Shivam Babu at 13:15, 9 March 2026

2026-03-09T13:15:17Z

New page

{{Short description|Historical principality in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox former country
| native_name = ''Indūra rājya'' ([[Marathi language|Marathi]])
| conventional_long_name = State of Indore
| common_name = Indore
| stat_area1 = 25,646
| stat_year1 = 1931
| stat_pop1 = 1,325,089
| era =
| year_start = 1732
| date_start = 29 July
| event_start = Established
| status = State Within the [[Maratha Empire]] (1731–1818) [[Protectorate]] of the [[East India Company]] (1818–1857) [[Princely State]] of the [[British Raj]] (1857–1947) State of the [[Dominion of India]] (1947–1948)
| year_end = 1948
| date_end = 1 January
| event_end = [[Instrument of Accession|Accession]] to Dominion of India
| event1 =
| date_event1 =
| p1 = Maratha Confederacy
| s1 = Dominion of India
| flag_p1 = Flag of the Maratha Empire.svg
| border_p1 = no
| flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg
| image_flag = Indore_Flag.svg
| flag_border = no
| flag_caption = Top: Flag (1732–1818) Bottom: Flag (1818–1950)
| image_map = IndoreKart.jpg
| image_map_caption = Map of the territories of Indore State, some forming [[enclave]]s in neighbouring [[Gwalior State|Gwalior]] and [[Bhopal State|Bhopal]] states
| title_leader = [[Maharaja]]
| year_leader1 = 1732–1766 (first)
| leader1 = [[Malhar Rao Holkar]]
| year_leader2 = 1926–1948 (last)
| leader2 = [[Yashwant Rao Holkar II]]
| today = [[India]] '''∟''' [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| capital = [[Indore]]
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| leader_name2 =
| image_coat = Arms of the Indore State, 1908.jpg
| image_flag2 = Flag of Indore.svg
}}
'''Indore State''' was a kingdom within the [[Maratha Empire]] ruled by the [[Maratha]] [[Holkar|Holkar dynasty]].<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Indore |volume=14 |pages=500–501 |first=James Sutherland |last=Cotton}}</ref> After 1857, [[Indore]] became a 19-[[Salute state|gun salute]] [[princely state]] within the [[Central India Agency]] of the [[Indian Empire (1876–1947)|Indian Empire]] under British protection.

Indore State was located in the present-day Indian state of [[Madhya Pradesh]], with its capital at the city of [[Indore]]. The state had an area of 24,605 km2 and a population of 1,325,089 in 1931. Other important towns besides Indore were [[Rampura, Neemuch|Rampura]], [[Khargone]], [[Maheshwar]], [[Mehidpur]], [[Barwaha]], and [[Bhanpura]]; there were a total of 3,368 villages.<ref>Great Britain India Office. ''[[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]]''. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.</ref>

[[File:The Rajawada (Old Palace) in Indore, MP (5102818067).jpg|thumb|280px|The [[Rajwada|Rajawada]] (Old Palace) of Indore]]
[[File:SukhnivasPalace.JPG|thumb|280px|The Sukhnivas Palace]]
[[File:HolkarElephant.jpg|thumb|280px|The Maharaja of Indore on his state elephant]]
[[File:Yashwant Rao Holkar and Ranjit Singh in 1805.jpg|thumb|[[Yashwant Rao Holkar]] and [[Ranjit Singh]] in 1805]]
[[File:Raja Shrimat Sir Kashirao (Dada Saheb) Holkar (KCSI) (KIH).jpg|thumb|Sir Kashirao (Dada Saheb) Holkar, {{small|[[Order of the Star of India|KCSI]]}}, {{small|[[Kaisar-i-Hind Medal|KIH]]}}, Raja Of Indore.]]
[[File:Maharaja Holkar of Indore 1877.jpg|thumb|Maharaja [[Tukojirao Holkar II]]]]
[[File:Tukoji Rao Holkar III, Maharaja of Indore.jpg|thumb|[[Tukojirao Holkar III]], Maharaja of Indore]]
[[File:Maharani Shrimant Chandravati Bai Sahib Holkar, First Wife of Maharaja of Indore Tukojirao Holkar III.jpg|thumb|Maharani Shrimant Chandravati Bai Sahib Holkar, First Wife of Maharaja [[Tukojirao Holkar III]] of Indore]]
[[File:Investiture of his Highness Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar Bahadur of Indore 9th May 1930.jpg|thumb|[[Yashwantrao Holkar II]]]]

