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{{Short description|Agency of princely states in the British Raj}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox former subdivision
|native_name =
|conventional_long_name = Central India Agency
|common_name = Central India Agency
|nation = [[British India]]
|status_text = [[Agencies of British India|Agency of the British Raj]]
|era =
|year_start = 1854
|date_start =
|event_start = Merger of previous political offices
|year_end = 1947
|date_end =
|event_end = [[Independence of India]]
|event1 =
|date_event1 =
|p1 = Malwa
|s1 = Gwalior Residency
|s2 = Madhya Bharat
|s3 = Bhopal State (1949–1956)
|s4 = Vindhya Pradesh
|flag_p1 =
|flag_s1 =
|flag_s2 = Flag of India.svg
|flag_s3 = Flag of India.svg
|flag_s4 = Flag of India.svg
|image_flag =
|image_coat =
|image_map = Central India Agency Map.jpg
|image_map_caption = Central India Agency in 1909
|stat_area1 = 194000
|stat_year1 = 1881
|stat_pop1 = 9261907
|footnotes = {{EB1911|wstitle=Central India}}
}}
[[File:Agency House 2010.jpg|thumb|275px|View of the Agency House in [[Dhar State]], one of the former centres southwest. [[Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh|Lalitpur District]], part of the United Provinces, split the Central India Agency into eastern and western portions.]]

The '''Central India Agency''' was created in 1854, by amalgamating the Western Malwa Agency with other smaller political offices which formerly reported to the [[Governor-General of India]]. The agency was overseen by a political agent who maintained British relations with the princely states and influence over them on behalf of the Governor-General. The headquarters of the agent were at [[Indore]].

==List of Divisions and Princely States/districts of Agency==
=== Bundelkhand Agency ===
:{{main|Bundelkhand Agency}}
Bundelkhand Agency was bounded by Bagelkhand to the east, the United Provinces to the north, Lalitpur District to the west, and the Central Provinces to the south. Bagelkhand Agency was separated from Bundelkhand in 1871. In 1900 it included 9 states, the most important of which were [[Orchha State|Orchha]], [[Panna State|Panna]], [[Samthar State|Samthar]], [[Charkhari State|Charkhari]], [[Chhatarpur State|Chhatarpur]], [[Datia State|Datia]], [[Bijawar State|Bijawar]] and [[Ajaigarh State|Ajaigarh]]. The agency also included 13 estates and the ''[[pargana]]'' of [[Alampur, Madhya Pradesh|Alampur]], the latter belonging to Indore State.<ref>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V09_080.gif Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 9, p. 74.]</ref>

In 1931, all of the states under the Baghelkhand Agency apart from [[Rewa State|Rewa]] and [[Singrauli District|Singrauli]] were transferred back to Bundelkhand.

[[Salute states]], by precedence:
* [[Datia State|Datia]], title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns
* [[Orchha State|Orchha]],<ref>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_247.gif Orchha state] [[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]], 1909, v. 19, p. 241.</ref> title Maharaja or Raja (from 1882, Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja), Hereditary salute of 15-guns
* [[Ajaigarh State|Ajaigarh]], title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Baoni State|Baoni]], title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Bijawar State|Bijawar]], title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Charkhari State|Charkhari]], title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Panna State|Panna]], title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Samthar State|Samthar]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns

Non-salute states, alphabetically:
* [[Alipura (state)|Alipura]], title Rao
* [[Beri State|Beri]] (Beri-Bundelkhand), title Rao/Raja (originally Dewan)
* [[Bihat State|Bihat]]
* [[Chhatarpur State|Chhatarpur]], title Maharaja or Raja
* [[Garrauli State|Garrauli]]
* [[Gaurihar State|Gaurihar]], title Sardar Sawai; from 1859, Rao
* [[Jigni State|Jigni]], title Rao
* Lugasi
* Naigawan Rebai
* [[Sarila State|Sarila]], title Raja

[[Jagir]]s :
* Banka-Pahari
* Bijna
* Bilheri ''[[jagir]]'', ?under [[Chhatarpur State|Chhatarpur]], guaranteed by the British
* [[Dhurwai State|Dhurwai]]
* [[Tori Fatehpur]] (one of the [[Hasht-Bhaiya]] ''[[jagir]]s'')

