Princely State of Wadi

The Princely State of Wadi, also known as Wadi Jagir, was amongst the major 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 territory covered a total area of 12 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 2,022 in the year 1941. The estate or jagir of Wadi was located in the Southern Maratha region. The territory corresponded closely with the Maratha geographical division of the region, located between the rivers Tongbuddra (Tunghabhadra) and Kristna (Krishna), known as the Carnatic country. The Princely State of Wadi included part of the British collectorates of Kulladghee, Dharwar and Belgaum; as well as the princely states of Ramdurg, Jamkhandi, Kurunwad, Miraj, Sangli, Mudhol and Savanur. It also comprised the extinguished states Nargund, Kegwar (Shedbal), Tasgaon, Nipani, Chinchni, Kitur and 2 shares in the state of Miraj.

The Princely State of Wadi comprised 2 distinctive blocks of territory which incorporated the villages of Bavchi and Khatav, located between Jamkhandi and Kolhapur. The Princely State of Wadi Jagir was under the administrative control of the Kolhapur Agency, which was a sub division of Deccan States Agency.

History of Princely State of Wadi
The Patwardhan Chitpavan Brahmins of the Kurunwad branch was the ruling family of the princely state of Wadi Jagir. In the year 1792, a conflict between the then chief of Kurunwad, Ragunathrao I, and his younger brother Shivrao was settled by Parsheramrao of Tasgaon, who was the apparent leader of the Patwardhan family. Shivrao was expelled from saranjam, which was granted by the Peshwa; but was granted some villages from the saranjam conferred by the raja of Akalkot. The lines of the 2 eldest sons of Shivrao have since become extinct. However one third of the villages were initially set aside for Shivrao, which were held by the last jagirdar, a descendant of his third son.

The native ruler of the princely state of Wadi, who held the title of Jagirdar exercised restricted civil, revenue and criminal jurisdiction. Residuary jurisdiction lied with the resident of British India, also known as the British political agent, in Kolhapur.

After the political withdrawal of the British Supremacy and the partition of India on 15th August 1947, the erstwhile princely state of Wadi Jagir was acceded to the independent formed Dominion of India, which was also known as Union of India.