Ratan Singh of Bharatpur

Ratan Singh was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Bharatpur from 1768 to 1769.
He ascended the throne after the assassination of his brother Maharaja Jawahar Singh.

Biography

Soon after becoming ruler, Ratan Singh turned entirely to a life of luxury and celebration. As the new lord of Braja-mandal, he went on a pilgrimage to Vrindavan and hosted extravagant shows by the Jamuna River with 4,000 dancing girls. He also hired a Brahmin monk named Gosain Rupanand, reputed for his skill in alchemy, to find the Philosopher’s stone. However, when the trickster who had swindled the Rajah of money realized he could not escape punishment, he attempted to kill the Rajah during a secret metal-transmutation experiment in his tent. The Rajah’s servants quickly killed him, while Ratan Singh survived for a few more hours.