Former princely States that were annexed or seized by the British :
* Banpur, seized in 1857, had been claimed by [[Gwalior State]]
* [[Bijeraghogarh]], seized
* [[Chirgaon]] (one of the [[Hasht Bhaiya]] jagirs), seized
* [[Jalaun]], annexed in 1840
* [[Jaitpur]], annexed in 1849
* [[Jhansi State|Jhansi]], annexed in 1853
* [[Khaddi]], annexed
* [[Purwa]] (one of the [[Chaube Jagirs]]), seized
* Tiroha, seized
* [[Shahgarh]], seized in 1857

=== Bagelkhand Agency ===
:{{main|Bagelkhand Agency}}
[[Bagelkhand Agency]], the easternmost charge, was established in March 1871, when it was separated from Bundelkhand agency. In 1900, it covered the area of twelve states, including :

[[Salute state]]s, by precedence :
* [[Rewa (princely state)|Rewa]], the largest state in Bagelkhand, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns
* [[Baraundha State|Baraundha]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
* [[Maihar State|Maihar]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns

Non-salute states (alphabetically) :
* [[Bhaisaunda State|Bhaisaunda]]
* [[Jaso State|Jaso]]
* [[Kamta-Rajaula State|Kamta-Rajaula]]
* [[Kothi State|Kothi]]
* [[Nagode State|Nagode]]
* Pahra
* [[Paldeo State|Paldeo]]
* [[Sohawal State|Sohawal]]
* [[Taraon State|Taraon]]

Zamindari Estates (alphabetically) :

* Sohagpur
* Shahpur
* Jaitpur
* Singrauli, also Nifs Singrauli (a mu'amaladari of 700 villages in Rewah) to distinguish it from a smaller zamindari in Singrauli Mirzapur District, [[North-Western Provinces]] in what is now eastern UP.)
* Amarkantak
* Nigwani
* Anupur
* [[Baikunthpur, Rewa|Baikunthpur]]
* [[Chandia, Madhya Pradesh|Chandiya]]
* Dhangawan
* Singbana
In 1931, all of the states but Rewa were transferred back to Bundelkhand, and in 1933 Rewa was transferred to the Indore Residency.

=== Gwalior Residency ===
[[Gwalior Residency]] was placed under the Central India Agency in 1854, and separated from Central India Agency in 1921. It included the following, among other smaller states, plus [[Chhabra]] [[pargana]] (district) of [[Tonk State]] : Include Jagirs Chhadawad, [[Bagli, Dewas|Bagli]], Dattigaon, Balipur/chikli, Nimkheda, Pathari, [[Tonk Khurd]], etc.

Salute states :
* [[Gwalior State|Gwalior]], title Maharaja Scindia; Hereditary salute of 21-guns.
* [[Rampur State|Rampur]], title Nawab; Hereditary salute of 15-guns
* [[Benares State|Benares]] ([[Ramnagar, Varanasi|Ramnagar]]), title Maharaja; Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local)

Non-salute states :
* Bhadaura
* [[Garha]]
* [[Khaniadhana State|Khaniadhana]]
* [[Raghogarh State|Raghogarh]]
* [[Paron State|Paron]]
* Umri

Furthermore, lesser estates (under [[Thakore (title)|Thakurs]] or [[diwan (title)|diwans]])
* Agra Barkhera
* Kathaun
* Khiaoda
* Sangul Wardha
* Sirsi

=== Bhopal Agency ===
[[Bhopal Agency]], {{convert|11653|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}, which included the following :

[[Salute state]]s, by precedence :
* [[Bhopal State|Bhopal]], title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 19-guns (21-guns local)
* [[Dewas Junior]] and [[Dewas Senior]], both title Mharaja, Hereditary salutes of 15-guns (transferred to Malwa Agency in 1907, and to Bhopal Agency in 1933)
* [[Narsinghgarh State|Narsinghgarh]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Rajgarh State|Rajgarh]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Khilchipur State|Khilchipur]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns

Non-salute states, alphabetically :
* [[Basoda State|Basoda]]
* [[Kurwai State|Kurwai (Korwai)]]
* [[Makrai State|Makrai]] (transferred to Bhopal Agency in 1933 from the Central Provinces and Berar)
* Maksudangarh
* [[Muhammadgarh State|Muhammadgarh]]
* [[Pathari State|Pathari]]

=== Indore Residency ===
[[Indore Residency]] included most of [[Indore State|Indore (Holkar)]] and after 1933 also [[Rewa State]], the largest state from the [[Baghelkhand Agency]].

