MADHYA PRADESH
Ajaigarh to Gwalior |
Indore to Sitamau |
Princely
States
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Most of Madhya Pradesh
came under Mughal rule during the reign of the emperor Akbar (1556–1605).
Gondwana and Mahakoshal remained under the control of Gond kings, who
acknowledged Mughal supremacy but enjoyed virtual autonomy. After the death
of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1707 Mughal control began to weaken, and
the Marathas began to expand from their base in central Maharashtra. Between
1720 and 1760 the Marathas took control of most of Madhya Pradesh, and
Maratha clans were established semi-autonomous states under the nominal
control of the Maratha Peshwa. The Holkars of Indore ruled much of Malwa, and
the Bhonsles of Nagpur dominated Mahakoshal and Gondwana as well as Vidarbha
in Maharashtra. Jhansi was founded by a Maratha general. Bhopal was ruled by
a Muslim dynasty descended from Dost Mohammed Khan, an Afghan General in the
Mughal army. Maratha expansion was checked at the Third Battle of Panipat in
1761. The British
were expanding their Indian dominions from bases in Bengal, Bombay, and
Madras, and the three Anglo-Maratha Wars were fought between 1775 and 1818.
The Third Anglo-Maratha War left the British supreme in India. Most of Madhya
Pradesh, including the large states of Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Rewa, and
dozens of smaller states, became princely states of British India, and the
Mahakoshal region became a British province, the Saugor and Nerbudda
Territories. In 1853 the British annexed the state of Nagpur, which included
southeastern Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra and most of Chhattisgarh,
which were combined with the Saugor and Nerbudda Territories to form the
Central Provinces in 1861. The princely states of northern Madhya Pradesh
were governed by the Central India Agency. After Indian independence Madhya Pradesh
was created in 1950 from the former British Central Provinces and Berar and
the princely states of Makrai and Chhattisgarh, with Nagpur as the capital of
the state. The new states of Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, and Bhopal were
formed out of the Central India Agency. In 1956, the states of Madhya Bharat,
Vindhya Pradesh, and Bhopal were merged into Madhya Pradesh, and the
Marathi-speaking southern region Vidarbha, which included Nagpur, was ceded
to Bombay state. Bhopal became the new capital of the state. Madhya Pradesh,
in its present form, came into existence on 1 November 2000, following its
bifurcation to create a new state of Chhattisgarh. The undivided Madhya
Pradesh was founded on 1 November 1956. Madhya Pradesh, because of its
central location in India, has remained a crucible of historical currents
from North, South, East and West. Emblem The
emblem of Madhya Pradesh is a target Argent, a boddhi-tree Vert, charged with
the national emblem of India. The emblem is surrounded by a yellow bordure
with the title of the state and the motto of India in black lettering, and
two stalks of the main cash crops Vert. It is supported by a twenty-four
petalled lotus-flower, Gules. Æ See illustration in the head of
this article |
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Princely States
of Madhya Pradesh First Part:
Ajaigarh to Gwalior |
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AJAIGARH |
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Ranjor Singh Sahib Bahadur |
Maharaja
1859-1919 |
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Raja of .... Arms: Parted per fess embattled Gules
and Vert, a pale Or gutty de sang. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter lambrequined
Gules and Vert, a tower proper. Supporters: A tiger (Panthera tigris - Felidæ) and a sambur (Rusa unicolor - Cervidæ) proper. Motto: Ranadhira Ajayyavira
(Steadfast in Battle, Invincible Hero) (T. 1) |
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Rup Deo |
Rana 1871-1881 |
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Rana of .... Arms: Lozengy Tenné and Argent, a tower
on a hill between three fountains proper. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Tenné and Argent, a hare courant proper. Supporters: Two boars proper. Motto: Isvara, meri Catan, mera
Garh. (God, my
Rock, my Fortress). (T.2) |
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Imamuddaula Mehdi Husain Khan |
Nawab 1859-1883 |
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Nawab of .... Arms: Gules, a fish embowed Argent within
a bordure Vert charged with eight quatrefoils of the second. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Vert and Argent, an armed hand, holding a pen. Supporters: Otters (Lutra lutra - Mustelidæ) Motto: Alhukmu lillah wal mulku
lillah (God Proposes and Disposes) (T.6) |
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Rana Jashwant Singh |
1839-1880 |
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Rana of .... Arms: Vairy, three barrulets Gules and
a chief wavy Argent; on a canton of the second a sun in splendour (Or). Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Argent and Azure, a demi-lion rampant Gules. Supporters: Ravine deer (Antilope
cervicapra - Bovidæ) proper. Motto: Ghatavata Hatesvarah (Lord
of the Ford, the Road and the Market). (T.17) |
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Sultan Shah Jehan Begum |
Nawab 1868-1901 |
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Begum of .... Arms: Vert, a tower Or and twelve
musk-blossoms per bordure, proper. Crest: On a helmet guardant,
lambrequined Vert and Or, three arrows in saltire, charged with a fleur de
lys Argent. Supporters: Two fishes (máhsir) proper. Motto: Nasr min Allah (Victory is
from God) (T. 11) A modern rendering of the achievement of Bhopal by Harold
Pereira, 1965 The
shield of the Nawab of Bhopal is Vert,
the colour approved by the Prophet. The tower was placed in the fess point at
the wish of the Begum to perpetuate the history of Fateghur whose fort has
more than once preserved the family from annihilation. The
twelve musk blossoms represent the twelve Imams which the Nawab, as a shia
venerates. These are not to be confused with the four Imams of the Prophet.
