Jind Kaur

A wall painting of Maharani Jind Kaur from the old haveli of Sandhanwalia Sardars at Raja Sansi in Amritsar

Jind Kaur with son, Duleep Singh

War-elephant-illustrated-london-news

Drawing of Maharani Jind Kaur rallying the Sikh troops

Dalip Singh Sukerchakia 1861

Jind Kaur (1817 – 1 August 1863) was the regent of the Sikh Empire who ruled from 1843 until the British annexation of Punjab in 1849. She was the youngest wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, and the mother of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Sikh Emperor. Her tenure as regent was marked by her efforts to protect the sovereignty of the Sikh Empire against the British East India Company. Jind Kaur's resistance to British rule in India made her one of the most important figures in the history of the Sikh Empire.

Early Life

Jind Kaur was born in 1817 in Chachar, which is now in Pakistan, into a Sikh family of modest means. Her father, Manna Singh Aulakh, was the overseer of the royal kennels. She caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh with her beauty and intelligence, and they were married in 1835. This marriage elevated her status and brought her into the political sphere of the Sikh Empire.

Rise to Power

Following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, the Sikh Empire was thrown into political turmoil with a series of weak rulers and courtly intrigues. After the death of her son's predecessor in 1843, Jind Kaur was proclaimed regent for her five-year-old son, Duleep Singh, who was declared the Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.

As regent, Jind Kaur's administration faced challenges both from within the court and from the British East India Company, which sought to annex Punjab. She worked to strengthen the Sikh army and sought alliances with neighboring states to counter the British threat.

Conflict with the British

Jind Kaur's efforts to resist British interference led to the outbreak of the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1845. Despite initial successes, the Sikh army was eventually defeated, and the Treaty of Lahore in 1846 significantly reduced the sovereignty of the Sikh Empire. Jind Kaur was removed from power and imprisoned by the British, who then placed Punjab under a council of regency.

Later Life and Exile

In 1849, following the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the British annexed Punjab, deposing Maharaja Duleep Singh. Jind Kaur was separated from her son and detained in various locations. She escaped from British custody in 1849 and sought asylum in Nepal, where she lived in exile until 1860.

In a bid to reunite with her son, who had been taken to England, Jind Kaur eventually moved to England in 1861. She was reunited with Duleep Singh shortly before her death in 1863.

Legacy

Jind Kaur is remembered as a symbol of resistance against British colonialism in India. Her determination and leadership during a turbulent period in Sikh history have made her a revered figure. She is often celebrated in Sikh culture and history as the "Lioness of Punjab."