RĀJINDAR KAUR, BĪBĪ (1739-1791) or Rājīndāṅ, Patiālā princess known for her valorous qualities, was the granddaughter of Bābā Ālā Siṅgh. The only child of her father, Bhūmīā Siṅgh, who had died when she was barely four, she was brought up by her grandfather, and, in 1751, married to Chaudharī Tilok Chand, of Phagwārā. Her husband died at a young age and the charge of the family estate, consistsing of over two hundred villages, fell to her. When Bābā. Ālā Siṅgh was arrested in 1765 by Ahmad Shāh Durrānī for having fallen into arrears with the tribute and was being taken to Lahore, Rājindar Kaur went to her grandfather and offered to pay the money to secure his release. But the latter declined the offer saying that it was not proper to accept money from a daughter of the family. In 1778, Rājā Amar Siṅgh of Paṭiālā, who was Rājindar Kaur's first cousin, was defeated by Harī Siṅgh of Siālbā. Rājindar Kaur came to his rescue with three thousand soldiers marching through the territories of the chiefs who had fought on the side of Harī Siṅgh. During the reign of the minor Rājā Sāhib Siṅgh, Rājindar Kaur was again in Paṭiālā to defend the town against Marāṭhā onslaughṭs At the head of a strong force, she marched as far as Mathurā where peace parleys were opened with the Marāṭhās.

         Bībī Rājindar Kaur died in1791 at Paṭiālā after a short illness. She was cremated in the royal cemetery known as Shāhī Samādhāṅ.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Griffin, Lepel, The Rajas of the Punjab [Reprint]. Delhi, 1977
  2. Kirpal Singh, Life of Maharaja Ala Singh and His Times. Amritsar, 1954
  3. Ātmā Siṅgh, Giānī, Paṭiālā Shāhī Gharāṇe dīāṅ Sūrbīr Devīāṅ. Patiala, n.d.

Sardār Siṅgh Bhāṭīā