Col J P Singh, Retd
Maharani Yasho Rajya Lakshmi, a princess of ruling Rana dynasty of a great Himalayan Kingdom Nepal, by the grace of divinity, became Maharani of Jammu and Kashmir which further deepened the relationship ‘Roti aur Beti ka Rishta’ with Nepal. Her Excellency was born on 9 January 1937 as daughter of General Sharda Samsher Jung Bahadur Rana. General Sharda Samsher was son of Maharaja Sri Mohan Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, the ruler of Nepal. She had 5 brothers and a sister. When she was barely 13, she was married to Dr. Karan Singh, a Jamwal prince of Jammu and Kashmir on 5th March 1950 at Bombay and thus became member of royal family of next door kingdom. At that time Yuvraj Karan Singh was the ruler of the state as Regent duly appointed by Maharaja Hari Singh. When married, the princess was a typical Nepali girl and could speak only her mother tongue. It goes to her credit that after marriage, she learnt Dogri, Hindi and English with ease and promptness. As she grew up so did her duties and responsibilities. She assumed her full official duties sooner as first lady of the state and performed them with diligence, compassion and grace.
The ruling families of J&K and Nepal had matrimonial alliances in the past as well. But this marriage, besides further deepening the relationship, was a political matrimonial alliance aiming at cementing bilateral ties with the neighbouring Kingdom. Both the ruling dynasties, Jamwals and Ranas were the successors of Kushwah and Sisodia dynasties of Rajputana. Kushwahs, the ancestors of J&K Royal family had been the rulers of Jaipur while the Sisodias, the ancestors of Ranas of Nepal had been the rulers of Udaipur. But due to migration to different places and prolonged stay at new abodes in Jammu and Nepal, many changes had come about in their life, language, culture and other aspects of both dynasties. It goes to Maharani’s credit that after marriage, She fully adopted the Dogri and Indian culture. Both the dynasties had other striking similarities. In 1743, Prithvi Narayan Shah became the ruler of small principality Gorkha in Nepal. Like Maharaja Gualb Singh, he consolidated all the smaller hill principalities and established a unified Kingdom of Nepal. His successors ruled till they were defeated in the Anglo-Nepalese war 1814-16. After a treaty with British, Shah dynasty continued to rule till 1846 when the political order changed in Nepal. In 1846, the Rana dynasty gained power. Great grandfather of Maharani Yasho Rajya, Maharaja Jung Bahadur Rana became the first Rana ruler of Nepal and founder of Rana Dynasty. Same year political order changed in J&K also when Maharaja Gulab Singh became the founder of Dogra Dynasty and first ruler of Jammu & Kashmir. In 1850 King Tribhuvan Shah was forced into exile in India and Ranas became absolute rulers. With the Indian indulgence after the independence, Sri Mohan Shamhser Jung Bahadur Rana resigned after 105 years Rana rule allowing Shah dynasty to regain control in 1951.
Maharani Yasho Rajya Lakshmi was amply bestowed with grace, charm and kindness. She was always concerned about the poor and down trodden, both in India and Nepal. Her deep interest in the welfare of poor and needy became an everlasting passion in her life. Right from the beginning, she took active part in various social and welfare activities. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war almost entire civil population of Chhamb-Jaurian (Akhnoor) migrated to Jammu. Majority of them took shelter in schools, colleges and govt buildings in Jammu city. As first lady, she visited them in their refugee camps and undertook various welfare schemes for these displaced people. She also visited families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the defence of their motherland.
In his book ‘The Remarkable Women I Met’ Dr. Karan Singh describes her ‘as a valuable companion and a source of great strength during the turbulent periods when the State was passing through transformation from feudalism to democracy. Despite being brought up in the environs of royalty, she adopted to active, democratic, missionary and people friendly way of life and became an apostle of love and compassion’. The proverbial saying, ‘behind every great Man there is a Women’, holds good in making Dr Karan Singh in what he is. She took over as Chairperson of ‘Jammu and Kashmir Welfare Board’ and ‘Kashmir Women Industrial Unit’ and also started lady’s clubs in Jammu and Srinagar as first lady of Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite being born in a ruling household, she led an active social and religious life never letting anyone feel that she belonged to two glorious ruling families. She was a great disciple of Durga Maata like her mother in law Maharani Tara Devi. Even though she was not an office bearer of Dharmarth Trust, being her family trust, she took keen interest in the maintenance and up keep of ancient Hindu Temples and Shrines particularly in Kashmir after the mass exodus of Pandits from the valley. Despite Pandits absence, Hindu religion and culture thrives in the valley at the behest of Dharmarth Trust. This was because of Maharani Sahiban’s interest in the sanctity of religious places and functioning of the Trust. Reciprocally Dharmarth Trust has made a Park in her memory in the City of Temples. As President of Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust, she took keen interest in the promotion of Dogra heritage, art and culture in Jammu region. She was head of Delhi Hospitals Welfare Society and Patron of Mentally Retarded and Dumb & Deaf Societies in Delhi. She generously donated in these societies and managed them well.
Maharani Yasho Rajya Lakshmi left for heavenly abode on 24 May 2009. Her passing away came as a shock to the people of Jammu. Many rushed to Delhi to pay their last respects. Though She left the world but made a permanent place in the hearts and minds of people of Jammu region. She will be remembered by the posterity as the last Maharani of Jammu and Kashmir who played very constructive role during the period of transformation of J&K from feudalism to democracy besides the grace with which she performed her constitutional responsibilities and the good work She did for the emancipation of women, welfare of the poor and promotion of Dogri, Kashmiri and Ladakhi cultures. May she be remembered for all her noble deeds and inspire other privileged ladies to dedicate themselves in the service of mankind.
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