State of Patiala | |||||||||||||||||||
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1763–1947 | |||||||||||||||||||
Capital | Patiala | ||||||||||||||||||
Common languages | Punjabi (official) | ||||||||||||||||||
Religion | Sikh | ||||||||||||||||||
Government | Absolute monarchy (1763 - 1947) | ||||||||||||||||||
Maharaja | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1707 - 1765 | Ala Singh | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1938 - 1947 | Yadavindra Singh | ||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 1763 | ||||||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1947 | ||||||||||||||||||
Area | |||||||||||||||||||
• Total | 15,389 km2 (5,942 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||||||
Population | |||||||||||||||||||
• 1881[1] | 1,467,433 | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1891[1] | 1,583,521 | ||||||||||||||||||
• 1901[1] | 1,596,692 | ||||||||||||||||||
Currency | Rupee And Paisa | ||||||||||||||||||
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Today part of | India Pakistan | ||||||||||||||||||
Patiala State was a self-governing princely state of the British Empire in India, and one of the Phulkian States, that acceded to the Union of India upon Indian independence and partition. Patiala Kingdom/State was founded by Sidhu Jat Sikhs.
Early proposals of a Sikh nation of ‘Sikhistan’ led by Maharaja of Patiala were published by Dr VS Bhatti in 1940 for a “Khalistan led by the Maharaja of Patiala with the aid of a cabinet consisting of representative federating units”.[2][3][4][5] These would consist of the central districts of Punjab province then directly administered by the British, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Ambala, Ferozpur, Amritsar and Lahore; the 'princely states' of the Cis-Sutlej, including Patiala, Nabha, Faridkot and Malerkolta; and the 'Shimla Group' of states. After partition of India in 1947, The Liberator, a Sikh publication advocated for Khalistan which would include East Punjab merged with PEPSU led by Maharaja of Patiala as its monarch.[6]
The state's name came from the name of its principal city and capital, Patiala, which itself comes from the roots patti and ala. The word patti means "strip of land" in Punjabi, and 'ala' comes from the name of the founder of the city and Patiala state, Ala Singh, thus meaning ‘the land of Ala Singh’ [7]
History of India |
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Timeline |
In 1763, the Sikh confederation captured the fortress of Sirhind
Main article: Maharaja of Patiala |
The rulers of Patiala bore the title 'Maharaja-e Rajgan' from 1810 onward.[citation needed]
Religion | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Sikhism ![]() |
896,021 | 46.28% |
Hinduism ![]() |
597,488 | 30.86% |
Islam ![]() |
436,539 | 22.55% |
Christianity ![]() |
1,412 | 0.07% |
Others[b] | 4,799 | 0.25% |
Total Population | 1,936,259 | 100% |
Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia on left and Amar Singh of Patiala on right, late 18th century
Miniature painting of Raja Amar Singh of Patiala, ca.1830
Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala.
The main gate of the Qila Mubarak
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala
Maharaja Rajinder Singh of Patiala
A panel of seven portraits of rulers of Patiala State
Detail of an informal visit at Moti Bagh Palace from an album of photographs compiled by the wife of Dr. H.R. Hunter during his time as Dental Surgeon at Moti Bagh Palace during the reign of Maharajah Bhupinder Singh, circa 1922–23