Narinder Singh was born on November 26, 1824, and succeeded to his father on January 18, 1846. He was, then, twenty three years of age. In the war between the Lahore Durbar and the British government he sided with the British and received a sanad from the Governor-General in September 1847, in recognition of his services to them. Narinder Singh bound himself to the suppression of sati, infanticide and dealings in slaves within his territories. He made the greatest contribution to the development of Patiala town. The Motibagh palace, designed on the pattern of Shalamar of Lahore with terraces, fountains, canals and the Sheesh Mahal, was built by him in 1847, at a cost of five lakhs of rupees. The Motibagh Gurdwara built on a spot sacred to the memory of the ninth Guru, Tegh Bahadur, was also built by this ruler at the initial cost of one lakh of rupees with an endowment of another one lakh and a quarter. The other buildings which came up during his reign were the famous Nirmala Centre (Dharam Dhujd) and the samadh of Raja Ala Singh. The ten gates of the city and the ramparts were also built by this ruler.
In 1857-58, the Raja of Patiala stood boldly on the Side of the British and showed conspicuous loyalty to them. The king of Delhi sent him a letter seeking his aid against the British government and promising rewards, but the Maharaja forwarded the letter, in original, to the British authorities. Narinder Singh was given the following tide in 1858, by the English: “H.H. Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mansur-i-Zaman, Amir ul-Umara, Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar, Sri Maharaja-i-Rajgan, Maharaja Sir Narendra Singh, MahendraBahadur, YaduVanshaVatans Bhatti KulBushan, Maharaja of Patiala, KSI . He also received the Narnaul division of the former Jhajjar state, jurisdiction over Bhadaur, and with the Delhi properties of Begum Zinat Mahal. These being further augmented by Khumanun district, portions of Kanudh and Budwana in Jhajjar, and the restoration of powers of capital punishment. Granted a sanad confirming sovereignty over his ancestral and acquired lands in perpetuity, abolition of tribute and the recognition and right of adoption, 5th May 1860. Raised to a permanent salute of 17-guns, 1st November 1861. Mbr. Governor-General’s Council 1861-1862. m. seven wives, including (first) H.H. Kakarawala Sri Maharani Sahib-ji. m. (second) H.H. Banawala Sri Maharani Sahib-ji, daughter of Meherban-i-Dostan Sardar Jiwan Singh, CIE, of Bana, in Ambala. m. (third) H.H. Maharani Sri Karam Kaur Sahiba [Buriawala Sri Maharani Sahib-ji], daughter of Sardar Gulab Singh Of Buria.
He died of fever on November 13, 1862, in the thirty ninth year of his age and the seventeenth ear of his reign.
References :-
- Muhammad Hasan Khan, op. tit., p. 346; Gian Singh, op. tit., p. 602.
- Muhammad Latif. op. tit., p. 329.
- Muhammad Hasan Khan, op. tit., p. 461; Gian Singh, op. tit., p. 611.
- Ibid., p. 528; Gian Singh, op. tit, p. 614.