Ratnavli before 1947

Ratnavli was a small kingdom in the state of Punjab, India. Ratnavli was only one kingdom of many in India. In Hindi, 'ratn' means precious jewels and 'avli' means kingdom. In 1947, when India became independent from Great Britain, the Indians decided against being ruled by small monarchs as they just fought for freedom from the English king, so they destroyed all Indian kingdoms and made democracy a few years later.

Ratnavli Today

Today, the site of Ratnavli is located near Lahore, Pakistan, as India split into many countries after independence; Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, part of Myanmar, et cetera. The heirs of Ratnavli, the Mehras still live today, lead regular lives in the U.S.A., Switzerland, and India, and they are known. Yet, in the communities they reside in, their friends and neighbors do not recognize them as the heirs of Ratnavli. The heirs are treated just as well or just as worse as any other normal person.

Heraldry

The ruling family of Ratnavli was the Mehras. A Mehra coat-of-arms exists today. It says 'Ratnavli' on it in Hindi, it has a lion, two warriors, and some flowers. The few replicas are made of sterling silver. The replicas are owned by the sons only, not daughters, of the heirs who are married. The coat-of-arms is stored safely. The legend of Ratnavli still lives on in the family of the Mehras.

More about the Mehras

For more valuable information about the ruling family of Ratnavli, the Mehras, see the article Mehra.