Rani Jindian

Rani Jind Kaur the mother of Dalip Singh, the ruler of Lahore kingdom, was the brain
behind the rising of 1848-49 against the British authorities. She was known for her
intelligence and intrepid spirit, Jindan was one of the few persons who was intensely
disliked and also feared by the British.
Rani Jindan played a conspicuous role in the Punjab politics after her son’s elevation
to the throne of Lahore kingdom. The British entered into a treaty known as the treaty
of Bhyrowal with the Lahore kingdom in December 1846 which made the British the
virtual masters of the Punjab. They had not only excluded the Rani from participating
in the negotiations which led to the signing of the treaty but also of all share in the
government of the Lahore Kingdom. She was removed from the Regency Council,
which was to conduct the administration during the minority of Maharaja Dalip
Singh. She hatched a plot to murder the British Resident and the members of the
Regency Council who collaborated with the British. Prema, an old retainer of Gulab
Singh, along with some other persons were to execute the plan. The plan however
failed but the British could not take action against the Rani for lack of evidence. But
they wanted to get ride of her and imposed restrictions on her movements. The chiefs
of the Lahore Darbar were forbidden to see her.
The Queen had become a symbol of national dignity. She continued to urge the
freedom fighters back in the Punjab to continue the struggle dauntlessly. Through her
trusted band of servants, she continued to send letters and messages to Dewan Mul
Raj, Sardar Chattar Singh and Raja Sher Singh, the chiefs of the rebellion.
As soon as the British came to know of the secret designs of the Rani, they transferred
her to the Chunar fort on 6 April 1849. On the same evening, she escaped from the
fort in the guise of her attendant and proceeded towards Nepal. She reached safely in
the Nepalese territory on 27 April. The Government of India confiscated all her jewels
and other property at Benaras and allowed her to stay in Nepal on a monthly pension
of one thousand rupees.
In Nepal, Rani Jindan, carried through her secret plans for the expulsion of the British
from the Punjab. She wrote letters to influential people both inside and outside Punjab
to rise once again against the British. In the rising of 1857, she found a fresh
opportunity to stimulate a rising in the Punjab. But her efforts were against rendered
futile by the vigilance of the British.
Being sadly disillusioned, the Rani ultimately thought to seeing her son Maharaj
Dalip Singh, who was then staying in England as a Christian gentleman. Her health
was shattered and she became almost blind. The British Government allowed Dalip
Singh to come to India and to take his mother along with him to England.
Disillusioned, her health shattered and almost blind she went to England to stay with
her son Maharaj Dalip Singh. Rani resided in a separate house in England till her
death in 1863. As per Rani’s last wishes, Dalip Singh brought her body back for
cremation to India, but was disallowed by the Britishers to perform the last rites in
Punjab. He therefore cremated her body at Nasik and returned to England.