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UK Sikh historian rediscovers the Maharajas of Punjab
02/25/2008
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080222/punjab1.htm#11
What started as a casual interest in his Sikh lineage has become a labour of love on Sikh history for Peter (Bhupinder) Bance, a Sikh, whose great-grandparents migrated to the UK in early 1930s. Important aspects of life of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the son of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his family that were hitherto unknown would have been lost to the Sikhs but for the efforts of Peter.
Currently in Punjab, accompanied by his wife Satnam Kaur, Bance is researching material for his third book on Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In a chat with The Tribune, the author of “The Duleep Singh” and “The Sikhs in Britain”, both pictorial narration of history, he shared his discoveries that may surprise many Punjabis. “I have discovered that General Ventura - a great Italian with Mahraja Ranjit Singh, lies buried in a cemetery in Ludhiana.”
“The diamond Kohinoor was handed over to Maharaja Ranjit Singh by Afghan king Shah-Shuja-ul Mulkat in a building in Bhadaur House, (then the Bhadaur Fort) where Central Post office is located in Ludhiana.”
This author, historian, antiquarian and Maharaja Duleep Singh archivist is concerned at the fast pace of destruction of history. “There is no interest in preserving our heritage”, he says lamenting that the haveli of Rani Jindan, wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and mother of Duleep Singh in Amritsar, has been pulled down; the samadh of Maharaja Sher Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who ruled Punjab from 1841-43 has been destroyed.
Talking about his sojourn from a real estate agent into Sikh history, he recounts, “One day I casually accompanied a friend in London to see the house where Duleep Singh had lived. This kindled my interest in Sikh history and set off a series of events one leading to another. I started by advertising in local English papers for information about Queen Victoria’s godson Maharaja and was amazed when some people with first hand information, documents or pictures responded. Ultimately, it all culminated in my first book on Maharaja Duleep Singh. My interest has now turned into a full time job and it continues to grow”.
Bance probably has one of the biggest private collections of rare and old manuscripts, documents and reports relating to Punjab and the British interest in the state. He has original paintings of the princes Victor Duleep Singh and Fredric Duleep Singh, about 400 rare original prints of pictures showing Sikhs and Punjabis during historic occasions, many of which are reproduced in his books, over 300 signed books by authors, including the Cunningham’s 1849 book on Sikh history.
One of the rare books that Bance has brought with him is a qaida (book) in Gurmukhi written by Giani Partap Singh, a Sikh academician, scholar and calligraphist, who was also tutor of Duleep Singh in England and whose great-grandson Harpreet Giani is a Barrister in Chandigarh.
Some of the other rare collections Bance has acquired include a 300-year-old handwritten Guru Granth Sahib, one of the first. Rani Jindan’s belonging with him includes a jewellery box, her armlet, a tikka and pendent. He also has the original telegram sent by Duleep Singh intimating the British abut the death of Rani Jindan.
- By Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
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