==History==
{{See also|Dewas Junior|Dewas Senior|Dhar State|Gwalior State}}

By 1720, the headquarters of the local [[pargana]] was transferred from [[Kampel, Indore|Kampel]] to Indore due to the increasing commercial activity in the city. On 18 May 1724, the ''Nizam'' accepted the rights of the Maratha Peshwa [[Bajirao I|Baji Rao I]] to collect [[chauth]] (taxes) from the area. In 1733, the [[Peshwa]] assumed full control of Malwa and appointed his commander [[Malhar Rao Holkar]] as the [[subahdar]] of the province.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}}

On 29 July 1732, Bajirao Peshwa-I granted Holkar State by granting 28 and a half parganas to Malhar Rao Holkar, the founding ruler of the Holkar dynasty. His daughter-in-law [[Ahilyabai Holkar]] moved the state's capital to [[Maheshwar]] in 1767, but Indore remained an important commercial and military centre.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}}

After the defeat of the Holkar rulers in the [[Third Anglo-Maratha War]], an agreement was signed on 6 January 1818 with the [[British Empire|British]] and the Indore State became a [[British protectorate]]. The Holkar dynasty was able to continue to rule Indore as a [[princely state]] mainly owing to the efforts of [[Dewan]] Tatya Jog.

The capital was moved from [[Maheshwar]] to Indore on 3 November 1818 and the [[Indore Residency]], a political [[Residencies of British India|residency]] with a British resident, was established in the city. Later, Indore would be established as the headquarters of the British [[Central India Agency]]. In 1906, electrical infrastructure was installed in the city while a fire brigade was established in 1909. By 1918, the first master plan of the city was drawn by architect and town planner [[Patrick Geddes]].

During the period of [[Tukojirao Holkar II|Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II]] (1852–86), efforts were made for the planned development and industrial development of Indore. During the reigns of [[Shivajirao Holkar|Maharaja Shivaji Rao Holkar]], [[Tukojirao Holkar III|Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar III]], and [[Yeshwantrao Holkar II|Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar]], business flourished thanks to the railways that had been introduced in the state in 1875.

In 1926, Maharaja Tukoji Rao III Holkar XIII abdicated after being implicated in a murder case involving a court dancer who had tried to escape from his harem.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Jhala|first1=Angma Dey|title=Courtly Indian Women in Late Imperial India ("The Body, Gender and Culture") by|date=2016|publisher=Routledge|location=London New York|isbn=978-1138663640|page=125|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EeUvCgAAQBAJ&q=maratha+tukoji&pg=PP1|access-date=1 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC News - A murder that shook British India and toppled a king |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70e0drd480o |access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref>

After the [[independence of India]] in 1947, Indore State, along with a number of neighbouring princely states, acceded to India. [[Yashwant Rao Holkar II]], the last ruler of the state, signed the [[instrument of accession]] to the [[Dominion of India|Indian Union]] on 1 January 1950. The territories of the state became part of the new Indian state of [[Madhya Bharat]].

