"Help identifying Sikh Regiments" Topic

Recently I came across the following imagem, representing the court of Ranjit Singh, but made in the 1850s:

Does anyone knows to which regiment do the infantrymen in yellow belong? And what about the lancers in green coats on the background?

While we are at it, can anybody identify if those men belong to any regular EIC regiment?
link

No clues?

The sepoys in the link look like they are in the Baluchi regiment-from the Mutiny period. They have green coats and turbans with red trim and red trousers.As to the Sikhs I have no idea. I would guess they belong to irregular units which could have any sort of uniform.

Without access (in Farsi or English) to the Khalsa Drill Manual, the "Zafarnamah," a lot of questions may forever go unanswered about uniform regulations, standards, and more.

I have for years been trying to track down a PDF, Xerox, Crayon, or other copy in India, the UK, and recently, one of the moons of Pluto, but without luck.

Originals (very few) exist in the Punjab, and I think in Britain, but getting access to copy, or sit next to a translator and take notes, from one has, so far, been beyond my capacity.

If anyone has any ideas--knows someone who knows someone, etc--please contact me at TVAG@att.net

Otherwise, given Don Sebastian's note that the painting dates from the 1850's (perhaps 20 years or so after Ranjit Singh's death, and at least a few years after the Sikh Kingdom passed under British control), it is hard to know how much of the details (uniform colors, etc) are artist's license, or reliable reproductions.

If the image is meant to represent an actual Durbar, and not merely "Ranjit's Court," then the date of the event would be a small clue.

That is, at different times, there were four Sikh Regular Cavalry Regiments, mostly armed as Lt. Dragoons, but which at one time ostensibly included one of Cuirassier's and one of Lancers. Obviously, this MIGHT be the formation visible in the painting, but that's speculation at best.

Regarding the visible Infantry Paltan, the uniform colors don't seem to match any I've seen or heard of, though the red turbans could have been worn by at least some Paltan's.
Again, if there was a formal system of turban colors, either by Paltan or even Brigade, that would have to be found in the same source.

Lovely painting, and Don Sebastian was generous--if teasing--to post it here for us to wonder at.

TVAG

Patrick is correct. If we had the "Z" book, it would absolutely complete the OB information for my forthcoming book.

Mind you, the OB's ARE complete, exhaustively so, but it would be nice to add that tid-bit information about turban or uniform colors by brigade to just complete the circle.

Having said all that, the uniforms in the first picture are "too" uniform to be irregulars, they almost have to be "Fauj-i-Ain" (Regular) troops and might possibly be from the "Fauj-i-Khas" (Guard) brigade, but that is about as far as I can throw my conjectures.

Don…would you be kind enough to contact me (Preziosia AT aol DOT com) or Patrick as to just where you found that picture.

Finally, my eye latched onto the "Peacock Throne" chair Ranjit Singh is sitting in. Looks like an even more "casual" version than the ones I'm used to seeing.

Ah well….

Just so we're all on the same page.

I don't think we're looking for the Gobind Singh "Z" book, but rather the:

Zafarnama-i Ranjit Singh

I just got some terrific leads from Mike Embree, but the more I look, the more it seems that this book is not the one we're looking for. I'll let Patrick confirm.

I'm tracking via other avenues myself though.

I got the painting in this site: link . Is it of any help to identify the regimento in question?

And thank you all very much for the help so far!

Have you written to the librarian at RMAS?

Dear Ramming,

NO! And, embarrassingly, I know well the Chaplain there now, Padre Paul Wright.

I think I shall dash a quick letter to him, prior to his accepting his new post with the Royal Family in London before the new year.

Thank you!

TVAG

Don Sebastian et al,

Just FYI, this discussion has sparked off another conversation via Email between TVAG, myself, Dennis McKinney, Dr. Robert Pye and others which has started to provide some real results, though nothing in particular about the initial question you asked.

We did discover that one of our members (and contributor to my Sikh War Source Book), is gainfully employed at the Victoria & Albert. If we can get him out of George the Second's wig and high heels, he might be able to help.

We'll keep you posted here.

Probably of little relevance to the original question, but interesting – from Emily Eden, about the Ferozepore durbar of 1838:
`We drove for two miles and a half through a lane of Runjeet's `goocheras', or bodyguard. The sun was up and shining on them, and I suppose there was not one who would not have made the fortune of a painter. One troop was dressed entirely in yellow satin, with gold scarfs and shawls; but the other half were in that cloth of gold which is called kincob – the fond being gold and the pattern scarlet, or purple, or yellow; their arms were all gold – many of them had collars of precious stones; their shields and lances were all studded with gold. They have long beards down to their waists, and most of them had a silver or gold tisssue drapery, which they bring over their heads to keep them from the dust'.