Badan Singh
{{Short description|Founder and Raja of Bharatpur from 1722–1755}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox monarch
| name = Badan Singh
| title = Raja of Bharatpur
| image = Detail of Raja Badan Singh from a painting from an illustrated 'Sujan Charitra' series, by Ramji, Jaipur School, circa mid-to-late 18th century (cropped).jpg
| caption = Portrait of Raja Badan Singh
| succession = Raja of Bharatpur
| reign = 18 November 1722 – 21 May 1755
| coronation =
| predecessor = Muhkam Singh
| successor = Maharaja Suraj Mal
| spouse =
| issue =
| royal house = Sinsiniwar Dynasty
| father = Roop Singh
| mother =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date = 21 May 1755
| death_place = Deeg
| place of burial =
| religion = Hinduism
}}
Maharaja Badan Singh (Reign: 1722 – 21 May 1755) was the formal founder and first Maharaja of the Bharatpur state. He was a nephew of Rao Churaman Singh. After Churaman's death on 20 September 1721 there were family disputes between Badan Singh and Churaman's son Muhkam Singh. Badan Singh aligned with Jai Singh II of Jaipur to avoid the wrath of Muhkam Singh. In this family feud, Jai Singh supported Badan Singh.
Early life
Badan Singh was born to a Hindu Jat family to Roop Singh who was the jagirdar of Deeg, Rajasthan. He was the nephew of Rao Churaman Singh, then the chief of Thun stronghold.{{Cite book |last=Bhanu |first=Dharma |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Province_of_Agra.html?id=CctFMm9HSH8C#v=onepage&q=nephew%20Churaman%20badan%20singh&f=false |title=The Province of Agra: Its History and Administration |date=1979 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |language=en}}
Ancestors
The Hindu Jat rulers of Bharatpur kingdom and Braj claim descent from Lord Shri Krishna. One of their ancestor was Shobha Singh who held his sway over Bayana, he attacked the modern-day Sinsini region and defeated the native tribe of Kalal Chandars.{{Cite book |last=Dwivedi |first=Girish Chandra |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Jats_Their_Role_in_the_Mughal_Empire.html?id=AR5uAAAAMAAJ |title=The Jats, Their Role in the Mughal Empire |last2=Prasad |first2=Ishwari |date=1989 |publisher=Arnold Publishers |isbn=978-81-7031-150-8 |language=en}}
Architecture
G.C. Dwivedi writes:
Badan Singh Jat 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 as at 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 21 May 1755 with the usual suspicion of him being poisoned, though there were no imaginable grounds for this.{{cn|date=June 2022}}
Raja Muhkam Singh's downfall
Muhkam Singh, the Jat ruler of Thun (after Rao Churaman Singh) was unpopular in the Sinsinwar clan at that time. He was challenged by Deeg chief Badan Singh was forced to retreat from the fort of Thoon after being attacked by Jai Singh's and Raja Badan Singh's army. On 7-8th November 1722 Raja Muhkam fledSingh escaped to Jodhpur, awhose Mughal armychief was sent to chase him, however he washis saved by the Maharaja of Jodhpurally. BadanHe Singhspent washis thuslater madelife thethere Thakurand oftook Bharatpurhis bylast Jaibreath Singhin Ajmer.[https://books.google.com/books?id=O0oPIo9TXKcC&q=maharaja+surajmal+jaipur Jadunath Sarkar, History of Jaipur: C. 1503-1938, pg171]
Military Career
Battle of Mandu (1729)
Raja Badan Singh was an ally of Jai Singh II of Jaipur. Jai Singh was given the Subedari of Malwa in October 1729, then he attacked Marathas at Mandu. Jai Singh asked for Raja Badan Singh's help and the Jat army proceeded towards Mandu town under the leadership of prince Sujan Singh (later known as Maharaja Surajmal) and helped the Jaipur forces to capture Mandu.https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.443996
Battle of Bhopal (1737)
Jai Singh II sent his army against Peshwa Bajirao and Raja Badan Singh also sent an army for Jai Singh's help under his son and the Raja of Weir- Pratap Singh.{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=upendar Nath |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.443996 |title=Maharaja Surajmal Jaat |date=1986}} In an engagement Jat army of Raja Pratap Singh defeated Bajirao, mentioned by contemporary poet Sudan{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=upendar Nath |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.443996 |title=Maharaja Surajmal Jaat |date=1986}}
Battle of Gangwana (1741)
Jat forces under the leadership of Raja Badan Singh defeated Rajputs under Bakht Singh Rathore of Jodhpur with Jai Singh II.{{Cite book |last=Sahai |first=Jwala |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/History_of_Bhurtpore.html?id=H19OAQAAMAAJ#v=onepage&q=gangwana%20surajmal&f=false |title=History of Bhurtpore |date=1898 |publisher=Patrika Press |language=en}}
References
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Category:Rulers of Bharatpur state