Bhai Vir Singh.pdf - Vidhia.com

54 / Bhai Vir Singh
mountains. He had no male heir and married his daughter to
Sadhu Singh's son Surat Singh. Upon his death, Surat Singh
succeeded to his title. But, although he was nowthe chief of a
small territory, he never failed to answer the call of his
compatriot Sikhs whenever they needed his help in battle. In
one such battle Rana Surat Singh was killed.
This shattered the world of Raj Kaur whose love for her
husband was tender beyond words. Nothing could assuage
the pain of her heart. Duties of state which fell to her on her
accession to the gaddi engaged not her attention. "She had
the ashes of the burnt body of her husbandbrought to herand
entombedthemin a shrine of white marble onstreambank on
the summit of a small hill. Her mother dissuaded her, but she
did not listen to anyone. She had sculptors sent for from Agra
and had a life-size white statue of the Rana made. She placed
it in a temple especially erected for the purpose. Thus did she
occupy herself in her love irrepressible. Never for a moment
was she abstracted from her sorrow."l
RaniRaj Kaur"wasslim ofbuild,willowylike anuntouched
sprout. Youthful in years and beauty was she...Her eyes of
wonderous charm were sadness-begirt. And sunk low they
were sapped by constant weeping. Look, there comes she
uttering sighs of grief, rapt in melancholy, oblivious of
everything. Shereaches nearthetomb andstopswitha startle.
. . Her eyes heavy with tears, she supplicates thus: '0 brother
river, make not the noise. Go gently past, noiselessly, lest thy
murmurbeheardinsideandthelovedone asleep bedisturbed.
Sleeps he without a care and he turns not on his side. Aweary
with many fatigues, he has come to his rest. .. Go slowly by
slippinggently.' So saying, herheartburstinsideherandtears
leapt to hereyes...Like thejewellerbedeckinghis shop with
jewels, she set flowers lovingly in the shrine. As she set the
flowers, tears as large as hail dropped from her eyes."2
1. Author's preface, Rana SuratSingh, 7th edition, p.v.
2. Rana Surat Singh, pp. 2-3.
Page 62 of 108