| 1685 |
Janam Din, Baba
Aalla Singh, founder of Patiala State.
==> BABA AALLA SINGH JI was born in village Phull to father
Baba Ram Singh "Phulwansi" and mother Saabhi. He was introduced
to amrit by Baba Deep Singh Ji, in TheekriWalae village. In sunmat
1810, he laid the foundation stone of a temporary structure for
the Patiala fort while the construction of a permanent structure
began in sunmat 1820. Simultaneously he founded the Patiala city.
Barnala, Longowal, Sunaam, Bathinda, and Patiala were under his
control. He passed away on 22nd Aug. 1765 in Patiala.
-Ref. Mahan Kosh
==> PATIALA FAMILY traces its descent to Maharaja Gaj, founder
of the town Gazni (now in Afghanistan) in the first quarter of the
16th century. His descendents, Maharawal Jaisal, founded the State
of Jaisalmer and his grand son, Rao Hans Raj, is considered the
ancestor of Patiala family. However, Tawarikh Guru Khalsa written
by Giani Gian Singh, traces the Patiala family descent to Chaudhri
Phul, a Sidhu Jat in "Malwa country" and the Chaudhri
belonged to the 23rd generation of the family of Bhatti Rajputs.
When Bhim Mal came to Punjab in 1237 he helped Shahabuddin Gauri,
in his attack on Delhi and in lieu of that, he was given the area
comprising of Hissar, Sirsa, etc. In 1251, he built a fort in Hissar
town. After his death, his son Jawand Rao succeeded and had 21 sons.
According to Giani Gian Singh, Chaudhri Phul, son of Chaudhri Rup
Chand, belonged to the family tree belonging to the descendents
of Jawand Rao. When Guru Har Rai Patshah visited Malwa in 1702 B.K.,
Chaudhri Kala, brother of Chaudhri Rup Chand, brought his two nephews,
Phul and Sandali to the Guru. On instructions of their uncle, who
was acting as their guardian, both Phul and Sandali started beating
their bellies and when Guru Sahib asked the reason, Chaudhri Kala
explained that his nephews wanted to sariate their hunger. At that
time, Guru Sahib blessed and ordained that the Phul family would
reign for a considerable period of time and that it would feed lakhs
of people. Chaudhri Phul died in 1745 B.K. and was succeeded by
his two sons, Talok Chand and Ram Chand, who were introduced to
amrit by Guru Gobind Singh in 1761 and were subsequently named Talok
Singh and Ram Singh. Because of their great services to Guru Sahib,
the two brothers were blessed and the Guru ordained "My house
is your house and I am much pleased with you". Maharaj Ram
Singh, who effectively controlled the areas surrounding Patiala,
was murdered in 1771 B.K. (1741) at the hands of Chain Singh, Uggar
Sain and Biru. He was succeeded by six sons, Baba Ala Singh proved
to be the most dominating and promising. He was introduced to amrit
by Nawab Kapur Singh.
The Patiala family attained prominence during Baba Ala Singh reign,
who founded the State of Patiala by defeating the eighboring chieftains.
Emperor Shah Jahan conferred the title "Raja" on Baba
Ala Singh.

Unfortunately,
the Patiala family often acted against interest of the Sikhs. They
were often concerned with propagating their own family business
interests firs and foremost. Among the damage they did to the Panth
was the reinforcement of the Brahminincal tradition of Nirmalae
Sikhs and in total disrespect to GurSikh women many Patialites kept
countless Ranis, performed anti Sikhi parades, etc. When Gadarites
were orgainzing in US and Baba Khadak Singh was pursuing Keys Morcha
and Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh was organinsing Rakab Ganj protest,
Patialites were busy bootlicking British reprentatives. They offered
many naive young rural Sikhs for deployment in Greece, North Africa
and Europe, who eventually sacrificed their lives for a war they
had absolutely nothing to do with. The Sikhs continously failed
to recognize Patialites and remained loyal to them, even during
partition talks (when Patiala family's daughter was to be wed with
Dr. Ambedkar's nephew and 100 million of Dalits who were going to
embrace Sikhism were thrown out by a series of calculated malicious
events).
For these reasons
and many more, PATIALA FAMILY were never considered a part of the
Khalsa Misls and remained as fringe elements to GurSikh society.
-Ref. The
Illustrated History of the Sikhs (1947-78), by Gur Rattan Pal Singh |