ਸਿੱਖ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ

Princess Bamba Sutherland-duaghter of Maharaja Duleep Singh (1869-1957)

The last of the survivors of the Maharaja’s family, Princess Bamba Sutherland, who lived like an alien in Lahore, the capital of the kingdom of her father and grandfather, quietly slipped into its soil on March 10, 1957, almost unknown and unwept. The UK Deputy Commissioner organized a sparse funeral and, unfortunately, due to the sensitive relations between India and Pakistan, no Sikh was present.

Princess Bamba Sutherland, the eldest daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh was born on September 29, 1869, in London and was baptized Bamba Sofia Jindan Duleep Singh, named after her mother and grandmothers’ respectively.Like her father; she was brought up as a Christian with British values. The poor soul was unfamiliar with her historic roots and religion.

Bamba lived at

Elevaden

until her mother died from kidney failure. She and the rest of her brothers and sisters were placed in the care of Arthur Oliphant after the death of their mother, the son of her father’s equerry, Lt Col.James Oliphant.

She was well educated and attended Somerville College, Oxford University. Queen Victoria was very kind towards her and prompted her to be a royal socialite. Following in the footsteps of her grandfather Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, and after all, with the same blood running in her, she was very active politically in England and protested heavily for women’s right to vote. She got to be known well in England but had no recognition in her own roots.

When she was planning to visit India for the first time, she gave an advertisement in a local paper, inviting applications from a lady with cultural interests and musical background, who would like to accompany her on a visit to India. Marie Antoinette, a Hungarian of noble descent, applied and was accepted. Both came to India and lived at Lahore and Shimla. In the company of the Princess, Marie Antoinette met Umrao Singh Sher-Gil and this acquaintance led to their marriage and they left together for Budapest where their first child Amrita Sher-Gil, the most innovative painter of modern India, was born.

Listening to the stories of the grandeur and power of her grandfather in Punjab,  Princess Bamba visited India frequently and finally settled at Lahore. Eventually married the then Principal of King Edward Medical College in Lahore, Dr. David Waters Sutherland and thus she came to be known as Princess Bamba Sutherland. She purchased a house in Model Town (now Lahore) and named it ‘Gulzar’ where she had an exclusive garden of roses spread on an area of one kanal. She lived like a stranger in the capital of the kingdom of her father and grandfather, where her grandfather was once known as ‘Sher-e-Punjab’. That was the sad story of this princess.

 

When Maharaja Daleep Singh was not allowed to take her mother’s dead body from England to Punjab for cremation, he had to do this last ceremony at Nasik in Mumbai. In 1924 Princess Bamba was granted permission to fulfill the last wish of her grandmother Maharani Jindan, Princess Bamba got permission in 1924, dug out ashes from her samadh in Nasik, Bombay and deposited these in the samadh of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Lahore.

She had inherited a vast collection of paintings, art objects, historical documents and royal orders from her father and kept these in safe custody at Lahore. To understand the significance of these documents, mostly written in Persian, she placed an advertisement in a newspaper for hiring a suitable scholar and selected Pir Karim Bakhsh Supra for this job. Supra was well versed in Persian, Arabic, and English. Soon her relationship with her teacher became full of respect and trust.

She was invited to Amritsar to inaugurate Sikh History Society  when it was formed in 1944 with efforts of professor Ganda Singh, As the last surviving member of the dynasty, Bambequeathed the large quantity of important historical items to her secretary, Pir Karim Bakhsh Supra of Lahore., who, after her death, sold these to the Government of Pakistan. It was kept in Lahore Fort and is known as ‘The Princess Bamba Collection’.The collection, consisting of 18 oil paintings, 14 watercolors, 22 ivory paintings, 17 photographs, 10 metallic objects, and seven miscellaneous articles.

 These are now in the custody of the Department of Archaeology, Government of Pakistan, for preservation as a national asset. The collection is of immense historical significance as it throws light on the life and time of the Sikh Darbar in Lahore and of the artistic taste of Sikh royalty during the mid-19th century Punjab.

Her husband Dr. Sutherland died at Lahore in 1939 and without offspring, she was all alone. Her brothers and sisters had already died. Her Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947 on independence – Lahore on one side of the border, Amritsar on the other. The descendants of the once-ruling family had been driven out – along with millions of other Sikh refugees.

