Nearly a century after the princely state era faded into history, the ceremonial re-emergence of royal lineage brought the town of Nabha back into the spotlight on Tuesday, with the high-profile dastaarbandi (turban-tying ceremony) of a young heir drawing political, religious and royal attention ahead of an election year.The event marked the dastaarbandi of 14-year-old Abhiuday Pratap Singh, son of Bhanu Pratap Singh and Preeti Singh Nabha, who are stated to be descendants of Maharaja Hira Singh and Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Nabha. The ceremony was held at the historic Hira Mahal.The event drew several prominent dignitaries, cutting across political and religious lines. Those present included Dera Beas head Gurinder Singh Dhillon, SGPC president Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, Sikh preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, former Union minister of state and BJP leader Preneet Kaur, and former Akali minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, now associated with the rebel SAD (Punar Surjit) group.Members of royal families from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and other parts of the country were also in attendance.Later in the day, the state’s Public Relations Department issued a statement conveying greetings on behalf of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to the family on the occasion.Speaker Sandhwan and Agriculture Minister Khudian, in their remarks, said, “Maharaja Ripudaman Singh Nabha’s service to the nation and devotion to the Sikh Panth is known across the world”, adding that it was a matter of pride that his descendants continued to honour and preserve age-old traditions and heritage.Tourism Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh said the Punjab Government was committed to preserving the state’s heritage and historic buildings. He also said he had met Preeti Singh Nabha through the Diwan Todar Mal Heritage Foundation and lauded the foundation’s efforts in preserving the historic Jahazi Haveli of Diwan Todar Mal.Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha (1883–1942) was known as a progressive Sikh ruler who openly defied British authority, supported the Akali movement, and was deposed in 1923. His removal led to the historic Jaito Morcha (1923–25), a mass non-violent Sikh agitation seeking his reinstatement and greater religious autonomy.Notably, the government communique made no mention of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh’s grandson, Uday Nabha Khemka, or other members of that branch of the family.