Col J P Singh
90 years ago, Dr Karan Singh was born as Heir to the throne of princely State of Jammu and Kashmir. He would have ruled the State as monarch had the history of the sub-continent followed its chronology right. Nevertheless, he rules over the minds and hearts of vast spectrum of people world over as can be seen from the photographic retrospective of his eventful public life in Amar Mahal Museum.The display tells that His Excellency is an inseparable constituent of not only pre and post independence socio-political history of India but also of the contemporary world. It tells the story of the Prince, the inheritor of largest empire in British India, turning into formidable intellectual and world renowned statesman. The pictorial retrospective is a presentation of his life journey beginning from France. It covers his childhood, schooling, royal wedding, heading the State in various capacities and his role in national and international socio-political spheres which can hardly be projected in papers, periodicals and books due to space constraints.
The charming Yuvraj who started his glorious journey of life, all the way from France, as back as March 9, 1931, continues to traverse the globe non-stop illuminating the world intellectually and spiritually. When he was born, Mahatma Gandhi led independence movement was challenging the British slavery in India. Seeing independence in the offing, the Maharaja and Maharani groomed him for a democratic role in independent India. Partition led independence plunged J&K in great turmoil. That catapulted Yuvraj into active politics. Under the compelling circumstances HH Maharaja Hari Singh left the State for good, appointing Yuvraj as Regent on June 20, 1949. Barely 18, he handled subsequent transformation from monarchy to democracy remarkably well which was liked by Pt. Nehru. He himself terminated monarchy in J&K on September 15, 1952.But with that his role didn’t end. Constituent Assembly of J&K elected him Sadar-e-Riyasat. In 1967 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called him to Delhi for more important political role in the Central Govt. He was the youngest and most handsome minister in her Cabinet.
The prince turned politician of J&K indeed had qualities that made him an extraordinary politician to make one wonder how he strayed into this world of tumultuous politics from a feudal ancestry. It was the political turmoil in the sub-continent at the time of partition that forced him into politics. Had that not happened, he would have ruled Jammu and Kashmir as an autocratic ruler like his forefathers. But the destiny had some other plans for him to which he adjusted remarkably. He aspired to be the prime minister or president of India.While in Delhi, he continued pursuing his political ambitions while gaining and spreading knowledge and spiritualism.
A remarkable aspect of his life is not that he couldn’t realize his dreams but it is his spiritual evolution in the tumultuous events of contemporary Indian history despite attempting big deals in politics.Otherwise reticent about his achievements, he has revealed on many occasions that he wished to be Prime Minister or President of India for which he had positioned himself comfortably in Delhi at a very young age. He has said, “when Indira Gandhi brought her son Sanjay Gandhi in politics, I realised that I stand no chance now”. Hence he fell apart with Indira Gandhi when she clamped emergency in India. Even after Sanjay Gandhi lost his life in a fatal accident, his chances remained dim because he had lost favours of Indira Gandhi. An opportunity did come his way during the first UPA term. He was all set to be nominated for the top constitutional post at the behest of Dr. Manmohan Singh but the Left Parties grounded his chances because of his feudal inheritance and study/work on Hinduism. He is a Hindu but secular. Being Hindu, he never ever made any public exhibition of Hinduism. Yet he paid the price for being a Hindu scholar. It wasn’t a small price to pay. Being Hindu in secular India is still considered a taboo. Dr. Karan Singh could not be an exception.To be ambitious and pursuing ambitions is common to every human being. But stretching them too far is to err. To that extent the Prince was no exception that too when he had big doors open for him elsewhere also.
