Makrai
| Makrai | |
|---|---|
| village | |
  Makrai | |
| Coordinates: 25°50′18″N 78°20′35″E / 25.83833°N 78.34306°ECoordinates: 25°50′18″N 78°20′35″E / 25.83833°N 78.34306°E | |
| Country |
 India |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| District | Harda |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Nearest city | Harda, District headquarter |
Makrai is a village in the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, India.[1] The village was the headquarters of the Makrai princely state during the British Raj.
History
The Makrai princely state was established in the 16th century, by Raj Gond Raja Karkat Rai in the 16th century. It later came under the administrative authority of the Central Provinces and Berar until 1933, when it was transferred to the Bhopal Agency subdivision of the Central India Agency. In 1892, it covered an area of 401 square kilometres (155 sq mi) and had a population of 16,784. The state's rulers bore the title "maharaja".
After Indian independence in 1947, the rulers of Makrai acceded to the Union of India, and the principality was incorporated into the state of Madhya Pradesh, which in turn was created from the former Central Provinces and Berar.
As of 2012, the titular Maharaja of Makrai is Raja Ajay Shah, born on 21 January 1956, married on 20 May 1986 and crowned on 21 December 1987.[2]
Rulers
With the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India, the Government of India abolished official recognition for all titles, classes and privy purses for heads of former princely states. However, many royal households continue succession and generally have limited social influence on their former subjects. The former Kings and Princes do not wield any legislative or jurisdictional power unless elected through general democratic representation. For Makrai, the ceremonial present ruler is Raja Sahib Ajay Kumar Shah, Raja of Makrai
====Predecessors and Family History====
The family originally held the taluka of Kalibhit in Hoshangabad district.
Previous Rulers were:
Raja Makrand Shah, Raja of Makrai 1663
Raja Fateh Shah, Raja of Makrai, married Rani Birj Kune
Rani Birj Kune, Rani of Makrai 1749
Raja Dhar Shah, Raja of Makrai
Raja Bharat Shah, Raja of Makrai 1765
Raja Udai Shah, Raja of Makrai
Raja Devi Shah Hathriya Rai, Raja of Makrai 1832-1866
Raja Lacchu Shah Hathriya Rai [aka Bharat Shah]
Raja Lacchu Shah Hathriya Rai, Raja of Makrai 1866-1911
Raja Chhatrasal Shah Hathriya Rai, Raja of Makrai 1911-1918
Raja Drigpal Shah Hathriya Rai, Raja of Makrai 1918-1929
Raja Sahib Todar Shah Hathriya Rai, Raja of Makrai 1929, married to Uma Kuwar and had three sons: Yuvaraj Devi Shah, Bharat Shah and Vikram Kesri Shah.
Yuvraj Devi Shah, married Yuvarani Sita Rani Rana [now Rajmata Sita Rani Devi of Makrai], daughter of Shri Sthir Jung Rana of Nepal, and his wife, Rani Saheb Padma Kumari. Yuvraj Devi Shah has four sons (Raja Ajay Shah, Kuwar Vijay Shah, Kuwar Dhananjay Shah and Kuwar Sanjay Shah) and four daughters (Kiran Shah, Uma Shah, Purnima Shah and Archana Shah). Among sons, the first one is the present Raja of Makrai whc is married to Hemlata Kushwaha (d/o Kok Singh Kushwaha, Jagirdar of Harshi, dist Gwalior, originally from Narwar in district Shivpuri, and Tej Kumari Tomar of Nonera, district Bhind). They have two sons (Abhijeet and Rahul). Kuwar Vijay Shah is MLA from Harsood and former Cabinet Minister in BJP government of Madhya Pradesh and married to Bhawna Kushwaha of Bagli Jagir, District Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. They have one son (Divyaditya). Kuwar Dhananjay Shah is Additional Superintendent of Police in Madhya Pradesh and married to Priti Chakrawarti of Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh. They have one son (Apratim) and one daughter (Advitiya). Kuwar Sanjay Shah is MLA from Timarni, Madhya Pradesh, married to Shailja of Bardibas, Mahottari, Nepal. They have one daughter (Raima) and one son (Ravya). Among four daughters of Yuvraj Devi Shah, Kiran Shah is married to late Additional Commissioner Mahipal Singh of Bendi, Anuppur and they have one daughter (Sukriti) and two sons (Rudra Pratap and Narmada Pratap). Uma Shah is married to Dr Krishna Hamal of Pipal Bhanjyang, Udaypur district of Nepal, currently residing in Canberra, Australia, and they have two daughters (Natasha and Abhilasha). Purnima Singh is married to Yogendra Singh of Dhamkan Jagir, Muraina district, Madhya Pradesh, and they have two sons (Yuvraj and Dushyant). Archana Shah is married to Naresh Thapa of Chandanpur, Sankhuwa Sabha district of Nepal, currently residing in Canberra, Australia, and they have one daughter (Asmita).
Raja Ajay Kuwar Shah (qv) Raja Sahib AJAY KUwAR SHAH, Raja of Makrai (see above)
Culture
Makrai stands on a hill near the Sayani River and is noted for its dense forests. One well-known location is Nagjhiri and Devjhiri, a small natural well in the bank of the river through which water flows throughout the year. Other notable places include Mankameshwar Mahadev situated in a cave, Sule Baba Ki Tekri or the Hill Of Sule Baba is known for its tribal God and is the highest, coolest place in Makrai, the Bunred Palace (Mahal), Kaidi Ki Babdi, from where prisoners carry water from the river to the top of hill to supply the state. Here, Nathji used to worship the gods Bhilat Dev and Shiv Ji.
There were two noted melas, where villagers and local tribes gathered to celebrate Shivratri and the eve of Holi. Another well-known mela, the month-long Bhilat Dev is organised every year near Sirali in Malapur. Before the mela starts, the Nathji (Pandit) go barefoot and carry tippara (made from bamboo and used to keep the cloth of God) on their heads from Khudia (the new provincial Village) to the Tapti River Bank Betul district - a distance of about 200 kilometres (120 mi), to wash their worshipping cloths then return the same way over a fixed period of seven days. In a tradition that has existed for hundreds of years, during the journey people from the villages wait for the tippara on a fixed day and thereafter organize a mela.
References
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