Thaker (family name)
Encyclopedia
Thaker is a family name referring to the descendants of Kashiraj Thaker, an 11th century Kashmiri
Brahmin
who moved to the region of Saurashtra, Gujarat to spread and maintain Hinduism
on the request of the Siddhraj Jaysinh I (b. 1094), a Hindu
Solanki King
who ruled modern-day Gujarat until 1143. The family rose to prominence within Saurashtran nobility throughout the 12th-19th centuries as Diwans.
From 1297 to 1758 various Muslim rulers ruled Gujarat; during this time members of the Thaker family were appointed to life-long hereditary positions as premier political and financial advisors to the rulers of Saurashtra from the Solanki Dynasty
to the Mughal Empire
; notably Emperor Akbar the Great. Following the change of power to the Maratha Empire
who eventually accepted the paramountcy
of the British Empire in 1819, members of the Thaker family, being well-versed in scripture, history, philosophy, ritual, politics, law, social precepts and morality, continued on in their positions as principal advisors or in executive offices as Diwans to the various Maharaja
s/Maharana
s of the Princely States
of British India in modern-day Gujarat, Western India
. After the 11th century many Thaker family members became landowners of large portions of Saurashtra. Today, while many branches of the family remain in India
, some bloodlines have spread internationally to, among others, East Africa
, the United Kingdom
and the United States of America
.
Brahmin
name and is not to be confused with "Thakore
" or "Thakur
"; an India
n feudal and colonial title in Hindi
which came from other parts of India. Nor should it be confused with "Thakker" or "Thakrar"; surnames from the Lohana
caste. Though Kashiraj Thaker originated from Kashmir
, his descendants were born in Gujarat for many subsequent centuries and most Thakers consider themselves Gujarati
.
The village Kanj near Viramgam
in Gujarat was the first residence of Kashiraj Thaker in Gujarat, and his descendants are often referred to as Kanjia Thakers for having originated from the village.
Thaker family members are traditionally associated with Shaivism
, the oldest sect of Hinduism
; regarding Shiva
as the supreme being. Historically, the favored religious scripture studied by the Thaker family was the Shiva Purana
.
Due to scholastic tradition, the Thaker family maintains records and a family-tree of all Thaker lineage dating back to Kashiraj Thaker. Traditionally records were and are only made for male descendants of the family.
Pranaya a famous first name for people of the Thaker family.
s who were tasked with upholding Hindu culture and teachings were often the victims of genocide. As a result Brahmins from around India were invited to visit, and later settle in Gujarat to maintain Hinduism in the region. Kashiraj Thaker arrived in Saurashtra in the 12th century from Kashmir
upon the request of Siddhraj Jaysinh I, a Solanki King
who ascended to the throne of Patan
in 1096 at the age of 2, and ruled modern-day Gujarat till 1143. His descendants continued as members of the inner-circle of the Solanki dynasty
till the dynasty's fall in 1244. Muslim rule began in Gujarat in 1297 with the victory of Ala-ud-din Khilji
over Karandev II; the last Hindu
ruler of Gujarat. Before 1298, Muslim people had only had occasional contact with this part of India
, but, with the rise of the Delhi Sultanate
in Gujarat it was not till the 14th century that the Thaker family members once again took prominent positions as chief advisor to the rulers in Saurashtra and Patan
; maintaining prominence as landowners and financiers. Gujarat remained under the Delhi Sultanate
till 1573 when Emperor Akbar annexed Gujarat; becoming a Mughal
Subah
. Mughal rule lasted some 185 years till 1758 when Momin Khan surrendered to the Maratha Empire
.
While the cracks had started developed in the edifice of the Mughal empire
in the mid-17th century, the Marathas
were consolidating their power in the west; Chatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha
ruler, attacked Surat
twice, first in 1664 and again in 1672. These attacks marked the entry of the Marathas
into Gujarat. However, before the Marathas
could solidify their presence all across the region, the Europeans made their presence felt, with the Portuguese
leading, followed by the Dutch
and the British
.
