Wikipedia

Nabha State

Nabha State,[1] with its capital at Nabha, was one of the Phulkian princely states of Punjab during the British Raj in India.[2] Nabha was ruled by Jat Sikhs of the Sidhu clan.[3]

Nabha State
Princely State
1763–1947
Flag of Nabha
Flag
Coat of arms of Nabha
Coat of arms

Nabha State in a 1911 map of Ludhiana district
Area 
• 1901
2,502 km2 (966 sq mi)
Population 
• 1901
297,949
Historical eraNew Imperialism
• Established
1763
• Accession to the Dominion of India
1947
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Mughal Empire
Phulkian Misl
Dominion of India
Today part ofIndia
Sir Hira Singh, Raja of Nabha

History

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Origin

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Detail of the main, continuous tract of territory of Nabha State from a map created by the British East India Company, ca.1829–1835 (the state also held many exclave territories that can be seen in the full-map).

The ruling house of Nabha belonged to the Phulkian dynasty, sharing a common ancestor named Tiloka with the Jind rulers. Tiloka (r. 1652–1687) was the eldest son of Phul Sidhu of the Phulkian dynasty.[a][4] The Nabha rulers descend from Gurditta (Gurdit Singh; r. 1687–1754), the elder son of Tiloka.[4] Gurditta was the founder of the localities of Dhanaula and Sangrur. Sangrur was the headquarters of the state till it was captured by Jind State. Gurditta died in 1754.[4] His only son Surat (or Suratya) Singh had died two years earlier in 1752, leaving his grandson, Hamir Singh, as the next in line.[4] Hamir Singh was the founder of the locality of Nabha and the first ruler of Nabha State.[5]

Foundation of the locality and state

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The locality of Nabha was founded by Hamir Singh of the Phulkian dynasty in 1755, whilst the state itself was founded slightly after in 1763 by Hamir Singh.[6] The state at that period of time was composed of twelve scattered territories.[6] Hamir Singh died in 1783 and was succeeded by Jaswant Singh.[4] However, a regency was in-place between 1783–1790.[4] Jaswant Singh assumed full control on 1790 and ruled until 1840.[4]

Alliance with the British

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Between 1807–08, the ruler of Nabha was afforded British protection from the threat posed by Ranjit Singh and his encroaching Lahore State.[6] Nabha State was loyal to the British during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, earning territory grants as a reward due to this.[6] In 1911, Hira Singh took-on the maharaja title.[4] Ripudaman Singh abdicated the throne of Nabha on 8 July 1923.[4]

Dissolution

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In the happenings of Indian independence in 1947, Nabha was one of the five Phulkian states that merged to become P.E.P.S.U., which itself was gradually merged into Punjab state.[6]

State forces

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The Nabha State Force consisted of a 500-strong infantry unit, including the Nabha Akal Infantry.[7]

List of rulers

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No. Name

(Birth–Death)

Portrait Reign Enthronement Ref.
Sardars
1 Hamir Singh
(died 1783) 		  1763 – 1783 ? [5][6][4]
Rajas
2 Jaswant Singh
(1775 – 22 May 1840) 		  1783 – 1840 ? [5][4]
3 Devinder Singh
(5 September 1822 – 14/15 November 1865) 		  1840 – 1846 15 October 1840 [5][4]
4 Bharpur Singh
(5 October 1840 – 9 November 1863) 		  1846 – November 1863 ? [5][4]
5 Bhagwan Singh
(30 November 1842 – 31 May 1871) 		  1863 – 1871 17 February 1864 [5][4]
Maharajas
6 Hira Singh
(19 December 1843 – 24 December 1911) 		  1871 – 1911 10 August 1871 [5][4]
7 Ripudaman Singh
(4 March 1883 – 14 December 1942) 		  1911 – 1923 24 January 1912 [5][4]
8 Pratap Singh
(21 September 1919 – 22 July 1995) 		  1923 – 1948 [5][4]

Demographics

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Religious groups in Nabha State (British Punjab province era)
Religious
group 		1901[8] 1911[9][10] 1921[11] 1931[12] 1941[13]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Hinduism  [b] 160,553 53.89% 126,414 50.79% 133,870 50.84% 132,354 46.02% 146,518 43.09%
Sikhism   78,361 26.3% 76,198 30.62% 78,389 29.77% 97,452 33.89% 122,451 36.01%
Islam   58,550 19.65% 46,032 18.5% 50,756 19.27% 57,393 19.96% 70,373 20.7%
Jainism   476 0.16% 238 0.1% 278 0.11% 309 0.11% 480 0.14%
Christianity   7 0% 5 0% 41 0.02% 66 0.02% 221 0.06%
Zoroastrianism   2 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Buddhism   0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Judaism   0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Others 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 0%
Total population 297,949 100% 248,887 100% 263,334 100% 287,574 100% 340,044 100%
Note: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
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  •  
    Photograph of Gurdwara Siropa Sahib in Nabha state, where historical Sikh relics and artefacts were kept for safe-keeping, published in Mahan Kosh (1930), ca.1920s
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    Photograph of the Hira Mahal building in Nabha state, published in Mahan Kosh (1930), ca.1920s

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Tiloka's personal name is alt. latinized as 'Tilokha'.
  2. ^ 1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis

References

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  1. ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 18, p. 271.
  2. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Nabha" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 147.
  3. ^ Bates, Crispin (26 March 2013). Mutiny at the Margins: New Perspectives on the Indian Uprising of 1857: Volume I: Anticipations and Experiences in the Locality. SAGE Publishing India. ISBN 978-81-321-1589-2.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Truhart, Peter (2017). Regents of Nations: Asia, Australia-Oceania, Part 2 (Reprint ed.). Walter de Gruyter. p. 1398. ISBN 9783111616254.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Singh, Bhagat (1993). "Chapter 14 - The Phulkian Misl". A History of the Sikh Misals. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Nabha | Princely State, Maharaja, Punjab | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  7. ^ "X. Nabha State Forces". Nabha Administration: A Review of Recent Years. Council of Regency of Nabha State. 1939. p. 29.
  8. ^ "Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province". 1901. p. 34. JSTOR saoa.crl.25363739. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1911. p. 27. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393788. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  10. ^ Kaul, Harikishan (1911). "Census Of India 1911 Punjab Vol XIV Part II". p. 27. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables". 1921. p. 29. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1931. p. 277. JSTOR saoa.crl.25793242. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab". 1941. p. 42. JSTOR saoa.crl.28215541. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
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30°22′N 76°09′E / 30.37°N 76.15°E / 30.37; 76.15

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