The Princely State of Makrai was one of the well known native states from the 16th century, which came under the administrative control of the Central Provinces and Berar until the year 1933. Later the territory was reassigned to the Bhopal Agency that was a subdivision of the Central India Agency. The princely state covered a total area of 155 sq m and comprised of a total population of 14,357 in the year 1941. Makrai state, also known as the state of Karibheet Makrai, consisted of 151 villages in 1941. The state was located in Harda tashsil of the Hoshangabad District in the British Central Provinces and Berar, towards the south of the Nemawar district of Indore. At present, the princely state of Makrai is situated in the district of Harda in Madhya Pradesh state. Makrai state was part of the Bhopal Agency, under the Central India Agency.
History of Princely State of Makrai
Mughal rulers conferred the traditional title of Raja Hatiyarai to the rulers of Makrai. The native ruler of the state held the official title of Maharaja, who was invested with full ruling powers and was supported by a diwan in administrative functions. The state of Makrai did paid any tribute to other states. The Makrai state was one of the original constituent members of the Chamber of Princes, a number of smaller states indirectly represented by 12 princes who were elected periodically by them.
The princely state of Makrai was founded in the 16th century by Rajgond Raja Karkat Rai. The native rulers of Makrai state belonged to the earliest Raj Gond dynasty. It is considered that Raja Karkat Rai of Chandrapur received the territory from the ruler of the Garha Mandla kingdom. Although the history of the region is rather vague, but it is considered that Makrand Shah constructed a fortress in the state and seized over 50 villages. The successors of Raja Karkat Rai struggled with the Maratha forces who took control over several villages in the province in the year 1750 and again in 1765. They had seized the tahsil of Harda as well.
In the early 19th century, the princely state of Makrai fought with the Pindaris also. In the year 1844, the princely state came under the protection of the British Government of India and was improved to the rank of a feudatory state in the year 1865. After the country achieved independence from the dominion of the British Empire in India in the year 1947, the last ruler of the princely state of Makrai acceded to the newly formed Union of India, also known as Dominion of India. Later the territory was merged with the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, which was formed from the erstwhile Central Provinces and Berar.
