Western India States Agency

Last updated

Western India States Agency
Agency of British India
1924–1944
Baroda-gujarat.png
Map of the area of the Western India States Agency and the Baroda and Gujarat States Agency during the British Raj
Area 
 1941
16,558 km2 (6,393 sq mi)
Population 
 1941
5,220,011
History
History 
 Established
1924
1944
Preceded by
Succeeded by
British Raj Red Ensign.svg Kathiawar Agency
British Raj Red Ensign.svg Cutch Agency
British Raj Red Ensign.svg Palanpur Agency
British Raj Red Ensign.svg Mahi Kantha Agency
Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency British Raj Red Ensign.svg

The Western India States Agency (WISA) was one of the agencies of British India. This agency was formed on 10 October 1924 as a part of the implementation of the Montague Chelmsford report on constitutional reforms. It was formed by merging the areas under the erstwhile Kathiawar, Cutch (covering only Kutch state) and Palanpur agencies. [1]

Contents

At one time or another between 1924 and 1944, 435 princely states were included in this agency, roughly covering the present Gujarat state, but only eighteen out of these were salute states. Some 163 Talukas and Estates were included in this Agency: these were mostly petty (e)states, some no larger than a town or village.

Agencies

The divisions of the Western India States Agency were :[ citation needed ]

History

The city of Rajkot became the headquarters of this new agency and C.C. Watson became its first Agent to the Governor General of British India (AGG). Its boundary was modified twice, in 1933 and 1943. On 5 November 1944 it was merged with the Baroda and Gujarat States Agency to form the larger Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency.

In 1924, Palanpur Agency was merged into the Western India States Agency and placed under the political control of the Government of India. The designation of Palanpur Agency was changed to Banas Kantha Agency in 1925 and Palanpur State was transferred to the Rajputana Agency in 1933. Also in 1933, the states of the Mahi Kantha Agency, except for Danta were included in this agency. [2]

In 1941, the area covered by this agency was 39,688 square miles (102,800 km2) and the population was 52,20,011.

Chief officers

Agent to the Governor-General and Resident, Western States

Residents for the Western India States Agency

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajmer-Merwara</span> Former province of British India

Ajmer-Merwara was a former province of British India in the historical Ajmer region. The territory was ceded to the British by Daulat Rao Sindhia by a treaty on 25 June 1818. It was under the Bengal Presidency until 1836 when it became part of the North-Western Provinces. Finally on 1 April 1871, it became a separate province as Ajmer-Merwara-Kekri. It became a part of independent India on 15 August 1947 when the British left India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahi Kantha Agency</span>

Mahi Kantha was a political agency or collection of princely states in British India, within the Gujarat Division of Bombay Presidency. In 1933, the states of the Mahi Kantha Agency, except for Danta, were included in the Western India States Agency. The total area of the agency was 8,094 km2 (3,125 sq mi); the population in 1901 was 361,545.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rewa Kantha Agency</span>

Rewa Kantha was a political agency of British India, managing the relations of the British government's Bombay Presidency with a collection of princely states. It stretched for about 150 miles between the plain of Gujarat and the hills of Malwa, from the Tapti River to the Mahi River crossing the Rewa River, from which it takes its name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palanpur Agency</span>

Palanpur Agency, also spelled Pahlunpore Agency, was a political agency or collection of princely states in British India, within the Gujarat Division of Bombay Presidency. In 1933, the native states of the Mahi Kantha Agency, except for Danta, were included in the Western India States Agency. The agency, headquartered at Palanpur, oversaw some 17 princely states and estates in the area, encompassing an area of 6393 square miles (16,558 km2) and a population, in 1901, of 467,271.

Kankrej thana or Kankrej Estates was a former collection of native states in what is now part of Banaskantha district of Gujarat, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agencies of British India</span> Fully- or semi-autonomous administrative region of British India

An agency of British India was an internally autonomous or semi-autonomous unit of British India whose external affairs were governed by an agent designated by the Viceroy of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathiawar Agency</span>

The Kathiawar Agency, on the Kathiawar peninsula in the western part of the Indian subcontinent, was a political unit of some 200 small princely states under the suzerainty of the Bombay Presidency of British India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajkot State</span> Princely state of India

Rajkot State was one of the princely states of India during the period of British rule. It was a 9-gun salute state belonging to the Kathiawar Agency of the Bombay Presidency. Its capital was in Rajkot, located in the historical Halar region of Kathiawar on the banks of the Aji River. Nowadays, Rajkot is the fourth largest city of Gujarat state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palanpur State</span> Princely state of India

Palanpur State was a princely state of India during the British Raj. It was a Salute state with the Nawab of Palanpur having a hereditary salute of 13-guns. It was the main state of the Palanpur Agency. Palanpur State became a British protectorate in 1809/17; its capital was the city of Palanpur.

