Baroda State

Coordinates: 22°11′N 73°07′E / 22.18°N 73.12°E / 22.18; 73.12
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Princely State of Baroda
)

State of Baroda
Baḍōdā rājya (Marathi)
Barōḍā rājya (Gujarati)
1721–1949
Flag of Baroda
Flag
Coat of arms of Baroda
Coat of arms
Princely State of the British Raj (1857–1947)
State of the Dominion of India (1947–1949)
CapitalBaroda (Vadodara)
Religion
Hinduism (State)
Islam
Jainism
Christianity
Zoroastrianism
Demonym(s)Baroda
GovernmentMonarchy
Raja 
• 1721 – 1732 (first)
Pilaji Rao Gaekwad
• 1939 – 1949 (last)[a]
Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad
History 
• Established
1721
• 
Independence of India
1949
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Gujarat Subah
Maratha Empire
Dominion of India
Today part of
independence of India in 1947)

Baroda State was kingdom within the

Baroda (Vadodara) as its capital, during the British Raj its relations with the British were managed by the Baroda Residency. The revenue of the state in 1901 was Rs. 13,661,000.[1] Baroda formally acceded to the Dominion of India, on 1 May 1949, before which an interim government was formed in the state.[2]

History

Early history

Baroda State, 1896
Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III (1863–1939), Maharaja of Baroda
Baroda State. Standard of the Maharaja (1874–1936)
Last standard of the Maharaja (1936–1949)

Baroda derives its native name Vadodara from the

Okhamadal region near Dwarka and Kodinar near Diu.[4]

The

commander in chief). Thereafter during the "Battle of Balapur" in 1721, one of his officers, Damaji Gaekwad was awarded the title Shamsher Bahadur or Distinguished Swordsman. Damaji died in 1721 and was succeeded by his nephew Pilajirao.[5]

Thus the Baroda State was founded in 1721, when the

Marathas. However, the Gaekwads of Baroda (Vadodara), made a separate peace with the British, entering into a subsidiary alliance which acknowledged British suzerainty
and control of the state's external affairs in return for retaining internal autonomy.

Princely state

Silver rupee of Sayaji Rao II of Baroda (ruled 1819–47), naming the Mughal emperor Muhammad Akbar II, dated AH 1238 (= 1822–23 CE). The prominent Nagari letter sa stands for Sayaji Rao and we also see a curved sword, one of the dynastic symbols of the Gaekwads and seen also on the Baroda state flag.
Vikrama era
(= 1897 CE).

Following the death of Sir

Khanderao Gaekwad (1828–1870), the popular Maharaja of Baroda, in 1870, it was expected that his brother, Malharrao (1831–1882), would succeed him. However, Malharrao had already proven himself to be of the vilest character and had been imprisoned earlier for conspiring to assassinate Khanderao. As Khanderao's widow, Maharani Jamnabai
(1853–1898) was already pregnant with a posthumous child, the succession was delayed until the gender of the child could be proven. The child proved to be a daughter, and so upon her birth on 5 July 1871, Malharrao ascended the throne.

Malharrao spent money liberally, nearly emptying the Barodan state coffers (he commissioned a pair of solid gold cannon and a carpet of pearls, among other expenses) and soon reports reached the Resident of Malharrao's gross tyranny and cruelty. Malharrao further attempted to cover up his deeds by poisoning the Resident, Colonel

Madras, where he died in obscurity in 1882.[8]
With the throne of Baroda now vacant, Maharani Jamnabai called on the heads of the extended branches of the dynasty to come to Baroda and present themselves and their sons in order to decide upon a successor.

Makarpura Palace, built by Maharaja Khende Rao in 1870.

Kashirao and his three sons, Anandrao (1857–1917), Gopalrao (1863–1938) and Sampatrao (1865–1934) walked to Baroda from Kavlana-a distance of some 600 kilometres - to present themselves to Jamnabai.

Eventually, Gopalrao was selected by the British Government as successor and was accordingly adopted by Maharani Jamnabai, on 27 May 1875. He was also given a new name, Sayajirao. On 16 June 1875, he ascended the throne as Sayajirao Gaekwad III, but being a minor, reigned under a Council of Regency until he came of age and was invested with full ruling powers on 28 December 1881. founding numerous institutions,

20th century

Various important state institutions were founded in the early 20th century, including the

Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III
in 1890

By the beginning of the 20th century, the relations of the British with the four largest princely states—

Mohammed.[12][13]

Dr.

