Princely State of Poicha

The Princely State of Poicha was one of the well known native states 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. The taluka was covered a total area of 3.75 sq miles and was a part of the Indian state of Gujarat. The region comprised of a total population of 1,347 in the year 1941. The state of Poicha was one of the 26 states which formed up the Pandu Mehvassi, which was under the administrative control of the erstwhile Rewa Kantha Agency. The erstwhile princely state of Poicha was incorporated as a part of the Baroda Agency, which was a sub division of the Western India States Agency. Later the region was merged with the state of Gujarat.

The Princely State of Poicha was bounded by British India in the west, by the state of Sihora in the north, by the princely state of Baroda in the east and by the territory of Bhaderwa in the south.

History of Princely State of Poicha
The Princely State of Poicha was claimed by more than one native ruler who were formally addressed as shareholders. There were 6 such shareholders in the state of Devalia. The shareholders of Poicha state were Waghela Rajputs, who were offshoots of Bhaderwa. The succession of the throne or gadi of the state was not governed by the rule of male primogeniture, by which the first born or eldest child of the same parents inherited the entire estate of one or both parents, to the exclusion of all others. The princely state Poicha was a non- jurisdictionary native state. The state paid annual tribute to the princely state of Baroda. The estateholders were rather deprived and poor due to heavy debts. According to the Attachment Scheme of 1943, the princely state of Poicha was attached to the princely state of Baroda.

After the country attained freedom from the rule of the British Government in India on 15th August 1947, the nation was divided through the partition of India. The erstwhile princely states of India were provided the decision of acceding to either the newly independent Union of India or the Dominion of Pakistan. The shareholders of the princely state of Poicha decided to accede to the Republic of India. At present the territory is a part of the modern Indian state of Gujarat.