RĀṆĪ RĀJĪNDRAMATĪ CHARITRA by Sāhib Siṅgh Mrigind is a versified account (charitra character; portrayal) in Braj (Gurmukhī characters) of Queen (rāṇī= queen) Jīndāṅ, the wife of Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh, here referred to as Rājindramatī. Sāhib Siṅgh Mrigind (c. 1800-1876) who later became the court poet in the princely state of Jīnd, served the Sikh Darbār in the early years of his life, but had to leave Lahore following differences with Rāṇī Jīndāṅ (Jind Kaur), widow of the Sikh sovereign. Because of his personal grudge against her and because of his loyalty to the Jind rulers who were pro-British, he presents the Rāṇī in very poor light. The poet's attitude is clearly pro-British. The work has so far remained unpublished. Of the two known manuscript copies, one (No. 41) is preserved in the Languages Department, Punjab, Paṭiālā, and the other in the private collection of Dr Gaṇḍā Siṅgh at Paṭiālā. The work was completed by the poet in 1909 Bk/AD 1852, and the Languages Department manuscript, written in the hand of one Gopāl Siṅgh, is dated 1949 Bk/AD 1892. It comprises 219 folios, each folio having 8+8 lines on it, whereas the second manuscript has 207 folios with 6+6 lines on each folio. The manuscript opens with a description of the beauty of the city of Lahore and the pomp and glory of the Sikh court. This is followed by the poet's tribute or eulogy to Raṇjīt Siṅgh. Rāṇī Jīnd Kaur's father, Mannā Siṅgh, one of the Mahārājā's employees, married his young daughter to the ageing Mahārājā. Jīnd Kaur is presented in this work as a very beautiful and voluptuous woman. All the court intrigues after Raṇjīt Siṅgh's death which took the lives of many members of the royal family and which ultimately led to the downfall of the Sikh kingdom are attributed to her. The work concludes with verses in praise of Mahārājā Narinder Siṅgh (1824-62) of Paṭiālā and Rājā Sarūp Siṅgh (1837-64) of Jīnd, who was the poet's patron.

Gurmukh Siṅgh