Though a loser in political field, he is a big winner in spiritual field. Searching for enlightenment, he rarely seems to have missed an opportunity of engaging with the enlightened world. His views on Hinduism unshackles him from the narrow and rigid definition of religion and truth. His conversations with Japanese thinker Daisaku Ikeda of Nichiren Buddhism Sect and Dalai Lama, spiritual and political head of Tibet, are given in his book, ‘an Examined Life’. It is an educating and invigorating compendium. Do we know that his first book was ‘The Mountain of Shiva’, a work of fiction written over 50 years ago about spiritual quest in Kashmir which was even made into seven parts Television Serial. Deep philosophies, intense wisdom and scenic descriptions of Kashmir are combined into this appealing narrative/compendium. It is a novel with a spiritual quest in which the author takes the readers to on an exhilarating journey to the snow clad peaks of Kashmir valley and deep layers of philosophy through an engaging story of love, compassion, misunderstanding and friendship. It remains one and only novel written by the heir apparent.
His intellect and influence has always fallen upon the world like that of the gentle dew, unheard and scarcely marked, yet bringing into blossom the fairest of the universe.
Dr. Karan Singh is a unique instant of the last representative of the old order becoming, by the will of people, the first representative of the new order. Out of the past is built future. Our state has a history of its own to offer to the world. Our ancestors were great. Dr. Karan Singh is one such great personality who offers our glorious past to the posterity. We must recall him more often and enlighten ourselves by his knowledge. The more we study his distinguished life, more will be our knowledge of the past. And whoever tries to bring the past to the doors of everyone is the greatest benefactor to the society and the nation. To that extent Dr. Karan Singh has been very successful. He sought less favours and perhaps gave even lesser. In that sense he is a living rarity.
His distinguished service to the humanity, spanning over 72 years, in various capacities, has made him eminently renowned statesman. I am sure history will judge him as a real legend, not to the large status he inherited but the path on which he trampled on.
Knowing that Jammu will remain discriminated under the political structure favouring Kashmir, he repeatedly advocated dialogue with Dogras with Pt. Nehru, knowing fully well that it was not easy to stand up to his bias against Dogras. But he did it most consciously retreating and submitting when the occasion so demanded. Ironically whenever he tried to convince Nehru of discrimination of Jammu by Sheikh Abdullah, Nehru saw him as a conspirator to derail democracy and secularism in the State. The warnings and the solutions offered by Dr Karan Singh, on numerous occasions, to Nehru and Indira Gandhi were ignored and what was asked by Kashmiri leaders was conceded. Nehru’s letter to Dr. Karan Singh of September 9, 1952 in connection with Jammu grievances suggested that problems of Jammu are not political but communal.
Reacting to the reorganisation of the State, former Sadar-e-Riyasat said, “all empires invariably come to an end and this, in case of J&K, was no exception”.In an exclusive statement issued to Daily Excelsior, he said: “It will be useful to recall how it was created and what a significant role it played in our strategic and geo-political history since the last two centuries. This multi-regional, multi-cultural, multi-linguistic and multi-religious state continued until October 26, 1947 when my father signed the Instrument of Accession to India”.
“It was an empire ruled for 101 years by the Dogras and then for 72 years by the Kashmiris. Half of the empire was lost when India signed the ceasefire agreement with Pakistan. This left huge area of Gilgit-Baltistan and the Western Muzaffarabad-Mirpur under Pakistan control, involving roughly half the geographical area of the original State and a third of its population”.
“It is not generally appreciated that the original State of Jammu and Kashmir covering 84,000 square miles, the largest princely State in British India, was in fact a Dogra empire built up at great efforts and sacrifices by my ancestors Maharaja Gulab Singh and Maharaja Ranbir Singh, who extended the frontiers of India to the borders of Tibet and Central Asia. This involved sustained military endeavors by the Dogra Army led by legendary Generals like Zorawar Singh, who conquered Ladakh, General Baj Singh and Mehta Basti Ram, who conquered Gilgit.
The Dogras thus substantially extended the Northern frontiers of India which otherwise may not have gone beyond the Banihal range. This is a feat for which the Dogras have not received the credit that they deserve in our history books and in our general imagination”;the former Sadar-e-Riyasat reiterated. Till that is done, his regrets will persist.
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
Follow our WhatsApp channel
