Baroda State
Encyclopedia
Baroda State was an India
n princely state
in present-day Gujarat, ruled by the Gaekwad
dynasty from its formation in 1721 until 1947 when it succeed to newly formed, India. With the city of Baroda (Vadodara
) as its capital, during the British Raj
it was part of the Baroda Residency. It was one of the largest and wealthiest princely state of British India, with wealth coming from lucrative cotton business as well as rice, wheat and sugar. At the time of Indian independence, only five rulers—the Nizam
of Hyderabad
, the Maharaja of Mysore
, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir state, the Maharaja Gaekwad
of Baroda
and the Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior—were entitled to a 21-gun salute. It formally merged with the Union of India, on May 1, 1949, prior to which an interim government was formed in the state.
Baroda derives its native name, Vadodara from Sanskrit
word, vatodara, (In the heart of Banyan
(Vata) tree), though also has another name, Virakshetra or Virawati (land of warriors), mentioned alongside Vadodara, by 17th century Gujarati poet, Premanand Bhatt
, native to the city. Its named has been mentioned as Brodera by early English travellers and merchants, from which its later name Baroda was derived. Geographically it comprised tracts of land, measuring over 8000 sq. miles, spread across the present Gujarat state, this was subdivided into four prant (state), namely Kadi
, Baroda, Navsari
and Amreli
, which included coastal portions of the state, in the Okha
madal region near Dwarka
and Kodinar
near Diu.
The Marathas first attacked Gujarat in 1705. By 1712, a Maratha leader Khande Rao Dabhade grew powerful in the region and when he returned to Satara
in 1716, he was made the senapati
(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.
Thus the Baroda State was founded in 1721, when the Maratha
general Pilaji Gaekwad conquered Songadh
from the Mughal
s. Prior to this Pilajirao was appointed as general to collect revenues from Gujarat by the Peshwa
, the effective ruler of the Maratha Empire
, who had taken over the region north and south of Surat
from the Mughals to established the Sarkar of Surat. Songadh remained the headquarters of the "House of Gaekwad" till 1866.After the Second Anglo-Maratha War
(1803–1805), the East India Company
wrested control of much of Gujarat from the Maratha
s. However the Gaekwads of Baroda (Vadodara), made a separate peace with the British, and acknowledged British sovereignty in return for retaining local self-rule.
Although the Gaekwads trace their origins to 1720, it was not until considerably later that Baroda can be truly thought of as an independent state. The first coins issued by the Gaekwads were issued by Manaji Rao (ruled 1789-93) and they followed the Maratha pattern of naming the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, distinguishing themselves only by the placement of an extra mark or letter to indicate the issuer. Manaji, for example, placed a Nagari letter ma on his coins. After 1857, since the Mughal emperor had been formally deposed, it no longer made any sense to issue coins in his name, so the designs were changed and coins were issued in the name of "the Commander of the Sovereign Band," a title of the Gaekwad. The legends on these coins were still in Persian and the coins themselves were still hand-struck. Finally, in stages during the 1870's, Nagari legends and different designs were introduced and also milled coins began to be issued, eventually featuring the portrait of the Gaekwad on them.
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 Baroda 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 R. Phayre C.B. with a compound of arsenic
. By order of the Secretary of State for India
, Lord Salisbury, Malharrao was deposed on 10 April 1875 and exiled to Madras, where he died in obscurity in 1882. 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.
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 kilometers-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. He ascended the gaddi (throne) at Baroda, 16 June 1875 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. The Maharajah of Baroda, Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III, became one of most important rulers of the state, founding numerous institutions, including the Bank of Baroda
on 20 July 1908. The bank, along with 13 other major commercial banks of India, was nationalised on 19 July 1969, by the Government of India
; it is today the third largest bank of India.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the four largest states—Hyderabad State
, Mysore
, Jammu and Kashmir
, and Baroda State were directly under the authority of the Governor-General of India
, in the person of a British Resident
. In 1911, Baroda State spanned 8182 square kilometre, and the population was 2,032,798 persons as per the 1911 census of India. The state was very wealthy. The Pittsburgh Press reported in 1927 that the diamond necklace, which contained the Star of the South
diamond, was a part of a royal collection worth $10,000,000 at the time, housed in the Nazarbaug Palace
(built 1721) in Baroda city; another important part of the collection was a cloth embroidered with precious stones and seed pearl
s, made to cover the tomb of Mohammed.
