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Patiala State
Indian royal state that existed from 1763 to 1947 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Patiala State was a kingdom and princely state in British India, and one of the Phulkian States, that acceded to the Union of India upon Indian independence and partition in 1947. The state was founded by Ala Singh in 1762.[2][3] Patiala State was the largest and most important princely state in the Punjab Province.[4] The state's ruler, the Maharaja of Patiala, was entitled to a 17-gun salute and held precedence over all other princes in the Punjab Province during the British Raj.[2] The state was ruled by Jat Sikhs of the Sidhu clan.[3]
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The kingdom's imperial troops also fought in World War I and World War II on behalf of the British Indian Empire.
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Etymology
The state took its name from its principal city and capital, Patiala, from Punjabi patti ("strip of land") and ala (referring to Ala Singh), together meaning a strip of land belonging to Ala Singh, founder of the city and state.[5][6]
History
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Family background
The Patiala ruling family remotely claimed origins from Bhati Rajputs of Jaisalmer in the 12th century, specifically the Jadon Bhati chief Jaisal who was the founder and first ruler of Jaisalmer.[7][6][8]: 89 [9] Based on this, the Phulkian rulers claimed Rajput status up-to the 20th century.[10] At some point, their ancestors moved from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan to Phul in Punjab.[6] The ruling house claims descent from Rao Hem Hel of Jaisalmer, the third son of Jaisal, who settled in 1185 at Bhatinda.[note 1][11] Other sources describe Hem Hel as being the grandson of Jaisal.[12] Hem Hel would expand to Hisar, where he was pushed back to Bhatinda by Prithviraj Chauhaun.[12] Hem Hel managed to take control of territory located south of Muktsar and expelled the previous Punwar rulers from the tract.[13] Hem Hel died in 1214 and was succeeded by his son Jaidrath (Jundar).[13]
Between 1526 and 1560, the ancestral family of the later Patiala rulers was headed by chaudhary Bariam, a Phulkian Jat.[3][14] Bariam was awarded with a chaudhriyat grant by the Mughal emperor Babur in 1526 due to his actions in supporting the Mughal invader at the First Battle of Panipat.[14] This grant allowed Bariam to collect revenue from the badlands located to the southwest of Delhi.[14]
In 1560, custodianship over the family was then led by Mehraj, who was followed by Pukko.[3] Pukko was followed by Mohan, who led the family until 1618.[3] Mohan and his son Rup Chand were killed in circa 1618 during a skirmish with Bhattis.[8]: 89
From 1618 onwards, the family was led by Kala, who was the second-son of Mohan.[3][8]: 89 Kala was succeeded by Phul, a son of Rup Chand.[note 2][3][8]: 89 According to lore, Phul met with Guru Hargobind, with the guru prophesying that Phul's descendants would spread-out and be successful.[14] This was through the Sikh guru making a pun on Phul name, which means "flower", and that Phul's descendants would "bear many blossoms" and "satisfy the hunger of many".[14] Phul had seven sons and two wives, with two prominent sons being Rama and Tiloka, with both being born to the same mother.[15][14] The progeny of Tiloka would form the houses of Nabha and Jind whilst Rama's descendants became the Patiala ruling-house.[7] Phul headed the family until 1652, being succeeded by Rama Chand.[3] Rama's son was Ala Singh.[7]