In the 18th century, the Peshwa
s had established their sovereignty over Gujarat including Saurashtra and had successfully held the British
at bay. They collected taxes and tributes through their representatives; the Thaker family members were active as Treasurer
s to the Peshwa
Prime Minister
s. Damaji Rao Gaekwad
and Kadam Bande divided the Peshwa's territory between them, with Damaji establishing the sway of Gaekwad
over Gujarat and making Barodara his capital; A branch of the Thaker family also settled in Baroda and has remained there to this day. While the Marathas
had thus far kept the British from power, the ensuing internecine war among them was fully exploited by the British
, who interfered in the affairs of both Gaekwad
s and the Peshwa
s to their advantage.
The British
embarked upon their policy of "Subsidiary Alliance
"; a policy allowing them to establish their paramountcy
over one princely state
after another. Anand Rao Gaekwad
joined the Alliance in 1802 and surrendered Surat
and adjoining territories to the English
. In the garb of helping the Maratha
, the British helped themselves, and gradually the Marathas
' power in Gujarat came to an end in 1819; Gaekwad
and other big and small rulers accepted the British Paramountcy.
The decline of the Maratha empire
led to its division into numerous kingdoms, territories and city-states ruled by Indian rulers of various titles including among many others: Maharaja
(“great king”), Badshah (“emperor”), and Nawab
(“governor”). These territories were soon under the direct (dominion
) or in-direct (princely state
suzerainty
) control of the British Raj
. Suzerainty over 175 Princely States, some of the largest and most important, was exercised (in the name of the British Crown) by the central government of British India under the Viceroy; the remaining, approximately 500, states were dependents of the provincial governments of British India under a Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, or Chief Commissioner. A clear distinction between "dominion" and "suzerainty" was supplied by the jurisdiction of the courts of law: the law of British India rested upon the laws passed by the British Parliament and the legislative powers those laws vested in the various governments of British India, both central and local; in contrast, the courts of the Princely States existed under the authority of the respective rulers of those states.
Despite the paramountcy
of the British Raj
, the princely state
s were still ruled individually by heirs of the Maratha empire
and other clans. As such the members of the Thaker family continued in their life-time hereditary positions as treasurer
s, financiers and political advisors to the various Maharaja
s or Maharana
s. Among these were the Jhala
Rajputs; a clan that established their reign at Patdi
in the 12th century after arriving from Sindh
. After numerous Islamic invasions, the Jhala
s moved their capital to Halwad and over the centuries established Dhrangadhra
. They also became the rulers of, among others, the princely states of Wadhwan
, Wankaner
, Limbdi
, Sayla
, Lakhtar and Chuda.
In the 14th - 19th centuries other branches of the Thaker family became landowners, owning a significant portion of land in and around what is today Wadhwan City
and other regions of Saurashtra. Post-independence, laws were passed stating that in the interests of distribution of wealth and social equality, ownership of farmland would transfer from large landlords to the farmers who worked the land itself. As a result, many landlords including branches of the Thaker family lost vast quantities of wealth overnight.
With the partition of India
in 1947, the princely states of India, which had been left by the Indian Independence Act 1947 to choose whether to accede to India or Pakistan or to remain outside of them, were all incorporated into one or other of the new dominions. Gujarat, with its proximity to the partition line between Pakistan
and India
suffered massive violence between its Hindu
and Muslim
populations, and as a result some Gujaratis who had settled across the border, including members of the Thaker family, fled abroad; primarily to East Africa
, the United Kingdom
and the United States
. A large branch of the Thaker family however, still resides in Gujarat and other parts of India
to this day.
Kashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
who moved to the region of Saurashtra, Gujarat to spread and maintain Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
on the request of the Siddhraj Jaysinh I (b. 1094), a Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
Solanki King
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
who ruled modern-day Gujarat until 1143. The family rose to prominence within Saurashtran nobility throughout the 12th-19th centuries as Diwans.
