ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>R&#256&#7750&#298 R&#256J&#298NDRAMAT&#298 CHARITRA</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i>R&#256&#7750&#298 R&#256J&#298NDRAMAT&#298 CHARITRA</i> by S&#257hib Si&#7749gh Mrigind is a versified account (<i>charitra</i> character; portrayal) in Braj (Gurmukh&#299 characters) of Queen (r&#257&#7751&#299= queen) J&#299nd&#257&#7749, the wife of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, here referred to as R&#257jindramat&#299. S&#257hib Si&#7749gh Mrigind (c. 1800-1876) who later became the court poet in the princely state of J&#299nd, served the Sikh Darb&#257r in the early years of his life, but had to leave Lahore following differences with R&#257&#7751&#299 J&#299nd&#257&#7749 (Jind Kaur), widow of the Sikh sovereign. Because of his personal grudge against her and because of his loyalty to the Jind rulers who were pro-British, he presents the R&#257&#7751&#299 in very poor light. The poet's attitude is clearly pro-British. The work has so far remained unpublished. Of the two known manuscript copies, one (No. 41) is preserved in the Languages Department, Punjab, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, and the other in the private collection of Dr Ga&#7751&#7693&#257 Si&#7749gh at Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. The work was completed by the poet in 1909 Bk/AD 1852, and the Languages Department manuscript, written in the hand of one Gop&#257l Si&#7749gh, is dated 1949 Bk/AD 1892. It comprises 219 folios, each folio having 8+8 lines on it, whereas the second manuscript has 207 folios with 6+6 lines on each folio. The manuscript opens with a description of the beauty of the city of Lahore and the pomp and glory of the Sikh court. This is followed by the poet's tribute or eulogy to Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh. R&#257&#7751&#299 J&#299nd Kaur's father, Mann&#257 Si&#7749gh, one of the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257's employees, married his young daughter to the ageing Mah&#257r&#257j&#257. J&#299nd Kaur is presented in this work as a very beautiful and voluptuous woman. All the court intrigues after Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's death which took the lives of many members of the royal family and which ultimately led to the downfall of the Sikh kingdom are attributed to her. The work concludes with verses in praise of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Narinder Si&#7749gh (1824-62) of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 and R&#257j&#257 Sar&#363p Si&#7749gh (1837-64) of J&#299nd, who was the poet's patron.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Gurmukh Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>