B.R.Ambedkar writes about his experience with untouchability in Baroda in the second chapter of his autobiographical book, Waiting for a Visa.[14]

In 1937, the

Bajana, Bhilka, Malpur, Mansa and Vadia followed suit.[17]

Finally on 5 November 1944 the Baroda and Gujarat States Agency was merged with the Western India States Agency (WISA) to form the larger Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency.

After the

Chief Minister of Gujarat
.

Koli revolt

Koli population in Baroda State in 1931

The

Taluq. During the great Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Kolis of Chandap under Nathaji and Yamaji planning for revolt and Gaekwad of Baroda received that news. So Gaekwad stationed his cavalry at Chandap to control the rebels. But cavalry of Gaekwad was killed and thrown out by Kolis of Chandap. After that Kolis went into Taranga hills and continued their rebellion for few months. In the end of October 1857, the combined forces of British, Idar State and Baroda attacked Kolis and burnt the Chandap village.[20]

In

Bhil soldiers and attacked Gaekwadi villages near present day Gandhinagar. Adopting guerrilla tactics, they continued their resistance till the end of 1858. While Koli chiefs fought around the river Sabarmati. The Kolis paid a huge price for their resistance to British and Baroda. They were not only defeated in battle and punished for having dared to resist but, in the aftermath, kolis were marginalized by the rest of society as outlaws. Being arms-bearing community, they too were disarmed in early 1858 and also forced to practise agriculture.[21]

Baroda State Railway

The state owned the

Miyagam.[22] The railway network extended to Goyagate, Chandod, Bodeli and Samalaya Jn with Dabhoi as its focal point. After independence in 1949 this railway merged with the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway. The lines are under conversion to broad gauge currently.[23]

Baroda State Navy

In late 18th century, the Baroda state established a Naval set up at

Billimora, a port about 40 miles south of Surat, known as Bunder Billimora Suba Armor. Here a fleet of 50 vessels was stationed, which included mostly sails, cargo vessels for trading and military vessels to secure the sea from Portuguese, Dutch and French.[6]

When political alignments changed, after the Second Anglo-Maratha war, a joint expedition of British and Barodan state troops under Colonel Walker, then resident of Baroda, approached

Shah of Iran, and was known as 'Shah Kai Khusru' until then.[6]

Gaekwad Maharajas of Baroda

Kirti Mandir, the cenotaph of the Gaekwads in Baroda.
Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad

Titular Maharajas

Later heads of family

Present line of succession to the Baroda throne

The Gaekwad dynasty follows the standard of male primogeniture in matters of succession. The present line of succession is as follows:

  1. Shrimant Prince (Maharajkumar) Sangramsinhrao Gaekwad, the Heir Presumptive (6 August 1941–). Uncle of the present Maharaja.
  2. Shrimant Maharajkumar Pratapsinhrao Sangramsinhrao Gaekwad (26 August 1971–). Only son of Sangramsinhrao Gaekwad.
  3. Shrimant Rajkumar Sayajirao Khanderao Gaekwad (6 April 1947–). Great-grandson of Sayajirao Gaekwad III by the Maharaja's younger son Shivajirao (1890–1919) and through Shivajirao's son Khanderao (1916–1991). Has two daughters.
  4. Shrimant Rajkumar Anandrao Khanderao Gaekwad (28 September 1948–). Younger brother of Sayajirao Khanderao Gaekwad. Has two sons.
  5. Shrimant Shivajirao Anandrao Gaekwar (21 September 1983–). Elder son of Anandrao Khanderao Gaekwad.
  6. Shrimant Udaysingh Anandrao Gaekwar (3 December 1990–). Younger son of Anandrao Khanderao Gaekwad.
  7. Shrimant Kr Jeetendrasinh Gautamsinhrao Gaekwad (4 Nov 1960–), son of Late Professor Shrimant Gautamsinhrao Bhadrasinhrao Gaekwad (1936–2006). Great Grandnephew of Maharaja Sir Sayajirao III. Great Grandson of the Maharaja's late elder brother 'Senapati' Anandrao, Himmat Bahadur, CIE (1857–1917). Grandson of Anandrao's son 'Rajyakarya Dhurandhar' 'Dewan' 'Barrister' Bhadrasinhrao Anandrao Gaekwad, CIE (1896–1946).
  8. Shrimant Satyajitsinhrao Duleepsinhrao Gaekwad (3 March 1962–). Great-grandnephew of Sayajirao Gaekwad III through the Maharaja's elder brother Anandrao, Himmat Bahadur, CIE (1857–1917), through Anandrao's son Chandrasinhrao (born 1894–?) and through his grandson Duleepsinhrao (b. c. 1920–?)
  9. Shrimant Yudeepsinhrao Satyajitsinhrao Gaekwad (2001–). Son of Satyajitsinhrao.