From 1297 to 1758 various Muslim rulers ruled Gujarat; during this time members of the Thaker family were appointed to life-long hereditary positions as premier political and financial advisors to the rulers of Saurashtra from the Solanki Dynasty
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
to the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
; notably Emperor Akbar the Great. Following the change of power to 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....
who eventually accepted the paramountcy
Paramountcy
The doctrine of paramountcy is the legal principle that reconciles contradicting or conflicting laws in a federalist state. Where both the central government and the provincial or state governments have the power to create laws in relation to the same matters, the laws of one government will be...
of the British Empire in 1819, members of the Thaker family, being well-versed in scripture, history, philosophy, ritual, politics, law, social precepts and morality, continued on in their positions as principal advisors or in executive offices as Diwans to the various Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
s/Maharana
Maharana
Maharana is a variation on the Indian royal title Maharaja, also meaning 'Great king' in Hindi. It is composed of Maha- 'great' and the royal title Rana, a variation on Raja.-Salute states :...
s of the Princely States
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 ...
of British India in modern-day Gujarat, Western 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...
. After the 11th century many Thaker family members became landowners of large portions of Saurashtra. Today, while many branches of the family remain in 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...
, some bloodlines have spread internationally to, among others, East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Origins & Background
Thaker is a KashmiriKashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
name and is not to be confused with "Thakore
Thakore
The Thakore are Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat in India. They also known as Patanwadia, Dharedas or Baria.-History and origin:The Thakore of Gujarat claim to have originated in Maharashtra in the distant past. They are found in the districts of Mehsana, Ahmedabad, Banaskantha,...
" or "Thakur
Thakur (Indian title)
Thakur is an Indian feudal title in several Indian languages, literally meaning "lord". A Thikana is the state or estate of a Thakur. A Thakurani is the wife of a Thakur...
"; an 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 feudal and colonial title in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
which came from other parts of India. Nor should it be confused with "Thakker" or "Thakrar"; surnames from the Lohana
Lohana
The Lohana also referred to as Luvana are an Indian caste,largely classified as merchants and are categorized as Vaishya or Bania caste although their ancient history proves that they are Kshatriya of Suryavanshi descant, claiming their lineage from Lava, son of Rama...
caste. Though Kashiraj Thaker originated from Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, his descendants were born in Gujarat for many subsequent centuries and most Thakers consider themselves Gujarati
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
.
The village Kanj near Viramgam
Viramgam
Viramgam is a city and a municipality in Ahmedabad district in the Indian state of Gujarat.-Geography:Viramgam is located at . It has an average elevation of 32 metres...
in Gujarat was the first residence of Kashiraj Thaker in Gujarat, and his descendants are often referred to as Kanjia Thakers for having originated from the village.
Thaker family members are traditionally associated with Shaivism
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
, the oldest sect of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
; regarding Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
as the supreme being. Historically, the favored religious scripture studied by the Thaker family was the Shiva Purana
Shiva Purana
The Shiva Purana is one of the s, a genre of Hindu religious texts dedicated to Shiva. According to a tradition which is stated in the of this text, the original text was known as the ....
.
Due to scholastic tradition, the Thaker family maintains records and a family-tree of all Thaker lineage dating back to Kashiraj Thaker. Traditionally records were and are only made for male descendants of the family.
Pranaya a famous first name for people of the Thaker family.
History
During the late 11th and early 12th centuries, Gujarat suffered severe violence between the Hindu forces and Muslim invaders. In this time, BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s who were tasked with upholding Hindu culture and teachings were often the victims of genocide. As a result Brahmins from around India were invited to visit, and later settle in Gujarat to maintain Hinduism in the region. Kashiraj Thaker arrived in Saurashtra in the 12th century from Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
upon the request of Siddhraj Jaysinh I, a Solanki King
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
who ascended to the throne of Patan
Patan district
Patan district is one of the 26 districts of Gujarat state in western India. This district is located in northern Gujarat and bounded by Banaskantha district in the north and northeast, Mehsana district in the east and southeast, Surendranagar district in the south and Kutch District and the Kutch...
in 1096 at the age of 2, and ruled modern-day Gujarat till 1143. His descendants continued as members of the inner-circle of the Solanki dynasty
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
till the dynasty's fall in 1244. Muslim rule began in Gujarat in 1297 with the victory of Ala-ud-din Khilji
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
over Karandev II; the last Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
ruler of Gujarat. Before 1298, Muslim people had only had occasional contact with this part of 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...
