Chandigarh, Sep 22 (PTI) Bringing alive the grandeur of Punjab’s royal past, a state bureaucrat has written a book, “Princely Punjab”, which the author says regales readers with stories of the dazzling extravagance of maharajas, of magnificent palaces and battlefield heroics, and of royal scandals and delicate alliances between empires.
Jashandeep Singh Kang’s book traces the rise and fall of eight erstwhile princely states — Patiala, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Jind, Malerkotla, Kalsia and Nalagarh.
Kang (34), a Punjab Civil Services Officer, is at present Assistant Labour Commissioner in the state.
The bureaucrat with an engineering background and a postgraduate degree in history, said the book was released here this Sunday in the presence of Preeti Singh Nabha from the House of Nabha; Amarinder Singh Brar House of Faridkot, former princely states; retired Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa; Lt General K J S Dhillon (retd), and Special DGP Punjab A S Rai.
Lt Gen Dhillon (retd) has described the book as a great read, saying Kang’s work is a wonderful narration of some of the never-told-before aspects of Punjab’s princely history, heritage, legacy, mists and myths.
Kang, who has earlier authored three books, including “Military History of the Sikhs: From the Battle of Bhangani to World War II”, said that good history books remain confined predominantly to scholars, while youth are learning history from reels and online content, where there is a possibility of absorbing misinformation.
He stated that the approach to writing about history, heritage, and culture should also adapt to changing times to maintain relevance, and that it is possible to present history as a story without compromising on objectivity, “Princely Punjab” is an attempt in that direction, he adds.
Kang said that “Princely Punjab” journeys through numerous stories highlighting the iconic royal houses of Patiala, Kapurthala, Nabha, Jind, Faridkot, Malerkotla, Kalsia, and Nalagarh, where legendary rulers shaped history amid invasions, imperial rivalries, political intrigue, and forbidden ambitions, till the establishment of PEPSU, that is, the Patiala and East Punjab States Union, in 1948.
He said that Punjab had seen these royal houses thrive, from the mists of Chail to the sands of Malwa-Punjab. India’s independence led to their accession into the Union of India.
On July 15, 1948, the princely states were amalgamated into a short-lived entity called the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), which was eventually merged into the Indian state of Punjab following the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, he says.
Kang suggested that this princely heritage holds significant economic potential for the state.
Just as Rajasthan generates massive revenue from fort tourism and heritage-site tourism, the same can be replicated in Punjab by building on the circuit model of tourism already adopted.
Accordingly, a Princely Punjab Heritage Tourism Circuit can be established, wherein heritage sites across all eight princely states can be identified, upgraded, and connected into a circuit model of tourism.
This will not only boost tourism and awareness of heritage but will also generate employment and give a thrust to the hospitality sector, he feels. PTI SUN NB
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(PTI News)
