Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, the Lion of the Punjab, was a man of the latter type, who had reversed the course of the Indian history of the times before him. The hordes of the foreign raiders had marched into India from across the river Indus, who had been devastating this country for centuries. Not only did the Lion of the Punjab check their raids, he had crossed all the hurdles of the Indus, and had planted his flags of victory at Jamrud. The Pathaans who used to raid India and carried loads of booty and numerous Indians as slaves back home, saw their progeny being compelled to pay tributes to this Maharaja of the Punjab. This turn-about had been effected by the mighty king, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.