LEGISLATION AND JUSTICE
335
from a Mughal soldier of fortune, upon whom estates were conferred
by the British Government as a reward for services rendered to Lord
Lake in the beginning of the nineteenth century.
With one exception (Kapurthaia), the Sikh chiefs belong to the Jat
race. Chaudhri Phul, the ancestor of the Phulkian houses (Patiala,
Jind, and Nabha), died in 1652. His descendants took advantage of
the break-up of the Mughal empire in the eighteenth century, and of
the confusion which attended the successive Persian, Afghan, and
Maratha invasions of Delhi, to establish themselves, at the head of
marauding bands of Sikh horsemen, in the Mughal province of Sirhind,
and eventually rose to be independent chiefs. The Raja of Kapur-
thala claims Rajput origin, and his ancestor, Jassa Singh, took rank
among the Sikh Sardars about 1750. The founder of the Faridkot
family, a Barar Jat by tribe, rose to prominence in the service of the
emperor Babar. Jodh Singh founded the Kalsia State about the same
time. The remaining chiefs, whose territories lie among the Outer
Himalayan hill ranges, are principally of Rajput descent, claiming
a very ancient lineage.
The rulers of Patiala, Faridkot, Jubbal, Baghal, Kanethi, Mailog,
Kunihar, Bija, Madhan, Dhadi, Tharoch, and Kuthar were minors
in rgo6'. The chiefs of Maler Kotla and Kumharsain are of unsound
mind, the Raja of Bashahr is of weak intellect, and the Raja of Bilas-
pur was in 1903-4 temporarily deprived of his powers as a ruling chief
for misconduct. The State of Patiala is administered by a council of
regency, composed of a president and two members; and an English
guardian and tutor supervises the education of the Maharaja. The
administration of Faridkot is conducted by a council, presided over
by an Extra-Assistant Commissioner deputed by Government. Maler
Kotla is administered by the heir apparent. In Bija, Kunihar, Mailog,
and Madhan the administration is carried on by councils of State
officials; in Dhadi it is in the hands of a relative of the chief, and
in Tharoch in those of the ze~azir. Bilaspur, Jubbal, Bashahr, Kum-
harsain, and Kanethi are administered by native officials of the British
service deputed by Government. In Baghal the council consists of a
brother of the late chief and an official deputed by Government, while
in Kuthar the manager is a member of the ruling family of Suket.
By the Punjab Laws Act of 1872 custom governs all questions
regarding succession, betrothal, marriage, divorce, the separate pro-
perty of women, dower, wills, gifts, partitions, family
relations such as adoption and guardianship, and end 9u Legislation
Justice.
religious usages or institutions, provided that the
custom be not contrary to justice, equity, or good conscience. On
' The Nawib of Bahawalpur died at sea in February, tqo;, wbile returning from
a pilgrimage to Mecca. He left a son two years of age.
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