Detail from an oil painting by George Richmond (1809-96). Rani Jindan herself posed for it during her dying days, shortly after she was re-united with her son after a separation of almost two decades. She'd recently arrived in England, blinded by grief.
History
Jind Kaur:
A Veil of Blind Tears
A Poem by MICHELE GIBSON
Blinded by the loss of my child
By conspiracies vital and vile
By the loss of my friends on the pyre
I, the youngest of his desire,
I miss them all
Thrust into the care of the throne
Thrust into his rule alone
Thrust into intrigue, deceit
With three loyal chiefs at my feet
I lost them all
Bearing a Regent and King
Bearing the last ruling Singh
Bearing the double-edged sword
Bringing the Khalsa to war
I wept for them all
Lost in a land far from home
Lost in the mountains alone
Lost in a plain chunni drape
Lost, so ‘Jindan' can escape
I flew from them all
My people split by the foe
My kinsmen beaten and low
My beloved restrained and deceived
My empty heart longing to bleed
I severed them all
Blind is the world to their crime
Blind is the ravage of time
But blind to the Gurus I come
Blind also, I bring my son
Now, to awaken them all
April 22, 2009
Conversation about this article
1: Harvind Kaur (U.S.A.), April 22, 2009, 2:16 PM.
Brilliant.
2: Inni Kaur (Fairfield, CT, U.S.A.), April 22, 2009, 3:53 PM.
Jind Kaur, you are an inspiration. Your story lives. We have not forgotten.
3: Ruchie Kaur (New York, U.S.A.), April 23, 2009, 10:31 AM.
Truly an exemplary and classic composition!
4: Amardeep (U.S.A.), April 27, 2009, 12:55 PM.
Pardon my ignorance. Someone please tell me who is Michele Gibson who can write about Sikh history so brilliantly.
5: Harjit (London, England), April 30, 2009, 2:12 PM.
So, who is this Michele Gibson?
6: Rupinder (Monmouth Junction, U.S.A.), May 11, 2009, 5:24 PM.
It is very moving!