>Daiaespera at 07:49, 19 April 2021

2021-04-19T07:49:47Z

New page

{{more citations needed|date=October 2007}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
[[File:Bikrama Singh.jpg|thumb|Kanwar Bikrama Singh Bahadur of Kapurthala]]
Kanwar Sri '''Bikrama Singh Bahadur''' (1835–8 May 1887) was a 19th-century [[Sikh]] leader.

==Early life and political contribution==
[[File:Crest of Bikrama Singh.jpg|thumb|Crest of Bikrama Singh]]

Born in [[Kapurthala]] as the second son of Raja Nihal Singh of [[Kapurthala State|Kapurthala]] (from his second Rani, the philanthropist Mai Hiran). He was one of the main progenitors of the 19th Century Sikh Renaissance, being one of the founders of the [[Singh Sabha|Singh Sabha Movement]] aimed at a revival of the Gurudwaras as centres of worship and learning which ultimately culminated in the Gurudwara Reform movement and led to the liberation of the Gurudwaras from the clutches of the hereditary Mahants.<ref name="Volume-II 1974">A History of the Sikhs by [[Khushwant Singh]], Volume-II : 1939-1974, Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1962, Page-141</ref><ref>The Singh Sabha and Other Socio-Religious Movements in The Punjab (1850-1925), Punjabi University, Patiala, 1997, Page-29,46</ref><ref name="SikhEnc">The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Punjabi University, Patiala, Page-371</ref> He was married and two of his children were Colonel The Hon'ble Kanwar [[Pratap Singh of Kapurthala]], [[Order of the Star of India|KCSI]] and The Hon'ble [[Raja Sir Daljit Singh]] of Kapurthala, [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire|KBE]], [[Companion of the Order of the Star of India|CSI]].<ref name="Volume-II 1974"/>

He was also one of the supporters of the claims of Maharaja [[Duleep Singh]] of the Punjab, the son of the Maharaja [[Ranjit Singh]] and, along with the Sandhawalia Sardars, sought to muster support for Duleep Singh amongst the Sikh Sardars of the erstwhile Lahore Durbar.

==As patron of the arts and builder==

He founded the Khalsa Press Lahore<ref name="SikhEnc" /> as well as the "Khalsa Akhbar", the first journal for the Sikhs.<ref name="SikhEnc" />

He was well versed in [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Sanskrit]], and [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and a very eminent musicologist a great proponent of Modern Learning and of women's education, he was the Author of "Upma Sar Granth".<ref name="SikhEnc" />

He was instrumental in saving the lives of the royal musicians at the Mughal Court of Delhi during the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]; he gave them shelter at his court in [[Kapurthala]], thus laying the foundation of the Kapurthala Gharana of Hindustani Classical Music.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121020152006/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-10-08/chandigarh/27326746_1_classical-music-heritage-and-tourism-sikh Musical spotlight on Kapurthala’s heritage-Chandigarh-Cities-The Times of India]</ref><ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031115/windows/main1.htm The Tribune - Magazine section - Windows]</ref>

Bikrama Singh had constructed, as his personal residence, the first French inspired building in Kapurthala, the Elysee Palace. (His example was later followed by the francophile Maharaja [[Jagatjit Singh]], who constructed the famous French inspired Jagatjit Palace at Kapurthala). When he relocated to Jullunder, he built for himself another residence, Bikram Hall; it has since been demolished, though the grounds, now referred to as Bikrampura, still bear his name.

==Dispute with the Raja of Kapurthala==
His father Raja Nihal Singh wanted him to succeed to the throne but this was opposed by the British. His father's will, which entitled him to inherit large estates, was challenged by his brother, Raja Randhir Singh. After long litigation, a settlement was arrived at by which Bikrama Singh was given a pension by the state; under the terms of this settlement, Bikrama Singh left Kapurthala to settle in [[Jullunder]].<ref name="The Punjab 1910">Chief and Families of Note in The Punjab, Volume-II, Lahore-1910, Page-421</ref><ref>Raja of The Punjab by Sir, Lepel Henry Griffin, Lahore-1870, Pages: 552-575</ref>

==Settlement of estates through the Bikrama Singh Estates Act==
He was the joint owner of the Kapurthala Estate in Awadh, [[Uttar Pradesh]]. When he sought a partition of this Estate his brother, Raja Randhir Singh opted to keep the Estate undivided and, instead, chose to compensate Bikrama Singh. A settled amount was deposited into a Trust which was used to procure a fresh Estate for Bikrama Singh. The lands finally vested in Bikrama Singh in the districts of [[Sitapur]] and [[Rae Bareli]] in the United Provinces (present day Uttar Pradesh) were formalized by the central government through the Bikrama Singh Estates Act 1883 (an unrepealed Act of the Government of India).<ref name="The Punjab 1910" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/gaz_kpt2.htm |title=(b) |access-date=1 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307062816/http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/gaz_kpt2.htm |archive-date=7 March 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

He died at Jullunder on 8 May 1887.

==See also==
* [[Bikrama Singh's Estates Act]]
* [[The Kapurthala Royal Collateral Families]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
* A History of the Sikhs by Khushwant Singh, Volume-II : 1939–1974, Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1962, Page-141
* The Singh Sabha and Other Socio-Religious Movements in The Punjab (1850–1925), Punjabi University, Patiala, 1997, Page-29,46
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121020152006/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-10-08/chandigarh/27326746_1_classical-music-heritage-and-tourism-sikh ]
* http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031115/windows/main1.htm
* Chief and Families of Note in The Punjab, Volume-II, Lahore-1910, Page-421
* The Raja of The Punjab by Sir, Lepel Henry Griffin, Lahore-1870, Pages: 552-575
* Chief and Families of Note in The Punjab, Volume-II, Lahore-1910, Page-421
* http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/gaz_kpt2.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307062816/http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/gaz_kpt2.htm |date=7 March 2008 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [http://uqconnect.net/~zzhsoszy/ips/k/kapurthala.html Kapurthala, princely state, genealogy]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Bikrama}}
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:People from Kapurthala]]
[[Category:History of Sikhism]]
[[Category:1835 births]]
[[Category:1887 deaths]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]

Bikrama Singh - Revision history

>Daiaespera at 07:49, 19 April 2021