|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kinship and State Formation: The Gills of Nabha THE Punjabis are known the world over for their rich and vibrant culture. Punjabiyat did not happen overnight but is a result of assimilation over the years of elements and essences of religion and culture of the varied people who ruled this land. From the Mughals, through the colonial rule, the Gill family of Nabha has been through many ups and downs. This chronology traces their history based on the accounts in a document in the possession of Gurpreet Singh Gill, whose ancestors were associated with the Nabha state for many generations.
While the authors could find a lot of facts in the said document, a bit of the information had to be implied. The document seems to have been inspired by the accession of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh to the gaddi of Nabha in 1912 and was prepared by Narain Singh Gill. He talks about the history of creation of villages due to disputes and acquisitions as in the case of Phul, Rampura and Kattu. It basically narrates the relationship between two individuals, related by being sons of two sisters, and their descendents from the mid-17th century to the 19th century. The way their relationship evolves over the years and culminates in one being the rulers and the others serving as members of the ruling class forms the essence of the text. The authors note that the language of the document is neither Punjabi nor Urdu, nor Braj, but a mixture of all three with ample phrases from Persian as well. They have included the original text, a chronology that makes for a quick reference at a glance and a glossary of words used in the text as well in the book. It also carries as an epilogue another document written by Dr Baldev Singh that is a candid observation written as "a short history of individuals of the family". He narrates a more personal account of the family and not just the political aspect of it that makes for a very interesting read. Based on this document, the authors have prepared three branches of the Gill family and their genealogy for five generations. The book is indeed a commendable effort and brings to fore the social and political implications of that time.
|
The
authors of this book, J.S. Grewal and Veena Sachdeva, have gathered data
from various sources and compiled it in an informative manner. The study
shows how the daring rulers of Nabha played upon the weakness of the
British rule and emerged as an independent state in 1765. The kinsmen,
especially the Gills, together subdued those who tried to rise against
their growing power. The authors have painstakingly put together a
series of maps that changed with the changing lines of control and
formation of new villages. There are tables that list the rulers of the
Nabha state along with their descendents and also one that records them
with their contemporaries at Patiala and Jind.