the tragedy, caused by petty ambitions, and competing greed of lesser men and women.
The book could have been better edited. There are numerous typos, but the most significant and misleading error occurs on Page 51. The sole survivor of the first Afghan war, Dr. Brydon limps into Jalalabad, not Kandahar as stated in the book. The arrangement of the chapters could have been better. For instance the Chapter on Sada Kaur (A Woman of Substance) should have appeared before ‘The Rise of the Dogras’.
Finally about the title of the book. The quirky title may have been given to attract attention, but is actually distracting. The book is however outstanding for its cover design. The book is worth possessing in hard copy, just for the cover.
December 18, 2021
Book : The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia
Writer : Sarbpreet Singh
Publication : Tranquebar
I.S.B.N. : 9789388689472
Page count : 242
Printed price : ₹699
Reading period : 10th November, 2021 - 9th December, 2021
Rating : 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/10
In a short stretch of just 38 years, the region that was Punjab, which was a general battleground for all invaders coming across the Hindukush, became a economically and militarily strong state under the one-eyed wily and colourful Maharaja, drawing a myriad of interesting characters from across the world and from the country itself that adorned it's court.
Delving into the lives of such exciting characters who were the jewels of Ranjit Singh's cosmopolitan court, Sarbpreet Singh presents the saga of the great Sikh Empire in it's entirety - it's unlikely rise among continuous invasions, it's prosperity, it's secularism, it's religious zeal, it's French trained legions which caused the Britishers to be cautious, it's intrigues, it's tribulations after the death of the Maharaja and it's eventual demise while going down fighting. Along with it we see the ups and downs of Josiah Harlan, Sada Kaur, Akali Phoola Singh, Bibi Moran, the Dogras, Rani Jindan and many other remarkable men and women. Also a point to mention is the story of the Gurkhas in the Punjab army, and how their exceptional bravery alongside their Sikh comrades earned them the colonial 'martial race' tag.
This book is the annal of a once great and mighty kingdom, which, magnificent and prosperous as it was, fell due to it's own inherent failings and because of the weak characters of the men and women leading it, even that of women like Rani Jindan, who is perhaps wrongly portrayed as a heroine in history. Nevertheless it is an important part of our heritage, and tells of the last powerful indigenous state, which fought tooth and nail with the colonizers, through diplomacy or war, till the very end, for it's right to exist and flourish.
Writer : Sarbpreet Singh
Publication : Tranquebar
I.S.B.N. : 9789388689472
Page count : 242
Printed price : ₹699
Reading period : 10th November, 2021 - 9th December, 2021
Rating : 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/10
In a short stretch of just 38 years, the region that was Punjab, which was a general battleground for all invaders coming across the Hindukush, became a economically and militarily strong state under the one-eyed wily and colourful Maharaja, drawing a myriad of interesting characters from across the world and from the country itself that adorned it's court.
Delving into the lives of such exciting characters who were the jewels of Ranjit Singh's cosmopolitan court, Sarbpreet Singh presents the saga of the great Sikh Empire in it's entirety - it's unlikely rise among continuous invasions, it's prosperity, it's secularism, it's religious zeal, it's French trained legions which caused the Britishers to be cautious, it's intrigues, it's tribulations after the death of the Maharaja and it's eventual demise while going down fighting. Along with it we see the ups and downs of Josiah Harlan, Sada Kaur, Akali Phoola Singh, Bibi Moran, the Dogras, Rani Jindan and many other remarkable men and women. Also a point to mention is the story of the Gurkhas in the Punjab army, and how their exceptional bravery alongside their Sikh comrades earned them the colonial 'martial race' tag.
This book is the annal of a once great and mighty kingdom, which, magnificent and prosperous as it was, fell due to it's own inherent failings and because of the weak characters of the men and women leading it, even that of women like Rani Jindan, who is perhaps wrongly portrayed as a heroine in history. Nevertheless it is an important part of our heritage, and tells of the last powerful indigenous state, which fought tooth and nail with the colonizers, through diplomacy or war, till the very end, for it's right to exist and flourish.
August 21, 2021
I have to admit: I love a well narrated history book. It goes back to my school actually, everything I loathed in school, I now realise I love. The problem with my school is barring a handful, I had terrifically lousy teachers.
OK, tangent. Sorry.
This book looked so great. It had a promising premise. I knew nothing about the Sikh empire. There were so many possibilities. And it all came to naught.
The first major problem with this book is that it is structured terribly. There are so many characters and timelines that intersect, because you know real life, but it shouldn't be so muddled in a book.
I didn't get a sense of any of the characters till I reached two thirds of the book. So I didn't care. And I constantly fell asleep reading this book.
Second, the camel merchant of Philadelphia.. What an amazing title. NOTHING to do with Ranjeet Singh. It's the first story, where the main protagonist is barely mentioned, if at all. I honestly can't remember. It felt so bait and switch.
Third, the stories switch wildly across the timeline, and there is no anchor whatsoever. There are no dates on the story title pages. There is no timeline. There isn't even a map. I mean. At least LOOK at another historical book once? For ideas?