, but, with the rise of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
in Gujarat it was not till the 14th century that the Thaker family members once again took prominent positions as chief advisor to the rulers in Saurashtra and Patan
Patan district
Patan district is one of the 26 districts of Gujarat state in western India. This district is located in northern Gujarat and bounded by Banaskantha district in the north and northeast, Mehsana district in the east and southeast, Surendranagar district in the south and Kutch District and the Kutch...
; maintaining prominence as landowners and financiers. Gujarat remained under the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
till 1573 when Emperor Akbar annexed Gujarat; becoming a Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Subah
Subah
A Subah was a province of the Mughal Empire in South Asia. The governor of a subah was known as a subahdar, which later became subedar to refer to an officer in the Indian Army...
. Mughal rule lasted some 185 years till 1758 when Momin Khan surrendered to 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....
.
While the cracks had started developed in the edifice of the Mughal empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in the mid-17th century, the Marathas
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....
were consolidating their power in the west; Chatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha
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....
ruler, attacked Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
twice, first in 1664 and again in 1672. These attacks marked the entry of the Marathas
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....
into Gujarat. However, before the Marathas
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....
could solidify their presence all across the region, the Europeans made their presence felt, with the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
leading, followed by the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and the British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
.
In the 18th century, the Peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
s had established their sovereignty over Gujarat including Saurashtra and had successfully held the British
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
at bay. They collected taxes and tributes through their representatives; the Thaker family members were active as Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
s to the Peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
s. Damaji Rao Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
and Kadam Bande divided the Peshwa's territory between them, with Damaji establishing the sway of Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
over Gujarat and making Barodara his capital; A branch of the Thaker family also settled in Baroda and has remained there to this day. While the Marathas
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....
had thus far kept the British from power, the ensuing internecine war among them was fully exploited by the British
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, who interfered in the affairs of both Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
s and the Peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
s to their advantage.
The British
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
embarked upon their policy 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...
"; a policy allowing them to establish their paramountcy
Paramountcy
The doctrine of paramountcy is the legal principle that reconciles contradicting or conflicting laws in a federalist state. Where both the central government and the provincial or state governments have the power to create laws in relation to the same matters, the laws of one government will be...
over one 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 ...
after another. Anand Rao Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
joined the Alliance in 1802 and surrendered Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and adjoining territories to the English
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. In the garb of helping the Maratha
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....
, the British helped themselves, and gradually the Marathas
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....
' power in Gujarat came to an end in 1819; Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
and other big and small rulers accepted the British Paramountcy.
The decline 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....
led to its division into numerous kingdoms, territories and city-states ruled by Indian rulers of various titles including among many others: Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
(“great king”), Badshah (“emperor”), and Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
(“governor”). These territories were soon under the direct (dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
) or in-direct (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 ...
suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
) control of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. Suzerainty over 175 Princely States, some of the largest and most important, was exercised (in the name of the British Crown) by the central government of British India under the Viceroy; the remaining, approximately 500, states were dependents of the provincial governments of British India under a Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, or Chief Commissioner. A clear distinction between "dominion" and "suzerainty" was supplied by the jurisdiction of the courts of law: the law of British India rested upon the laws passed by the British Parliament and the legislative powers those laws vested in the various governments of British India, both central and local; in contrast, the courts of the Princely States existed under the authority of the respective rulers of those states.
