Former Pricely States of Chhattisgarh and Zamindaris
Merger of Chhattisgarh States
There were 15 Chattisgarh states, the biggest of them being Bastar with an area of 15029 Sq miles (39060 sq. km.) and a population over half a million. The smallest, Sakti had an area of 138 sq. miles and its population was around a lakh. Most of these states were the making of aborignial chiefs who in course of time in accordance with India’s social tradition, claimed the status of the so-called Kshatriyas.
They were orignally Zamindaris and Jagirdaris but in 1861 when the Central provinces was fromed, they were raised to the status of feudatores by the British. In independent India some of them, prominently Bastar were made into districts and others were merged into the districts in which they were situated.
Bastar was the biggest princely state while Sakti was the smallest state. In between them these were the following pricely states present there-
- Bastar
- Changbhakar
- Chhuikandan
- Jashpur
- Kalahandi (Karond)
- Kanker
- Kawardha
- Khairagarh
- Koriya (Korea)
- Nandgaon
- Patna (Balangir)
- Raigarh
- Sakti
- Sarangarh
- Surguja
- Udaipur (Dharamjaigarh)
Bastar State:
Bastar was the biggest Former Pricely States of Chhattisgarh and Zamindaris. It was founded by Prataparudra II (Kakatiya dynasty). Today it is known as Bastar district in Chhattisgarh. In the early 19th century the state became part of the Central Provinces and Berar under the British Raj, and acceded to the Union of India on 1 January 1948, to become part of the Madhya Pradesh in 1956, and later part of the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh state in 2000. The current ruler is Maharaja Kamal Chandra Bhanj Deo of Bastar, of the Bhanj dynasty.
Changbhakar State:
Changbhakar State, also known as Chang Bhakar, was one of the princely states of British Empire in India in the Chhattisgarh States Agency. Bharatpur was the capital of the princely state.
In 1790 Changbhakar zamindari or estate was carved out of Korea State. After the Anglo-Maratha war in the early nineteenth century, Changbhakar became a tributary state of British India. Changbhakar estate was recognized as a state in 1819 and was placed under the Chota Nagpur Tributary States in 1821. In October 1905, it was transferred and brought under the control of the Commissioner of Chhattisgarh division of Central Provinces. It acceded to the Union of India on 1 January 1948 and was placed under Surguja district of Central Provinces and Berar. Presently it is a Subdivision and a Tehsil of Koriya district of Chhattisgarh state.
The rulers were Rajputs of the Chauhan dynasty. They had been formerly addressed as ‘Raja’, but from 1865 they used the title of ‘Bhaiya’.
Chhuikandan State:
Chhuikhadan was a small princely state of British India, which later formed part of Chhattisgarh States Agency. The state flag was a purple triangle. The capital of the State was Chhuikhadan.
Jashpur State:
Jashpur State, was one of the Former Pricely States of Chhattisgarh and Zamindaris of India during the period of the British Raj. The town of Jashpur was the former state’s capital. The rulers were Rajputs of the Chauhan dynasty. After the Independence of India Jashpur State was merged with the princely states of Raigarh, Sakti, Sarangarh and Udaipur to form the Raigarh district of Madhya Pradesh. Now the district of Raigarh is part of Chhattisgarh state.
Kalahandi State:
KalahandiState also known as KarondState was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. It was recognized as a state in 1874 and had its capital in Bhawanipatna. Its last ruler signed the accession to the Indian Union on 1 January 1948.
Kanker State:
Kanker State was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Its last ruler signed the accession to the Indian Union in 1947.
Kanker State was located north of Bastar State and, except for the valley of the Mahanadi in its eastern part, it consisted mostly of hills covered by forests. The state had more than half of which were Gonds,Kanker town in Kanker District, Chhattisgarh, was the capital of the state. The languages spoken in the state were mainly Chhattisgarhi and Gondi.
Kawardha State:
Kawardha State was one of the princely states in the Central Provinces of India during the period of the British Raj. The capital of the state was Khairagarh town, in Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh state. The Bhoramdeo Temple is located less than 20 km to the west of the main town.
Khairagarh :
Khairagarh estate was founded in 1833. In 1898 Khairagarh estate was recognized as a state. Most of the inhabitants of the state were Gonds, Lodhis, Chamars and Ahirs distributed in 497 small villages besides the main town. The rulers were Rajputs of the Nagavamshi dynasty. Khairagarh State’s last ruler signed the accession to the Indian Union on 1 January 1948.
Khairagarh State was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Khairagarh town in Rajnandgaon District of Chhattisgarh was the capital of the state.
Koriya:
Korea State, currently spelled as Koriya, was a Former Pricely States of Chhattisgarh and Zamindaris of the British Empire of India. After Indian independence in 1947, the ruler of Korea acceded to the Union of India on 1 January 1948, and Koriya was made part of Surguja District of Central Provinces and Berar province. In January 1950, “Central Provinces and Berar” province was renamed Madhya Pradesh state. After November 2000, Korea and the former princely state of Changbhakar became Koriya district of Chhattisgarh state.
Nandgaon:
Nandgaon State also known as Raj Nandgaon, was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Nandgaon town, in present-day Rajnandgaon District of Chhattisgarh, was the only town of the state. The first ruler Ghasi Das Mahant, was recognized as a feudal chief by the British government in 1865 and was granted a sanad of adoption. Later the British conferred the title of raja on the ruling mahant.
Patna:
Patna or Patnagarh, was a Former Pricely States in the Central Provinces of India during the British Raj. It had its capital at Balangir (Bolangir).
Raigarh:
Raigarh was a Former Pricely States in India at the time of the British Raj. The state was ruled by a Raj Gond dynasty of Gond clan.
Sakti:
Sakti State was one of the Former Pricely States of Chhattisgarh and Zamindaris of India during the British Raj. It belonged to the Chhattisgarh States Agency, which later became the Eastern States Agency. The capital was Sakti town. Today it is located in the state of Chhattisgarh. Its rulers were Hindu and had a privy purse of 29,000 rupees. The princely state acceded to the Indian Union on 1 January 1948.
Sarangarh:
arangarh was a Former Pricely States of Chhattisgarh and Zamindaris in India during the British Raj ruled by a Raj Gond dynasty. The emblem of the state was a turtle. Its capital was in Sarangarh town, now in Chhattisgarh state. The state had no significant towns except for its capital.
Surguja State:
SurgujaState, was one of the main Former Pricely States of Chhattisgarh and Zamindaris of Central India during the period of the British Raj, even though it was not entitled to any gun salute. Formerly it was placed under the Central India Agency, but in 1905 it was transferred to the Eastern States Agency. The state spread over a vast mountainous area inhabited by many different people groups such as the Gond, Bhumij, Oraon, Panika, Korwa, Bhuiya, Kharwar, Munda, Chero, Rajwar, Nagesia and Santal. Its former territory lies in the present-day state of Chhattisgarh and its capital was the town of Ambikapur, now the capital of Surguja district.
Udaipur:
Udaipur State, was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The town of Dharamjaigarhwas the former state’s capital. After the Independence of India Udaipur State was merged with the princely states of Raigarh, Sakti, Sarangarh and Jashpur to form the Raigarh district of Madhya Pradesh. Now the district of Raigarh is part of Chhattisgarh state.