Few fights have gone on for that long as the one between
Maharaja of Patiala and the Bhattals. If Amarinder’s
political rivalry with Bhattal is legendary stuff of Punjab
politics’ factionalism, it is because it is almost a minor
historical legacy. Over 200 years of rivalry. During the
2004 Parliamentary elections, when a Paramjit Kaur was
dipping into family legacy to suffix Gulshan to her name,
and Amarinder’s ancestral village was vowing to display its
loyalty, I wrote this as a slice of life piece in this
sprawling village of multiple panchayats.
Poor Bhattal! Over 200 years later Mehraaj still swears by its Maharaja
S P Singh
Dateline Mehraaj (Batinda)
FOREFATHER of the Patiala royals and founder of the Phulkian Misl’s fortunes Ram Singh, whose ancestors hailed from Mehraaj village, was engaged in warfare with the Bhattals in early 1730s to extend a hold on territories around Barnala, and later Baba Ala Singh extended fortunes to take in Sunam, Sanaur and Tohana.
Generations later, residents of Mehraaj are still proud of the fact that it is Punjab’s largest village. In this first Parliamentary joust of 21st century in Punjab, they are doubly happy.
Reason: The Patiala Maharaja still has an upper hand over Bhattal.
Administered by no less than four patwars and nine panchayats, Mehraaj villagers have seen their fortunes on an upswing ever since Amarinder Singh became Chief Minister.
And without being much able to spew out Communist ideology, the villagers are unequivocally supporting CPI’s candidate Kushal Bhaura for the Bathinda seat against Akali Dal’s Paramjit Kaur, daughter of Dhanna Singh Gulshan. The 12,000-vote village seems dipped in Congress flavour, though one does run into an Akali now and then.
“Just look around if you want to know why we support Amarinder,” Nand Singh proudly reels out the projects which came Mehraaj’s way after Amarinder’s ascent to the hot seat.
A Rs 6.5 crore water supply and sewerage project, street lights, Rs 4.5 crore spent on lining of drains and concrete drains, a Rs two crore community health centre, a Rs 9 lakh stadium, a Rs 16.5 lakh hall for gram sabha, a solar power plant for Rs two crore, a skill upgradation tool centre worth Rs 8 lakh, a milk chilling centre and a farmers training institute.
“Mehraaj is closest to Maharaja’s heart,” Gurpal Kaur, a 45-year-old resident said, proudly adding that she too was among nearly a hundred households which had organized Akhand Paaths for Amarinder Singh’s government when Rajinder Kaur Bhattal was demanding loudly in Delhi that the CM’s head must roll.
In fact, when the dissidents’ campaign was at its peak, Amarinder had kept his date with the villagers with a visit in mid-December.
Several villages have been carved out of Mehraaj over the years, but that hasn’t affected its status as the biggest village area wise.
Retired Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagroop Singh said had it not been for Amarinder, no one would have thought of doing so much for Mehraaj.
Villagers said for scores of years, Amarinder’s family, despite being centered in Patiala, have kept alive their contact with Mehraaj and invite sardars from major pattis to their palace in Patiala on every happy occasion.
Which is fine, since long after Amarinder leaves the Chief Minister job and gets on with life, Mehraaj will be one of the few villages tracking who has the upper hand – the Maharaja or Bhattal.
(May 5, 2004)