# Nabha State

Nabha State, with its capital at Nabha, was one of the Phulkian princely states of Punjab during the British Raj in India. This state was ruled by Jats of Sidhu clan belonging to Sikh religion.

## History
### Origin

The ruling house of Nabha belonged to the Phulkian dynasty, sharing a common ancestor named Tiloka with the Jind rulers. Tiloka (r. 1652–1687) was the eldest son of Phul Sidhu of the Phulkian dynasty. The Nabha rulers descend from Gurditta (Gurdit Singh; r. 1687–1754), the elder son of Tiloka. Gurditta was the founder of the localities of Dhanaula and Sangrur. Sangrur was the headquarters of the state till it was captured by Jind State. Gurditta died in 1754. His only son Surat (or Suratya) Singh had died two years earlier in 1752, leaving his grandson, Hamir Singh, as the next in line. Hamir Singh was the founder of the locality of Nabha and the first ruler of Nabha State.

### Foundation of the locality and state

The locality of Nabha was founded by Hamir Singh of the Phulkian dynasty in 1755, whilst the state itself was founded slightly after in 1763 by Hamir Singh. The state at that period of time was composed of twelve scattered territories. Hamir Singh died in 1783 and was succeeded by Jaswant Singh. However, a regency was in-place between 1783–1790. Jaswant Singh assumed full control on 1790 and ruled until 1840.

### Alliance with the British

Between 1807 and 1808, the ruler of Nabha was afforded British protection from the threat posed by Ranjit Singh and his encroaching Lahore State. Nabha State was loyal to the British during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, earning territory grants as a reward due to this. In 1911, Hira Singh took-on the maharaja title. Ripudaman Singh abdicated the throne of Nabha on 8 July 1923.

### Dissolution

In the happenings of Indian independence in 1947, Nabha was one of the five Phulkian states that merged to become P.E.P.S.U., which itself was gradually merged into Punjab state.

## State forces

The Nabha State Force consisted of a 500-strong infantry unit, including the Nabha Akal Infantry.

## List of rulers

| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Reign | Enthronement |
| Sardars ||||||
| 1 | Hamir Singh (died 1783) | 1763 – 1783 | ? |
| Rajas ||||||
| 2 | Jaswant Singh (1775 – 22 May 1840) | 1783 – 1840 | ? |
| 3 | Devinder Singh (5 September 1822 – 14/15 November 1865) | 1840 – 1846 | 15 October 1840 |
| 4 | Bharpur Singh (5 October 1840 – 9 November 1863) | 1846 – November 1863 | ? |
| 5 | Bhagwan Singh (30 November 1842 – 31 May 1871) | 1863 – 1871 | 17 February 1864 |
| Maharajas ||||||
| 6 | Hira Singh (19 December 1843 – 24 December 1911) | 1871 – 1911 | 10 August 1871 |
| 7 | Ripudaman Singh (4 March 1883 – 14 December 1942) | 1911 – 1923 | 24 January 1912 |
| 8 | Pratap Singh (21 September 1919 – 22 July 1995) | 1923 – 1948 | |

## Demographics

Religious groups in Nabha State (British Punjab province era) :
| Religious group | 1881 | 1881 | 1891 | 1891 | 1901 | 1901 | 1911 | 1911 | 1921 | 1921 | 1931 | 1931 | 1941 | 1941 |
| Religious group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Hinduism | 133,571 | 51.02% | 164,905 | 58.32% | 160,553 | 53.89% | 126,414 | 50.79% | 133,870 | 50.84% | 132,354 | 46.02% | 146,518 | 43.09% |
| Sikhism | 77,682 | 29.67% | 63,047 | 22.3% | 78,361 | 26.3% | 76,198 | 30.62% | 78,389 | 29.77% | 97,452 | 33.89% | 122,451 | 36.01% |
| Islam | 50,178 | 19.16% | 54,397 | 19.24% | 58,550 | 19.65% | 46,032 | 18.5% | 50,756 | 19.27% | 57,393 | 19.96% | 70,373 | 20.7% |
| Jainism | 375 | 0.14% | 397 | 0.14% | 476 | 0.16% | 238 | 0.1% | 278 | 0.11% | 309 | 0.11% | 480 | 0.14% |
| Christianity | 18 | 0.01% | 10 | 0% | 7 | 0% | 5 | 0% | 41 | 0.02% | 66 | 0.02% | 221 | 0.06% |
| Zoroastrianism | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Buddhism | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Judaism | — | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Others | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0% |
| Total population | 261,824 | 100% | 282,756 | 100% | 297,949 | 100% | 248,887 | 100% | 263,334 | 100% | 287,574 | 100% | 340,044 | 100% |
| Note: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. |||||||||||||||

## Gallery

* Photograph of Gurdwara Siropa Sahib in Nabha state, where historical Sikh relics and artefacts were kept for safe-keeping, published in Mahan Kosh (1930), c.1920s.
* Photograph of the Hira Mahal building in Nabha state, published in Mahan Kosh (1930), c.1920s.