Despite the paramountcy
Paramountcy
The doctrine of paramountcy is the legal principle that reconciles contradicting or conflicting laws in a federalist state. Where both the central government and the provincial or state governments have the power to create laws in relation to the same matters, the laws of one government will be...
of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, the 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 were still ruled individually by heirs 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....
and other clans. As such the members of the Thaker family continued in their life-time hereditary positions as treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
s, financiers and political advisors to the various Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
s or Maharana
Maharana
Maharana is a variation on the Indian royal title Maharaja, also meaning 'Great king' in Hindi. It is composed of Maha- 'great' and the royal title Rana, a variation on Raja.-Salute states :...
s. Among these were the Jhala
Jhala
Jhala is a term in Hindustani classical music which denotes the fast-paced conclusions of classical compositions. It is often characterized by the overwhelming of the melodic component by the rhythmic component. This is sometimes effected by the rapid striking together of the chikari between notes....
Rajputs; a clan that established their reign at Patdi
Patdi
Patdi is a town located 90km west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India with a population of approximately 20,000. Ahmedabad 90 km away is the nearest airport. Patdi has less frequency of train connections...
in the 12th century after arriving from Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. After numerous Islamic invasions, the Jhala
Jhala
Jhala is a term in Hindustani classical music which denotes the fast-paced conclusions of classical compositions. It is often characterized by the overwhelming of the melodic component by the rhythmic component. This is sometimes effected by the rapid striking together of the chikari between notes....
s moved their capital to Halwad and over the centuries established Dhrangadhra
Dhrangadhra
Dhrangadhra is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the state of Gujarat, India. During the period of the British Raj, the city was the capital of Dhrangadhra state, one of the eight first-class princely states of the Kathiawar Agency in the Bombay Presidency.-History:Dhrangadhra...
. They also became the rulers of, among others, the princely states of Wadhwan
Wadhwan
Wadhwan is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat.-Demographics: India census, Wadhwan had a population of 61,739. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Wadhwan has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of...
, Wankaner
Wankaner
Wankaner is a city and a municipality in Rajkot district in the Indian state of Gujarat.Wankaner has thorny plantation in the area !-Geography:Wankaner is located at . It has an average elevation of 81 metres ....
, Limbdi
Limbdi
Limbdi is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat.Limbdi has a proud place in women's education. It is home to Lady Wellingdon Girls School, now Municipal school number 3. This school was established in Limbdi on 1 March 1859 when India had hardly any...
, Sayla
Sayla
Sayla was a Royal province in India and is now part of the Indian State of Gujarat.Sayla was a 575 km² state ruled by the Jhala Rajputs, a clan that came to Saurashtra from Sindh and established their reign at Patdi in the 12th century. After the Islamic invasions, the Jhalas moved their...
, Lakhtar and Chuda.
In the 14th - 19th centuries other branches of the Thaker family became landowners, owning a significant portion of land in and around what is today Wadhwan City
Wadhwan
Wadhwan is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat.-Demographics: India census, Wadhwan had a population of 61,739. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Wadhwan has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of...
and other regions of Saurashtra. Post-independence, laws were passed stating that in the interests of distribution of wealth and social equality, ownership of farmland would transfer from large landlords to the farmers who worked the land itself. As a result, many landlords including branches of the Thaker family lost vast quantities of wealth overnight.
With the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, the princely states of India, which had been left by the Indian Independence Act 1947 to choose whether to accede to India or Pakistan or to remain outside of them, were all incorporated into one or other of the new dominions. Gujarat, with its proximity to the partition line between Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and 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...
suffered massive violence between its Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
populations, and as a result some Gujaratis who had settled across the border, including members of the Thaker family, fled abroad; primarily to East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A large branch of the Thaker family however, still resides in Gujarat and other parts of 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...
to this day.
Prominent Descendents of the Thaker lineage
- Pranjivan Vishwanath ThakerPranjivan Vishwanath ThakerPranjivan Vishwanath Thaker, , was Diwan of Saurashtra, Gujarat, the highest executive office under Rajput rule. He was the brother of Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker, Chief Treasurer of the princely state of Limbdi....
