PUNJAB
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Princely
States |
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Bahawalpur |
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Last Four Rulers
of Faridkot [1]
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The
ruling family of Faridkot claim descent from Jaisal, founder of the state of
Jaisalmer in 1156 AD. The Lahoree Durbar seized the state in 1807.
Intervention of the British authorities secured the restoration of Faridkot
and all its dependencies to Sardar Gulab Singh in 1809. In 1947 Faridkot acceded to the Dominion of India. By amendment of
the India Constitution Har Inder Singh was removed of his position as a ruler
on 28 December 1971 |
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. Bikram Singh, Raja of ... Arms: Azure, a chevron ermine
between three annulets Argent. Crest: On a helmet to the
dexter, lambrequined Azure and Argent, a demi-lion proper. Supporters: Two
black buck (Antelope cervicapra - Bovidae) strewn with crescents. Motto: BHALANACIRAPHARI (T.35)
[2] |
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National emblem of
Faridkot State, 1947-1971. (Jaipur) [3] > It shows the Khanda, the Sikh-emblem, charged
with the Asoka Capital and motto, being the emblem of India. |
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The ruling family belongs to the Rajput Sikhs and
claims its descent from Rana Kapur, a distinguished member of the ruling
house of Jaisalmer. The family is known as Ahluwalia, after the
village Ahlu to which it originally belonged. |
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Jahatjit Singh Bahadur |
1877-1949 |
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Raja of .... Arms: Azure, on a fesse Or a field-piece Gules, in
chief a sun radiant between two stars, in base a trefoil of the second. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter, lambrequined Azure
and Or, a sword erect proper, hilted Or. Supporters: An elephant on the dexter and a horse
Sable on the sinister. Motto: PRO REGE ET PATRIA (For
King and Fatherland). (Taylor,
53) |
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Photo NN |
A more recent version shows the royal achievement
surrounded by a royally crowned mantle. The sword-crest is placed per
fesse above the
crown. The oldest crown is a European-style royal crown.
Later this crown was replaced by a crown of Indian fashion. |
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The State was founded by an Afghan Saint, Sadruddin
Khan. He was a powerful and influential chief of a Sherwani tribe of Afghans.
He came to India before the middle of the 15th century, and settled down in
the Punjab. He rebuilt the old town of Maler in 1442, after which the State
was thus named. (J) |
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Muhammad Ibrahim Ali Khan |
1871-1908 |
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Nawab of.... Arms: Vert, five besants
(i.e. roundles Or) in saltire. Crest: On a helmet to the
dexter, lambrequined Vert and Or, a mullet ermine. Supporters: Two
black buck (Antelope cervicapra - Bovidæ) ermine. (Taylor,
56) |
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Muhammad Ahmad Ali Khan |
1908-1949 |
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Royal Achievement |
Achievement of State |
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Arms: Tierced per fess, in
chief a field-gun between six cannonballs; in fess a crescent-and-mullet
between two stars; in base a shield and two swords in saltire. Crest: On a helmet affrontée,
a five-pointed star radiant. Motto: HEAVEN’S LIGHT OUR GUIDE Mantle: A crowned mantle,
fringed and tasseled. (Jaipur) |
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The state was founded in 1760 by Choudhry Hamir
Singh, grandson of Choudry Trilok Singh. The latter was the elder son of
Choudry Phul, resident of the village of Mehraj in the district of Ferozepur.
