Orissa Tributary States
Encyclopedia
The Orissa Tributary States are a group of former princely state
s of British India, now part of the present-day India
n state of Orissa
.
The Orissa Tributary States were located in the hilly region of eastern Orissa, on the border with Chhattisgarh
and Jharkhand
states. In the 18th century, the entire region came under the control of the Maratha Empire
, in particular the Bhonsle
maharajas of Nagpur
. Meanwhile, the British had become established in Bengal
, and were expanding their influence into the lowland tracts of Orissa. The British and the Marathas came into conflict in the late 18th century, and at the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Maratha War
in 1803, the Maharaja of Nagpur ceded Orissa to the British. Some of the former Maratha territory was ruled directly by the British, and attached to the Bengal Presidency
; other territories became princely state
s, under the control of local rulers under a treaty of subsidiary alliance
to the British monarch. The status of the Orissa Tributary States, the largest of which were Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal
, Boudh
, and Nayagarh
, was unclear until 1888, when the Secretary of State for India
accepted the view that they did not form part of British India, and modified powers were handed over to the Orissa chiefs under the control of a superintendent.
In 1905 five Oriya
-speaking states (Bamra
, Rairakhol
, Sonpur
, Patna, and Kalahandi
) were added from the Central Provinces
and two (Gangpur
and Bonai) from the Chota Nagpur States
. With the addition of these states, the total area was 72638 km² (28,045.7 sq mi) and the population was 3,173,395 per the 1901 census. In 1912, the province of Bihar and Orissa
was detached from Bengal, and the Orissa Tributary States were under the authority of the governor of Bihar and Orissa. In 1936 Orissa became a separate province, but the Orissa Tributary States were merged into the Eastern States Agency
, which was under the direct authority of the Governor-General of India
rather than that of the provincial governor. After Indian independence in 1947, the rulers of the states acceded to the Government of India
, and the former Orissa Tributary States except Oriya speaking prinly states of Sarikela and Kharsawan,were integrated into the state of Orissa.
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
s of British India, now part of the present-day India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
.
The Orissa Tributary States were located in the hilly region of eastern Orissa, on the border with Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
and Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
states. In the 18th century, the entire region came under the control of the Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
, in particular the Bhonsle
Bhonsle
The Bhonsle were a prominent clan within the Maratha clan system who served as rulers of several states in India.The most prominent member of the clan was Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire...
maharajas of Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
. Meanwhile, the British had become established in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, and were expanding their influence into the lowland tracts of Orissa. The British and the Marathas came into conflict in the late 18th century, and at the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Maratha War
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
in 1803, the Maharaja of Nagpur ceded Orissa to the British. Some of the former Maratha territory was ruled directly by the British, and attached to the Bengal Presidency
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
; other territories became princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
s, under the control of local rulers under a treaty of subsidiary alliance
Subsidiary alliance
A subsidiary alliance is an alliance between a dominant nation and a nation that it dominates.-British policy in India:The doctrine of subsidiary alliance was introduced by Marquess Wellesley, British Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805...
to the British monarch. The status of the Orissa Tributary States, the largest of which were Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal
Dhenkanal (princely state)
Dhenkanal is now Dhenkanal district, which is situated in Orissa State, India, with Dhenkanal town as its district headquarters. This article describes the history of the princely state.-16th century:In the year 1529 A.D...
, Boudh
Boudh
Boudh is a town and a notified area committee in Boudh district in the state of Orissa, India. It is the district headquarters of Boudh district...
, and Nayagarh
Nayagarh
Nayagarh is a town and a notified area committee in Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Orissa. It is the headquarters of Nayagarh district.-Geography:Nayagarh is located at...
, was unclear until 1888, when the Secretary of State for India
Secretary of State for India
The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...
accepted the view that they did not form part of British India, and modified powers were handed over to the Orissa chiefs under the control of a superintendent.
In 1905 five Oriya
Oriya language
Oriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...
-speaking states (Bamra
Bamra
Bamra, covering an area of 5149 km², was one of the Princely states of India during the period of the British Raj, and was acceded to India on 1 January 1948....
, Rairakhol
Rairakhol
Rairakhol is a town in Sambalpur district, Orissa, India.Ideally situated beside NH 42 in a tranquil secluded and sylvan surrounding having atmosphere of idyllic charms aesthetic and spiritual appeal.-Location:National Highway 42 passes through Rairakhol...
, Sonpur
Sonpur
See Sonepur for similar names.Sonepur is a town in the Indian state of Bihar, situated on the banks of the River Gandak in Saran district in the Indian state of Bihar.-Geography:...
, Patna, and Kalahandi
Kalahandi
Kalahandi, , is a district of Orissa in India. The region had a glorious past and great civilization in ancient time. Archaeological evidence of stone age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilized, cultured and urban human...
) were added from the Central Provinces
Central Provinces
The Central Provinces was a province of British India. It comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur....
and two (Gangpur
Gangpur
Gangpur is also a village in India of Burdwan District in West Bengal, in the state of Gujarat, between Surat and Bardoli....
and Bonai) from the Chota Nagpur States
Chota Nagpur States
The Chota Nagpur States were a group of princely states at the time of British India, located on the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in the present-day Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa...
. With the addition of these states, the total area was 72638 km² (28,045.7 sq mi) and the population was 3,173,395 per the 1901 census. In 1912, the province of Bihar and Orissa
Bihar and Orissa
Bihar and Orissa was a province of British India which included the present-day Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The territories were conquered by the British in the 18th and 19th centuries, and were part of the Bengal Presidency, the largest British province in India. Bihar and...
was detached from Bengal, and the Orissa Tributary States were under the authority of the governor of Bihar and Orissa. In 1936 Orissa became a separate province, but the Orissa Tributary States were merged into the Eastern States Agency
Eastern States Agency
The Eastern States Agency was a political office of the British Indian Empire, created on 1 April 1933. This agency dealt with forty-two princely states in eastern India, located in the present-day Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, and Tripura...
, which was under the direct authority of the Governor-General of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
rather than that of the provincial governor. After Indian independence in 1947, the rulers of the states acceded to the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
, and the former Orissa Tributary States except Oriya speaking prinly states of Sarikela and Kharsawan,were integrated into the state of Orissa.