By Amaninder Sharma

The Times of Inida  Nov 16, 2014

Earliet known portrait of M. Ranjit Singh

PATIALA: Successive Punjab governments have made it a point to celebrate Maharaja Ranjit Singh's birth anniversary on November 13 at Badrukhan village in Sangrur district, but even after 170 years of his death there is a debate over where the only king of Punjab was born.

Contrary to the claims of the Punjab governments, which have held several functions at Badrukhan in the past two decades calling the village real birthplace of Ranjit Singh, eminent historians - both British and Punjabi - are of the view that the Maharaja was born not in the Sangrur village but in Gujranwala (now in Pakistan) on November 13, 1780.

Eminent Sikh historian J S Grewal has said that early records established that Ranjit Singh was born in Gujranwala. "Yes, there is debate over the birthplace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The reference of his birth in Badrukhan become popular only in the late 19th century when princely states established their authority in Malwa region of Punjab," he told TOI.

Even the Imperial Gazetteer of India published by the British in 1909 stated that Ranjit Singh was born in Gujranwala.

Raghunath Rai, in his textbook 'History of Sikhs', wrote, "Eminent historians Lepel Griffin, W L McGregor and W G Osborne are of the view that Ranjit Singh was born in Gujranwala."

Rai, however, cited that historians like Khushwant Singh, who wrote the most extensive 'A History of the Sikhs', and Ranjit Singh's court historian S L Suri believed that the Maharaja was born in Badrukhan.

Legend has it that Ranjit Singh was born in Badrukhan, her mother Raj Kaur's native village, which was under the jurisdiction of Jind princely state then ruled by descendants of Phulkian misl. Those citing Badrukhan as Ranjit Singh's birthplace cite the age-old tradition whereby expectant mothers would move to their native places before giving birth to a child. Ruins of a big fort still exist in the village. Folklore that Maharaja was born in the fort at Badrukhan is a part of the legend popular in the region.

However, Kirpal Singh, who was honoured with title of 'Professor of Sikhism' by Akal Takht, rubbished the theory, and said it was consciously generated by a section of politicians after the partition of Punjab.

"Quoting early primary sources, all British historians had established that Ranjit Singh was born in Gujranwala. Moreover, it doesn't sounds rational that before Ranjit Singh birth, her mother would travel around 300 kilometers from Gujranwala to Badrukhan. There are ample sources, which state that Ranjit Singh was born in Gujranwala in the haveli of Maha Singh located near the old vegetable market of the town. There must be some political reasons behind projecting Badrukhan as his birthplace. It all started after Punjab's division," said Prof Kirpal told TOI.

Interestingly, citing Badrukhan as Maharaja's birthplace, the state government announced various projects, including a Sher-e-Punjab Memorial Park and a stadium in the village, but these plans are yet to see the light of the day.