=== Malwa Agency ===
[[Malwa Agency]], {{convert|8919|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}, which included parts of [[Gwalior State|Gwalior]], [[Indore State|Indore]] and [[Tonk State|Tonk]] states and the states of:

Salute states, by precedence :
* [[Ratlam State]], title Maharaja Bahadur, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local)
* [[Jaora State]], title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 13-guns
* [[Sailana State]], title Raja Bahadur, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Jhabua State]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Sitamau State]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns

Non-salute states :
* [[Piploda State]]

Estates :
* [[Panth-Piploda]] .

In 1925, the Malwa Agency was amalgamated with Bhopawar Agency.

=== Bhopawar Agency ===
[[Bhopawar Agency]] included the princely states of:
It also included territories of [[Gwalior]] and [[Indore]] States. In 1927 the agency was renamed the ''Southern States Agency'', later the ''Southern States and Malwa Agency'', and after 1934 ''Malwa Agency''.

[[Salute state]]s, by precedence :
* [[Dhar State|Dhar]], title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns
The following were the [[Jagir|jagirs (estates)]], ruled by the [[Bhilala]] tribes, that were under the Suzerainty of [[Dhar State]].:<ref>Imperial Gazetteer of India pg.51</ref>
#
# Kali-Baori
#[[Nimkhera]] (alias Tirla)
# [[Rajgadh]]

* [[Alirajpur State|Alirajpur]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns, including the extinct State of Phulmaal which was incorporated into it earlier as well as [[Fiefs]] (Jagirs) of .
* [[Barwani State|Barwani]], title Maharana, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
* [[Jhabua]], title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns

Estates :
* [[Jobat State|Jobat]]
* Kathiwara
* Mathwar
* Ratanmal
* [[Bakhatgarh]]
* Dotria
* Kachhi-Baroda
* [[Multhan]]
Discontinued :
* Amjhera, title Rao
* Chhadawad, title Rao

[[Jagir]]s (incomplete) :
* Jamnia, title Raja
* Kali-Baori
* [[Nimkhera]]
* Ondhwa
* [[Rajgadh]]
* Sondhwa

== Post-independence ==


Upon the British withdrawal from India in 1947, the rulers of the princely states in this area all chose to [[Instrument of Accession|accede]] to the new [[Dominion of India|Union of India]]. The eastern portion of Central India Agency, including Bagelkhand and Bundelkhand agencies, became the new state [[Vindhya Pradesh]]. The western portion, including Bhopal, Malwa, and Bhopawar agencies and the Gwalior and Indore residencies, became the new state of [[Madhya Bharat]]. [[Bhopal State (1949–56)|Bhopal]] became a separate state. Makrai was transferred to [[Madhya Pradesh]], which had been created from the former Central Provinces and Berar in 1950. In 1956, the states of Vindhya Pradesh, Madhya Bharat, and Bhopal were merged into Madhya Pradesh. Later another state, [[Chhattisgarh]], was formed from the area that was formerly Madhya Pradesh.

== See also ==
* [[List of princely states of British India (alphabetical)]]
* [[List of Maratha dynasties and states]]
* [[List of Rajput dynasties and states]]
* [[Maratha Empire]]
* [[Rajputana]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* Hunter, William Wilson, Sir, et al. (1908). ''Imperial Gazetteer of India'', Volume 12. 1908–1931; Clarendon Press, Oxford.
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{{Princely States of Central India Agency}}
{{Geography of India}}

[[Category:Agencies of British India]]
[[Category:Historical Indian regions]]
[[Category:1854 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1854 establishments in British India]]
[[Category:1947 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:1947 disestablishments in British India]]
[[Category:History of Madhya Pradesh]]

Central India Agency - Revision history

UpdateBot at 14:55, 31 May 2022