Datar Kaur
Maharani Datar Kaur (born Bibi Raj Kaur Nakai; died on 20 June 1838) was the daughter of Sardar Ran Singh Nakai, the third ruler of Nakai Misl of Baherwal. She was the second wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and the mother of his successor, Maharaja Kharak Singh.
| Datar Kaur | |
|---|---|
| Maharani of Sikh Empire Maharani Sahiba | |
 Picture Courtesy: Sardar Zahid Hasan Nakai (a direct descendent of Maharani Sahiba) | |
| Maharani consort of the Sikh Empire | |
| Tenure | c. 1801 – 1838 |
| Born | 1782
Baherwal Kalan, |
| Died | 20 June
1838 (aged 55–56) Lahore, Sikh Empire (present-day Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Spouse | Maharaja Ranjit Singh (m. 1798) |
| Issue | Maharaja Kharak Singh |
| House | Nakai (by birth) Sukerchakia (by marriage) |
| Father | Sardar Ran Singh Nakai |
| Mother | Sardarni Rai Kaur |
| Religion | Sikhism |
Datar Kaur was betrothed to Ranjit Singh in 1784; the Anand Karaj took place in 1798 at Baherwal Kalan, when the couple were still in their teens. She is known to have had significant influence over her husband, though Ranjit Singh married several times for political reasons, Datar Kaur was his dearest wife and he lovingly addressed her as Mai Nakain.
In 1801, she gave birth to Kharak Singh, the heir apparent of Ranjit Singh. She took an active interest in the affairs of the State. She was the grandmother of Maharaja Nau Nihal Singh (1821–1840). Datar Kaur died on 20 June 1838 in Lahore. Her Samadhi, was built during the last days of the secular Sikh Raj. Today the site has become part of Islamia College, Civil Lines, Lahore grounds.
Family history
Bibi Raj Kaur was the youngest of Saradar Ran Singh Nakai's children and his only daughter, born posthumously, therefore was raised solely by her mother Sardarni Rai Kaur. She had three elder brothers Sardar Bhagwan Singh Nakai, Sardar Gyan Singh Nakai and Khazan Singh Nakai. Their father, a Sandhu Jatt, was a fierce warrior and the third ruler of Nakai Misl. He had fought repeatedly against Kamar Singh, the ruler of Sayyadwala. Sometime before his death in 1781, he defeated him and captured Sayyadwala.
Sardar Ran Singh had greatly expanded his Misl's strength so it became dominant among its neighbours. Misl was at its high under Ran Singh it ruled Kasur, Sharakpur, Gugera pargana, and the Kharral fort of Kot Kumaliah.
His son, Bhagwan Singh, succeeded him, but could not hold his territory against Wazir Singh, the brother of Kamar Singh and lost Sayyadwala to him. Bhagwan Singh realizing that he might lose all of his territory, around 1784, set up the engagement of his sister, Raj Kaur, to Ranjit Singh, who was the son of Maha Singh, the leader of the powerful Sukerchakkia Misl, in order to gain a powerful ally. Ranjit Singh was merely 4 at that time. [1]
In 1785, Maha Singh was facing attacks from Sardar Jai Singh Kanhaiya of the Kanhaiya Misl and called on Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh to aid him. After their victory against Kanhaiyas, Maha Singh began to favor Wazir Singh, which started to affect his relationship with Bhagwan Singh. [2]
Bhagwan Singh and Wazir Singh continued to engage in constant warfare and Bhagwan Singh was killed in battle.
In 1789, Gyan Singh succeeded his elder brother as the head of the Nakai Misl.
She was the granddaughter of Sardar Natha Singh (d. 1768), nephew of the famous Heera Singh Sandhu (1706-1767), founder of the principality of Nakai Misl in 1748.
Marriage
Ranjit Singh wanting to unite Sikh Misls and to consolidate his position as the head of the Sukerchakia Misl, as well as to re-establish Nakai and Sukerchakia relations, sought for the Nakai chiefs sisters hand in marriage. To which Gyan Singh agreed and married his sister, Raj Kaur to Ranjit Singh in 1798. Ranjit Singh was already married to Mehtab Kaur, of the Kanhaiya Misl, the daughter of Sada Kaur, when he married Raj Kaur. But his marriage to Mehtab Kaur was strained due to her never forgiving the fact that her father was killed by Ranjit Singh's father; and she mainly resided with her mother.[3]
Though the nuptials of Raj Kaur and Ranjit Singh were arranged for political reasons, the marriage turned out to be successful. The two shared a close and loving relationship. She remained Ranjit's favorite all his life.[4] She also had significant influence over her husband and the royal family as well.[5]
Since Raj Kaur was the name of her mother-in-law, Ranjit Singh's mother, she took the name of Datar Kaur. Ranjit Singh also had an aunt, Charat Singh and Desan Kaur's daughter, named Raj Kaur. So the newly married wife of Ranjit, Raj Kaur was given the name Datar meaning the creator. [6]
In some historical accounts, mistakenly, marriage of Ranjit Singh has been mentioned with two daughters of Nakai Misl i.e. Raj Kaur and Datar Kaur. However, she was one and the same person.
