Maharaja Narinder Singh

Maharaja Narinder Singh (1823-1862), was the fifth Sikh ruler of the Patiala Kingdom, in the Malva Region of Punjab. He was the son of Maharaja Karam Singh (1798-1845) and Rani Rup kaur. He succeeded his father to the throne of Patiala Dynasty on the December 23rd 1845. He married seven times, Including Rani Karam Kaur, the daughter of Sardar Gulab Singh of Buria.

Maharaja Narinder Singh aided the British East India Company with supplies and carriage during the first Anglo-Sikh war and was rewarded with additional estates, especially those from the Nabha Sikh territory. After the annexation of the Sikh Kingdom of Punjab to the British dominions in March 1849, the Patiala ruler was generally acknowledged as a spokesman for the Sikh community.

Maharaja Narinder Singh cemented his alliance with the British by his ready support of guns, carriage, loans and troops during the uprising of 1857. Once again he was rewarded with estates and with new titles and honours. He received the grant of Narnaul division of the Jhajjar territory valued at 2,00,000 rupees in present day Haryana State. He was invested with the Order of the Star of India on 6 November 1861 and, in 1862, he was made a member of the Viceroy's Legislative Council.

His third daughter Maharani Bishan Kaur, was married of to Maharajah Jashwant Singh a Hindu Jaat ruler of Bharatpur State (Rajasthan), in 1859.

Maharaja Narinder Singh was a great builder and also a patron of art and literature. He set up in 1861 a seat in Patiala for Nirmala Sikhs known as Dharam Dhuja. He also raised a gurdwara outside of Motibagh Palace commemorating Guru Tegh Bahadur's visit. Narinder Singh died at Patiala on 13 November 1862 after a short illness and was succeeded by his ten-year-old son, Maharaja Mohinder Singh (1852-1876).