Gaekwad dynasty

Flag of the Baroda State

The Gaekwad or Gaikwad (once rendered as Guicowar, also given (incorrectly) as Gaekwar) (Gujarati: ગાયકવાડ; Marathi: गायकवाड Gāyǎkǎvāḍǎ) are a royal Maratha Kunbi clan that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947.^[1] The ruling prince was known as the Maharaja Gaekwad of Baroda, or more commonly as the Gaekwad.^[2]

Origin

The Gaikwads are a Maratha clan and are considered as Chandravanshi Maratha's Descendants of Lord Shrikrisna Stem. The family name is a combination of the words gai (cow) and kavad (door).^[3]

Info of Clan

Flag of the Maratha Empire

Laxmi Vilas Palace of the Gaekwad dynasty.

Gaikwad / Gayakwad / Gaekwad

• Kingdom: Ayodhya
• current kingdom: Badoda/Baroda/Vadodara (in Gujarat)
• Throne: Twin colours (Red and White)
• canopy and sign: Twin colours (Red and White)
• Horse: White
• Heraldic sign (Nishan): Moon on flagpole
• Clan goddess: Bhavani, Chamundeshwari (Chamunda)
• Clangod : Khandoba
• Clan object (Devak): Surya-Ful (SunFlower)
• Guru: Vashishta
• Gotra: Kashyapa
• Veda: Yajurveda - Madhyandin
• Mantra: Gayatri mantra
• Guhyasutra : Paraska
• Prawar : Gautam, Angiras and Aoutathya.
• Surnames: Achal, Achah, Aher, Awadhani, Asure, Adsure, Karmat, Kanle, Kawde, Karjaree, Kanjan, Kapalfhode, Kasare, Karkar, Kahar, Kajale, Kanade, Kanta, Katle, Kanhe, Kirkire, Kithe, Kode, Khare, Khapde, Garade, Gadoor, Ghadhawe, Ghenand, Gayke, Gaykee, Chandre, Gawal, Harpale, Chkrawartee, Chakrapanee, Chkrawak, Jajwaly, Jadoogeer, Jachak, Jire, Joon, Zile, Tiwte, Dige, Dukre, Dhiwar, Dhore, Talwale, Takte, Tagnaledatar, Datare, Duranga, Dewle, Dhagad, Dhagdhamale, Dhare, Dhundupal, Nakhare, Nawate, Nanwar, Nagte, Patait, Padkar, Padsare, Pawade, Pawed, Padpar, Patre, Palkar, Pure, Pendhare, Fhade, Badwe, Fhakadpale, Bama, Banasur, Bender, Belwade, Ghodke, Bhadkambe, Bhamare, Bhate, Madkar, Marathe, Mahale, Madke, Margath, Mahalunge, Mhasik, Wairkar, Maral, Mabhale, Morkar, Mase, Manse, Mare, Mhatare, Murkar, Muluskar, Mulke,Muluk, Mene, Mengune, Mode, Rage, Rangole, Rande, Rodke, Lagad, Langde, Lokre, Waidya, Shankh, Shiwne, Shewde, Sansale, Sawale, Sarad, Sarte, Satag, Saple, Surkhe Sonawde, Hajare, Hame, Hamale, Hadke, Hoke, Dhage, Dhadak, Dhananjay, Kokane, Nadhe, Ozarkar, Taras,Dake, Thakar(Total 137)

Early history

A print of the Gaekwar of Baroda

The Gaikwads rule of Baroda began when the Maratha general Pilaji Rao Gaekwad conquered the city from the Mughal Empire in 1721. The Gaikwads were granted the city as a fief by the Peshwa, the de facto leader of the Maratha empire.^[4]

The leader Damaji rao Gaikwad fought along with Sadashiv Bhau, Vishwas Rao, Malhar Rao Holker, Jayappa & Mahadji Shinde in the Third War of Panipat.^[5] After the central rule of the Peshwas was weakened following the defeat at the hands of the Afghans at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, the Gaikwads, along with several powerful Maratha clans, established themselves as virtually independent rulers of the further regions of the empire, while recognizing the nominal authority of the Peshwas and suzerainty of the Bhonsle Maharaja of Satara.^[6]

British suzerainty

Sayajirao with Sir Richard Temple, the Governor of Bombay and other members of the court. Circa 1880

The Gaekwads, together with the other Maratha chieftains, fought the British in the First Anglo-Maratha War.

In 15 March 1802, the British intervened to defend a Gaekwad Maharaja Anand Rao Gaekwad who had recently inherited the throne against rival claimants, and the Gaekwads concluded a Treaty of Cambey with the British that recognized their independence from the Maratha empire and guaranteed the Maharajas of Baroda local autonomy in return for recognizing British suzerainty.^[7]

Maharaja Sayyaji Rao III, who took the throne in 1875, did much to modernize Baroda, establishing compulsory primary education, a library system and the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. He also encouraged the setting up of textile factories, which helped create Baroda's textile industry. He is well known for offering B. R. Ambedkar a scholarship to study at Columbia University.^[8]

Upon India attaining its independence in 1947, the last ruling Maharaja of Baroda acceded to India.^[9] Baroda was eventually merged with Bombay State, which was later divided, based on linguistic principle, into the states of Gujarat and Maharastra in 1960.

Gaekwad, or Gayakwad, also survives as a fairly common Maratha surname, found mainly in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Gaekwad Maharajas of Baroda

Maharaja Sayajirao I

• Nandaji Rao Gaekwad (? - 1721) Born ?, died May 1721
• Pilaji Rao Gaekwad (1721 - 1732) Born ?, died 14 May 1732
• Damaji Rao Gaekwad (1732 - 1768) Born ?, died 18 August 1768
• Sayaji Rao Gaekwad I (1768 - 1778) Born ?, died 1792
• Fateh Singh Rao Gaekwad(1778 - 1789) Born before April 1751, died 26 December 1789
• Manaji Rao Gaekwad (1789 - 1793) Born before April 1751, died 27 July 1793
• Govind Rao Gaekwad (1793 - 1800) Born ?, died 19 September 1800
• Anand Rao Gaekwad (1800 - 1818) Born ?, died 2 October 1819
• Sayaji Rao Gaekwad II (1818 - 1847) Born 3 May 1800, died 28 December 1847
• Ganpati Rao Gaekwad (1847 - 1856) Born 1816, died 19 November 1856
• Khande Rao Gaekwad (1856 - 1870) Born 1828, died 14 June 1870
• Malhar Rao Gaekwad (1870 - 19 April 1875) Born 1831, died obscurity in 1882
• Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III (1875 - 1939) Born 10 March 1863, died 6 February 1939
• Pratap Singh Gaekwad (1939 - 1951) Born 29 June 1908, died 19 July 1968
• Fateh Singh Rao Gaekwad II (1951 - 1988) Born 2 April 1930, died 1st September1988
• Ranjit Singh Gaekwad (1988 - 2012) Born 8 May 1938, died 9 May 2012
• Samarjit Singh Gaekwad (2012 - Present) Born 25 April 1967

See also

• Maratha
• Maratha Empire
• Maratha clan system
• List of Maratha dynasties and states
• Bhonsle
• Peshwa
• Scindia
• Puars
• Holkar
• gaikwad patil

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gaekwad.

• Official Website of the Gaekwads of Baroda