In 1696, Guru Gobind Singh is believed to have blessed the family, having issued a hukamnama edict on 2 August 1696 (2 Bhadon 1753 Bk.[15]) addressed to Rama Chand and Tiloka Chand of the family urging them to visit the guru's court and bring with them men and horses.[6][15] The Sikh guru also gifted Rama and Tiloka a battle-standard and eleven weapons, which is seen as bestowing a special accord onto the family.[6] In 1702, Rama and Tiloka underwent the pahul ceremony at Damdama Sahib, with their Khalsa baptism being conducted by Guru Gobind Singh himself.[6] Thus-after, the family started appending the Singh title to their name.[6] However, according to Barbara Ramusack, Ala Singh was the first member to adopt the Singh title.[14] Out of the six sons of Rama, two of them also appended their name with Singh (with one of these two being Ala Singh).[6] Rama Chand was succeeded as head of the family by Ala Singh in 1714.[3][6] Whilst Rama's descendants formed the ruling house of Patiala State, the descendants of Tiloka formed the ruling house of Nabha and Jind states.[16][14]
Ala Singh, the founder of Patiala State, was a descendant of the Sidhu clan of Jats. He was born into the Phulkian dynasty, a confederacy established by Chaudhary Phul Sidhu-Brar. Ala was the third-son of his father Rama.[14] Ala Singh’s leadership and military prowess enabled him to establish Patiala as a significant princely state in the Punjab region.[17][18]
Founding and territorial evolution
The state originated as one of the many chiefdoms the Sikhs had established in the former Mughal province of Delhi after the collapse of Mughal and Afghan authority in the region.[19] According to Giani Gian Singh's Twarikh Guru Khalsa, Ala Singh was bestowed the title of raja by emperor Muhammad Shah of the Mughal Empire in 1725 C.E. (1781 Bk.) at the Delhi Durbar to recognize Ala Singh's efforts toward fighting insurgents.[8]: 73 Ala Singh was awarded the title by Wasiyar Khan of Sirhind.[8]: 73 Afterwards, Ala Singh would expand and consolidate his power.[8]: 73 Ala Singh, establisher of Patiala, had been conquering territory since around 1730.[20]
The locality of Patiala was founded by sardar Ala Singh in 1752.[3] In 1761, the Afghans defeated the forces of Ala Singh at Barnala.[6] Ahmad Shah Abdali had targetted Barnala locality of the Patiala chief due to Ala Singh assisting the Marathas by providing them supplies.[21] Mai Fatto, Ala Singh's wife, responded diplomatically to the situation and managed to arrange a meeting between Ala Singh and Ahmad Shah Abdali through negotiations with Shah Wali Khan, the wazir of Abdali.[21] Ala Singh was captured by the Afghans and taken to Ahmad Shah Abdali.[6] This was the first meeting between Abdali and Ala Singh.[21] The Afghans demanded a four lakh rupee ransom to secure Ala Singh's release.[6][21] Abdali wanted to win-over Ala Singh to his cause and Ala Singh became a vassal of the Afghans.[3][21] In a firman issued by Ahmad Shah Abdali to Zain Khan Sirhindi on 29 March 1761, it is noted that Ala Singh possessed 726 villages, particularly in the parganas of Sunam (224), Samana (266), Sirhind (52), Sanaur (89), Chhat (8), Masigan (17), Kohram (6), Banur (37), and Mansurpur (23), and there were four villages in other locations.[21] Aside from the confirmation of the villages in his possession, Ala Singh also received a robe-of-honour from Abdali.[21] The firman commanded Zain Khan to recognize Ala Singh as an independent chief and an ally of the Afghans.[21] Mir Taqi was appointed to obtain tribute from Ala Singh.[21]
Patiala State was founded by Ala Singh as a chiefship slightly later in March 1762 after Ahmad Shah Abdali bestowed Ala Singh with the raja title, gifting him with a robe-of-honour, nagadas (war drums), the right to coin money, and an embrace.[6] Yet Ala Singh was expected to bestow an annual tribute on the Afghan ruler.[14] Ramusack dates this bestowal several years later in 1765.[14] In 1763, after the Battle of Sirhind, the Sikh Confederation partitioned the Sirhind area and gave the territory to Ala Singh.[2][3] The areas in Sirhind, along with Ala Singh's other conquered territories, formed the initial territories of the Patiala state.[22] Also in 1763, Ala Singh constructed a mud-fortress around a mound, known as the Qila Mubarak (meaning "blessed fort").[6] Ala Singh established the rules for the right of succession based on primogeniture.[6] Indu Banga describes Ala Singh as being politically expedient in his external relations, where local Sikh leaders benefited from a complex series of relations in a region where various parties were vying for dominance.[7][23]
