Jaswant Singh II
Jaswant Singh II, GCSI,[1] (1838 – 11 October 1895)[2][3] was Maharaja of Jodhpur from 4 February 1873 – 11 October 1895.
| Jaswant Singh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Maharaja of Jodhpur | |
| Period | 1873–1895 |
| Predecessor | Takht Singh |
| Heir apparent | Sardar Singh |
| Born | 1838 Ahmadnagar, Gujarat, India |
| Died | 11 October 1895 (aged 57) |
| Issue | Sardar Singh |
| House | Rathore-Jodhpur |
| Father | Maharaja Takht of Jodhpur |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Birth
He was born in 1838 at Ahmadnagar in Gujarat and was eldest son of Takht Singh.[4]
Marriage
He had eight wives, of which the first–the daughter of the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, Puariji–was chief consort.[5]
Accession
He acceded to the throne of Jodhpur in 1873 upon death of his father, Takht Singh,[4]
Reign
The reign of Jaswant Singh II was marked with remarkable prosperity and reforms and development works. He established Courts of Justice, introduced system of revenue settlement and re=organizing all the state departments.[4] Further, he developed infrastructure of the state by introducing telegraphs, railways (Jodhpur State Railway), and developing roads.[4] He formed Imperial Service Cavalry Corps, which later rendered active service in European War.[4] He was honoured and created the Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India in 1875.[4][6]
Swami Dayananda incident
Jawant Singh had invited Swami Dayananda as he was influenced by his ideas. But the tragedy occurred when Dayananda was poisoned on 29 September 1883, when he was the royal guest of Jaswant Singh II, by Dayananda's own cook, who had conspired with a court dancer.[7] The Maharaja was quick to arrange the services of a doctor and arranged for Swamiji to be sent to Mount Abu upon the advice of Residency.[7]
Death
He died 11 October 1895 and was succeeded by his middle son Sardar Singh. [5]
Jaswant Thada
The Jaswant Thada is an architectural landmark located in Jodhpur. It is a white marble memorial built by Sardar Singh in 1899 in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II.[8]
References
- The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the ... By Sir Roper Lethbridge:pp 218
- Sir William Wilson Hunter, Imperial gazetteer of India, Volume 21, Page 34
- Nirmal Upadhyaya, The administration of Jodhpur State, 1800–1947 A.D.
- Indian States: A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey edited by Arnold Wright, 1922:pp 200.
- Jodhpur
- London Gazette, 31 December 1875
- World Perspectives on Swami Dayananda Saraswati By Gaṅgā Rām Garg :pp 96–98
- The Indian Encyclopaedia: Indo-Pak War-Kamla Karri by Subodh Kapoor – 2002 – Page 3755 Jasvvant Thada, Close to the fort complex lies this white marble cenotaph, built in 1899, in commemoration of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Rare portraits of Jodhpur's rulers are, also, to be seen at Jaswant Thada.
| Preceded by Maharaja Takht Singh |
Kunwar of Ahmednagar 1841–1843 |
none,state ceded to Idar |
| Preceded by Maharaja Takht Singh |
Rulers of Marwar (Jodhpur) The Rathore Dynasty 4 February 1873– 11 October 1895 |
Succeeded by Maharaja Sardar Singh |