| Maharaja Ripudaman
Singh of Nabha passed away at Kadia-Kunal.
==> Among the 12 Sikh misls, Nabha reign represented the major
branch of Phullkiyan misl. The Nabha family began with Gurdit
Singh, the eldest son of Chaudhary Tilok Singh, who in turn was
the eldest son of Baba Phull. As a result, Nabha is also known as
Chaudhary da Garh (house of Chaudhary).
Chaudhary Gurdit Singh established several villages and brought
them under his control. However, his son, Surtiya Singh died in
1752, before his death. As a result, upon Chaudhary Gurdit Singh's
death, his grandson (son of Surtiya Singh), Hamir Singh became the
new ruler. For detailed description of descendents of Hamir Singh,
readers are referred to Mahan Kosh. Maharaja Ripudaman Singh is
one of the descendent rulers of Nabha.
==> Maharaja RIPUDAMAN SINGH was born on Mar. 4, 1883 in Nabha
to father Maharaja Sir Hira Singh and mother Jasmaer Kaur (daughter
of Sardar Anokh Singh Longowalia). On 29th Jaeth sunmat 1958, he
married Bibi Jagdhish Kaur (daughter of sardar Gur Dayal Singh Mann)
and a daughter was born on Oct. 8, 1907, named Bibi Amrit Kaur who
later married Raja Sahib Kalsiya Ravisher Singh on Feb. 16, 1925.
Ripudaman Singh was an additional member to the Governor's legislative
Council from 1906 to 1908. In 1910, he went on European travels.
He was present at the Westminister Abbey during the throning ceremony
of King H.M. George on June 22, 1911. Maharaja Hira Singh passed
away while Ripudaman Singh was on these travels.
He assumed the Nabha rule on Jan. 24th, 1912. In 1914's world war,
he offered his forces to fight with the British. Though this offer
was not immediately accepted, his forces were later employed in
Mesopotamia where they exhibited exemplary performance under the
command of Col. Bachan Singh. Maharaja donated several lakh ruppees
under several funds for the war efforts during 1917-8. His forces
fought with the British in Balochistan and Iran.
On Oct. 10, 1918, he married SarojanDevi (daughter of Sardar Prem
Singh Raipuria) and a son Pratap Singh was born on Sept. 21, 1919.
Due to several reasons, including internal dissension, bad influence,
bad company, and numerous mistakes, Maharaja's had to relinquish
his rule in June 9, 1923 to a British administrator. In return,
he received Rs. 3 lakh annually for his maintenance.
On Feb. 6, 1927, Maharaja Ripudaman Singh partook Amrit at Abichal
Nagar and was named Gurcharan Singh.
On Feb. 19, 1928, government announced that Maharaja Ripudaman
had violated the agreement under which he had to relinquish his
rule. As a result, his stipend was reduced from Rs. 3 lakhs to Rs.
120,000. Further his title of Maharaja was taken away and he was
put under house arrest at Kadia-Kunal in Madras where he died on
this day. On Feb. 23, 1928, the governor general appointed Pratap
Singh as the Maharaja of Nabha.
-Ref. Mahan Kosh (pp. 696)
|