After Ala Singh reconciled with the Afghan ruler, becoming his vassal and receiving a robe-of-honour, he was criticized by his fellow Sikh chiefs of the Dal Khalsa as a traitor.[21] Ala Singh defended himself by stating that he only had two options, fight Abdali and lose, meaning a loss of Sikh control over the cis-Sutlej region, or become his vassal and preserve Sikh power in the area.[21] Jassa Singh Ahluwalia helped Ala Singh make his case to the rest of the Sikh leaders, and the other Sikh chiefs accepted Ala Singh once again.[21] After Abdali's departure, the cis-Sutlej region was embroiled in-conflict again, with the Sikhs launching raids and extracting tribute from the Sirhind region and its governor, Zain Khan Sirhindi, being unable to get the situation under control.[21] The diwan of Zain Khan, named Lakshami Narain, was attacked by Sikhs while en-route during revenue-collection, who stole the funds.[21] Aside from Sirhind, the situation in Lahore province was also dire for the Afghans, as the governor Khwaja Obed was killed by the Sikhs under Charat Singh.[21] Thus, Abdali decided to act and punish the Sikhs for their antics, which would lead up into a mass-killing known as the Vadda Ghalughara, in-which around 12,000–15,000 Sikh men were slaughtered by the Afghan forces.[21]
According to many, Ala Singh failed to assist his religious kin during the massacre.[24] He stayed neutral during the events and did not initiate hostilities against the Durranis.[24] However, this neutrality would not save Ala Singh as Abdali, whom had been told that Ala Singh was a "secret ally of the Majhi Sikhs" by Zain Khan and Bikhan Khan, would later burn down Barnala and advanced upon Bhawanigarh, where Ala Singh was holed up.[24] Ala Singh sought out the help of Najib-ud-Daula and was forced to pay a humiliating fee of "five lakhs of rupees as tribute and a hundred and twenty-five thousand rupees more for permission to appear before him with his long hair intact" to placate Abdali.[24] After this, Ala Singh was detained for a short-while but was released on the promise that his polity would pay an annual tribute to the Durranis.[24]
Kirpal Singh argues that Ala Singh did assist his co-religionists during the massacre.[25] He states that the vakil of Ala Singh, named Sekhu Singh Hambalka, was with the surrounded Sikhs during the massacre at Kup.[25] He claims that Sekhu Singh and Sangu Singh were ordered to lead the Sikh women and children to Barnala and Thikriwala for safety, which were within Ala Singh's territory.[25] This is evidenced in the Khazana-i-Amara, which states that a report of 200,000 fleeing Sikhs sought safety in Sirhind and near the territory of "Ala Singh Jat" was made when Abdali reached Lahore.[25] By the time Abdali reached Barnala, Ala Singh had already managed to escape.[25] This damaged Ala Singh's relations with Abadali, whom was already being told negativities about Ala Singh by the diwan Lakhshami Narain.[25] Thus, Ala Singh was arrested and nearly had his cut-off but managed to pay a fee instead.[25] When Abdali demanded that Ala Singh's hair be cut, Ala Singh responded that he was prepared to die rather than sacrifice his hair.[25] Ala Singh offered to pay one lakh rupees instead, with Abdali accepting a payment of 125,000 rupees.[25] After the massacre, Ala Singh joined a coalition of Sikh forces to punish Zain Khan, to prove he was still with the Dal Khalsa.[25] This led to the Battle of Sirhind in 13 January 1764, in-which the Sikh forces defeated the forces of Zain Khan, paving the way for Sikh domination of this tract of land for the foreseeable future.[25]
Patiala State continued to expand during the rule of Ala Singh's successor, Raja-Rajgan Amar Singh.[26][3]
