Badan Singh

Badan Singh
Raja of Bharatpur
Portrait of Raja Badan Singh
Raja of Bharatpur
Reign	1722–1755 AD
Predecessor	Muhkam Singh
Successor	Maharaja Suraj Mal
Died	21 May 1755 Deeg
House	Sinsinwar Jat Dynasty
Father	Churaman
Religion	Hinduism

Badan Singh (Reign: 1722–21 May 1755) was the formal founder of the princely state of Bharatpur. He was nephew of Rao Churaman Singh. After the death of Churaman Singh on 22 September 1721 there were family disputes between Badan Singh and Muhkam, son of Churaman. Badan Singh aligned with Jai Singh II of Jaipur to avoid the anger of Muhkam Singh. In this family feud, Jai Singh supported Badan Singh.

Architecture[]

Badan Singh had some aesthetic sense and a taste for architecture too, which is testified by the remains of his numerous buildings and garden-palaces. He beautified the fort of Deeg with handsome palaces, which are known as the Purana Mahal.

At Weir in the Bayana district, he planted within the fort a large garden with a beautiful house and reservoirs in the centre, now called Phul-bari.

He also built palaces at Kamar as well Sahar, which are now in ruin, and dedicated a temple at Brindaban, known by the poetic name of Dhir Samir.

Badan Singh lived to a ripe old age, which he spent in happy retirement at Sahar, leaving the management of his State to his most capable son Suraj Mal. He died on the 21 May 1755 under the usual suspicion of being poisoned, though there was no imaginable ground for it.

Muhkams downfall[]

Muhkam was a capable leader, he had proved his martial ability by defeating and killing the deputy subedar of Agra and by defeating Sadat Khan, the viceroy of Agra. Muhkam had also challenged Mughal authority by helping rebels like Ajit Singh of Mewar and Chattrasal of Bundi. The Mughal emperor had no choice but to send Jai singh II of Amber against the Jats. Jai Singh prepared an army of 14,000 men and marched towards the Jat strongholds. Muhkam was forced to retreat to the fort of Thun, he attacked Jai Singhs army at night several times leading to heavy losses on both sides. However day by day the heavy artillery of the besiegers was felt by the garrison. Muhkam knew that the fort would fall within a short time so he carried as much treasure as he could and destroyed the rest with gunpowder. On 7-8th November 1722 Muhkam fled to Jodhpur where he paid the Jodhpur Maharaja three lakh rupees to help him against Jai Singh. A Jodhpur army was sent under Bijairaj Bhandari to save Thun, however by the time the Jodhpur army reached Jobner, it was too late as most of the Jat strongholds had fallen and many smaller forts had been dismantled. Muhkam had no choice but to go into exile, a Mughal army was sent to chase him, however he was saved by the Maharaja of Jodhpur. Badan Singh was thus made the Thakur of Bharatpur by Jai Singh.^[1]

References[]

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