Princely State of Deloli

The Princely State of Deloli was one of the former princely states of India that were administered by native rulers or Indian princes under the indirect control of the British Government of India. The territory covered a total area of 2 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 793 according to the census of 1921. The erstwhile princely state of Deloli included only a single village. After the independence of India in the year 1947, the native state was acceded to the newly formed Union of India, also known as the Dominion of India. The princely state of Deloli was located in the Katosan Thana region.

The Katosan Thana was next to the taluka of Viragam in the British district of Ahmedabad in north Gujarat. The territory consisted of the jurisdictional taluka of Palaj and 9 other non-jurisdictional estates. These estates were further segregated into several complicated shares. Numerous villages were co-shared by many estates, including the territory of Katosan itself. The estates were intertwined with the jurisdictional talukas of Palaj and Katosan, but were generally surrounded by British India in the south and by the princely state of Baroda in the other 3 sides. Katosan Thana was scattered over a total area of 35 sq miles and had a total population of 13,325 in the year 1931.

The Princely State of Deloli was incorporated as a part of the Baroda Agency, which was under the administrative control of the Western India States Agency. Later the territory was merged with the state of Gujarat. The state was also a part of the Sabar Kantha Agency and the Katosan Thana as well.

The princely state of Deloli was claimed by several native princes, who were also known as estate holders. The Makwana Kolis, branches of the Katosan, were the shareholders the territory. Deloli state was a non- jurisdictionary princely state. The estateholders were illiterate, low in status and were rather impoverished. The succession of the throne or gadi of the princely state of Deloli was not governed by the rule of male primogeniture, through which the eldest child inherited the entire estate of one or both parents, to the exclusion of all others. Most of the shareholders were under Agency management due to their lack of capability to supervise the affairs and indebtedness. The state of Deloli was ranked as a 7th Class taluka before the abolition of the class system in the year 1928.

The Princely State of Deloli paid annual tribute to the princely state of Baroda. Along with the other petty states of Katosan Thana, the territory of Deloli was attached to Baroda state in June 1940, under the Attachment Scheme of 1943.

After the withdrawal of the British and the independence of India on 15th August 1947, the princely state of Deloli was acceded to the newly formed Union of India, also known as the Dominion of India.