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Ala Singh's successor, Amar Singh (b. 1748, r. 1765–1782), took-on the Raja-i-Rajagan Bahadur title in 1767.[3] Amar Singh became a baptized Sikh and expanded the polity through crafty alliances and strategic conquests.[7] After Amar Singh's death, there were a series of succession dispute in Patiala, with the north-ward expanding Marathas and other regional, rival Sikh chiefs taking advantage of it to advance their own interests in the region.[7] However, during the 1790s, women of the Patiala ruling-house, notably Rani Rajinder Kaur (d. 1791, cousin of Amar Singh) and Rani Sahib Kaur (d. 1799, sister of Sahib Singh) defended the political entity from the Marathas through their leadership.[7]
Maharaja Sahib Singh (the first ruler to hold the title of Maharaja), expanded the kingdom further.[26][3] Patiala State, which initially had recognized the suzerainty of the Sikh Empire to its north, became a British protectorate in 1809 via treaty in-order to protect itself from annexation by Ranjit Singh.[3][7]
The next major expansion of Patiala State's territory occurred during and after 1814, under Karam Singh.[26][3] For Karam Singh's support during the Anglo-Nepalese War, which took place between 1814 and 1816, the British Empire awarded him territory in the hill states, extending Patiala State's territory to areas in what is now Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla and Chail.[26][27] After the First Anglo-Sikh war, which took place between 1845 and 1846, the state expanded again when, in return for its support during the war, the British Empire confiscated land from Nabha State and rewarded it to Patiala State.[26][7]
After 1857 and during the rule of Narinder Singh, Patiala State's territory was expanded for the final time.[26] Narinder Singh's services and the support to the British Empire resulted in Patiala State gaining sovereign rights in the Narunal division of Jhajjar, in modern Haryana, and he purchased the taluka of Khamanu.[26] Narinder Singh was also granted administrative jurisdiction over Bhadaur and the annual revenue from the area.[26]
British suzerainty
In 1809, Patiala State entered into an alliance with the British Empire, whereby the state was given internal autonomy with certain restrictions, and the rulers of Patiala state recognised the British Empire as their suzerains.[26][3] At the Ambala Darbar held in Ambala between 18–20 January 1860, a decision to exempt Patiala, Nabha, and Jind states from the doctrine-of-lapse.[28] During the British Raj, the rulers of Patiala State were entitled to a 17-gun salute and held precedence over every other princely state in the Punjab Province.[2]
In 1891, Dewan Gurmukh Singh, Finance Minister of Patiala State, authored the Guru Nanak Parkash, covering the Patiala ruling dynasty, a manual of princely conduct, and also a commentary on Sikh scripture.[29]
Independence and abolition
In 1947, Yadavindra Singh, the last Maharaja of Patiala, agreed to the accession of Patiala State into the independent Dominion of India.[30] Members and descendants of the Patiala royal family maintained their princely titles until they were abolished in India in 1971 through the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India. Patiala State's historical territory is in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
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Role of women in Patiala State
Many women played prominent roles in Patiala State throughout its history. Lepel Griffin remarked that the Phulkian chiefs (including Patiala) excluded women from positions of power due to "... suspicion that they [women] were able to use it far more wisely than themselves [men]".[7]
According to Syad Muhammad Latif: "For many years Patiala was under the influence of women of courage, wisdom and activity, such as Rani Hukman, Rani Khem Kaur, Bibi Pardhan Kaur, the grand aunt of Maharaja Sahib Singh and Rani Rajender Kaur of Phagwara."[31]
