Princely State of Chotila

The Princely State of Chotila was one of the princely states of India that were administered by native rulers or Indian princes under the indirect control of the British Government of India. The region covered a total area of 224 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 19,690 in the year 1931. The Chotila Thana included 27 villages and was bordered by Sayla in the northeast; by Sudamda Dhandhalpur in the east; by Bhimora in the south; and by the southern block of Lakhtar region in the northwest. Chotila state included 8 estates and a total of 118 estate holders, which were owned by Khachar Kathis. All of the other estates were in a condensed area that was surrounded by Lakhtar and Wankanar in the north, excluding the taluka of Ramparda; the estates of Paliad Thana, Sayla and Nawanagar in the east; by Rajkot and Nawanagar in the west; and by Rajkot and Anandpur in the south.

The Parmar Rajputs of Muli were the ruling family of the princely state of Chotila. They were removed by the Khachar Kathis in 1566. It is believed that a Rajput prince was married with a Kathi princess and the couple had 3 sons, Kuman, Valo and Khacher, who became patronymic of the 3 branches of the Kathi dynasty.

The Princely State of Chotila was incorporated as a part of the Baroda Agency, which was a sub division of the Western India States Agency. Later it became a part of the Eastern Kathiawar Agency and the state of Gujarat. One of the shareholders of the territory exercised extremely restricted civil and criminal jurisdiction. The estates of Chotila Thana were administered and supervised by the rule of partition. This led to extreme disintegration and the subsequent impoverishment of the estate-holders. The princely state of Chotila paid tribute to the territory of Junagadh. According to the 1943 Attachment Scheme, the state of Chotila was attached to the princely state of Nawanagarh. The village of Morwad was attached to Wadhwan.

After the withdrawal of the British and the partition of India on 15th August 1947, the last native ruler acceded his state to the newly formed Union of India, also known as the Dominion of India. At present Chotila is located in the district of Surendranagar, near Rajkot, Gujarat.