The Princely State of Janjira was one of the 11 Gun Salute states of India during the rule of the British Empire in India which was administered by native rulers, also known as Indian princes, under the indirect control of the British Government of India. At present the princely state is located in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The territory covered a total area of 379 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 110,388 in the year 1941. Janjira state was situated in the British district of Kolaba, south of Bombay. Janjira comprised of 2 distinct coastal districts on both sides of the Gulf of Rajpuri. It is also recognized as Habsan, from Habash or Abyssinia.
History of Princely State of Janjira
The Sidis were the ruling family of Janjira, who seized the town of Ahmadnagar around 1489. The first Sidi thanedar of Danda Rajpuri was Sidi Yaqut Khan. Sidi Ambar Sanak, the thanedar of Janjira came under the suzerainty of the Mughal rulers in 1630. Later the Sidis were appointed as the admirals of the Mughal forces, after they offered their services to Aurangzeb. After 1736, their power of the Mughal Empire declined and the Marathas gained control over the region of Janjira. The state of Janjira was the only territory in Western India which effectively defied the Marathas. Later in the year 1834, the region came under the control of the British administration and was appointed as one of the princely states of India. The last Nawab of Janjira was the 20th ruler Sidi since Sidi Ambar Sanak.
The Princely State of Janjira was part of the Kolhapur Agency and the Deccan States Agency. Later in the year 1946, the region of Janjira was reassigned to the Gujarat States Agency. The territory was appointed as a Salute state with a gun salute of 11 guns. The native ruler of the state held the title of Nawab which was bestowed to the head of the ruling family by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the year 1670. The Nawab of Janjira also acted as the Nawab of Jafrabad, the personal merger of the 2 states was established in 1762. The Diwan of the princely state was entrusted with the administration, under the authority of the Nawab. The state was under full jurisdiction and did not pay any tribute to the British East India Company or to any other state. Janjira state received tribute from Junagadh. In 1834, the mint of the Nawab of Janjira was shut down, copper coinage continued until the year 1880. The religion of most of the populace of the state was Sunni Muslim.
After the withdrawal of the British and the independence of India, the last ruler of the princely state of Janjira acceded his state to the newly formed Union of India.