Some notable women of Patiala State are as follows:
Rulers and titles
Raja
- 29 March 1762 – 22 August 1765: Ala Singh (b. 1691 – d. 1765)[3][6]
- 22 August 1765 – 1767: Amar Singh (b. 1748 – d. 1781)[3]
Raja-e-Rajgan
Maharaja
- 26 March 1813 – 23 December 1845: Karam Singh (b. 1797 – d. 1845)[3]
- 26 March 1813 – 1823: Maharani Aus Kaur (f) – Regent (b. 1772 – d. af.1823)[3]
- 23 Dec 1845 – 13 November 1862: Narinder Singh (b. 1823 – d. 1862) (from 25 June 1861 Sir Narendra Singh)[3]
- 13 November 1862 – 14 April 1876: Mahendra Singh (b. 1852 – d. 1876) (from 28 May 1870 Sir Mahendra Singh)[3]
- 13 Nov 1862 – 26 February 1870: Jagdish Singh (Regent, chairman of regency council)[3]
- 14 Apr 1876 – 9 November 1900: Rajinder Singh (b. 1872 – d. 1900) (from 21 May 1898 Sir Rajendra Singh)[3]
- 14 April 1876 – October 1890: Sir Deva Singh (Regent) (b. 1834 – d. 1890) (chairman of regency council)[3]
- 9 November 1900 – 23 March 1938: Bhupinder Singh (b. 1891 – d. 1938) (from 12 December 1911 Sir Bhupindra[3]Singh)
- 9 November 1900 – 3 November 1910: Sardar Gurmukh Singh – (Regent, chairman of regency council)[3]
- 23 Mar 1938 – 15 August 1947: Yadavindra Singh (b. 1913 – d. 1974) (from 1 January 1942 Sir Yadavindra Singh)[3]
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Administration
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Patiala State was divided into various Districts (Nizamat) and tehsils (sub-districts).
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Demographics
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Transport
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Railways
The following railway stations were situated within Patiala State territory as per the 1941 Census Report:[45]
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Orders and decorations
The Nishan-i-Phul, Padshahi Phuli Manya Mandal, Yadu Vansha Manya Mandal, Guru Ghar Manya Mandal, and Nishan-i-Iftikhar were orders and decorations conferred by the Maharaja of Patiala.[46]
Artwork
Many descendants of the Seu-Nainsukh family, such as Chhajju, Devi Ditta, Kehru, Kehr Chand, and Saudagar, found work in the Patiala atelier.[47] Two members of another Pahari family, named Biba and Gohi (of Guler), also found work in Patiala.[47] The Muslim artists Allah Ditta, his son, Basharat Ullah, and his grandson Muhammad Sharif migrated from Delhi to Patiala to find work.[47] Some Rajasthani artists from the Alwar-Jaipur region, namely Ude Ram Jaipuria, Ganda Baksh, and Sheo Ram, also found work at Patiala.[47] A common literary source used by the Patiala artists for inspiration was the Prabodhachandrodaya, with these paintings serving a talismanic role for the ruling dynasty.[47] Common themes painted by the Patiala artists were Vaishnavist ones, such as the avatars of Krishna and Vishnu.[47] Philip Tennyson Cole was hired by the Maharaja of Patiala to paint him and members of his dynasty, including historical figures, such as Ala Singh.[48]
Gallery
Ala Singh, the founder and first ruler of Patiala
Miniature painting of Raja-e Rajgan Amar Singh of Patiala, ca.1830
Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia on left and Amar Singh of Patiala on right, late 18th century
Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala.
The main gate of the Qila Mubarak
Maharaja Narinder Singh of Patiala
Maharaja Mahendra Singh of Patiala
Maharaja Rajinder Singh of Patiala
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala
A panel of seven portraits of rulers of Patiala State
Informal visit at Moti Bagh Palace, from a photo album by the wife of Dr. H.R. Hunter, dental surgeon during Maharajah Bhupinder Singh’s reign, c. 1922–23.
Yadavindra Singh, the last Maharaja of Patiala
_of_Patiala_State_with_attendants,_by_Jean_Baptiste_Oscar_Malitte,_ca.1860.jpg)
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See also
Notes
- 1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis
References
Further reading
External links
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