The Princely State of Bundi was one of the 17 Gun Salute states of India during the rule of the British Empire in India. During the early 19th century, the region was appointed as one of the princely states of India under the indirect rule of the British administration. It was incorporated as a part of the Rajputana Agency and Eastern States Agency, which administered the relations of the state with the British authorities. Bundi state covered a total area of 2,220 sq miles and comprised of a population of 249,374 in the year 1941. The princely state of Bundi was located in the eastern Rajputana and was bounded by Jaipur in the north; by a Tonk enclave in the northeast; by Kotah in the east; and by Udaipur in the south and the west. The territory is traversed from southwest to northeast by a double row of hills which divide the land into 2 approximately equal and mutually inaccessible regions.
The Princely State of Bundi was honoured as one of the salute states of India with a gun salute of 17 guns. The courts of the state exercised full civil and criminal jurisdiction and followed ancient Hindu laws and customs. The native ruler of the state who held the title of Maharao Raja had full powers of administration. Bundi state was segregated into 12 tahsils. There were a number of jagirs, but were not necessarily hereditary. The princely state of Bundi continued to mint its native currency of Chehra Shahi silver rupee. The coat of arms of Bundi state was a shield that depicted Garuda, who is the mount of Vishnu, bordered by winged griffins. The shield is surrounde by bulls signifying righteousness or dharma; it was crowned by a warrior rising from flames, potrraying the creation legend of the ruling Chauhan dynasty, as the clan was allegedly created from fire.
History of Princely State of Bundi
The Hara or Hada sept of the Chauhan Rajputs was the ruling family of the Bundi state. The state was established by Rao Deva, also known as Deoraj, who seized the territory from the indigenous Minas in 1241. During the rule of Sarjan Hara, the state received privileged treatment from Mughal Emperor Akbar. The native rulers of the princely state of Bundi were loyal to the Mughal dynasty untill the 18th century. Later in the year 1734, the Maratha forces captured the land and gained power over Bundi with the help of a claimant to the royal throne. On 10 February 1818, the princely state of Bundi accepted the suzerainty of the British East India Company. The native ruler Bishan Singh signed a subsidiary alliance with the British authorities and received support and protection from the British forces. Later during the First World War, Bundi state supported the British Government of India.
In 1947, after the withdrawal of the British and the partition of India, the British authorities abandoned their suzerainty over the various princely states of India, which were left to decide whether to accede to the newly formed Dominion of India or the Dominion of Pakistan. The last ruler of the princely state of Bundi acceded his state to Republic of India, also known as the Union of India. The internal affairs of Bundi eventually came under the control of Delhi.
Rulers of Princely State of Bundi
* Rao Deva (1343- 1343)
* Rao Napuji
* Rao Hamuli (1384-1400)
* Rao Birsingh (1400- 1415)
* Rao Biru (1415- 1470)
* Rao Bandu (1470- 1491)
* Rao Narayan Das (1491- 1527)
* Rao Suraj Mal (1527- 1531)
* Rao Surtan Singh (1531- 1544)
* Rao Raja Surjan Singh (1544- 1585)
* Rao Raja Bhoj Singh (1585- 1608)
* Rao Raja Ratan Singh (1608- 1632)
* Rao Raja Chhattar Sal Singh (1632- 1658)
* Rao Raja Bhao Singh (1658- 1682)
* Rao Raja Anirudh Singh (1682- 1696)
* Rao Raja Budh Singh (1696- 1735)
* Rao Raja Dalel Singh (1735- 1749)
* Rao Raja Umaid Singh (1749- 1770) and (1773- 1804)
* Rao Raja Ajit Singh (1770- 1773)
* Rao Raja Bishen Singh (1804- 1821)
* Maharao Raja Ram Singh Sahib Bahadur (1821- 1889)
* Colonel His Highness Maharao Raja Shri Sir Raghubir Singh Sahib Bahadur (1889- 1927)
* Major His Highness Maharao Raja Shri Sir Iishwari Singh Bahadur (1927- 1945)
* Colonel His Highness Maharao Raja Shri Bahadur Singh Bahadur (1945- 1977)
* His Highness Maharao Raja Ranjit Singh (1977- 2010)
