Baba Ala Singh

Baba Ala Singh was the founder of the Patiala state. He was born in 1691 at Phul, in present Bathinda district, the third son of Bhai Ram Singh. His grandfather Baba Phul had been blessed by Guru Hargobind, and his father and uncle were initiated by Guru Gobind Singh, who blessed the family as his own. Ala Singh took pahul in 1732 from Nawab Kapur Singh.

Key moments

• 1722. After the execution of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716 he gathered a band of young followers and set up his headquarters at Barnala with about 30 villages.
• 1731. Defeated Rai Kalha of Raikot.
• 1745 to 1748. Held by Ali Muhammad Khan Ruhela, the Mughal governor of Sirhind, until the governor fled when Ahmad Shah Durrani approached in February 1748. On 11 March 1748 he sided with the Mughals at Manupur, cut off Durrani's supplies and captured his camels and horses.
• 1760 to 1761. He held 726 villages by the end of 1760. At Panipat in 1761 he supplied foodgrain to the besieged Maratha camp. On 29 March 1761 Durrani issued a written decree recognising his sovereignty over his territories.
• February 1762. He stayed neutral in the Vadda Ghallughara. Durrani devastated Barnala in punishment, and Ala Singh had to pay 1.25 lakh rupees and then another 5 lakh to secure his release at Lahore.
• 1763. Built a fort at one of the Sanaur villages, which became his permanent seat and later grew into Patiala.
• 1764 to 1765. Joined Jassa Singh Ahluwalia in the attack on Sirhind in 1764. During Durrani's seventh invasion in 1765 Durrani confirmed him as governor of Sirhind. Durrani also granted him the title Raja, with robes of honour, a drum and a banner.
• 7 August 1765. Died at Patiala and was cremated in the fort. His three sons, Bhima Singh, Sardul Singh and Lal Singh, had died before him.

He is remembered as the first Phulkian chief to found a state, and his house became the Patiala princely line. His record sits in two parts: he fought beside the Dal Khalsa against the Mughals and at Sirhind, and he also held land by the written decree of the Afghan invader and stayed out of the fighting in 1762.