Bombay Legislative Assembly came into existence in 1937, as the legislature of Bombay Presidency, a province of India. It functioned until 1960, when separate states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morvi State</span> Princely state of India

Morvi State, also spelled as Morvee State or Morbi State, was a princely salute state in the historical Halar prant (district) of Kathiawar during the British Raj.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baroda and Gujarat States Agency</span>

Baroda and Gujarat States Agency was a political agency of British India, managing the relations of the British government of the Bombay Presidency with a collection of princely states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency</span> Agency of India from 1944 to 1947

The Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency was an agency of the Indian Empire, managing the relations of the Provincial Government of the Bombay Presidency with a collection of princely states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radhanpur State</span> Princely state of India

Radhanpur State was a princely state in India during the British Raj. Its rulers belonged to a family of Babi House, the state was once a polity within the Mughal Empire. The last ruling Nawab of Radhanpur, Nawab Murtaza Khan, signed the instrument of accession to the Indian Union on 10 June 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Kutch</span>

The history of Kutch, a region in the extreme west of the western Indian state of Gujarat, can be traced back to prehistorical times. There are several sites related to Indus valley civilization in region and is mentioned in Hindu mythology. In historical times, Kutch is mentioned in Greek writings during Alexander. It was ruled by Menander I of Greco-Bactrian Kingdom which was overthrown by Indo-Scythians followed by Maurya Empire and Sakas. in the first century, it was under Western Satraps followed by Gupta Empire. By fifth century, Maitraka of Valabhi took over from which its close association with ruling clans of Gujarat started. Chavdas ruled the eastern and central parts by seventh century but then came under Chaulukyas by tenth century. After fall of Chaulukya, Vaghelas ruled the state. Following conquest of Sindh by Muslim rulers, Rajput Samma started moving southwards to Kutch and ruled western regions initially. By tenth century, they controlled significant area of Kutch and by thirteenth century they controlled whole of Kutch and adopted a new dynastic identity, Jadeja.

The history of Palanpur starts with its relation to the historic city of Chandravati ruled by Paramara dynasty. The town was re-peopled and ruled by Chauhans around thirteenth century. At the start of the seventeenth century, the Palanpur State was taken over by Jhalori dynasty of Pashtun Lohani (Bihari-Pathan) tribe which was founded in 1373 and ruled from Jhalor. The dynasty came into historical prominence during the period of instability that followed the demise of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the early 18th century. It was overrun soon afterwards by the Marathas; the Lohanis followed the trend of seeking recourse in the British East India Company against them and finally entered the subsidiary alliance system in 1817, along with all other neighbouring states, becoming a British protectorate governed by Palanpur Agency. After independence of India in 1947, Palanpur State was dissolved in 1949 and merged with India as a part of Bombay State. Subsequently, Palanpur became the capital of Banaskantha district of Gujarat.(Hebatpur)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Radhanpur</span>

Radhanpur is a town and a municipality in Patan district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Radhanpur belonged to the Vaghelas in early years and later it was held as a fief under the Gujarat Sultanate by Fateh Khan Baloch. During Mughal period, the descendants of Babi dynasty were appointed as the governor of Radhanpur and other villages of North Gujarat. After decline of Mughal, they became free and established themselves as independent rulers. In 1743, Babi descendant Jawan Mard Khan II took over viceroyalty of Ahmedabad and controlled several villages in North Gujarat. He was defeated by Maratha Gaekwads in 1753 at Ahmedabad and Gaekwads agreed to his demand of control of villages in North Gujarat headquartered at Radhanpur State. His descendants lost some of these villages to Gaekwads subsequently. In 1813, Sher Khan made a treaty with the Gaekwar and British and became British protectorate. His descendants ruled the state until independence of India in 1947.

Varahi is a village in Santalpur taluka of Patan district of Gujarat state of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chadchat</span>

Chadchat is a region surrounding Santalpur in Patan district of Gujarat, India.

The Hadol is a village and former non-salute princely state in Gujarat, Western India.

References

  1. Great Britain India Office. The Imperial Gazetteer of India. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.
  2. William Lee-Warner, The Native States Of India (1910)
  3. Provinces of British India