Deogarh, Madhya Pradesh
Encyclopedia
Deogarh, also known as Devgarh, is a village in Chhindwara District
of the India
n state of Madhya Pradesh
. It is located 24 miles southwest of Chhindwara
, picturesquely situated on a crest of the hills.
Deogharh was formerly the capital of a Gond
kingdom, which rose to prominence in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The numerous wells, tanks, and buildings show that the Gond capital once extended over a large area.
, who came and spread its hood over him during the heat of the day, when his mother left him to go to her work. When he grew up he became famous for his feats of strength, and entered the service of the twin Gaoli kings, Ransur and Ghansur, whom he subsequently slew with a magic sword, and taking the kingdom in their stead became the first Gond ruler. The forts of Patansaongi and Nagardhan in Nagpur District
are attributed to him.
In the late 17th century, Prince Bakht Buland went to Delhi
, where he entered the service of the Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb
. He gained the emperor's favor by his military achievements, and the emperor persuaded him to become a Muslim
. He returned from Delhi with a number of craftsmen and farmers, both Hindu and Muslim. He enlarged his dominions at the expense of the states of Chanda
and Mandla
, and established many new towns and villages, including the city of Nagpur
.
Bahkt Buland's successor, Chand Sultan, moved the capital of the kingdom from Deogarh to Nagpur. After Chand Sultan's death in 1739, struggles over his succession led to the intervention of the Maratha
leader Raghoji Bhonsle, who governed neighboring Berar
in the name of the Maratha Peshwa
. The Gond kingdom was annexed to the Maratha empire, and ruled by Raghoji's successors.
The Bhonsle kingdom was defeated the British in the Anglo-Maratha Wars
, and became a princely state of British India. The Nagpur kingdom was annexed by the British in 1853 under the Doctrine of lapse
, and was governed as Nagpur Province
until 1861, when it became part of the Central Provinces
. After India's independence in 1947, the Central Provinces became the new state of Madhya Pradesh
.
Chhindwara District
Chhindwara district is one of the districts of Madhya Pradesh state of India, and Chhindwara town is the district headquarters. The district is part of Jabalpur Division.-General information:...
of the 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 Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
. It is located 24 miles southwest of Chhindwara
Chhindwara
Chhindwara is a town and a municipality in Chhindwara district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhindwara District. Chhindwara is reachable by rail or road from adjacent cities Nagpur and Jabalpur...
, picturesquely situated on a crest of the hills.
Deogharh was formerly the capital of a Gond
Gondi people
The Gondi, Goindi or Gond people are people in central India, spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra , Chhattisgarh, northern Andhra Pradesh, and Western Orissa. With over four million people, they are the largest tribe in Central India.The Gondi language is related to...
kingdom, which rose to prominence in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The numerous wells, tanks, and buildings show that the Gond capital once extended over a large area.
History
Popular tradition tells of a Gaoli Kingdom preceding the Gonds. The mythical Gond hero Jatba, who founded the dynasty, was born from a virgin under a bean plant, and was protected by a cobraCobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
, who came and spread its hood over him during the heat of the day, when his mother left him to go to her work. When he grew up he became famous for his feats of strength, and entered the service of the twin Gaoli kings, Ransur and Ghansur, whom he subsequently slew with a magic sword, and taking the kingdom in their stead became the first Gond ruler. The forts of Patansaongi and Nagardhan in Nagpur District
Nagpur District
Nagpur district is a district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state in central India. The city of Nagpur is the district headquarters. The district is part of Nagpur Division....
are attributed to him.
In the late 17th century, Prince Bakht Buland went to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, where he entered the service of the 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...
emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
. He gained the emperor's favor by his military achievements, and the emperor persuaded him to become a 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...
. He returned from Delhi with a number of craftsmen and farmers, both Hindu and Muslim. He enlarged his dominions at the expense of the states of Chanda
Chanda
In Hinduism, Chanda was a monster in the service of Sumbha and Nisumbha that Chamunda Devi killed. It is also a popular name in the Hindu community...
and Mandla
Mandla
-Demographics: India census, Mandla had a population of 45,907. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mandla has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 72%. Majority of Population belongs Adivasi, so...
, and established many new towns and villages, including the city 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...
.
Bahkt Buland's successor, Chand Sultan, moved the capital of the kingdom from Deogarh to Nagpur. After Chand Sultan's death in 1739, struggles over his succession led to the intervention of the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
leader Raghoji Bhonsle, who governed neighboring Berar
Berar Subah
-Origin of name:According to the Ain-i-Akbari, the original name of Berar was Waradatat .-History:Before the Mughal occupation, Berar was part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate of Ahmadnagar. It was ceded to the emperor Akbar by Chand Bibi in 1596, unable to stand against the imperial forces led by...
in the name of the Maratha 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...
. The Gond kingdom was annexed to the Maratha empire, and ruled by Raghoji's successors.
The Bhonsle kingdom was defeated the British in the Anglo-Maratha Wars
Anglo-Maratha Wars
The Anglo-Maratha Wars were three wars fought in India between the Maratha Empire and the British East India Company:* First Anglo-Maratha War * Second Anglo-Maratha War...
, and became a princely state of British India. The Nagpur kingdom was annexed by the British in 1853 under the Doctrine of lapse
Doctrine of lapse
The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy purportedly devised by Lord Dalhousie, who was the Governor General for the British in India between 1848 and 1856...
, and was governed as Nagpur Province
Nagpur Province
Nagpur Province was a province of British India that covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh states. It was formed in 1853 when the British annexed the princely state of Nagpur. In 1861 it was merged into the Central Provinces...
until 1861, when it became part of 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....
. After India's independence in 1947, the Central Provinces became the new state of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
.