Dhar State

Dhar State
धार
Princely State of British India
1730–1947 →

Flag

History
 - Established 1730
 - Independence of India 1947
Area
 - 1941 4,660 km2 (1,799 sq mi)
Population
 - 1941 253,210 
Density 54.3 /km2  (140.7 /sq mi)
Columbia-Lippincott Gazeteer (New York: Columbia University Press, 1952) p. 510
HH Maharaja Udaji Rao II Puar of Dhar

Dhar State was a Maratha princely state of India during the British Raj, part of the Central India Agency. Dhar began as one of the states during Maratha dominance in India about 1730. In 1941 it had an area of 1,798 square miles (4,660 km2) and a population of 253,210. Dhar was the capital of the state. The state was ruled by the Pawar (or Puar) dynasty of the Marathas. In 1948 it became part of Madhya Bharat.[1]

Lying between 21°57' and 23°15' north, and 74°37' and 75°37' east, Dhar State was bordered on the north by Ratlam State; east by parts of Gwalior and Indore States; on the south by Barwani State, and on the west by Jhabua State and portions of Gwalior and Indore.

History

The Parmars, the ancestors of the last ruling family, were established in Dhar long before the Christian era. The celebrated Rajas Vikramaditya and Bhoj are said to have reigned in Dhar. Vikramaditya transferred his capital from Ujjain to Dhar. The present Dhar dynasty was founded in 1729 by Udaji Rao Puar a distinguished Maratha general who received the territory as a grant from Peshwas. During the Pindhari raids, the state's territory was whittled away until it was restored in size in 1819 when it was taken under protection by the British. The name of the state was taken from old city of Dharlong famous as the capital of Parmar Rajputs. The state was confiscated for rebellion in 1857 but was restored in 1864 with the usual reduction in territory.

Dhar Thikanas

A separate department to superintend Thakurs and Bhumias, Entitled "Department of Thakurans, Bhumian and Thikanejat" was established in 1921, at which time there were 22 such estates in Dhar State.

The nobles of Dhar Holding jagir lands, all of whom paid tribute to the Darbar, were divided between Thakurs and Bhumias. The Thakurs with one exception were Rajput landholders whose estates were located in the North of the state. Locally, the Thakurs were styled Talukdars and their holdings, kothari. By caste there were 8 Rathor Rajputs, one Pawar and one Kayasth.

The Bhumias or "Alloidal" chiefs were all Bhilalas, a clan claiming mixed Bhil and Rajput (Chauhan) decent. Their grants were originally obtained from the Darbar on the understanding that they kept the peace among the Bhils and other wild hill tribes. They paid yearly tribute to the Darbar, while some received cash allowances (Bhet-Ghugri), an ancient feudal custom which has its origins in Blackmail.

Thakurs

1 Multhan The estate consists of 29 villages in the Badnawar pargana.

The chief, Thakur Bharat Singh, who was born in 1893 and succeeded in 1901, was adopted from a Sailana family. He was a Rathor Rajput related to the Ratlam ruling family. The residence of the chief is the Town of Multhan, situated on the Ratlam river, on the Dhar road 5 miles from Badnawar and 26 miles from Dhar city. Area 99 square miles. Population was 11804 in 1931.

2 Kachi Baroda

3 Dotria The chief in 1928 was Thakur Onkar Singh, a Rathor Rajput. He was born in 1887, succeeded in 1892 and was invested in full powers in 1908. He also held lands from Gwalior. Area 27.7 miles.

4 Bakhatgarh The ruler, Thakur Raisingh, a Pawar Rajput, was born in 1889 and succeeded to the gaddi in 1912. In 1934, the estate, consisting of 35 villages, yielded a revenue of Rs. 74,000. (the above four were holdings guaranteed by the British)

5 Bidwal The chief, Thakur Jaswant Singh, a Rathore of the Fatehsinghaut clan, was born in 1881, and succeeded on adoption in 1866. The estate consists of eight villages in the Badnawar pargana, yielding an annual revenue of Rs. 51000 in 1928.

6 Kod

7 Dharsi Khera

8 Mangaliya

9 Maswadia

10 Kathodia

11 Mangela

12 Bercha

13 Dana (Pana)

Bhumias

1 Bara Barkheda

2 Bharud Pawar

3 Kali Baodi

4. Pipalda (Garhi)

5. Chhota Barkheda

6 Tirla (Nimkheda)

7 Bhawania (Bazurg)

8. Kothida

Rulers

Rajas

Reign start Reign end Name Birth-death
1728 1732 Udaji Rao I Pawar
1732 1736 Anand Rao I Pawar (b. ... - d. 1749)
1736 1761, 6 January Jashwant Rao I Puar (b. 1724 - d. 1761)
1761, 6 January 1782 Khande Rao Pawar (b. c.1758 - d. 1782)
1782 1807, 10 June Anand Rao II Pawar (b. 1782 - d. 1807)
1807, Dec 1810 Ramchandra Rao I Pawar (b. 1807 - d. 1810)
1807, Dec 1810 Maina Bai (f) (regent)
1810 1833, October Ramchandra Rao II Pawar (b. 1805 - d. 1833)
1834, 21 April 1857, 23 May Jashwant Rao II Pawar (b. 1823 - d. 1857)
1857, 23 May 1858, 19 Jan Anand Rao III Pawar(1st time) (b. 1844 - d. 1898)
1858, 19 Jan 1860, 1 May state abolished
1860, 1 May 1898, 29 July Anand Rao III Pawar(2nd time) (s.a.)
1898, 29 July 1918, 1 Jan Udaji Rao II Pawar "Baba Sahib" (b. 1886 - d. 1926)

Maharajas

Reign start Reign end Name Birth-death
1918, 1 Jan 1926, 30 Jul Udaji Rao II Pawar "Baba Sahib" (s.a.)
1926, 1 Aug 1947, 15 Aug Anand Rao IV Pawar (b. 1920 - d. 1980)
2015, 15 Jan Present Hemendra Singh Pawar (b. 1968 - Present)

Postal/Philatelic Information

In 1897 primitive stamps with entirely native text. The second definitive issue bore the name DHAR STATE in Latin script; a total of 8 stamps. Since 1901 Indian stamps have been in use.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dhar (Princely State)

Coordinates: 22°36′N 75°18′E / 22.6°N 75.3°E