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IT was the GOLDEN AGE all right..Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the BEST thing that ever happened to PUNJAB...but he wasnt the best SIKH. He was Totally SECULAR..looked at ALL with ONE EYE ( figuratively and physically !!)had TOP posts given to Muslims, hindus etc on MERIT...was very very GENEROUS and FAIR MINDED,He is FAMOUS for making the harmandar into the GOLDEN TEMPLE..but what many DONT KNOW is that he donated MUCH MUCH MORE GOLD to Hindu mandirs and money to masjids as well...His Administration  Never hanged a single criminal,he regularly used to go MUFTI at night to walk among the common people to seek out injustice, corruption ,mismanagement, bad governance. At the WEDDING of His Grandson Nau Nihal Singh he had set up a camp and announced that each person coming in together with his "dependents" would be gifted a GOLD MOHR for EACH !! People streamed in bringing along their fmailies, children etc..and ALL Got the Gold Coins as per counting members of each "family"...then ONE Muslim Potter came IN..and he had a GHARRA (clay water pot) filled with ANTS. He claimed the ANTS were his "dependents" and he should receive a Gold Coin for himself and EACH ant member of hsi family. Obviously the Distributing Agent of the Maharaja couldn't accept such a ridiculous demand..so the claimant went to Lahore darbaar to Lodge a complaint that the Maharaja had RENEGED on his Announcement. Finally the Maharaja and the Potter came to an agreement that since it was IMPOSSIBLE to COUNT his dependents would he agree to having his GHARRA FILLED to the BRIM with GOLD COINS ? The Potter smiled and agreed. Immediately the Treasurer was ordered to FILL the POT with Gold Coins and the man went away happy that the Maharaja a had kept his word. This is just one example of How GOOD a Ruler the Maharaja was..BUT he still doesn't qualify to be called BEST SIKH/Best SIKH ROLEMODEL.He had many FAILINGS...