In news

Maharani Jindan Kaur, the last wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was recently in news for the auction of some of her jewellery at Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art sale in London earlier this week.

Maharani Jindan

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the founder of the Sikh empire.
• The boundaries of the empire stretched from Kabul to Kashmir and the borders of Delhi.
• Maharani Jindan Kaur was the youngest wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
• She was also the mother of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last ruler of the empire, who was raised by the British.
• She passed away in her sleep on August 1, 1863
• Jindan was buried in west London as cremation was illegal in Britain during those days.
• In 1997, a marble headstone with her name was uncovered during restoration at the Dissenters’ Chapel in Kensal Green, and a memorial to the Maharani was installed at the site in 2009.

When did she become the regent?

• Duleep Singh was five years old when he was placed on the throne in 1843 after the death of two heirs to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
• Since he was just a child, Maharani Jindan was made the regent.
• She took an active interest in running the kingdom, introducing changes in the revenue system.

Imprisonment and Exile

• The British declared war on the Sikh empire in December 1845.
• After their victory in the first Anglo-Sikh war, they retained Duleep Singh as the ruler but imprisoned Jind Kaur.
• She broke out of prison from Chunnar Fort in Uttar Pradesh.
• Maharani Jind Kaur arrived at Kathmandu on April 29, 1849, where she was given asylum by Jung Bahadur, the prime minister.
• She stayed in Nepal till 1860, where she continued to reach out to rebels in Punjab and Jammu-Kashmir.

The Maharani and Duleep Singh

• Maharani Jindan met Duleep Singh at Calcutta in April 1861.
• It was due to her influence that Duleep Singh, who had converted to Christianity, returned to Sikhism.