Orders of chivalry

The Royal House of Baroda awards the Most Noble Order of the Rising Sun in three grades, classed as Udayaditya, Vikramaditya, and Arunaditya. This order of chivalry was established during the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.[24] Being made of gold, the breast star is arranged as follows:

Twenty four centrifugally arranged petal-shaped diamond studded strips alternating with shorter but similar strips, fanning out from two red enamelled, diamond-bordered circles, inscribed at the top Satyameva Jayate (Truth Shall Triumph). Within the inner circle a diamond encrusted Sirpech (pagri-shaped crown with royal pendant-shaped decoration rising upwards from the front of the crown) resting on a diamond encrusted sword below, which, on a strip of red enamel, the inscription in gold, Vadodara Raj (Baroda State)[24]

Diwans of Baroda

List of Diwans of Baroda:[25]

Historiography

In 2007, Gujarat State Department of Archives started digitising 600,000 files, including Baroda state registers, prints, maps, abhinandan patra or maan patra (felicitation letters) offered to the erstwhile King by different provincial states and organisation, aagna patrika (gazette), huzur orders, and volumes of letters exchanged and agreements of the princely state with other provincial states and the British Raj, currently housed at the 'Southern Circle Record Office' at Vadodara, where a permanent exhibition had also been set up.[26]

The Gaekwar in his palace
Procession in 1872
Baroda king on the Great Sowari royal procession

See also

Further reading

Notes

  1. Republic of India

References

  1. ^ "Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 7, page 25". dsal.uchicago.edu. Digital South Asia Library. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Rulers Farewell Message". The Indian Express. 1 May 1949.
  3. ^ Gazetteer, p. 25
  4. ^ Gazetteer, p. 26
  5. ^ Gazetteer, p. 31, 32
  6. ^ a b c "280 years ago, Baroda had its own Navy". The Times of India. 27 September 2010. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
  7. ^ Gazetteer, 32
  8. ^ "DEPOSITION OF THE GAEKWAR OF BARODA". The Times of India. 26 April 1875.
  9. .
  10. Imperial Gazetteer of India
    vol. IV (1907), p. 92.
  11. .
  12. ^ "Baroda City of Palace". The Pittsburgh Press. 14 August 1927.
  13. ^ "Gaekwad's Star of the South diamond sold". The Times of India. 28 March 2007. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
  14. ^ Ambedkar, Dr. Bhimrao (1991). Waiting for a Visa (PDF). Mumbai: Dept. of education, Government of Maharashtra. pp. 4071–4090. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  15. ^ History of the State of Gujarat
  16. ^ which had been fourth class states in the Mahi Kantha Agency.
  17. ; p. 160
  18. ^ "Gaekwar Inaugurates Responsible Government". The Indian Express. 5 September 1948.
  19. ^ "Kher's Appeal to people &Service for Cooperation". The Indian Express. 2 May 1949.
  20. ^ Dharaiya, Ramanlal Kakalbhai (1970). Gujarat in 1857. New Delhi, India: Gujarat University. pp. 38 – 40 – 52.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  21. ISBN 978-0-14-400038-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link
    )
  22. ^ "Indian Railways Some Fascinating Facts: First Gauge Lines". Indian Army Official website. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  23. ^ Dabhoi-Bodeli broad gauge section to become operational
  24. ^ .
  25. .
  26. ^ "Erstwhile Gaekwad state's archives being digitised". The Indian Express. 27 December 2007. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012.

Citations

External links

22°11′N 73°07′E / 22.18°N 73.12°E / 22.18; 73.12