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Secular traditions of Patiala

Maharaja Narinder Singh, who ruled over Patiala from 1845 AD to 1862 AD, got three temples constructed. These shrines are the replicas of the Badrinath, Kedarnath and Tungnath temples. In a detailed report on the Patiala state in the India Office Library, London, it has been mentioned that the Maharaja had great reverence for these temples in Uttar Pradesh, says J.S. Bedi

OF the erstwhile princely states of Punjab, Patiala has had the glorious tradition of strengthening the socio-religious ties between people of different faiths. The Maharajas of Patiala were aware of the fact that the people of their state were highly emotional about their religion. They, therefore, formulated administrative policies with which the foundations of society could be strengthened and communal harmony could be maintained.They were so successful in their mission that the rulers of other states—Nabha, Jind, Faridkot and Kapurthala — tried to emulate the secular traditions set out by them.

While going through the history of medieval India, we learn that most Mughal rulers except for Akbar had shown little or no religious tolerance. They imposed Jaziya (pilgrimage tax) on the Hindus who went on pilgrimage to historical temples. Mir Manu and Ahmed Shah Abdali went to the extent of demolishing the Golden Temple of Amritsar several times to impose their might on the sect founded by Guru Nanak Dev. All their efforts to eliminate the secular and nationalist traditions of the eastern regions of Punjab miserably failed.

The Maharajas of Patiala spared no efforts in implementing the age-old secular traditions of the country in their state.

Maharaja Karam Singh and his son Maharaja Narinder Singh took special interest in strengthening the roots of communal harmony by constructing Sikh shrines and Hindu temples in their state. During their rule, two royal gurdwaras were constructed, one adjacent to the Sheesh Mahal and the other 6 km away.

Kedarnath Temple in Patiala Today, the city of Patiala is known for the imposing Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib with a glittering tank and a parikarma made of marble. It is one of the great architectural monuments of the city. The place on which the shrine stands was visited by the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, when he was on his way to Delhi to become a martyr. The birth anniversaries of the Sikh Gurus, and other festive occasions like Basant Panchami and Baisakhi are celebrated here with reverence. On these occasions, devotees from different faiths assemble here in large numbers to offer prayers as well as to listen to the gurbani and discourses.

While talking about the secular traditions of the city of Patiala, it is indeed interesting to record that Maharaja Narinder Singh, who ruled over the state from 1845 AD to 1862 AD, got three temples constructed. These shrines are the replicas of the Badrinath, Kedarnath and Tungnath temples. In a detailed report on the Patiala State in the India Office Library, London, it has been mentioned that Maharaja Narinder Singh had great reverence for these temples, located in the far-flung areas of the hills of Uttar Pradesh . Since he felt that the pilgrimage to these shrines in high and rugged terrains was quite difficult, he procured the replicas of the said temples and got them constructed at Patiala to have an easy access to them. These temples, thus, were built exactly on the same architectural pattern as was followed in the remote hills. By constructing these temples at Patiala, Maharaja Narinder Singh further strengthened the secular traditions of the state. The Maharaja chose these three temples in particular mainly due to two reasons. Firstly, the Maharaja was highly fascinated by the wondrous architectural designs of these temples built by Adi Shankaracharya, a Hindu Saint and reformist in the 8th century. Secondly, these temples are of great religious significance. The Badrinath Temple has been revered as an abode of Lord Vishnu since the Vedic times, while the temple of Kedarnath is recognised as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Besides, the temple stands on the place from where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandava brothers, departed to heaven. Similarly, the exquisite architecture of the temple of Tungnath tempted the Maharaja so much that he created its replica in Patiala.

Besides the above, the temple of Goddess Kali, reverently called Kali Devi Mandir, is very popular in the entire northern region for its architectural grandeur. Maharaja Narinder Singh, who constructed this temple, held the goddess, a symbol of shakti, bhakti and universal humanitarianism, in great reverence.