Information

Dynasty	Bairagi
State	Madhya Pradesh
Area	2,256 km²
Accession	1st January 1948
Revenue	₹ 425,000
Privy Purse	₹ 353,650
Religion	Hinduism
Population	126,356 (1901)

Present Head/Ruler

VACANT since 22^nd January 1958.

Short History

The name Nandgaon is said to be derived from the words ‘Nand’ (father of the Krishna) and ‘gaon’ (a village). Chief of Nandgaon belongs to a Bairagi (Hindu of the Ascetic Mendicant caste, but of an order that is allowed by its rules to marry) family.

Nandgaon was one of the important feudatory states under the government of the Central Provinces, and it consisted of the four parganas of Pandadah, Nandgaon, Mohgaon, and Dongargaon (originally separate zamindaris subordinate to the Raja of Nagpur). The feudal tenure of this state was originally conferred by the Raja of Nagpur on his family priest, and the title of Mahant has been recognized by the British Government.

Predecessors

• Mahant HARI DAS, 1^st Chief of Pandadah, took possession of the zamindari of Pandadah after the owner defaulted on a debt.
• Mahant RAM DAS, 2^nd Chief of Nandgaon and Pandadah 1723/-, he took possession of the zamindari of Nandgaon after the owner defaulted on a debt.
• Mahant RAGHUBIR DAS, 3^rd Chief of Nandgaon and Pandadah.
• Mahant HIMANCHAL DAS, 4^th Chief of Nandgaon, Pandadah and Mohgaon; the Raja of Nagpur made a grant of Mohgaon pargana to the Mahant in appreciation of his generosity.
• Mahant MOJIRAM DAS, 5^th Chief of Nandgaon, the zamindar of Dongargaon and his brother revolted against the Nagpur Raja, but were subdued by the Mahant who was then granted Dongargaon in 1823 by the grateful Raja, thus the four parganas were united and became the state of Nandgaon; married and had issue, as well as adoptive issue.
  • Mahant Ghanaram Das (qv)
  • (A) Mahant Ghasi Das (qv)
• Mahant GHANARAM DAS, 6^th Chief of Nandgaon 1862/1865
• Mahant GHASI DAS, 7^th Chief of Nandgaon 1865/1883, born 1820, recognized by the British as Feudatory Chief of Nandgaon in 1865 and was later granted a sanad of adoption; he was a capable administrator and placed his state on a sound financial basis; he made Raj Nandgaon his capital and made it an important trading centre, he also built a Palace there; married and had issue. He died in November 1883.
  • Raja Mahant Balram Das Bahadur (qv)
• Raja Mahant BALRAM DAS Bahadur, 8^th Chief of Nandgaon 1883/1897, born 1866, succeeded 4^th November 1883, he was granted the title of Raja in 1887 as a personal distinction and was formally installed on the gaddi with full ruling powers in August 1891, the title of Raja Bahadur was granted on 2nd January 1893 as a personal distinction, married and had adoptive issue. He died 1897.
  • (A) Mahant Rajendra Das (qv)
• Mahant RAJENDRA DAS, 9^th Chief of Nandgaon 1897/1912, born 1893, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur. He died while still a minor in 1912.
• Mahant SARVESHWAR DAS, 10^th Chief of Nandgaon 1913/1940, born 30^th March 1906 and succeeded 24^th June 1913, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; married 1931, Maharajkumari Jyoti Manjari Devi, daughter of HH Maharaja Shri Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj, and his second wife, HH Maharani Suchara Devi, and had issue.
  • Mahant Digvijai Das (qv)
• Mahant DIGVIJAI DAS, 11^th Chief of Nandgaon 1940/1958, born 25^th April 1933, succeeded 18^th September 1940, died sp on 22^nd January 1958.

Other Members

• Name Unknown
  • Mahant Sarveshwar Das (see above)
  • Shri Dr. Kamleshwar Das, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; served in the U.N.O. as Deputy Director, Division of Human Rights, United Nations; married Jean (Das), and had issue. He died 6th November 1997 in Bradenton, Florida, USA.
  • Shyam Das
    • Arun Das
    • Kamala Das
    • Raj Das