In 1930s, Baroda Residency was combined with the princely states of northern Bombay Presidency
into the "Baroda, Western States and Gujarat Agency". A newly reformed State Legislative Assembly known as Baroda State Praja Mandal
assembled at Thol village, 20 miles from Ahmedabad
, on October 27, 1940, with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
as its president.
Post-independence of India, an interim government under Prime Minister Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta
, son-in-law of Manubhai Mehta
, then Dewan of Baroda state. was inaugurated in the State, on Sept 4, 1948, by the then Maharaja at a special Durbar
in the Laxmi Vilas Palace, Baroda. Finally on May 1, 1949, Baroda State, the third largest state of the British India formally merged with the Union of India, Initially, Baroda merged with the Bombay state
, and then, on 1 May 1960, when the two new states of Gujarat and Maharashtra
were formed, it became part of Gujarat, with Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta becoming the first Chief Minister of Gujarat.
(GBSR), which started in 1862 with the first narrow-gauge in India, it was a 8 miles (13 km) of an NG railway line from Dabhoi
to Miyagam., a metre gauge railway line was later added. After independence, in 1949 this railways merged with the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.
, 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.
When political alignments changed, after the Second Anglo-Maratha war, a joint expedition of British and Baroda state troops under Colonel Walker, then resident of Baroda, appraoched Kathiawad in 1808, and eventually obtained bonds from the chiefs of Okha-mandal
and from the maritime states of Kathiawad renouncing piracy. Then in 1813, the Baroda government acquired the parganah of Kodinar
(in present Junagadh district
), where at port of Velan
a small fleet of four frigates with 12 pounder guns on each for the protection of the trade between Bombay and Sindh
was established. These four armed vessels were named Anandprasad, Sarsuba, Anamat Vart and Anne Maria, which was purchased from the Shah of Iran, and was known as 'Shah Kai Khusru' till then.
files, including aroda state registers, prints, maps, abhinandan patra or maan patra (felicitation letters) offered to the erstwhile King by different provincial states and organisation, aagna patrika (gadgets), 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.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
in present-day Gujarat, ruled by the Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
dynasty from its formation in 1721 until 1947 when it succeed to newly formed, India. With the city of Baroda (Vadodara
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
) as its capital, during the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
it was part of the Baroda Residency. It was one of the largest and wealthiest princely state of British India, with wealth coming from lucrative cotton business as well as rice, wheat and sugar. At the time of Indian independence, only five rulers—the Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
of Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, the Maharaja of Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir state, the Maharaja Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
of Baroda
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
and the Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior—were entitled to a 21-gun salute. It formally merged with the Union of India, on May 1, 1949, prior to which an interim government was formed in the state.
History
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word, vatodara, (In the heart of Banyan
Banyan
A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
(Vata) tree), though also has another name, Virakshetra or Virawati (land of warriors), mentioned alongside Vadodara, by 17th century Gujarati poet, Premanand Bhatt
Premanand Bhatt
Premanand Bhatt is known for his contribution in Gujarati literature. Popularly, he is known as Premanand in Gujarat. Premanand is known for his literary form called "Aakhyan" in Gujarati...
, native to the city. Its named has been mentioned as Brodera by early English travellers and merchants, from which its later name Baroda was derived. Geographically it comprised tracts of land, measuring over 8000 sq. miles, spread across the present Gujarat state, this was subdivided into four prant (state), namely Kadi
Kadi
Kadi may refer to:*Kadi, Gujarat, a city and municipality in Mehsana district, Gujarat, India*Kadhi, an Indian dish*Kadı, an official in the Ottoman empire*Qadi or kadi, Islamic judge*Al-Qadi, an Arabic surname*Quadi, an ancient Germanic tribe...
, Baroda, Navsari
Navsari
Navsari is a city and municipality in the Surat Metropolitan Region and also the administrative headquarters Navsari District of Gujarat, India. Navsari is also the Twin City of Surat, and only 37 km south of Surat.-Geography:...
and Amreli
Amreli
Amreli is a city and a municipality in Amreli district of the Saurashtra region in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It is believed that during the year 534 AD Amreli existed was formerly known as Anumanji, Amlik and then Amravati. The city is named in ancient Sanskrit ass Amarvalli. Initially...
, which included coastal portions of the state, in the Okha
Okha
Okha is a town in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. Population: 29,000 ; 27,963 ; 36,104 .-Geography:The town lies on the east coast of the far north of the island of Sakhalin, approximately 850 km north of the regional capital Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, near the shoreline of the Sea of Okhotsk.-History:The...
madal region near Dwarka
Dwarka
Dwarka also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality of Jamnagar district in the Gujarat state in India. Dwarka , also known as Dwarawati in Sanskrit literature is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country...
and Kodinar
Kodinar
Kodinar is a city and a municipality in Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat, west of Una. Kodinar is close to the Gir Forest National Park....
near Diu.