Choudry Phul, in fact, was the founder of the Phulkian States comprising
present Patiala, Jind and Nabha. In 1784, Jaswant Singh, son of Hamir Singh ascended
the Gaddi and assumed the title of Raja. He signed a treaty of
friendship with the British in 1809. |
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Hira Singh Ripudaman
Singh Pratab Singh |
1871-1911 1911-1928 1928-1971 |
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Raja of... Arms: Ermine, a saltire
Purpure between four targets Sable, bossed Or. Crest: On a helmet to the
dexter, lambrequined Purpure and Argent, a nude dexter arm embowed, holding a
bow-and-arrow proper. Supporters: A
leopard (Panthera pardus - Felidæ) and a bay horse. Motto: phulasyaiva phalamiddam (This is the
fruit of the flower). (Taylor, 59). |
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The Patiala Chief has always been recognised as the
head of the Phul-dynasty, deriving its name from Chaudhri Phul, the common
ancestor of the rulers of the Phulkian State, viz. Patiala, Jind and Nabha. Baba Ala Singh, a grandson of Chaudhri Phul, had
founded the State in the early 18th century. The territory was largely
extended by his son Amar Singh and afterwards by his grandson, Maharaja Sahib
Singh. But the mutiny swept away the last relics of the
Delhi Empire, and with them the East India Company’s rule, and the princes of
India found themselves brought face to face with their sovereign, Queen
Victoria. The maharaja of Patiala then sought for the recognition of himself
and his house as an Indian noble of the British empire. Above all rewards for
his great services to the empire in those days, he asked for perpetuity for
his house and honours, and Sir John Lawrence, Lieutenant-Governor of the
Punjab, worked out the chief’s idea into a recognition of the right of adoption
on the failure of natural heirs; and after a reference to Her Majesty’s Government,
the following sunnud or patent of nobility, of 11th March 1862, was
framed: - ‘Her Majesty being
desirous that the governments of the several princes and chiefs of India, who
now govern their own territories, should be perpetuated, and that the
representation and dignity of their houses should be continued: In
fulfillment of this desire, this sunnud is given to you, to convey to you the
assurance that, on failure of natural heirs, the British Government will
recognise and confirm any adoption of a successor made by yourself, or by any
future chief of your state, that may be in accordance with Hindu law, and
customs of your race. Be assured that nothing shall disturb the engagement
thus made to you, so long as your house is loyal to the crown, and faithful
to the conditions of the treaties, grants, or engagements which record its
obligations to the British Government. (Sd.) Canning.’ |
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Rajinder Singh Bhupinder Singh |
1871-1900 1900-1938 |
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Maharaja of ... Arms: Ermine, a target Sable, bossed Or, in chief two
daggers in saltire Gules, hilted Or, in base a sword also Gules and Or, and a
rifle proper, in saltire. Crest: On a helmet affrontée an elephant passant. Supporters: A lion and a bay horse, each ensigned with an
annulet Argent. Motto: PHOOLARKA KIRANA PRABHA in Gurbani script. (Taylor 71) |
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Yadavindra Singh |
1938-1971 |
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Royal Achievement |
A modern version of the achievement shows the shield Azure, the lion and the horse exchanged, the lion guardant and crowned. The motto is replaced by HEAVENS LIGHT OUR GUIDE, which is the motto of the Order of the Star of India. In another variant the achievement is placed on a crowned royal mantle and the motto, written in Gurbani script, is changed:
(Tera Garh Mera Garh) which would mean ‘Your House is My Home’. This is a corruption of:
(Tera Garh Mera Asay) which means ‘Your House is My Refuge’. |
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The motto Tera Ghar Mera Asay comes from the famous hukamnama or written order addressed to the two sons of Phul, Rama and Tilokha by the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Rama Singh and Tilokha Singh were devoted disciples of the Guru and on August 2nd, 1696 the Guru called upon them for aid in the way of a detachment of cavalry in his battle against the Hill Rajas. It was the great tenth Guru’s hukamnama that bestowed special status on the house of Patiala. The letter reads: There
is one God. The Guru is great. It is the order of the Guru. Bhai Rama and
Bhai Tilokha, the Guru will protect all. You are required to come with your
contingent. I am much pleased with you. Your house is my refuge. On seeing
this letter you should come in my presence. Your house is my refuge. You
should come to me immediately. On seeing this letter you should arrive with
horsemen. Do come. I have sent one robe of honour. Keep it with you. [4] The motto was also used for the Nishan-i-Phul, an order of chivalry founded by Bhupinder Singh. |
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© Hubert de Vries 2009-11-19
Heraldry of the World