== List of rulers ==
The kings of Indore held the title of '[[Maharaja]]' Holkar. The rulers of the state were entitled to a 19 [[salute state|gun salute]] by the British authorities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/i/indore.html |title=Indore Princely State (19 gun salute) |access-date=13 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180606041013/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/i/indore.html |archive-date=6 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The Holkar State [[Durbar (court)|Darbar]] (Court) was composed of many [[Jagirdar]]s, [[Sardar]]s, Istamuradars, [[Mankari]]s and [[Zamindar]]s.<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Way of Life: King, Householder, Renouncer : Essays in Honour of Louis Dumont|author=Madan, T.N.|date=1988|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=9788120805279|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_qMH9PY9fQC&pg=PA129|page=129|access-date=4 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xdIBAAAAMAAJ&q=Mankari+being+primarily+a+title+applied+to+Maratha+noblemen%2C+who+held+an+official+position+at+court |title=Pt. II. Descriptive articles on the principal castes and tribes of the Central Provinces |last1=Russell |first1=Robert Vane |year=1916}}</ref>
===Maharajas===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Birth !! Death !! Reign
|-
| [[Malhar Rao Holkar|Malhar Rao Holkar I]]|| 1694 || 1766 || 1731 – 20 May 1766
|-
| [[Male Rao Holkar|Male Rao Holkar II]] || 1745 || 1767 || 20 May 1766 – 5 April 1767
|-
| [[Ahilyabai Holkar|Ahilya Bai Holkar]] (III)(f), regent and then ruling queen || 1725 || 1795 || April 1767 – 13 August 1795
|-
| [[Tukoji Rao Holkar|Tukoji Rao I Holkar IV]] || 1723 || 1797 || 13 August 1795 – 29 January 1797 (also listed as co-ruler from April 1767)
|-
| [[Kashi Rao Holkar|Kashi Rao Holkar V]] || ? || 1808 || 29 January 1797 – January 1799
|-
| [[Khande Rao Holkar|Khande Rao I Holkar VI]] || 1798 || 1806 || January 1799 – 1806
|-
| [[Yashwantrao Holkar|Yashwant Rao I Holkar]] || 1776 || 1811 || 1806 – 27 October 1811 (regent from January 1799)
|-
| [[Malhar Rao Holkar III|Malhar Rao III Holkar VII]] || 1801 || 1833 || November 1811 – 27 October 1833
|-
| [[Tulsi Bai Holkar|Maharani Tulsi Bai]] (f), regent || ? || 1817 || November 1811 – 20 December 1817
|-
| [[Martand Rao Holkar VIII]] || 1830 || 1849 || 27 October 1833 – 2 February 1834
|-
| [[Hari Rao Holkar IX]] || 1795 || 1843 || 2 February 1834 – 24 October 1843
|-
| [[Khande Rao II Holkar X]] || 1828 || 1844 || 24 October 1843 – 17 February 1844
|-
| [[Maji Keshri Bai| Maharani Maji]] (f), first regency || ? || 1849 || 24 October 1843 – 17 February 1844
|-
| [[Tukoji Rao II Holkar XI]] (knighted 25 June 1861) || 1835 || 1886 || 27 June 1844 – 17 June 1886
|-
| [[Maji Keshri Bai| Maharani Maji]] (f), second regency (s.a.) || ? || 1849 || 27 June 1844 – September 1849
|-
| [[Shivaji Rao Holkar XII]] (knighted 30 June 1887) || 1859 || 1908 || 17 June 1886 – 31 January 1903
|-
| [[Tukoji Rao III Holkar XIII]] (knighted 1 January 1918) || 1890 || 1978 || 31 January 1903 – 26 February 1926
|-
| [[Yashwant Rao Holkar II|Yashwant Rao II Holkar XIV]] (knighted [[1935 New Year Honours|1 January 1935]]) || 1908 || 1961 || 26 February 1926 – 15 August 1947
|-
| Usha Devi Holkar || 1961 || present ||
|}

===Diwans of Indore===
*c. 1808 – 1811: Bala Ram Seth
*1811 – December 1817: Ganpal Rao
*1818 – April 1826: Tantia Jog (Tatya Jog) (died 1826)

*April 1826 – 1827?: Raoji Trimbak
*1827: Daji Bakhshi
*1827? – 1829: Appa Rao Krishna
*1829 – 1834?: Madhav Rao Phadnis
*April 1834 – November 1836: Sardar Revaji Rao Phanse
*1836 – 1839?: Abbaji Ballal (or Bhawani Bin)
*1839? – 1840?: Bhao Rao Phanse (1st time)
*1840? – October 1841: Narayan Rao Palshikar
*1841 – 1842?: the ruler
*1842? – 1848: Bhao Rao Phanse (2nd time)
*1848 – 1849: Ram Rao Palshikar
*1852 – 1872: Bhawani Singh Dube<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Laurd |first=C. E. |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281568 |title=Indore State Gazetteer Vol II |year=1908 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Superintendent Government Printing |pages=43}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35875 |title=Rulers, Leading Families and Officials in the States of Central India |date=1935 |pages=24}}</ref>
*1872<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> – 1875: Sir [[T. Madhava Rao]] (1828–1891)
*1875 – 1881: [[R. Raghunatha Rao]] (1st time) (1831–1912)
*1881? – 1884?: Shahamat Ali
*1884 – 1886: Nana Moroji Trilokekar
*1886 – 1888: [[R. Raghunatha Rao]] (2nd time) (s.a.)
*c. 1890s: [[B.A. Gupte|Balkrishna Atmaram Gupte]]
*1890–1913: Sir Shri Rai Bhadhur Nanak Chand Ji Airen (as First Prime Minister Of State)
*4 April 1913 – October 1914: Narayan Ganesh Chandravarkar
*1914 – 1916: ....
*1916 – 1921: Ram Prasad Dube (1st time. Nephew of Bhawani Singh Dube.<ref name=":0" />)
*November 1921 – 1923?: Chettur Sankaran Nair (1857–1934)
*1923 – 1926: Ram Prasad Dube (2nd time)

===Prime ministers===
• 1879 -1884: Bakshi Khuman Singh (C.S.I.) <blockquote></blockquote>