The shias count twelve Imams, the last of whom, Muhammad al Mehdi (873 A.D.),
they suppose to be strill living, ready to appear and unite the two sects of
Islam. The Begum
also chose the fish. She said, “Machli is feminine, and so,
significant of feminine descent”. It also alludes to the Mahi Maratib
received in honour from the Nizam. The crest is suitable to a Princess sprung
from a line of warriors and occupying a throne won by the sword. [1] |
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Sawai Bhan Pratap Singh Bahadur |
Maharaja 1847-1899 |
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Raja of ..... Arms: Per chevron Gules and Vert, a
pale Or gutty de sang between two fountains in chief. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Gules and Vert, a pelican rousant proper. Supporters: A bear and a chital (Axis axis -
Cervidæ) proper. Motto: Vir dordand var loha khand
(The Arm of the Brave is as a Bar of Steel). (T14) |
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Vishwanath Singh Bahadur |
Maharaja 1867/1932 |
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Raja of .... Arms: Murrey, a globe between three
flames Or; on a canton Argent a palm-leaf per pale proper. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Murrey and Or, two wings endorsed Or. Supporters: Two saras (Ibis leucocephalus - Ciconiidæ) proper. Motto: Agni pratap vishweshah (As
Fire Resplendent, Lord of the World). (T. 23) |
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CHICHLI |
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Bijai Bahadur Raja of... The family banner is a yellow flag or pitambur
with chauri and staff; the motto on the Raja’s seal is: Sado Sahai
Narsingh Nizam Singh Sut Bijai Bahadur Singh, which is: May the God
Narsingh always help Bijai Bahadur Singh, son of Nizam Singh. (Leithbridge) |
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Bhawani Singh Bahadur |
Maharaja 1857-1907 |
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Maharaja of .... Arms: Purpure, a saltire Or gutty de
sang between two swords in fess, points upwards, hilted of the second. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Purpure and Or, a partridge proper. Supporters: A lion and a sambur (Rusa unicolor - Cervidæ) proper. Motto: Vir dalap sharanadah (Lord
of the Brave, Giver of Refuge). (T 33) |
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DEWAS SR. |
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Krishnajirao II Puar |
Raja 1860-1899 |
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Raja of
.... Senior Branch Arms: Gules, Hanuman statant Argent,
holding a mace in his dexter and a lotus-blossom in his sinister hand; and a
chief Or, a pellet (i.e. a roundle Sable) between two flames proper. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Gules and Argent, two wings erect Gules. Supporters: Two elephants Motto: Daladwayo bhati vansha. (T. 26) |
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DEWAS JR |
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Narayanrao Dada Saheb Puar |
Raja 1864-1892 |
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Arms: Gules, Hanuman statant Argent holding
a mace in his dexter and a lotus-blossom in his sinister hand; within a
bordure Or charged with four pellets (i.e. roundles Sable) and eight flames
proper. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Gules and Argent, two wings erect Gules. Supporters: Two elephants proper charged with
mullets Argent. Motto: Dalawayo bhati vansha. (T. 27) |
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The
ruling family claims its descent from the ancient “Parmar” clan of the
Rajputs, who ruled in Malwa from the 9th to the 13th Cent. A.D. The state
takes its name after its capital, Dhar. |
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Anandrao III Puar |
Raja 1857-1898 |
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Raja of ... Arms: Or, an eagle displayed Sable, holding
a cobra proper in dexter claw; on a chief Argent, semé of double quatrefoils
Gules, a gate of the second. Crest: On a helmet to the dexter,
lambrequined Or and Sable, a flame proper between wings erect Or. Supporters: Two elephants. Motto: Puar bina Dhar nahin Dhar
bina puar nahin. (T. 28) |
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Gwalior was, with an area of 64,856 km2, the largest state of the Central
India Agency. The
founder of the state was Ranoji Scindia, who held a military rank bestowed by
Chhatrapati Sahu and Maharaja of Satura. The present House of Sindhia traces
its descent from a family, one branch of which held the hereditary
appointment of Patil in a village near Satara. The head of the family was
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the
recipient of a patent rank from Aurangzeb of Delhi After the death
of Jankojirao II Sindhia without heirs in 1843 and the ensuing weakness of
the eight years old adopted successor on the throne of Gwalior, the British
took the opportunity to conquer Gwalior in December of the same year. In 1852 under
the able management of minister Dinkar Rao, radical reforms were introduced
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every
department of the administration. As resistance
against the British occupation seemed useless Jayajirao took the side of the
British in the rebellion of 1857.