In 1801, she gave birth to Crown Prince Kharak Singh, the heir apparent of the Sikh Empire. Even though Ranjit Singh had many marriages, Datar Kaur remained his favourite and he affectionately called her Taara. [7] She was often styled as Mai Nakkain, and mentioned in historical text as Mai Nakkain, as she was mother of the heir apparent and future Queen mother of the Sikh Empire.
Mai Nakain. She is known to have the same maternal gentleness and understanding in dealing with the wayward Ranjit Singh, as his mother Raj Kaur. Many women entered his life, for no did he have greater respect and love for than Mai Nakkain. [8]
Career
Datar Kaur took interest in political affairs, and is said to have advised her husband in important stately matters. She was hostile to the Dogra faction of the court. [9]
Mai Nakain took control of the Sheikhpura Fort when her six year old son, Kharak Singh conquered it. She acted as a political proxy for the Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Showcasing the Durbar’s cultural power, she adorned her apartments with garden imagery and pious depictions of the Sikh Gurus. These symbolic representations exemplify the “continual balance of power with humility that characterised the Sukerchakia Raj.”[10]
In 1816, Kharak Singh’s mother Mai Nakain took over his training for 18 months. She even accompanied him, when he was sent out on an Expedition of Multan in 1818 and together they conquered Multan. [11]
Umdat-ut-Tawarikh’ by Sohan Lal Suri (Daftar II), it is stated that both the Maharaja and Mai Nakain returned from a hunting trip to Sheikhupura and fell ill. While Ranjit recovered, she passed away on the 20th of June, 1838.[12]
Sukerchakkia-Nakai relationship
Even though his favourite Rani was from the house of the Nakais; the relationship between Sukerchakkias and Nakais remained rocky.
After Ranjit Singh had declared himself a Maharaja in 1801 after consolidating majority of the Misls, this ambitious chief had been eyeing the Nakai territory. He spared it till the death of Sardar Gyan Singh in 1807, but soon after suggested Sardar Kahan Singh, who succeeded his father, to join the Darbar at Lahore, which the proud newly crowned Nakai chief steadily refused. Finally, in 1810, Ranjit Singh sacked Kahan Singh and annexed all the Nakai territories, even the Rani could not prevent this. Before having his estates seized Kahan Singh was successful in conquering Pakpattan.
In popular culture
- Datar Kaur was a portrayed in the TV series titled Maharaja Ranjit Singh which aired on DD National. The series was produced by Raj Babbar.
- Datar Kaur is a principal character in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Last Queen.
See also
References
- ↑ Siṅgha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
- ↑ Siṅgha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
- ↑ Singh, Khushwant (24 March 2009). Ranjit Singh. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-306543-2.
- ↑ Tibbetts, Jann (30 July 2016). 50 Great Military Leaders of All Time. Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. ISBN 978-93-85505-66-9.
- ↑ Duggal, Kartar Singh (2001). Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Last to Lay Arms. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-410-3.
- ↑ Griffin, Lepel Henry (1890). The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Lahore and Rawalpindi Divisions of the Panjab. Civil and Military Gazette Press.
- ↑ Journal of Sikh Studies. Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University. 2001.
- ↑ Singh, Khushwant (24 March 2009). Ranjit Singh. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-306543-2.
- ↑ Ross (C.I.E.), David (1883). The land of the five rivers and Sindh. Chapman and Hall.
- ↑ "Book Review: The Hidden History of Female Agency in the Sikh Empire". The Wire. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- ↑ ""Shady Character, Hidden Designs, and Masked Faces": Reflections on 'Vilayati' Sikh Marriages and Discourses of Abuse", Sikh Diaspora, BRILL, pp. 231–259, 1 January 2013, retrieved 28 August 2021
- ↑ Sheikh, Majid (25 April 2021). "Three Maharanis of the great Sikh Maharajahs". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
Notes
- Suri, Sohan Lal, Umddt ut-Twarikh. Lahore, 1885–89.
- Ganda Singh, ed., Maharaja Ranjit Singh (First Death Centenary Memorial Volume).