The Marathas first attacked Gujarat in 1705. By 1712, a Maratha leader Khande Rao Dabhade grew powerful in the region and when he returned to Satara
Satara
Satara is a city located in the Satara District of Maharashtra state of India. The town is 2320 ft. above sea-level, near the confluence of the Krishna and its tributary river Venna. The city was the capital of the Maratha empire in the 17th century, hence one of the the historical cities of...
in 1716, he was made the senapati
Senapati
Senapati is the Hindi word for general and Mahasenapati means great general. It is cognate with duke or Herzog and like this word means army leader .-List of few Maratha "Senapati" or "Commander-in-Chief":...
(commander in chief). Thereafter during the "Battle of Balapur
Balapur
Balapur is a city and a municipal council in Akola district in the state of Maharashtra, India.The name Balapur is after the Village Goddess called Baladevi, the temple of which has a very ancient history.-Geography:Balapur is located at...
" 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.
Thus the Baroda State was founded in 1721, when the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
general Pilaji Gaekwad conquered Songadh
Songadh
Fort Songadh is a city and a municipality in Tapi district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It has previously been known as "Soneri Gadh, later being abbreviated to the now common Songadh.-Geography:Songadh is located at...
from the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
s. Prior to this Pilajirao was appointed as general to collect revenues from Gujarat by the Peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
, the effective ruler of the Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
, who had taken over the region north and south of Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
from the Mughals to established the Sarkar of Surat. Songadh remained the headquarters of the "House of Gaekwad" till 1866.After the Second Anglo-Maratha War
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
(1803–1805), the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
wrested control of much of Gujarat from the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s. However the Gaekwads of Baroda (Vadodara), made a separate peace with the British, and acknowledged British sovereignty in return for retaining local self-rule.
Although the Gaekwads trace their origins to 1720, it was not until considerably later that Baroda can be truly thought of as an independent state. The first coins issued by the Gaekwads were issued by Manaji Rao (ruled 1789-93) and they followed the Maratha pattern of naming the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, distinguishing themselves only by the placement of an extra mark or letter to indicate the issuer. Manaji, for example, placed a Nagari letter ma on his coins. After 1857, since the Mughal emperor had been formally deposed, it no longer made any sense to issue coins in his name, so the designs were changed and coins were issued in the name of "the Commander of the Sovereign Band," a title of the Gaekwad. The legends on these coins were still in Persian and the coins themselves were still hand-struck. Finally, in stages during the 1870's, Nagari legends and different designs were introduced and also milled coins began to be issued, eventually featuring the portrait of the Gaekwad on them.
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 Baroda 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 R. Phayre C.B. with a compound of arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
. By order of the Secretary of State for India
Secretary of State for India
The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...
, Lord Salisbury, Malharrao was deposed on 10 April 1875 and exiled to Madras, where he died in obscurity in 1882. 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.
Bank of Baroda
Bank of Baroda is the third largest bank in India, after the State Bank of India and the Punjab National Bank and ahead of ICICI Bank. BoB is ranked 763 in Forbes Global 2000 list. BoB has total assets in excess of Rs. 3.58 lakh crores, or Rs. 3,583 billion, a network of over 3,409 branches and...
on 20 July 1908. The bank, along with 13 other major commercial banks of India, was nationalised on 19 July 1969, by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
; it is today the third largest bank of India.
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
, Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
, and Baroda State were directly under the authority of the Governor-General of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
, in the person of a British Resident
Resident (title)
A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indirect rule....
. In 1911, Baroda State spanned 8182 square kilometre, and the population was 2,032,798 persons as per the 1911 census of India. The state was very wealthy. The Pittsburgh Press reported in 1927 that the diamond necklace, which contained the Star of the South
Star of the South
The Star of the South, also known as Estrela do Sul, is a diamond found in Brazil in 1853. The diamond is cut into a cushion shape and weighs . The Star of the South is graded as a type IIa diamond, with a colour grading of fancy light pinkish-brown and a clarity of VS2. At the time of discovery,...
diamond, was a part of a royal collection worth $10,000,000 at the time, housed in the Nazarbaug Palace
Nazarbaug Palace
"Nazarbaug Palace" was Gaekwad Royal Palace in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat state, western India. Nazarbagh Palace was built in 1721. It has solid gold and silver guns, each barrel weighing over 100 kg...