She had known Princess Bamba in Lahore, Pakistan, shortly before her death. `She, after Indian independence and was signing herself `Bamba Sahbzadi, Rightful Queen of the Punjab and Kashmir.  

Although she was still cherishing the golden age of her house, she was fully aware of the ultimate reality of life, as is apparent from a Persian distich inscribed on her gravestone, which, perhaps, she had herself desired to be engraved at her last resting-place. 

A translation of the Persian distich  on her gravestone has been translated as:

She was fond of red flowers and used to say, whosoever comes on my kabar,  do come with red flowers.

Farq-i-shahi o bandagi barkhast

Choon qaza-e navishta aayad pish

Gar kisi khak-i murda baz kunad

Na shanasad tavangar az darvish.

Its translation into the English language by Dr. Mazhar Saleem of Lahore is as under:

The difference between royalty and servility vanishes

The moment the writing of destiny is encountered

If one opens the grave of a dead

None would be able to discern rich from poor.

Located in Gora Kabristan on Jail Road, Lahore, her grave remains decked with red flowers brought by the descendants of Pir Karim Bakhsh Supra, her Secretary in whose name she did her will, ‘Gulzar’, Model Town, Lahore, the residence of late Princess Bamba Sutherland.

Eight children, married with no grandchildren? Many times this sad question arises. but Sikh consoles themselves thinking that is the curse of the tenth guru,  the Sikhs’ greatest spiritual leader, Guru Gobind Singh who had a golden box of treasure buried on his death. The line of whoever touched it would ‘vanish from the light,’ the guru had prophesied. `But Ranjit Singh dug it up, to build a monument in the memory of the 10th Guru. That is why all Duleep Singh’s children died childlessly

Many historians are of the opinion that Queen Victoria has warned everyone not to have a child, means not to produce any successor of Punjab who may claim it which was grabbed by The British Govt. through cheating.

Wahe Guru Ji ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji ki Fteh

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Nirmal Anand

23 comments

bape hoodie ਨੂੰ ਜਵਾਬ ਦੇਵੋ Cancel reply

  • I must show my affection for your kindness in support of all those that absolutely need guidance on that idea. Your special commitment to passing the message all over came to be exceedingly practical and have consistently helped folks much like me to arrive at their goals. Your entire insightful help and advice denotes a lot a person like me and far more to my office workers. Thanks a lot; from everyone of us.

  • My husband and i felt lucky Albert could carry out his homework by way of the ideas he obtained out of your site. It is now and again perplexing to just be giving away techniques which often most people might have been trying to sell. And we also do know we need you to be grateful to because of that. The specific explanations you’ve made, the straightforward website menu, the friendships you help instill – it’s many superb, and it’s making our son and us reason why this matter is amusing, and that’s seriously pressing. Many thanks for everything!

  • Thanks for your entire work on this web site. Betty loves setting aside time for internet research and it is easy to see why. We all notice all of the lively form you present invaluable strategies through your website and therefore inspire participation from people about this area plus our child is always studying a great deal. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You’re the one doing a good job.

  • Thank you so much for giving everyone an extraordinarily brilliant chance to read articles and blog posts from this website. It really is so beneficial and packed with a good time for me personally and my office co-workers to search your blog the equivalent of three times every week to find out the fresh guides you will have. And indeed, I’m usually contented concerning the exceptional points you serve. Some 2 areas in this article are clearly the very best we have all had.

  • I and also my buddies were actually reviewing the excellent hints located on your web site and quickly I had a terrible suspicion I had not thanked the web blog owner for those tips. My men were totally passionate to read them and already have really been making the most of those things. We appreciate you simply being so accommodating and for getting such brilliant issues millions of individuals are really desperate to know about. My personal honest apologies for not saying thanks to earlier.

  • I wanted to jot down a small word to be able to express gratitude to you for the remarkable guidelines you are giving at this website. My incredibly long internet investigation has at the end of the day been paid with professional ideas to talk about with my relatives. I ‘d express that most of us site visitors actually are unequivocally lucky to dwell in a perfect place with so many perfect individuals with valuable concepts. I feel quite fortunate to have seen the website page and look forward to so many more thrilling times reading here. Thank you again for all the details.

  • I simply had to say thanks once more. I do not know what I would have created without these solutions documented by you regarding such subject. It has been an absolute frightening circumstance in my opinion, nevertheless encountering a expert tactic you managed the issue took me to weep for fulfillment. I will be happy for the help and trust you really know what a powerful job that you’re doing teaching many others thru your website. Most likely you haven’t come across any of us.