The crying shame of this book is that the subject is terrifically fascinating and so rich with narrative. The subject. Not this book. This book tried hard, I grant you, but doesn't do its amazing subject any justice.
I'm giving this book 2 stars because frankly, I don't think it is the author's fault. This is just pathetic editing. The author clearly loves his subject and every story shows that enthusiasm.
But yeah, this book fell flat on its face for me. Avoid is my verdict.
OK, tangent. Sorry.
This book looked so great. It had a promising premise. I knew nothing about the Sikh empire. There were so many possibilities. And it all came to naught.
The first major problem with this book is that it is structured terribly. There are so many characters and timelines that intersect, because you know real life, but it shouldn't be so muddled in a book.
I didn't get a sense of any of the characters till I reached two thirds of the book. So I didn't care. And I constantly fell asleep reading this book.
Second, the camel merchant of Philadelphia.. What an amazing title. NOTHING to do with Ranjeet Singh. It's the first story, where the main protagonist is barely mentioned, if at all. I honestly can't remember. It felt so bait and switch.
Third, the stories switch wildly across the timeline, and there is no anchor whatsoever. There are no dates on the story title pages. There is no timeline. There isn't even a map. I mean. At least LOOK at another historical book once? For ideas?
The crying shame of this book is that the subject is terrifically fascinating and so rich with narrative. The subject. Not this book. This book tried hard, I grant you, but doesn't do its amazing subject any justice.
I'm giving this book 2 stars because frankly, I don't think it is the author's fault. This is just pathetic editing. The author clearly loves his subject and every story shows that enthusiasm.
But yeah, this book fell flat on its face for me. Avoid is my verdict.
April 29, 2020
It definitely brings out never heard/ignored aspects of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's personality.
I didn't verify the truth in this. But the book seems well researched based on the references given.
Overall the book is a good read.
- Well documenting Sikh and Punjab's history especially the era of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
- Covers a varied range of topics from Maharaja Ranjit Singh's life to the prominent women
political figures, the Dogras and Sikh empire.
- Best part is though it false under genre of history, but it is categorised under topics of interest
rather than dumping everything in chronological order. Wish my history books were like that.
I didn't verify the truth in this. But the book seems well researched based on the references given.
Overall the book is a good read.
- Well documenting Sikh and Punjab's history especially the era of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
- Covers a varied range of topics from Maharaja Ranjit Singh's life to the prominent women
political figures, the Dogras and Sikh empire.
- Best part is though it false under genre of history, but it is categorised under topics of interest
rather than dumping everything in chronological order. Wish my history books were like that.
April 21, 2021
Excellent read, Very few texts on Sikh History are this accessible while being so comprehensive at the same time. Three small additions to the book and it would have been a 5/5. First, a character map. Second, a geographical map and Third, a timeline of key events. There is an attempt at the first, but limited only to the immediate hereditary tree of Ranjit Singh, a wider map would have prevented a lot of back flipping. Same with other maps, these are small additions but would have prevented the book from bogging down in parts where there were a lot of dates, unknown cities, states.
April 29, 2020
Enjoyed the exciting happenings around Ranjit singh
For the first time I got a sense of the political context surrounding Ranjit Singh, what preceded his accession the rapid define. The Afghans, British, Sikhs, Persians, the dogras and the British with Europeans and Americans form a cocktail of characters. Also the role of women navigating the political landscape
For the first time I got a sense of the political context surrounding Ranjit Singh, what preceded his accession the rapid define. The Afghans, British, Sikhs, Persians, the dogras and the British with Europeans and Americans form a cocktail of characters. Also the role of women navigating the political landscape
December 21, 2019
Interesting book and a good quick run through of the Ranjit Singh era. What a man he must have been to manage and grow his empire, while having quite the time doing so. Tragic how it all collapsed so quickly and dramatically after he passed away.
February 1, 2021
I did read about some of these characters in bits and pieces. Joshua Harlan in particular graces quite a few pages of Dalrymple's work on the First Anglo-Afghan War. There are quite a few gems here if you look closely.
August 5, 2021
Absolutely riveting as to how the author delves into the tumultuous history of this period of history in Punjab. From learning about so many string willed ladies to the various facets of the lives of the courtiers and military personnel, this was a great read for me.
August 13, 2020
Only interesting in the last 60 - 70 pages...a bit dry
March 27, 2022
An average account of Ranjit Singh and his empire. The chapter on the camel merchant from USA is the most interesting part!
September 5, 2024
Excellent!
December 16, 2019
Some interesting stories on the rise and fall of the Sikh riyasat (rule) in India. Easy read
The stories while try to be generous to the ordinary soldier they do not withhold any adverse comments on the overall rapacious, treacherous and selfish behavior of the Sikh leadership which lead to their downfall. Some redemption is sought by naming the earlier castes of the Sikh converts which ultimately went on to behave in the most treacherous manner, which was totally not required
The stories while try to be generous to the ordinary soldier they do not withhold any adverse comments on the overall rapacious, treacherous and selfish behavior of the Sikh leadership which lead to their downfall. Some redemption is sought by naming the earlier castes of the Sikh converts which ultimately went on to behave in the most treacherous manner, which was totally not required
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews