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{{short description|Place in Madhya Pradesh, India}}
{{about|the city|other uses|Dhar (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Dhar
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| settlement_type = [[City]]
| image_alt = [[File:Kharbuza Mahal, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 3.jpg|thumb|Kharbuza Mahal, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 3]]
| image_caption = View of Dhār from the fort
| nickname =
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Madhya Pradesh#India3
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|22.598|N|75.304|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Dhar district|Dhar]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| named_for =
| government_type = [[Municipal Council]]
| governing_body = Dhar Municipal Council
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
| area_rank =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 559
| population_total = 93,917
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_footnotes =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_demonym = Dharwasi
| demographics_type1 = [[Language]]
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi]]<ref name="langoff">{{cite web|title=52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|website=nclm.nic.in|publisher=[[Ministry of Minority Affairs]]|access-date=7 December 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref>
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = 454001
| registration_plate = MP-11
| website = {{URL|www.dhar.nic.in}}
| footnotes =
}}
'''Dhar''' is a city located in [[Dhar district, India|Dhar district]] of the [[Malwa]] region in the [[States and union territories of India|state]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[India]]. The city is the administrative headquarters of the [[Dhar district]]. Before Indian independence from [[Great Britain]], it was the capital of the [[Dhar State|Dhar princely state]].

== Location ==
Dhar is situated between 21°57' to 23°15' N and 74°37' to 75°37' E. The city is bordered in the north by [[Ratlam]], to the east by parts of [[Indore]], in the south by [[Barwani]], and to the west by [[Jhabua]] and [[Alirajpur district|Alirajpur]]. The town is located {{convert|34|mi|km}} west of [[Mhow]]. It is located {{convert|559|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. It possesses, besides its old ramparts, many buildings contain records of cultural, historical and national importance.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=1 |wstitle=Dhar |volume=8 |page=142}}</ref>

==Climate==
{{Weather box
| location = Dhar (1981–2010, extremes 1973–2011)
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| Jan record high C = 33.4
| Feb record high C = 37.7
| Mar record high C = 43.1
| Apr record high C = 44.4
| May record high C = 47.1
| Jun record high C = 44.6
| Jul record high C = 39.6
| Aug record high C = 36.2
| Sep record high C = 38.3
| Oct record high C = 38.7
| Nov record high C = 34.8
| Dec record high C = 35.7
| year record high C = 47.1
| Jan high C = 26.2
| Feb high C = 29.1
| Mar high C = 33.8
| Apr high C = 38.2
| May high C = 39.9
| Jun high C = 36.4
| Jul high C = 30.2
| Aug high C = 29.0
| Sep high C = 30.7
| Oct high C = 32.3
| Nov high C = 30.0
| Dec high C = 28.1
| year high C = 32.0
| Jan low C = 10.4
| Feb low C = 12.9
| Mar low C = 17.6
| Apr low C = 21.2
| May low C = 23.7
| Jun low C = 22.7
| Jul low C = 21.1
| Aug low C = 20.4
| Sep low C = 20.0
| Oct low C = 18.1
| Nov low C = 14.4
| Dec low C = 11.9
| year low C = 17.9
| Jan record low C = 3.3
| Feb record low C = 3.0
| Mar record low C = 6.1
| Apr record low C = 12.1
| May record low C = 18.1
| Jun record low C = 16.6
| Jul record low C = 16.0
| Aug record low C = 15.0
| Sep record low C = 15.6
| Oct record low C = 9.6
| Nov record low C = 6.1
| Dec record low C = 4.1
| year record low C = 3.0
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 4.0
| Feb rain mm = 2.4
| Mar rain mm = 1.7
| Apr rain mm = 1.4
| May rain mm = 11.5
| Jun rain mm = 122.7
| Jul rain mm = 269.7
| Aug rain mm = 240.1
| Sep rain mm = 146.4
| Oct rain mm = 47.5
| Nov rain mm = 21.5
| Dec rain mm = 3.1
| year rain mm = 872.1
| Jan rain days = 0.4
| Feb rain days = 0.1
| Mar rain days = 0.2
| Apr rain days = 0.2
| May rain days = 0.7
| Jun rain days = 6.5
| Jul rain days = 13.2
| Aug rain days = 12.4
| Sep rain days = 7.2
| Oct rain days = 2.4
| Nov rain days = 0.9
| Dec rain days = 0.3
| year rain days = 44.5
| time day = 17:30 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| Jan humidity = 58
| Feb humidity = 47
| Mar humidity = 42
| Apr humidity = 42
| May humidity = 41
| Jun humidity = 59
| Jul humidity = 80
| Aug humidity = 83
| Sep humidity = 78
| Oct humidity = 59
| Nov humidity = 59
| Dec humidity = 58
| year humidity = 60
|source 1 = [[India Meteorological Department]]<ref name=IMDnormals>
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205040301/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| archive-date = 5 February 2020
| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| title = Station: Dhar Climatological Table 1981–2010
| work = Climatological Normals 1981–2010
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = January 2015
| pages = 239–240
| access-date = 29 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=IMDextremes>
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042509/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| archive-date = 5 February 2020
| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| title = Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = December 2016
| page = M117
| access-date = 29 December 2020}}</ref>
}}

== Historic places and monuments ==
[[File:Ramparts at Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, India.jpg|thumb|left|One of few remaining portions of the Paramāra-period ramparts at Dhar]]
[[File:Dhar Plan.jpg|thumb|left|Plan of the historic parts of Dhar showing disposition of the ramparts and moat]]
The most visible parts of ancient Dhar are the massive earthen ramparts, which are best preserved on the western and southern sides of the town. These were most likely built at beginning of the 9th century. Wall remains show that the city was circular in plan and surrounded by a series of tanks and moats, similar to the city of [[Warangal]], in the [[Deccan]]. The circular ramparts of Dhar, unique in north India and an important legacy of the Paramāras, are unprotected and have been slowly dismantled by brick-makers and others using the wall material for construction. On the north-east side of the town, the ramparts and moats have disappeared beneath modern homes and other buildings.

===Fort===
[[File:Dhar_Fort,_Dhar,_Madhya_Pradesh_2.jpg|thumb|Dhār Fort]]
The historic parts of Dhar are dominated by an impressive sandstone fortress on a small hill. The fortress is thought to have been built by [[Muhammad bin Tughluq]], the Sultan of Delhi, most likely on the site of the ancient Dharāgiri mentioned in early sources.<ref>K. K. Lele, in Dikshit, ''Pārijātamañjarī'', p. xxi, n. 1,</ref> One of the gateways, added later, dates to 1684–85 in the time of 'Ālamgīr.<ref>''Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy'' (1971-72): 81, no. D. 72.</ref> Inside the fort there is a deep rock-cut cistern of great age, and a later palace of the Mahārāja of Dhar that incorporates an elegant pillared porch from the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] period, possibly built in the mid-17th century. The palace area houses an outdoor museum with a small collection of temple fragments and images dating to medieval times.

===Museum===
Inside the fort, a large number of sculptures and antiquities from Dhar and its neighbourhood are kept in utilitarian buildings constructed in the late 19th century. Some pieces from the collection have been moved to [[Mandu, Madhya Pradesh|Mandu]] where the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Archives has created a museum with a range of displays in the 'Barnes Koti', a Sultanate-period building used by Captain Ernest Barnes, the political agent of the Bhopawar agency.

===Tomb of Shaykh Changāl===
On the overgrown ramparts of the medieval city, overlooking the old moat, is the tomb of Shaykh Abdullah Shāh Changāl, a warrior saint. The tomb has been rebuilt, with its original inscription now incorporated into the compound gate. The inscription is written in Persian and has been dated to 1455. As a record of historical interest, it recounts the Shaykh's arrival in Dhar and his conversion of Bhoja to Islām after locals committed an atrocity against the small Muslim community who had settled in the city.<ref>G. H. Yazdani, ‘The Inscription on the Tomb of ‘Abdullah Shāh Changāl at Dhār’ ''Epigraphica Indo-Moslemica'' (1909-10): 1-5; now translated and reinterpreted in {{cite journal | last1 = Golzadeh | first1 = Razieh B. | year = 2012 | title = On Becoming Muslim in the City of Swords: Bhoja and Shaykh Changāl at Dhār | journal = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society | volume = 22 | issue = 1| pages = 115–27 | doi = 10.1017/S1356186311000885 | s2cid = 163000586 }}</ref> The story does not so much refer to King [[Bhoja]] but to a rising interest in Bhoja's biography in the 15th century and the attempts made at that time to appropriate his legacy in [[Sanskrit]] and Persian literature.<ref>The point made in {{cite journal | last1 = Golzadeh | first1 = Razieh B. | year = 2012 | title = On Becoming Muslim in the City of Swords: Bhoja and Shaykh Changāl at Dhār | journal = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society | volume = 22 | issue = 1| pages = 115–27 | doi=10.1017/s1356186311000885| s2cid = 163000586 }}</ref>

===Lat Mosque===
[[File:Lat masjid 1.JPG|thumb|left|Lāṭ Masjid, interior, built in 1405.]]
The [[Lat Masjid]], or 'Pillar Mosque', located to the south of the town, was built as the [[Jama Mosque|Jami' Mosque]] by [[Dilawar Khan]] in 1405.<ref>''Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy'' (1971-72): 81, no. D. 73</ref> It derives its name from the [[iron pillar of Dhar|iron pillar]] of Dhar ("lāṭ" in Hindi), which is believed to have been set up in the 11th century.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Smith | first1 = V. A. | title = The Iron Pillar of Dhār | journal = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society | volume = 1898 | pages = 143–46 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Ray | first1 = Amitava | last2 = Dhua | first2 = S. K. | last3 = Prasad | first3 = R. R. | last4 = Jha | first4 = S. | last5 = Banerjee | first5 = S. | year = 1997 | title = The ancient 11th century iron pillar at Dhar, India: a microstructural insight into material characteristics | journal = Journal of Materials Science Letters | volume = 16 | issue = 5| pages = 371–375 | doi = 10.1023/A:1018550529070 | s2cid = 134653889}}</ref> The pillar, which is nearly 13.2 m high according to the most recent assessment, has fallen and broken; the three surviving parts are displayed on a small platform outside the mosque. It carries an inscription recording a visit by the Mughal emperor [[Akbar]] in 1598 while on a military campaign in the Deccan. The pillar's original stone footing is also displayed nearby.

===Kamāl Maulā Campus===
The Kamāl Maulā is a spacious enclosure containing four tombs, the most notable of them the tomb of Shaykh Kamāl Maulavi or Kamāl al-Dīn (''circa'' 1238-1330). Maulavi was a follower of Farīd al-Dīn Gaṅj-i Shakar (''circa'' 1173–1266, see [[Fariduddin Ganjshakar]]) and the [[Chishti]] saint [[Nizamuddin Auliya]] (1238–1325). Some details about Kamāl al-Dīn are recorded in Muḥammad Ghauthi's ''Azkar-i Abrar'', a [[hagiography]] of Sufi saints written in 1613.<ref>Muḥammad Ghauthi Mandawi, ''Azkar-i abrar'', Urdu ''Tarjuma-i Gulzar-i Abrar'', trans. Fazl Ahmad Jewari [Urdu lithograph] (Agra: Matba`-i Mufid-i `Amm, 1326/1908, reprint ed., Lahore: Islamic Book Foundation, 1395/1975): 581.</ref> The cloak presented to Kamāl al-Dīn by Nizam al-Dīn is still displayed inside the tomb. The custodians of Kamāl al-Dīn's tomb have served continuously for 700 years.<ref>The key modern works in Rām Sevak Garg, ''Hazrat maulānā kamāluddīn ciśtī rah. aur unkā yug'' (Bhopāl, 2005).</ref>

===Bhoj Shala===
{{main|Bhoj Shala}}
Except for the [[Mihrab]] and [[Minbar]], which were purpose-built for the monument, the [[hypostyle]] hall immediately next the tomb of Kamāl Maula is made of recycled temple columns and other architectural parts. It is similar to the Lāṭ Masjid, but was built earlier, as an inscription from 1392 described records of repairs by Dilāwar Khān.<ref>Luard, ''Dhar and Mandu'' (Bombay, 1916): 9; U. N. Day, ''Medieval Malwa'' (Delhi, 1969): 15, n. 2.</ref> In 1903, a Sanskrit and [[Prakrit]] inscription from the time of Arjunavarman (''circa'' 1210-15) was found in the walls of the building by K. K. Lele, Superintendent of Education in the Princely State of Dhar. The engraved inscription is displayed inside the entrance. The text includes parts of a drama called ''Vijayaśrīnāṭikā'' composed by Madana, the king's preceptor, or 'Bālasarasvatī'.<ref>S. K. Dikshit, ed., ''Pārijātamañjarī alias Vijayaśrī by Rāja-Guru Madana alias Bāla-Sarasvatī'' (Bhopal, 1968).</ref> Other inscribed tablets noted by Lele included a large tablet inscribed with the ''Kūrmaśataka'' — verses in praise of the Kūrma incarnation of [[Vishnu|Viṣhṇu]] — and a serpentine inscription containing the grammatical rules of the [[Sanskrit]] language. These finds, particularly the grammatical inscription, prompted Lele to name the building [[Bhoj Shala]], or 'Hall of Bhoja', in reference to King Bhoja (''circa'' 1000-55), the author of several works on poetics and grammar such as the famous ''Sarasvatīkaṇṭhābharaṇa'' or 'Necklace of Sarasvatī'.<ref>R. Birwé, ‘Nārāyaṇa Daṇḍanātha's Commentary on Rules III.2, 106-121 of Bhoja's Sarasvatīkaṇṭhābharaṇa’, ''Journal of the American Oriental Society'' 1964; 84: 150-62.</ref> The term 'Bhoj Shala' was first published by C.E. Luard in 1908.<ref>C. E. Luard, ''Western States (Mālwā). Gazetteer'', 2 parts. The Central India State Gazetteer Series, vol. 5 (Bombay, 1908): part A, pp. 494-500; also Luard, ''Dhar and Mandu'', p. 9</ref>

[[File:City Palace PP.jpg|thumb|left|City Palace, built in 1875]]

===Cenotaphs and Old City Palace===
[[File:Goddess Ambika from Dhar.JPG|thumb|Statue of goddess Ambikā found on the site of the Old City Palace, the British Museum<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=182355&partId=1&searchText=Dhar&page=1|title=British Museum Collection}}</ref>]]
The old city palace of the Puar ([[Pawar]]) clan, a branch of the [[Maratha]]s, is now used as a school. It is a plain, medium-sized building built around 1875. A marble [[Ambika Statue from Dhar|statue]] of the [[Jain]] goddess [[Ambika (Jainism)|Ambikā]], discovered on the site of the palace in 1875, is now in the [[British Museum]].<ref>Kirit Mankodi, ‘A Paramāra Sculpture in the British Museum: Vāgdevī or Yakshī Ambikā?’, ''Sambodhi'' 9 (1980-81): 96-103.</ref> Of the same time period as the palace are a collection of domed [[cenotaph]]s of the Pawar rulers on the edge of the large tank known as Muñj Talab. The name of the tank was probably derived from [[Vakpati Munja|Vākpati Muñja]] (10th century), the first Paramāra king that entered Mālwa and made [[Ujjain]] his main administrative seat.<ref>H. V. Trivedi, ''Inscriptions of the Paramāras, Chandellas, Kachchhapaghātas and Two Minor Dynasties'', Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, volume 7 (New Delhi, 1978-91): 9.</ref>
[[File:Agency House 2010.jpg|thumb|Agency House in 2010]]

===Agency House===
Another colonial era building at Dhar, located outside the old town on the road to [[Indore]], is the Agency House. It was built by the Public Works Department during British rule and was the center of the administration of Dhar [[Dhar State|State]] and the [[Central India Agency]].<ref>The only documentation is here: [https://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/92037/7852D3C1E6D4F81B1A4DD7154F7E27D6F63EE065.html Agency House]</ref> The building has been abandoned and is now in ruins.

===Jheera Bagh===
[[File:Jheera Bagh Dhar PP.jpg|thumb|right|Jheera Bagh Palace, renovated 1940s]]
In the 1860s, the Powars built a palace at Hazīra Bāgh, adjacent to the road to Māṇḍū. Known as the Jheera Bāgh Palace, the complex was renovated by Mahārāja Anand Rao Pawar IV in the 1940s and is now run as a heritage hotel. Designed in an unpretentious [[Art Deco|art deco]] style, it is considered to be one of the most elegant and forward-looking examples of early modern architecture in [[North India]].

== Political history ==
The town of Dhar, derived from ''Dhārā Nagara'' ('city of sword blades'), is of considerable antiquity,<ref name="EB1911"/> the first reference to it appearing in an inscription in [[Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh|Jaunpur]] during the [[Maukhari]] dynasty (6th century).<ref>[[John Faithfull Fleet|J. F. Fleet]], ''Inscriptions of the Early Gupta Kings and their Successors'', Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, vol. 3 (Calcutta, 1888): 228 (line 6). [[Hans T. Bakker]], 'The So-Called Jaunpur Inscription of Īśvaravarman', ''Indo-Iran Journal'' 2009; 50: 207-16 shows that inscription belongs not to Īśvaravarman but to Īśānavarman or one of his successors. Online abstract: http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/10.1163/001972409x12525778274224</ref> Dhar rose to prominence when it was made the primary seat of the [[Paramara]] chiefs of [[Malwa]] by Vairisiṃha (''circa'' 920-45 CE). Vairisimha appears to have transferred his headquarters to Dhar from [[Ujjain]]. During the rule of the Paramāras, Dhar was a respected centre of culture and learning,<ref name="EB1911"/> especially under the rule of King [[Bhoja]] (circa 1000-1055). The wealth and splendor of Dhar drew the attention of competing dynasties in the 11th century. The [[Chalukyas of Kalyani|Cāḷukyas of Kalyāṇa]] under [[Someshvara I|Someśvara I]] (circa CE 1042-68) captured and burnt the city, also occupying Māṇḍū (ancient Māṇḍava).<ref>G. Yazdani, ed., ''The Early History of the Deccan'', 2 vols. (London, 1960) 1: 331 according to the Nander inscription (dated CE 1047) and Nāgai inscription (dated CE 1058).</ref> Dhar was subsequently sacked by the [[Chalukyas of Gujarat|Cāḷukyas of Gujarāt]] under [[Jayasimha Siddharaja|Siddharāja]].<ref>A. K. Majumdar, ''Chalukyas of Gujarat'' (Bombay, 1956): 72-3.</ref> The devastation and political fragmentation caused by these wars meant that there was no significant opposition when [[Ala ud din Khilji]], the Sultān of [[Delhi]], dispatched an army to Mālwa in the early 14th century. The region was annexed to [[Delhi]], and Dhar was made the capital of the province under [[Ayn al-Mulk Multani|'Ayn al-Mulk Mūltānī]], who served as governor until 1313.<ref>Iqtidar Husain Siddiqui, ''Authority and Kingship under the Sultans of [[Delhi]]'' (Delhi, 2006): 283-84.</ref> The events that occurred during the following seventy years are unclear, but some time in A.H. 793/C.E. 1390-91 [[Dilawar Khan]] was appointed ''muqṭi''' of Dhar (and also the governor of Mālwa) by Sulṭān Muḥammad Shāh.<ref>Day, ''Medieval Malwa'', p. 13.</ref> Dilāwar Khān took the title 'Amīd Shāh Dā'ūd' and mandated the ''khutba'' to be read in his name in A.H. 804/C.E. 1401-02, thereby establishing himself as an independent sulṭān.<ref>Day, ''Medieval Malwa'', p. 21.</ref> Upon his death in 1406, his son [[Hoshang Shah]] became king, with his capital situated in Māṇḍū. In the time of [[Akbar]], Dhar fell under the dominion of the [[Mughals]], and remained under Mughal control until 1730, when the town was conquered by the [[Maratha]]s.<ref name="EB1911"/>

In late 1723, [[Bajirao]], at the head of a large army and accompanied by his lieutenants [[Malharrao Holkar]], [[Ranoji Shinde]] (Scindia) and Udaji Rao Pawar, swept through Malwa. A few years earlier, the Mughal Emperor had been forced to relinquish to the Marathas the right to collect ''[[Chauth]]'' taxes in Malwa and [[Gujarat]]. This levy was financially beneficial to the [[Maratha]] caste, as both the king [[Chattrapati Shahu|Shahu]] and his Peshwa, [[Bajirao]], were in large amounts of debt at the time. Agriculture in the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] depended heavily on the timeliness and duration of the monsoons. The most important source of royal revenue was, therefore, the C''hauth'' (a 25% tax on produce) and S''ardeshmukhi'' (a ten per cent surcharge) exacted by the Marathas. The revenues the Marathas collected from their own lands were not sufficient to run the administration of their state and finance their large military expenditure, as their government was focused on conquest and not economic development.

The Marathan armies eventually defeated the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] governor and attacked the capital [[Ujjain]]. [[Bajirao]] established military outposts in the country as far north as [[Bundelkhand]].

Towards the end of the 18th century and in the early part of the 19th century, the Marathan state was subject to a series of spoliations by [[Scindia]] of [[Gwalior]] and [[Holkar]] of [[Indore]], (descendants of Ranoji Scindia and Malharao Holkar), but was saved from annihilation by the strong rule of the adoptive mother of the fifth raja.

===Dhar State===
{{Main|Dhar State}}
After the [[Third Anglo-Maratha War]] of 1818, Dhar fell under [[United Kingdom|British]] rule. The [[Dhar State]] was designated as a [[princely state]] of [[British India]], in the [[Bhopawar Agency]] of the [[Central India Agency]]. It included several Rajput and [[Bhil]] feudatories and had an area of {{convert|1775|sqmi|km2}}. The state was confiscated by the British after the [[Revolt of 1857]]. In 1860, it was restored to Raja Anand Rao III Pawar, then a minor, with the exception of the detached district of Bairusia which was granted to the Begum of [[Bhopal]]. Anand Rao, who received the personal title Maharaja and the [[Order of the Star of India|KCSI]] in 1877, died in 1898; he was succeeded by Udaji Rao II [[Pawar]].<ref name="EB1911"/>

=== Dhar Thikanas ===
A separate department whose purpose was to superintend ''Thakurs'' and ''Bhumias'', called "Department of Thakurans, Bhumians and Thikanejat", was established in 1921. At the time there were 22 such estates in the state of Dhar.

The ''[[jagir]]'' lands of the nobles of Dhar (feudatory estates), all of whom paid tribute to the [[Durbar (court)|Darbar]], were divided between [[Thakur (title)|Thakur]]s and Bhumias.

The Thakurs, with a few exceptions, were Rajput landholders whose estates were located in the north of the state. Locally, the Thakurs were called [[Talukdar]]s and their holdings called ''kothari''. By [[caste]], there were 8 [[Rathore|Rathore Rajputs]], one [[Pawar]] and one [[Kayasth]].

The Bhumias, or "Allodial" Chiefs, were all [[Bhilala]]s, a clan claiming to be of mixed [[Bhil people|Bhil]] and Rajput ([[Chauhan]]) descent. Their grants were originally obtained from the Darbar on the understanding that they would keep the peace among the Bhils and other hill tribes. They paid yearly tribute to the Darbar, in turn receiving cash allowances (Bhet-Ghugri), an ancient feudal custom.

[[File:HH Maharaja Shrimant Hemendra Singh Rao Pawar of Dhar State.jpg|thumb|HH Maharaja Shrimant [[Hemendra Singh Rao Pawar]] of the [[Dhar State]] seated on the 'Gadi' of the Kshatriya Maratha-Rajput Pawar (Puar/Parmar) Clan. The coronation of the 12th Maharaja of the Dhar State was solemnised on 15 January 2015 at the 'Rajwada' (Old Palace) of Dhar.]]

=== Political representation and Royal Legacy ===
[[Bhartiya Janata Party]] politician [[Neena Vikram Verma]] serves as a member of the [[Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly]] for the Dhar-Vidhan-Sabha Constituency.<ref name="Hindu2013">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/madhya-pradesh-pollmeter-never-too-late/article5314707.ece?ref=sliderNews | title=Madhya Pradesh Pollmeter: Never too late | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=5 November 2013 | access-date=5 November 2013}}</ref>

In [[2019 Indian general election|2019]], Chattar Singh Darbar of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] was elected as a [[Member of parliament, Lok Sabha|Member of Parliament]] representing the Dhar constituency.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/dhar-election-results-2019-live-updates-winner-loser-leading-trailing-2154485.html|title=Dhar Election Results 2019 Live Updates: ChattarSingh Darbar of BJP Wins|website=News18|access-date=23 May 2019}}</ref>

Maharaja Shrimant [[Hemendra Singh Rao Pawar]] is the present titular head of the [[Kshatriya]] [[Maratha]] [[Pawar]] (Puar/[[Parmar]]) dynasty of the State of Dhar.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/hemendra-singh-puar-is-head-of-erstwhile-princely-state-of-dhar/story-4H53hVYBjS6GnttmlL8ggL.html|title=Hemendra Singh Puar is head of erstwhile princely state of Dhar|date=15 January 2015|website=Hindustan Times|access-date=17 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Hemendra-Puar-to-be-new-Dhar-maharaja/articleshow/45893428.cms|title=Hemendra Puar to be new Dhar maharaja | Indore News - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=17 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freepressjournal.in/hemendra-singh-becomes-new-king-of-dhar/ |title=Hemendra Singh becomes new King of Dhar |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725012024/http://www.freepressjournal.in/hemendra-singh-becomes-new-king-of-dhar/ |archive-date=25 July 2015 |access-date=17 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Administration-to-remove-seal-on-Dhar-royal-estates-on-HC-orders/articleshow/48211141.cms|title=Administration to remove seal on Dhar royal estates on HC orders | Indore News - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=17 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=riBJH0J1FR0C&q=dhar+parmar+puar&pg=PA302 |title = Indian States: A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey|isbn = 9788120619654|last1 = Solomon|first1 = R. V.|last2 = Bond|first2 = J. W.|year = 2006}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
As of the [[2011 Indian Census]], Dhar had a total population of 93,917, of which 48,413 were males and 45,504 were females. 11,947 were between 0 and 6 years old. The total number of literate people in Dhar was 68,928. 73.4% of the population was literate, with a male literacy rate of 78.1% and a female literacy rate of 68.4%. The literacy rate of the 7+ population in Dhar was 84.1%, of which the male literacy rate was 89.9% and the female literacy rate was 78.0%. The [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes]] population was 7,549 and 16,636 respectively. As of 2011, Dhar has 18531 households.<ref name="Census2011Gov">{{cite web |title=Census of India: Dhar |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=532166 |website=www.censusindia.gov.in |access-date=25 November 2020}}</ref>

This is an increase from the 2001 India [[census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=16 June 2004|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=1 November 2008|publisher= Census Commission of India}}</ref> when Dhar had a population of 75,472, of which males constituted 52% and females 48%. In 2001, Dhar had an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy was 76% and female literacy was 63%. In 2001, 14% of the population of Dhar was under 6 years of age.

===Religion===
{{bar box
|title=Religion in Dhar (2011)<ref name="Religion">{{cite web |title=C-1 Population By Religious Community |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW23C-01%20MDDS.XLS |website=census.gov.in |access-date=25 November 2020}}</ref>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Hindus]]|orange|79.62}}
{{bar percent|[[Muslims]]|green|17.39}}
{{bar percent|[[Jains]]|yellow|2.05}}
{{bar percent|Others|grey|0.94}}
|caption=Distribution of religions
}}

The majority of the population adheres to [[Hinduism]], with significant groups following [[Islam]] and [[Jainism]].<ref name="Religion"/>

== Postal information ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2020}}
In 1897, primitive stamps with entirely native text were issued. The second definitive issue bore the name "Dhar State" in Latin script; with a total of 8 stamps. Since 1901, Indian stamps have been in use in Dhar.

== Notable people ==
[[Baji Rao II]], the last of the [[Peshwas]], was born in Dhar.<ref>''Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer'' p. 510</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:District Archeological Museum, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.jpg|District Archaeological Museum, Dhār, Madhya Pradesh
File:Kharbuza Mahal, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.jpg|Kharbuza Mahal at the Dhār Fort
File:Kharbuza Mahal, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 3.jpg|Kharbuza Mahal at the Dhār Fort
File:Kharbuza Mahal, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 4.jpg|Kharbuza Mahal at the Dhār Fort
File:Dhar Fort, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 5.jpg|Entire view of Bawari (Water Source at the Dhār Fort)
File:Dhar Fort, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 4.jpg|Entrance view from inside the fort at Dhār
File:Dhar Fort, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 3.jpg|Outer view of the fort at Dhār
File:Dhar Fort, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 7.jpg|The Dhār Fort
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Bagh Print]]
* [[Bagh Caves]]
* [[Maratha Empire]]
* [[List of Maratha dynasties and states]]
* [[List of forts in India]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
*[http://dhar.nic.in/ DhārDistrict governmental website]
*[http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~islamarc/WebPage1/htm_eng/dhar-eng.htm Dhārat the Islamic Monuments of India Photographic Database]
*[http://www.indore360.com/portal/index.php/Places/Mandu.html More Information about Mandu near Dhar]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Indore Division}}
{{Forts in India}}
{{Forts in Madhya Pradesh}}

[[Category:Dhar| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Dhar district]]
[[Category:Cities in Malwa]]
[[Category:Former capital cities in India]]
[[Category:1 BC establishments]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 1st century BC]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures of the Maratha Empire]]
[[Category:16th-century forts in India]]

Dhar - Revision history

2405:201:6007:4C6F:55CE:EC32:7265:7205 at 16:28, 1 December 2022