*1890–1913: Sir Shri Rai Bhadhur Nanak Chand Ji Airen
*February 1926 – 1939: Siremal Bapna (s.a.)
*1939 – 1942?: Sardar Dina Nath
*1942 – 1947: Raja Gyannath Madan
*1947: R.G. Horton
* 1 September 1947 – 3 January 1948: E.P. Menon
*January 1948: N.C. Mehta
*26 January 1948 – March 1948: M.V. Bhide

====British Residents====
British Residents of the [[Indore Residency]].<ref>[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_A-J.html Princely States of India]</ref>
*1840–1844: Sir Claude Martin Wade (1794–1861)
*1845–1859: Robert North Collie Hamilton (1802–1887)
*1859–1861: Sir Richmond Campbell Shakespear (1812–1861)
*1861–1869: Richard John Meade (1821–1899)
*1869–1881: Henry D. Daly
*1881–1888: Henry Lepel-Griffin (1838–1908)
*1888–1890: P.F. Henvey
*1890–1894: R.J. Crosthwaite
*1894–1899: David W.K. Barr
*1899–1902: Robert Henry Jennings
*1902–1903: Francis Younghusband (1863–1942)
*1903–1907: [[Oswald Bosanquet|Oswald Vivian Bosanquet]] (1st time) (1866–1933)
*1907–1909: [[James Kaye (cricketer)|James Levett Kaye]] (1861–1917)
*1909–1910: Charles Beckford Luard
*1910–1916: Charles Lennox Russell
*1916–1919: [[Oswald Bosanquet|Oswald Vivian Bosanquet]] (2nd time) (s.a.)
*1919?–1921: Francis Granville Beville
*1921–1924: Denys Brooke Blakeway (1870–1933)
*1924–1929: Sir Reginald Glancy
*March 1927 – October 1927: Edward Herbert Kealy (acting for Glancy)
*1929–1930: H.R.N. Pritchard
*1930–1931: Frederick Bailey
*1931–1932: G.M. Ogilvie
*1933 – 21 March 1935: Rawdon James MacNabb (1883–1935)
*1935–1940: Kenneth Samuel Fitze (1887–1960)
*1940–1942: Gerald Thomas Fisher
*1942–1946: Walter F. Campbell
*1946–1947: Henry Mortimer Poulton (b. 1898 – d. 1973)

===British Agents===
[[File:HH The Maharaja Sir Jayaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior, General Sir Henry Daly (Founder of The Daly College, Indore), with British officers and Maratha nobility in Indore, Holkar State, Central India. Circa 1879..jpg|thumb|left| [[Jayajirao Scindia|HH Maharaja Sir Jayaji Rao Scindia]] of [[Gwalior State]], General Sir [[Henry Daly]] (Founder of The [[Daly College]]), with British officers and [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] [[nobility]] ([[Sardar]]s, [[Jagirdar]]s & [[Mankari]]s) in [[Indore]], [[Holkar State]], {{circa|1879}}.]]
Agents to the Governor-General for the [[Central India Agency]]. The headquarters of the agent were at Indore.
*1845–1854: Robert North Collie Hamilton (s.a.)
*1854–1899: the British Residents in Indore
*1899–1900: David W.K. Barr
*Mar 1900–1905: Charles S. Bayley
*1905–1910: Hugh Daly
*1910–1912: Michael Francis O'Dwyer (1864–1910)
*1912–1913: John B. Wood
*1913–1916: [[Oswald Bosanquet|Oswald Vivian Bosanquet]] (s.a.)
*1916–1944: the British Residents in Indore
*1944–1946: Walter Campbell
*1946–1947: Henry Mortimer Poulton (1898–1973)

==Orders of chivalry==
The Royal House of Indore awards the Order of Ahilya Holkar Sultanat, which is awarded in three classes. It was founded on November 22, 1900 by [[Tukojirao Holkar III|Maharaja Sir Tukojirao III Holkar XIII]].<ref name="Anmol1996">{{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia Indica: Princely States in colonial India |date=1996 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-859-7 |page=104|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Maratha dynasties and states]]
*[[List of princely states of British India (by region)]]
*[[Maratha]]
*[[Political integration of India]]
*[[Maheshwar]]
*[[Rajwada]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Indore State}}
*[http://www.santaanahistory.com/articles/maharajah.html Santa Ana's Richest Resident, The Maharajah of Indore]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112045002/http://www.santaanahistory.com/articles/maharajah.html |date=12 November 2017 }}.
*[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.210243039005436.60929.192610050768735&type=3 Royal Family of Indore]

{{MP Princely States}}
{{Princely states of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1732 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1818 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1950 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Former monarchies of Asia]]
[[Category:History of Indore]]
[[Category:Princely states of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Holkar]]

Indore State - Revision history

Shivam Babu at 13:15, 9 March 2026