Shah Mohammad (Punjabi: شاہ محمّد (Shahmukhi); ਸ਼ਾਹ ਮੁਹੰਮਦ (Gurmukhi); 1780–1862), was a Punjabi poet who lived during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780 – 1839) and is best known for his book Jangnama (Book of War) written around 1846, which depicts the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845 – 1846) that took place after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839.[1][2]

Shah Mohammad
Born1780 (1780)
Wadala Viram, Amritsar, Sikh Empire
(present-day Punjab, India)
Died1862 (aged 81–82)
Amritsar, Punjab, British India
(present-day Punjab, India)
OccupationPoet
Literary movementFirst Anglo-Sikh War
Notable worksJangnama (Book of War) about the First Anglo-Sikh War

It is widely believed by historians that Shah Mohammad had gathered his book material from many eye-witness accounts of his relatives employed in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army. That's how he could piece together a complete picture of the battle between the Punjabis and the British. Therefore, Shah Mohammad's book explains reasons for the fall of Sikh rule in the Punjab.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Varinder Walia (8 December 2005). "Retracing the glory of Shah Mohammad". Academy of the Punjab in North America (APNA) website. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b Jangnama Singhan Te Firangian (book by Shah Mohammad) on goodreads.com website Retrieved 23 October 2020

External links edit

  • Singh, Khushwant, "A history of the Sikhs Volume II"