Discover the impactful reign of Raja Balbir Singh, marked by architecture, agriculture, and literary contributions in Faridkot. Succession & legacy explored.
BIKRAM SINGH, RAJA (1842-1898). born in January 1842, succeeded his father, Wazir Singh, to the throne of Faridkot state in 1874. A dominant figure in Faridkot history, Raja Bikram Singh modernized the state administration. He employed retired British officials of experience and in 1875 set up offices and courts on the British model and adopted British law. Schools and charitable hospitals were opened and dharamsalas and rest houses for travellers constructed. Sadavarats or free kitchens were established at Faridkot, Thanesar and Amritsar. Sanskrit pathshalas, or schools were started where free food was served to the students.
BRIJINDAR SINGH, MAHARAJA (1896-1918), son of Kanvar Gajindar Singh, ascended the throne of Faridkot state in March 1906. He had his education at Aitchison College, Lahore. A council of regency headed by Sardar Bahadur Dyal Singh Man was appointed during his minority to carry on the administration. Brijindar Singh earned the title of Maharaja by the help he gave the British during the First World War (1914-19).
DINA, village 15 km south of Nihalsinghvala (30° 35`N, 75° 16`E) in presentday Faridkot district of the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Gobind Singh, who, after evacuating Anandpur in December 1705, came here and stayed a few days. Chaudhari Shamir and Lakhmir, grandsons of the local chief, Rai Jodh, who had fought on the side of Guru Hargobind in the battle of Mahraj in December 1634, served the Guru with devotion. A few hundred warriors from the surrounding districts joined Guru Gobind Singh here.
ELECTRIFICATION OF THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, Whether or not electricity be inducted into the Golden Temple premises was a raging polemic in the closing years of the nineteenth century. There were views pro and con, and the debate was joined by both sides vehemently and unyieldingly. As was then the style of making controversies, religious and social, no holds were barred and no acrimonious word spared to settle the argument. If tradition and usage were drawn upon by opponents, need to move with the limes was urged by the supporters, pejoratively called bijli bhaktas, devotees of electricity.
FARIDKOT TIKA, the earliest full scale exegesis or annotated version of the Guru Granth Sahib, was prepared under the patronage of the princely rulers of the state of Faridkot. Hence its popular name Faridkot Vala Tika or, for short, FaridkotTika. Its full title is Adi Sn Guru Granth Sahib ji Satik. Satik literally means with tika, annotation or commentary. The Guru Granth Sahib is an anthology of spiritual poetry of six of the Gurus and a number of medieval saints as well as of some of the followers contemporary with the first five Gurus.
Discover the legacy of Bhai Khushal Singh, a blind Sikh music maestro known for his mastery in gurbani and kirtan, influencing generations in Punjab.
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