(built 1721) in Baroda city; another important part of the collection was a cloth embroidered with precious stones and seed pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s, made to cover the tomb of Mohammed.
In 1930s, Baroda Residency was combined with the princely states of northern Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
into the "Baroda, Western States and Gujarat Agency". A newly reformed State Legislative Assembly known as Baroda State Praja Mandal
assembled at Thol village, 20 miles from Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, on October 27, 1940, with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and one of the founding fathers of India...
as its president.
Post-independence of India, an interim government under Prime Minister Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta
Jivraj Narayan Mehta
Dr Jivraj Narayan Mehta was the first Chief Minister of Gujarat. He was born on 29 August 1887 to Narayan and Jamakben Mehta in Amreli in Bombay Presidency. He was son-in-law of Manubhai Mehta, then Dewan of Baroda state.-Early life and education:...
, son-in-law of Manubhai Mehta
Manubhai Mehta
Sir Manubhai Nandshankar Mehta was the Dewan of Baroda state from 9 May 1916 to 1927. From 1927 to 1934 he was the Prime Minister of Bikanir ....
, then Dewan of Baroda state. was inaugurated in the State, on Sept 4, 1948, by the then Maharaja at a special Durbar
Durbar
Durbar is a Persian term meaning the Shah's noble court. It was later used in India and Nepal for a ruler's court or feudal levy as the latter came to be ruled and later administered by Persians and Perso-Turcomen rulers...
in the Laxmi Vilas Palace, Baroda. Finally on May 1, 1949, Baroda State, the third largest state of the British India formally merged with the Union of India, Initially, Baroda merged with the Bombay state
Bombay State
The Bombay State was a state of India, dissolved with the formation of Maharashtra and Gujarat states on May 1, 1960.-History:During British rule, portions of the western coast of India under direct British rule were part of the Bombay Presidency...
, and then, on 1 May 1960, when the two new states of Gujarat and Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
were formed, it became part of Gujarat, with Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta becoming the first Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Baroda State Railway
The state owned the Gaekwar's Baroda State RailwayGaekwar's Baroda State Railway
Gaekwar's Baroda State Railway was a narrow gauge and metre gauge railway line owned by the Princely State of Baroda, which was ruled by the Gaekwar dynasty....
(GBSR), which started in 1862 with the first narrow-gauge in India, it was a 8 miles (13 km) of an NG railway line from Dabhoi
Dabhoi
Dabhoi is a city and a municipality in Vadodara district in the state of Gujarat, India. It was originally known as Darbhavati.- History :...
to Miyagam., a metre gauge railway line was later added. After independence, in 1949 this railways merged with the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.
Baroda State Navy
In late 18th century, the Baroda state established a Naval set up at Billimora, a port about 40 miles south of SuratSurat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
, 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.
When political alignments changed, after the Second Anglo-Maratha war, a joint expedition of British and Baroda state troops under Colonel Walker, then resident of Baroda, appraoched Kathiawad in 1808, and eventually obtained bonds from the chiefs of Okha-mandal
Okha, India
Okha is a small costal town near Jamnagar, Gujarat, in India, surrounded by the sea and has a beach. The town is famous for its Lord Krishna Temple "Bet Dwaraka", residence of Lord Krishna. The town is connected by rail and bus to the major cities of Guajrat and the rest of India. Okha is one of...
and from the maritime states of Kathiawad renouncing piracy. Then in 1813, the Baroda government acquired the parganah of Kodinar
Kodinar
Kodinar is a city and a municipality in Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat, west of Una. Kodinar is close to the Gir Forest National Park....
(in present Junagadh district
Junagadh district
Junagadh District is a district of the Indian state of Gujarat. Its administrative headquarters is the city of Junagadh.-Geography:The district is located on the Kathiawar peninsula in western Gujarat. It is surrounded by Rajkot District , Porbandar District , Amreli District...
), where at port of Velan
Velan
Velan may refer to:* Velan, a non-Brahmanical priest associated with Hindu deity, Murugan.-Places:* Mont Vélan, a mountain in the Pennine Alps, between Switzerland and Italy.* Velan, Albania, a settlement in Albania....
a small fleet of four frigates with 12 pounder guns on each for the protection of the trade between Bombay and Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
was established. These four armed vessels were named Anandprasad, Sarsuba, Anamat Vart and Anne Maria, which was purchased from the Shah of Iran, and was known as 'Shah Kai Khusru' till then.
Gaekwad Maharajas of Baroda
- Pilaji Rao GaekwadPilaji Rao GaekwadPilajirao Gaekwad was an Indian general. He is considered to be the founder of the Gaekwad dynasty, who became Maharaja of Baroda State....