After he had been forced to flee to Agra he was restored by the British in 1858. From this time the modernisation of the state of Gwalior took momentum. The last ruler,
George Jivajirao Sindhia ruled as an absolute monarch until shortly after India's
independence on August 15, 1947. The
rulers of Indian princely states were required to accede to either of the two
dominions created by the India Independence Act 1947. Jivajirao signed a
covenant with the rulers of the adjoining princely states that united their
several states form a new state within the union of India known as Madhya
Bharat. This new covenanted state was to be governed by a council headed by a
ruler to be known as the Rajpramukh. Madhya Bharat signed a fresh
Instrument of Accession with the Indian dominion effective June 15, 1948. Jivajirao became the first rajpramukh,
or appointed governor, of the state on 28 May
1948. He served as Rajpramukh until October 31, 1956, when the state was merged
into Madhya Pradesh. |
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Heraldry |
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We may be
sure that the royal emblem of the Sindhia dynasty has been a cobra of from
ancient times. The cobra is an emblem connected with royalty and seems to have
been introduced by the Egyptian pharao’s even in the 1st Dynasty (3050-2890
BC). As “It is always told of Mahadji Sindhia that in early youth a cobra was
seen to protect the sleeping child from the sun’s rays by spreading its hood
over him,” [2] This may be an indication that
the House of Sindhia was of the opinion that it was fated to be the ruler of
Gwalior. The cobra
was introduced in Gwalior symbolism on the state flag and the royal flag as
supporter of a sun in splendour. Foto Esben Agersnap Royal Flag of Gwalior preserved in the Jai Vilas palace. These
flags are supposed to be introduced about 1729 but are documented only in
1908. [3] For
that reason I think it more probable that the flags were introduced after the
fall of the Mughal Empire when the sun in splendour was also adopted by some
other former Mughal vassals. |
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Jayajirao Sindhia |
1843-1886 |
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Maharaja Sindhia of .... Arms:
Tenné, a cobra passant Or; on a chief Azure, a civic crown between two towers
of the second. Crest: On
a helmet affrontée, lambrequined Tenné and Or, two globes Murrey each charged
with a cobra sejant Or. Supporters:
Two wolves (Canis lupus - Canidæ) Motto: ALI JAH (Of
Exalted Rank). (T. 36) |
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Madhavrao II
Sindhia |
1886-1925 |
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Arms: Tenné, a cobra passant Or; on a
chief Azure, a civic crown between two towers of the second. Crest: On a helmet affrontée,
lambrequined Tenné and Or, a cobra sejant Or. Supporters: Two wolves (Canis lupus - Canidæ) Motto: ALI
JAH (Of Exalted
Rank).[4] Quarter Anna coin, 1897 showing the royal crest consisting of a spear and a
trident in saltire charged with a cobra. |
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George Jiyajirao Sindia III |
1925-1948 |
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Arms: The royal cypher M.J.S. Crest: A sun radiant Supporters: Two cobra’s (Jaipur) |
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© Hubert de Vries 2009-07-21 Updated
2010-01-16; 2015-11-12
[1] Picture and quote from: Pereira, Harold B.: Indian Heraldry. In: The Coat of Arms. N° 62 April 1965 pp.
240-243.
[2] Gwalior State Gazetteer Vol.
I. Calcutta Superintendent Government Printing. India 1908. The complete quote
reads: It is always told of Mahadji Sindhia that in early youth a cobra was
seen to protect the sleeping child from the sun’s rays by spreading its hood
over him hence the introduction of this animal in the arms.The chief azure was
given to Sindhia in 1869 on a banner then presented to him, the colour and
civic crown being emblems of his fidelity to us (i.e. the English) in 1857,
while the towers indicate the great fort, the “Gibraltar of India”. Wolves are
or were very common round Gwalior.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Blazoning as in the Gazetteer of 1908.