(circa 1860-1920), Diwan of Saurashtra, Gujarat the highest executive office under RajputRajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
rule. - Mahashankar Vishwanath ThakerMahashankar Vishwanath ThakerMahashankar Vishwanath Thaker, , was Chief Treasurer of the Princely State of Limbdi under Jhala Rajput rule. He was the younger brother of Pranjivan Vishwanath Thaker, Diwan of the Princely State of Vadia....
(circa 1867-1902), Chief Treasurer of the princely statePrincely stateA 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 ...
of LimbdiLimbdiLimbdi is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat.Limbdi has a proud place in women's education. It is home to Lady Wellingdon Girls School, now Municipal school number 3. This school was established in Limbdi on 1 March 1859 when India had hardly any...
under JhalaJhalaJhala is a term in Hindustani classical music which denotes the fast-paced conclusions of classical compositions. It is often characterized by the overwhelming of the melodic component by the rhythmic component. This is sometimes effected by the rapid striking together of the chikari between notes....
RajputRajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
rule. - Dhirajlal Mahashankar ThakerDhirajlal Mahashankar Vishwanath ThakerDhirajlal Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker was a British colonial official and Paymaster General of the Port of Karachi; the largest wheat and cotton exporting port in British India prior to partition, currently the largest port in Pakistan...
(1897–1947), Paymaster General of the Port of KarachiPort of KarachiThe Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo . It is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the port places it in close...
; the largest wheat and cotton exporting port in British India prior to partitionPartition of IndiaThe Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, currently the largest port in PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. - Amit ThakerAmit ThakerAmit Thaker is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party . He is currently National President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. He is former president of BJP Youth Morcha Gujarat.-Early life:...
(Hindi: अमित ठाकर) (born 1971), an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata PartyBharatiya Janata PartyThe Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
. He is currently National President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva MorchaBharatiya Janata Yuva MorchaThe Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha , translation: Indian Popular Youth Front) is the youth wing of Bharatiya Janata Party . It is founded in 1978 and first national president was Kalraj Mishra.-Organization:...
. - Bhavik Thaker (born 1982), all-round Cricket player for the Gujarat cricket teamGujarat cricket teamThe Gujarat cricket team is one of three Ranji Trophy cricket teams representing the state of Gujarat . It was in the Elite Group of the Ranji Trophy although it has had very little success. There have, however, been many cricketers that have passed through its ranks and gone on to play for the...
and the Kolkata Knight RidersKolkata Knight RidersKolkata Knight Riders is the franchise representing Kolkata in the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 cricket tournament. Sourav Ganguly led the team in IPL1 and IPL3, Brendon McCullum in IPL2, and Gautam Gambhir in IPL4...
. - Narmada Shankar Thaker, Founder of the Thaker High School in AhmedabadAhmedabadAhmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Gujarat, and a close associate of Mahatma GandhiMahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. - Dhirubhai Premshankar Thaker (born 1917), Chief Editor of the Gujarati Vishwakosh; Gujarat's first extensive encyclopedia in the Gujarati language with 25 volumes and over 23,000 articles, and winner of the 1994 Ranjitram Suvarna ChandrakRanjitram Suvarna ChandrakRanjitram Suvarna Chandrak , also known as the Ranjitram gold medal was founded by Gujarat Sahitya Sabha and is considered the highest literary award in Gujarati literature...
; the highest literary award in Gujarati literatureGujarati literatureThe history of Gujarati literature may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, other than its composers...
. - Vivek Thaker (born 1983), Biggest bond-trader in the world.
- Jayant Premshanker Thaker (1922–2007), Director of Oriental Institute of M.S.University, author and renowned Sanskrit scholar. Notable works include: "Lexicographical Studies in Jain Sanskrit", "Vishvamitri Mahatmyam" , "Laghuprabandh-Sangrah", "Manuscriptology" and "Shaddarshan Gujarati".
See also
- List of Indian princely states: for a list of Indian princely states at the time of Indian Independence.