Outbid over 700 others.
By Deepak Chitnis
NEW YORK: Bob Dhillon, a Sikh billionaire from Canada, has purchased the legendary sword of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at auction, reportedly beating out over 700 other interested parties.
Singh is remembered as being the man who united the Sikh tribes of India in the early 1800s, after which he established the Sikh Empire in the north-western region of India called Punjab. Born in 1780, he began uniting the tribes in 1799, culminating with the creation of a single state in 1801, when he was crowned Maharaja (“king”). Singh later died in 1839, and the Sikh Empire dissolved just ten years later.
Singh’s sword is over two feet long, with a curved blade in a style called a “talwar.” The sword contains engravings in the Punjabi language, and a silhouette of Singh himself. The sword, like many artifacts of the Sikh Empire, became part of a private collection after the Empire dissolved and became part of India. By purchasing the sword for his own personal collection, Dhillon says he’s happy that one of the most critical objects of Sikh history is now back in the possession of the Sikh community.
The sword was auctioned off by Mullock, an auction house based in England. They have kept mum regarding where the sword came from, and what it’s ownership history is, but have verified its authenticity. Although it has not been revealed exactly how much Dhillon paid for the sword, the pre-auction estimates have it valued at between 10,000 and 15,000 British pounds.
In an interview with The Star, Dhillon said he also hopes that the sword will inspire other Sikhs around the world, particularly in Canada, to become more interested in their roots and find out more about Sikh history. Calling Singh “the greatest Sikh ever,” Dhillon likened the man’s sword to being like that of King Arthur, the legendary English ruler who supposedly drew his sword, Excalibur, out of a stone.
Funnily enough, Singh told The Star that the reason he was able to outbid everyone else vying for the sword is because he misread the bidding documentation. Thinking that the money being requested was in Canadian Dollars, Dhillon put down how much he was willing to pay in that denomination – but the paperwork clearly asked for pounds. As a result, Dhillon ended up putting down a number far higher than that of anyone else, winning him an important part of Sikh history.
Dhillon says that he plans to share the sword with the public, and will allow it to be displayed at museums and other exhibitions. The sword is expected to be delivered to him within the week.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com