GOVERNING THE SIKH EMPIRE: DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS

Abstract

The Sikh Empire is often seen as a short-lived or weak state, but Punjabi documentary traditions suggest otherwise. Everyday documents like petitions, ledgers, court records, and revenue notes show that governance relied on negotiated agreements, obligations, and careful record-keeping. Instead of strict central control, authority was maintained through shared procedures and mutual expectations. Comparing these local practices to later colonial methods reveal that British record-keeping did more than just observe society; it changed it, making flexible relationships into fixed categories. Looking at the Sikh Empire through its own documents helps us see early modern South Asian governance as dynamic, resilient, and deeply connected to local customs. This perspective encourages us to move past colonial narratives and appreciate how indigenous institutions brought both stability and adaptability to the region’s political life.