SOME IMPORTANT PRINCELY STATES OF INDIA

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY

C/O COL GKS REDDY
Secunderabad - 500 015

The British ruled India with two administrative systems. One was `Provinces` and the other `Princely States`. About 60% of the Indian subcontinent`s territories were Provinces and 40% were Princely States. Provinces were British territories completely under British control. Princely States were states in British India with local ruler or king with honorary titles like Maharaja, Raja, Maharana, Rana, Nizam, Badshah and other such titles meaning king or ruler in different Indian languages. These rulers were subjected to the British Empire. These two types of administrative systems were the result of the British East India Company`s attempt to annex the whole of Indian sub-continent and make it into a British territory.

Until 1947/48, the complex political map of India (including Pakistan and Bangladesh) included over 650 quasi-independent Indian Princely States. The habitual terminology of "Princely States" is significantly flawed. "Princes" did not rule these states" but rather by "kings," some of whom enjoyed a truly ancient heritage of political power. For the British -- and their ideology of imperialism -- there was but one significant "king" (and he lived in London); Indian rulers were (and had to be) "princes."

Along with the Princely States there were also 11 Provinces in British India. These Provinces were under direct British control. These Provinces were formerly Indian entities, which the British annexed from the Indian rulers, attached them together and turned them into British Provinces. Among these Provinces were Bombay, Madras, Bengal, Assam and United Provinces.

Until around 1947 many parts of India had their own separate coinages too.  The Princely States with more abundant coinages are such as Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kutch and Travancore. Some important Princely States are

PRINCELY STATE     NOW PART OF        CAPITAL    CURRENCY  

                                                

INDIVIDUAL RESIDENCIES – There were a total of Four Individual Residencies at the time of independence on 15 Aug 1947.

1.      HYDERABAD                      IND – AP, MAHA &           Hyderabad                         Ashrafi, Hyderabadi Rupee
                                             KAR

2.      J &K (Part)                          IND – J&K                           Srinagar                              British Indian Rupee
J&K (Part)                           PAK – OCCU J&K               Muzaffarabad                  

3.      MYSORE                             IND – KAR                           Mysore                               Mysore Rupee, 
 Pagoda & Cash

4.      SIKKIM                                IND – SIKKIM                     Gangtok                              British Indian Rupee

BALUCHISTAN AGENCY

1.      KALAT                                  PAK – BALUCHISTAN        Kalat

2.      KHARAN                              PAK – BALUCHISTAN        Kharan

3.      LAS BELA                            PAK – BALUCHISTAN        Bela

4.      MAKRAN                             PAK – BALUCHISTAN        Kech (Turbat)

  