  • I must express appreciation to this writer just for bailing me out of this particular incident. After scouting throughout the world-wide-web and finding recommendations which are not powerful, I was thinking my life was gone. Living without the presence of solutions to the difficulties you have fixed all through your entire review is a critical case, as well as ones that would have badly affected my career if I had not come across the blog. Your good skills and kindness in taking care of the whole thing was vital. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I had not encountered such a step like this. I can also now look ahead to my future. Thank you very much for this skilled and results-oriented help. I won’t think twice to refer the website to any person who wants and needs tips on this area.

  • I happen to be writing to make you know of the notable encounter my wife’s girl went through visiting the blog. She figured out some pieces, with the inclusion of what it is like to have a great helping mood to have other folks easily master certain specialized subject matter. You truly surpassed readers’ expected results. I appreciate you for delivering those interesting, safe, explanatory and as well as unique thoughts on the topic to Kate.

  • I would like to show some thanks to the writer for bailing me out of this type of trouble. After exploring throughout the search engines and getting opinions which were not productive, I thought my entire life was over. Living without the strategies to the issues you’ve resolved all through your good website is a crucial case, as well as ones which might have badly affected my entire career if I had not encountered the website. Your own personal knowledge and kindness in handling all things was invaluable. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had not come upon such a solution like this. I can also now look ahead to my future. Thank you so much for this skilled and results-oriented help. I will not think twice to recommend your web site to anybody who needs and wants guidelines about this situation.

  • I wanted to create you the bit of word to be able to thank you very much the moment again with the lovely pointers you’ve contributed in this article. It is really generous of you to give openly all that many of us would have offered as an e-book to earn some money on their own, specifically since you might well have tried it in the event you desired. Those ideas in addition worked as the great way to comprehend someone else have the identical eagerness the same as mine to find out a lot more on the topic of this matter. I am certain there are lots of more enjoyable occasions up front for individuals who looked over your website.

  • My husband and i have been now satisfied that Raymond could conclude his studies out of the precious recommendations he obtained out of your web pages. It is now and again perplexing just to happen to be freely giving things that many others could have been making money from. And we all already know we have got you to thank because of that. The most important illustrations you’ve made, the easy website navigation, the friendships you help create – it’s got all remarkable, and it’s making our son and our family feel that that idea is thrilling, which is exceptionally mandatory. Thank you for everything!

  • Thank you so much for giving everyone a very brilliant possiblity to read articles and blog posts from this site. It’s always so awesome and as well , packed with amusement for me and my office friends to search your web site nearly 3 times a week to read through the latest tips you have got. Not to mention, I’m so always fulfilled with your attractive suggestions you serve. Some two ideas in this posting are definitely the most efficient we have all had.

  • I want to show my gratitude for your kindness supporting visitors who need help on this particular question. Your personal dedication to passing the message across had become especially interesting and has all the time permitted employees just like me to achieve their endeavors. Your entire warm and helpful key points can mean a whole lot to me and especially to my colleagues. Regards; from all of us.

  • Thank you for your whole effort on this website. My mum really loves participating in research and it’s really easy to understand why. We hear all concerning the dynamic medium you deliver useful strategies through your web site and as well welcome contribution from others on the area then our own simple princess is certainly learning so much. Take advantage of the rest of the year. You are always carrying out a stunning job.

  • I must get across my passion for your kind-heartedness in support of people that absolutely need help with that subject. Your real dedication to passing the solution all through appears to be pretty functional and has specifically helped some individuals much like me to reach their targets. This insightful hints and tips entails so much to me and even more to my fellow workers. Thanks a lot; from everyone of us.

  • I wish to express my gratitude for your kindness for men who have the need for assistance with your situation. Your real commitment to passing the message across turned out to be wonderfully productive and have all the time permitted folks much like me to achieve their goals. Your personal valuable help and advice indicates a great deal a person like me and additionally to my mates. Regards; from each one of us.

  • I must voice my affection for your kindness in support of those who absolutely need help on this particular niche. Your real commitment to getting the solution up and down has been particularly valuable and has continuously encouraged guys and women like me to attain their ambitions. This informative guide indicates much a person like me and even further to my colleagues. Many thanks; from all of us.

Translate »