(1721–1732) - Damaji Rao Gaekwad (1732–1768)
- Govind Rao Gaekwad (1768–1771)
- Sayaji Rao Gaekwad I (1771–1789)
- Manaji Rao Gaekwad (1789–1793)
- Govind Rao Gaekwad (restored) (1793–1800)
- Anand Rao Gaekwad (1800–1818)
- Sayaji Rao II Gaekwad (1818–1847)
- Ganpat Rao Gaekwad (1847–1856)
- Khande Rao Gaekwad (1856–1870)
- Malhar Rao Gaekwad (1870–1875)
- Maharaja Sayyaji Rao III (1875–1939)
- Pratap Singh Gaekwad (1939–1951)
- Fatehsinghrao GaekwadFatehsinghrao GaekwadLieutenant-Colonel Farzand-i-Khas-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Shrimant Maharaja Fatehsinghrao Prataprao Gaekwad, Sena Khas Khel Shamsher Bahadur, Maharaja of Baroda was a former Maharaja of Baroda....
(1951–1988) - Ranjitsinh Pratapsinh GaekwadRanjitsinh Pratapsinh GaekwadRanjitsinghrao Gaekwad, is the younger brother of Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad. After Fatehsingrao Gaekwad died in the Breach Candy Hospital in Bombay on 1 September 1988 at the age of 50, he was succeeded as Maharaja of Baroda by his younger brother, Ranjitsinghrao Gaekwad, the current Maharaja of...
(1988 - )
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:- Yuvraj Samarjitsingh Gaekwad, Yuvaraj Sahib of Baroda (25 April 1967-). Only son of Ranjitsinh Pratapsinh GaekwadRanjitsinh Pratapsinh GaekwadRanjitsinghrao Gaekwad, is the younger brother of Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad. After Fatehsingrao Gaekwad died in the Breach Candy Hospital in Bombay on 1 September 1988 at the age of 50, he was succeeded as Maharaja of Baroda by his younger brother, Ranjitsinghrao Gaekwad, the current Maharaja of...
, the present Yuvaraj Has two daughters, Padmaja Raje (b 2006) and Narayani. - Shrimant Prince (Maharajkumar) Sangramsinhrao Gaekwad, the Heir Presumptive (6 August 1941-). Younger brother of the present Maharaja.
- Shrimant Maharajkumar Pratapsinhrao Sangramsinhrao Gaekwad (26 August 1971-). Only son of Sangramsinhrao Gaekwad.
- 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.
- Shrimant Rajkumar Anandrao Khanderao Gaekwad (28 September 1948-). Younger brother of Sayajirao Khanderao Gaekwad. Has two sons.
- Shrimant Shivajirao Anandrao Gaekwar (21 September 1983-). Elder son of Anandrao Khanderao Gaekwad.
- Shrimant Udaysingh Anandrao Gaekwar (3 December 1990-). Younger son of Anandrao Khanderao Gaekwad.
- Shrimant Satyajitsinhrao Duleepsinhrao Gaekwad (2nd March 1960/3rd March 1962-). Great-grandnephew of Sayajirao Gaekwad III through the Maharaja's elder brother Anandrao, Himmat Bahadur, CIECIE-Organizations:* Cambridge International Examinations, an international examination board* Cleveland Institute of Electronics, a private technical and engineering educational institution — the International Commission on Illumination...
(1857-1917), through Anandrao's son Chandrasinhrao (b. 1894-?) and through his grandson Duleepsinhrao (b. c1920-?) - Shrimant ? Satyajitsinhrao Gaekwad (199?-). Son of Satyajitsinhrao.
- Professor Shrimant Gautam Bhadrasinhrao Gaekwad. (15 May 1935-). Grandnephew of Sayajirao III through the Maharaja's elder brother Anandrao, Himmat Bahadur, CIE (1857-1917) and through Anandrao's younger son Bhadrasinhrao, CIE (1896-1946)
Historiography
In 2007, Gujarat State Department of Archives started digitising six lakhLakh
A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
files, including aroda state registers, prints, maps, abhinandan patra or maan patra (felicitation letters) offered to the erstwhile King by different provincial states and organisation, aagna patrika (gadgets), huzur orders, and volumes of letters exchanged and agreements of the princely state with other provincial states and the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, currently housed at the 'Southern Circle Record Office' at Vadodara, where a permanent exhibition had also been set up.
External links
- Genealogy of princely states of Baroda at Queensland University
- Coins of Baroda State