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The Ballad of Handur: Honor, Blood, and the Shadow of Bilaspur

Black and White Picture of Raja Ugar Singh of Hindur, 1840-1850 (from Archer's book on Punjab Hills Paintings) Picture the year: 1795. The foothills of the Shivaliks are tense, echoing with the tramp of armed men and the grinding pressure of regional rivalries. Down in the valleys, Raja Ram Saran Singh Handuriya of Handur (modern-day Nalagarh) is caught in a grinding political bind. For years, Handur has ridden the coattails of Kangra’s aggressive campaigns against its bitter historical rival, Bilaspur (then known as Kahlur). But looking out across his contested borders, Ram Saran Singh faces a heavier, more haunting question: Does he continue serving as a satellite to Kangra’s ambitions, or does he break away, side with Maha Chand and Bilaspur, and reclaim a fractured sense of Rajput honor? The friction between Handur and Bilaspur was rooted in continuous struggles over strategic border zones, crucial river-crossing points, and the Satgarha (seven forts) territory. Because Handur...
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The Last Maratha of Delhi

Okay, so long time, and a short diversion from the theme of this blog. Apologies in advance.
Ashokan Pillar at Hindu Rao Hospital (courtesy hindurao.com)

Very few people even in Delhi know the history of Hindu Rao Hospital in Delhi. Scene to one of the worst battles in the 1857 mutiny, this place also houses a baoli and an Ashokan edict, supposedly one of the several that Firoz Shah Tughlaq shifted to Delhi from random places within his empire (a popular one is at Firoz Shah Kotla (behind the cricket stadium) in Old Delhi. The place is located in the remnants of the Aravalli mountains in the northern parts of Delhi, more commonly known as the Ridge, and also houses a baoli. However, the building that houses the hospital was the haveli of a Maratha noble by the name of Raja Hindu Rao.

Raja Hindu Rao was the brother-in-law of Maharaja Daulat Rao Scindia of Gwalior, and the brother of the female regent of the Indian princely state of Gwalior. Following the Revolt of 1857, he shifted to Delhi where he was on friendly terms with the British Resident of Delhi, who came in post 1857. The house is believed to have been built by Edward Colebrooke, the Resident of Delhi between 1827 and 1829. Colebrooke was however sacked for being corrupt, and it went into the hands of William Fraser, another Resident in 1831. However, Fraser was murdered by the Nawab of Ferozepur Jhirka (part of Mewat district in Haryana) and the house was bought by Hindu Rao. The British bought the house after Rao's death in 1855, but it continued to be known as his house.

Raja Hindu Rao from Emily Eden's collection (Courtesy: British Library)

Hindu Rao was known to be quite fond of Delhi, much in line with the Scindias of past. However, he was known to be on excellent terms with the British. As per Emily Eden, sister to then Governor General of India, Lord Auckland,

"On a Revolution at Gwatia he retired to Delhi, where he now principally resides, and where he is well known in European society, with which he is fond of Mixing. Hindoo Rao is a very constant attendant on the person of the Governor-General (her brother, Lord Auckland) wherever he may be in the neighbourhood of Delhi; making a point, generally, of joining his suite and riding with him on his morning marches."

Comments

  1. N GhatgeNovember 18, 2020 at 9:03 AM

    hello it was interesting reading a blog on Raja Hindurao Ghatge..our family are the direct descendants of him...
    do you think the Delhi archives have more information on him.
    Kind Regards
    s. Nandita Ghatge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Holds A Sharp PenJanuary 13, 2021 at 1:11 AM

      Namaskar,

      You can reach out to the Hindu Rao Hospital staff, who can help on this. There have been some efforts to preserve the remains of the heritage wings.

      Also, there were books on the Scindia history that may help with more information on the same.

      Delete
  2. N GhatgeJune 26, 2021 at 6:46 PM

    Thank you so much

    ReplyDelete

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