Dynasty	Bundela
State	Madhya Pradesh
Gun Salutes	11
Agency	Central India Agency
Accession	1st January 1950
Revenue	₹ 225,000
Villages	343
Area	2,520 km²
Population	110,500 (1901)
Religion	Hinduism
Privy Purse	₹ 520,000
Hindi Name	बिजावर
Last Updated	12th Nov, 2021

Present Head/Ruler

HH Sawai Maharaja JAI SINGH Bahadur, 9^th Maharaja of Bijawar, since 1983, born 1977.

Short History

The Chiefs of Bijawar claim their descent from Raja Chhatrasal of Panna, who divided his possessions among his sons and Peshwa Baji Rao. One share including the towns of Jaitpur, Banda, Ajaigarh and Charkhari fell to Jagat Raj, from whom the rulers of Bijawar are directly descended.

The family is Bundela Rajput; its motto is Agni pratap Vishwesha (Hindi, meaning “As fire resplendent, the Lord of the World”).

The military force consists (1905) of 23 cavalry, 52 infantry, and 9 artillery men with 5 serviceable and 7 unserviceable guns.

The Chief is entitled to a salute of 11 guns, which was finally approved in Her Majesty’s Order in Council, dated the 26^th June 1867.

Predecessors

• Hem Karan of Banaras (1048)
  • Raja Rudra Pratap, 1^st Raja of Orchha (see Orchha)
    • Kunwar Kirat Shah
    • Kunwar Bhupat Shah
    • Raja Bharti Chand, 2^nd Raja of Orchha (see Orchha)
    • Raja Madhukar Shah, 3^rd Raja of Orchha (see Orchha)
    • Kunwar Anand Das
    • Kunwar Chandan Das
    • Kunwar Durga Das
    • Kunwar Ghanshyam Das
    • Kunwar Prayag Das
    • Kunwar Bhairon Das
    • Kunwar Khande Rai
    • Kunwar Udyajitya, married and had issue.
      • Ragho Das
      • Kosi Das
      • Ganga Das
      • Hridaya Narayan
      • Bharti Chandra
      • Prem Chandra, married and had issue.
        • Kunwar Sen
        • Kunwar Bhagwan Das, married and had issue.
          • Champat Rai, married and had issue.
            • Raja Chhatrasal of Panna, married and had issue.
              • Bharti Chand, Diwan of Jaso (see Jaso)
              • Jagat Raj, Raja of Jaitpur, married and had issue.
                • Khuman Singh, Raja of Charkhari (see Charkhari)
                • Guman Singh, Raja of Ajaigarh (see Ajaigarh)
                • Bir Singh Deo, Raja of Bijawar (see below)
              • Pahar Singh, married and had issue.
                • Raja Aman Singh, Raja of Sarila (see Sarila)
              • Padam Singh, Rao of Jigni (see Jigni)
              • Harde Shah
        • Man Shah, ancestor of the Satgharia branch, including the Garrauli family (see Garrauli).
• Raja BIR SINGH DEO, 1^st Raja of Bijawar 1765/1793, gradually extended his holdings by force of arms. When Ali Bahadur invaded Bundelkhand, Bir Singh Deo refused to acknowledge his supremacy, and fell, gallantly fighting, near Charkhari. He married and had issue. He died 1793.
  • Yuvaraj Dhaunkal Singh, died vpsp.
  • Raja Keshri Singh (qv)
  • Kunwar Khuman Singh, died after 1804.
• Raja KESHRI SINGH, 2^nd Raja of Bijawar 1802/1810. Raja Himmat Bahadur of Banda made interest with Ali Bahadur on behalf of Keshri Singh, and procured for him his father’s possessions on the same terms as those subscribed by the Raja of Charkhari. He married and had issue, four sons. He died 1810
  • Raja Ratan Singh (qv)
  • Kunwar Khet Singh, married and had issue.
    • Raja Lakshman Singh (qv)
  • Kunwar Shatrujit Singh
  • Kunwar Maharaj Deo
• Raja RATAN SINGH, 3^rd Raja of Bijawar 1810/1833, received a sanad from the British Government in 1811, and subscribed to a deed of allegiance; he instituted state coinage. He died without male issue on 17^th December 1833, and at the request of his widow, his nephew, Lakshman Singh, son of Khet Singh, who waived his claim, was recognized.
• Raja LAKSHMAN SINGH, 4^th Raja of Bijawar 1833/1847, married and had issue.
  • HH Maharaja Sawai Bhan Pratap Singh Bahadur (qv)
• HH Maharaja Sawai BHAN PRATAP SINGH Bahadur, 5^th Maharaja of Bijawar 1847/1899, born 24^th December 1842, succeeded 23^rd November 1847, granted a valuable khilat and a hereditary salute of eleven guns for his help to the British, during the Indian Mutiny in 1857, he was granted a sanad of adoption in 1862 and the titles of Maharaja [cr.1866] and Maharaja Sawai [cr.1877], but his maladministration placed the state into financial difficulties and an administrator was appointed in 1897, he adopted Rao Raja Sawant Singh, second son of the Maharaja Pratap Singh Ju Deo of Orchha in 1898, married and had adoptive issue. He died sp 1899.
  • (A) HH Bharat Dharmendra Maharaja Sawai Sir Sawant Singh Bahadur (qv)
• HH Bharat Dharmendra Maharaja Sawai Sir SAWANT SINGH Bahadur, 6^th Maharaja of Bijawar 1899/1940, born 25^th November 1877, ascended the Gadi in 1899, K.C.I.E. [cr.1911], married 1^stly, a daughter of Panwar Diwan Raghuraj Singh of Sonrai in Jhansi district, married 2^ndly, 1913, a daughter of Dhandera Diwan Gajraj Singh Judeo Parmar, a Jagirdar in Datia State [HH Maharani Kanchan Kunwar, sister of Rao Hira Singh Ju Dev of Karahia (maternal grandfather of Rajkumari Anjana (Bundela) (née Rajniesh Singh) of Ajaigarh)], and had issue, two daughters, an adoptive son, as well as further issue. He died spl 30^th October 1940.
  • Maharajkumari (name unknown) (by 1^st marriage), married 1910, Rao Lokendra Singh of Beri, and had issue.
  • Kunwar Aman Singh
  • (A) HH Maharaja Sawai Govind Singh Bahadur (qv)
• HH Maharaja Sawai GOVIND SINGH Bahadur, 7^th Maharaja of Bijawar 1940/1983, born 17^th June 1934, son of Kunwar Malkhan Singh of Lakhanguwan and descendant of Raja Bir Singh Deo, 1^st Raja of Sarila, married HH Maharani Mohini Kumari, daughter of HH Maharana Raj Saheb Pratapsinhji Amarsinhji of Wankaner, and his wife, HH Maharani Rama Kunverba Sahiba, and had issue. He died 9^th July 1983 in New York.
  • HH Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh Bahadur (qv)
• HH Maharaja Sawai JAI SINGH Bahadur, 8^th Maharaja of Bijawar (see above)