Wednesday, July 12, 2017

India - Princely state - Bikaner State - Article


   


Article

Bikaner State
बीकानेर रियासत

Period  : 1465 - 1947            Republic of India


Flag
Coat of arms
Established :
Independence of India :

Area (1831) :
Today part of :
1465
1947
60,391 km2 (23,317sq mi)
Rajasthan, India

Bikaner State was a princely state in the Bikaner region from 1465 to 1947. Its capital was the city of Bikaner in the northern area of present-day Rajasthan State in India.

Covering an area of 60,391 km2 (23,317 sq mi), Bikaner State was one of the largest states under the Rajputana Agency. Heeding the call of Vallabhbhai Patel to integrate the princely states into the new independent India, Bikaner's last king, Maharaja Sadul Singh, advised by his dewan K. M. Panikkar, a respected historian, was one of the first rulers of a princely state to display willingness to join the Indian Union. By issuing a public appeal in April 1947 to his fellow princes to join the Constituent Assembly of India, the Maharaja of Bikaner set an example for other heads of the native states to follow.

Bikaner State in the Imperial Gazetteer of India
The state of Bikaner was founded in 1465. It became a British protectorate on 9 March 1818. Its rulers were Rajputs belonging to the Rathore dynasty. They were accorded a 17 gun salute by the British authorities. By the time of Indian Independence, the territory of the state of Bikaner shared a border with Pakistan. The accession to the Indian Union was signed by the Maharaja on 7 August 1947.

Maharajas

  • 19 Jun 1698 – 15 Dec 1700: Sarup Singh (b. 1689 – d. 1700)
  • 15 Dec 1700 – 16 Dec 1735: Sujan Singh (b. 1690 – d. 1735)
  • 16 Dec 1735 – 15 May 1746: Zorawar Singh (b. 1713 – d. 1746)
  • 15 May 1746 – 25 Mar 1787: Gaj Singh (b. 1723 – d. 1787)
  • 25 Mar 1787 – 25 Apr 1787: Raj Singh II (b. 1744 – d. 1787)
  • 25 Apr 1787 – 9 Oct 1787: Pratap Singh (b. 1781 – d. 1787)
  • 25 Apr 1787 – 25 Mar 1828: Surat Singh (Regent to 9 Oct 1787) (b. 1766 – d. 1828)
  • 25 Mar 1828 – 7 Aug 1851: Ratan Singh (b. 1790 – d. 1851)
  • 7 Aug 1851 – 16 May 1872: Sardar Singh (b. 1818 – d. 1872)
  • 16 May 1872 – 19 Aug 1887: Dungar Singh (b. 1854 – d. 1887)
  • 19 Aug 1887 – 2 Feb 1943: Ganga Singh (b. 1880 – d. 1943) (from 24 Jul 1901, Sir Ganga Singh)
  • 19 Aug 1887 – 16 Dec 1898: the British Political Agents-Regent
  • 2 Feb 1943 – 15 Aug 1947: Sadul Singh (b. 1902 – d. 1950) (from 1 Jan 1946, Sir Sadul Singh)
  • Maharaj Karni Singh
  • Maharaj Narendra Singh
  • Maharaj Ravi Raj Singh – present


Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner, Aurangzeb's ally and enemy. 



Bikaner Laxmi Niwas Palace





Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner hunting elephants 


Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner with his son in 1914

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