DECCAN STATES AGENCY AND KOLHAPUR RESIDENCY

1.      AKALKOT                            IND – MAHARASHTRA     Akalkot

2.      AUNDH                               IND – MAHARASHTRA     Aundh

3.      BHOR                                  IND – MAHARASHTRA     Bhor                                    R

4.      JANJIRA                                             IND – MAHARASHTRA     Murud Janjira

5.      JATH                                    IND – MAHARASHTRA     Jath

6.      KOLHAPUR                         IND – MAHARASHTRA     Kolhapur

7.      KURUNDWAD                   IND – MAHARASHTRA     Kurundwad

8.      MUDHOL                            IND – KARNATAKA            Mudhol

9.      JAMKHANDI                       IND – KARNATAKA            Jamkhandi

10.   PHALTAN                            IND – MAHARASHTRA     Phaltan

11.   SANGLI                                IND – MAHARASHTRA     Sangli

12.   SAWANTWADI                  IND – MAHARASHTRA     Sawantwadi

13.   SAVANUR                           IND – KARNATAKA            Savanur

GWALIOR RESIDENCY

1.      GWALIOR                           IND – MP                            Gwalior

2.      VARANASI                          IND – UP                             Varanasi

3.      GARHA                                IND – MP                            Garha

4.      KHANIADHANA                 IND – MP                            Khaniadhana

5.      RAJGARH                            IND – MP                            Rajgarh

6.      RAMPUR                             IND – UP                             Rampur

MADRAS PRESIDENCY

1.      COCHIN                                             IND – KERALA     Mahodayapuram

2.      BANGANAPALLE               IND – AP                             Banganapalle

3.      PUDUKKOTTAI                  IND – TAMIL NADU          Pudukottai                         Rupee & Cash

4.      SANDUR                             IND – KARNATAKA            Sanduru

5.      TRAVANCORE                    IND – KER& TN                  Trivendrum

NORTH WEST FRONTIER STATE AGENCY

1.      AMB                                    PAK – KHYBER                   Darband

2.      CHITRAL                             PAK – KHYBER                   Chitral Town

3.      DIR                                       PAK – KHYBER                   Dir

4.      PHULRA                              PAK – KHYBER                   Phulra

5.      SWAT                                  PAK – KHYBER                   Saidu Sharif

GILGIT AGENCY

1.      HUNZA                                PAK – GILGIT                      Baltit (Karimabad)

2.      NAGAR                                PAK – GILGIT                      Nagar

PROVINCE OF SINDH

1.      KHAYRPUR                         PAK – SINDH                      Khayrpur                             R

PUNJAB STATES AGENCY

2.      BAHAWALPUR                   PAK – PUNJAB                   Bahawalpur

3.      BILASPUR                           IND – HP                             Bilaspur

4.      FARIDKOT                           IND – PUNJAB                   Faridkot

5.      JIND                                     IND – HARYANA                Jind

6.      KANGRA                              IND – HP                             Kangra

7.      KALSIA                                 IND – HARYANA                Chhachhrauli

8.      KAPURTHALA                     IND – PUNJAB                   Kapurthala

9.      LOHARU                             IND – HARYANA                Loharu

10.   MALERKOTLA                    IND – PUNJAB                   Malerkotla

11.   MANDI                                IND – HP                             Mandi

12.   KALABAGH                         PAK – PUNJAB                   Kalabagh

13.   PATIALA                              IND – PUNJAB                   Patiala

14.   SIRMUR                              IND – HP                             Sirmur (Nahan)

15.   SUKET /                               IND – HP                             Suket
SURENDERNAGAR

16.   SIBA                                     IND – HP

17.   TEHRI GARHWAL              IND – U KHAND                 Tehri (Pratap Nagar)        R

STATES OF THE RAJASTHAN AGENCY

1.      ALWAR                                IND – RAJASTAN               Alwar

2.      BANSWARA                        IND – RAJ                           Banswara

3.      BIKANER                             IND – RAJ                           Bikaner

4.      BHARATPUR                      IND – RAJ                           Bharatpur

5.      BUNDI                                 IND – RAJ                           Bundi

6.      DHOLPUR                           IND – RAJ                           Dholpur

7.      DUNGARPUR                     IND – RAJ                           Dungarpur

8.      JAIPUR                                IND – RAJ                           Jaipur

9.      JAISALMER                         IND – RAJ                           Jaisalmer

10.   JHALAWAR                         IND – RAJ                           Jhalawar (Patan)              

11.   JODHPUR                           IND – RAJ                           Jodhpur

12.   KARAULI                             IND – RAJ                           Karauli

13.   KISHANGARH                     IND – RAJ                           Kishangarh

14.   KOTAH                                IND – RAJ                           Kota

15.   KUSHALGARH                    IND – RAJ                           Kushalgarh

16.   PRATABGARH                    IND – RAJ                           Pratabgarh

17.   PATAN – TORAWATI        IND – RAJ                           Patan

18.   SHAHPURA                         IND – RAJ                           Shahpura

19.   SIROHI                                IND – RAJ                           Sirohi

20.   TONK                                   IND – RAJ                           Tonk

21.   MEWAR                              IND – RAJ                           Udaipur               

22.   LAWA                                  IND – RAJ                          

23.   VALLABHPUR                     IND – RAJ                           Vallabhpur                          R

GUJARAT STATES AGENCY AND BARODA RESIDENCY

1. BALASINOR               IND – GUJ                   Balasinor
2. BANSDA                                                                        Bansda
3. BAJANA
4. DEVGADH BARIA     
5. DHROL
6. BARODA
7. BHAVNAGAR
8. CAMBAY
9. CHHOTA UDAIPUR    
10. DANGS
11. DHRANGADHRA
12. GONDAL
13. IDAR
14. JAWHAR
15. JUNAGADH
16. MANAVADAR
17. KUTCH
18. LUNAVADA                                                                                                              R
19. MORVI
20. NAWANAGAR
21. PALANPUR
22. PORBANDAR
23. POSHINA
24. RADHANPUR
25. RAJPIPLA
26. SACHIN
27. SANJEDA MEHVASSI
28. SANT
29. SANJELI
30. SURGANA
31. THARAD
32. VIJAYNAGAR
33. VITHALGARH
34. WANKANER               IND - GUJARAT
35. VANOD

STATES OF CENTRAL INDIA AGENCY

1. AJAIGARH                  INDIA
2. ALI RAJPUR
3. ALIPURA
4. BAONI
5. BARANNDA
6. BARWANI
7. BERI
8. BHOPAL
9. BIJAWAR
10. CHARKHARI
11. CHHATARPUR                                                                                                         R  

12. DATIA             INDIA
13. DEWAS
14. DHAR
15. GARRAULI
16. GAURIHAR
17. INDORE
18. JABUA                J                                                                                                        Rupee & Paise                                 
19. JAORA
20. JASO
21. JIGNI
22. KAMTA-RAJAULA
23. KHANIADHANA
24. KHILCHIPUR
25. KOTHI BAGHELAN
26. KURWAI
27. LUGASI
28. MAIHAR
29. MAKRAI
30. MATHWAR
31. MUHAMMADGARH
32. NAGOD (UNCHHERA)
33. NARSINGARH
34. ORCHHA
35. PANNA
36. PATHARI
37. PIPLODA
38. RAJGARH
39. RATLAM
40. REWAH
41. SAMTHAR
42. SARILA
43. SITAMAU                    INDIA

STATES OF THE EASTERN STATES AGENCY

1. ATHMALLIK               INDIA
2. BASTAR
3. BAUDH
4. BANAILI
5. CHANGBHAKAR
6. CHHUIKHADAN
7. COOCH BEHAR
8. DARBHANGA
9. DASPALLA
10. DHENKANAL
11. JASHPUR
12. KALAHANDI
13. KANKER
14. KAWARDHA
15. KHAIRAGARH
16. KHARSAWAN
17. KHONDMALS
18. KORIYA (KORIYA)
19. MANIPUR
20. MAYURBHANJ
21. NANDGAON               INDIA
22. NAYAGARH               INDIA
23. PAL LAHARA
24. PATNA
25. RAIGARH
26. RAMGARH
27. SAKTI
28. SARAIKELA
29. SARANGARH
30. SONPUR
31. SURGUJA
32. TALCHER
33. TRIPURA
34. UDAIPUR                    INDIA