Govindgarh, Madhya Pradesh - History

History

The state of Rewa owes its origins to the foundation of a state dating to 1234 by Vyaghra Dev, a descendant of the Vaghelas of Gujarat. He married the daughter of the Raja of Pirhawan and conquered the territory between Kalpi and Chandalgarh. Karan Dev, son of Vyaghra Dev married the daughter of the Raja of Ratanpur, bringing Bandhogarh (now known as Bandhavgarh) into the family as her dowry. The legendary fortress of Bandhogarh fell into Mughal hands in 1597, almost by accident. At the death of H.H. Maharaja Virbhadra Rao in 1593, his minor son succeeded as H.H. Maharaja Vikramaditya. When he was sent to Delhi for his own safety, the emperor took advantage of his absence to send one of his loyal nobles as temporary governor. Once he had taken control of the fort, the Maharaja’s nobles and officials were expelled and the fort annexed by the Mughals. On his return to his remaining domains, H.H. Maharaja Vikramaditya was forced to establish a new capital at Rewa, from whence the state took its name. Lt.Col. HH Samrajya Maharajadhiraja Bandhresh Shri Maharaja Sir VENKAT RAMAN RAMANUJ PRASAD SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur 1880/1918, born 23 July 1876, G.C.S.I., married 1stly, 1892, HH Maharani Shivraj Kumari Devi, died 1917, daughter of Maharaja Sir RADHA PRASAD SINGH Bahadur of Dumraon in Bihar, married 2ndly, HH Maharani Gulab Kumari, died 1913, daughter of HH Maharaja Sir RANJIT SINGH of Ratlam, married 3rdly, 1904, HH Maharani Keerat Kumari, daughter of General Parihar Thakur Bakhsh Singh of Thikana Jhagarpur in U.P., and had issue, two sons and one daughter. He died 3 November 1918. HH Bandhvesh Maharaja Sir GHULAB SINGH Bahadur (qv) Maharajkumar Ravendra Ramanuj Prasad Singh (by Maharani Keerat Kumari), born 10 January 1917; died 10 June 1940.

HH Maharani Sudarshan Prasad Kumari, born 5 September 1906, married 18 April 1922, HH Maharajadhiraj Sri SADUL SINGH of Bikaner, and had issue. She died 19 December 1971.

Major-General HH Samrajya Maharajadhiraja Bandhresh Shri Maharaja Sir GHULAB SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur 1918/1946 (deposed 30 January 1946), born 12 March 1903, G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I., married 1stly, 25 June 1919, HH Bandhveshwari Shri Maharani Sahiba Samrajyi Kunwar, born 1903, died 1954, daughter of HH Maharaja Dhiraj Maharaja Sri Sir SARDAR SINGHJI Bahadur of Jodhpur, married 2ndly, 18 February 1925, HH Maharani Ballabh Kumari, daughter of Lt.-Col. HH Umdae Rajhae Buland Makan Maharajadhiraja Maharaja Sir MADAN SINGH Bahadur of Kishangarh, and had issue, one son. He died 13 April 1950. HH Samrajya Maharajadhiraja Bandhresh Shri Maharaja MARTAND SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur (qv)

HH Samrajya Maharajadhiraja Bandhresh Shri Maharaja MARTAND SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur 1946/1995, born 15 March 1923, elected to the Fifth, Seventh and Eighth Lok Sabha representing Rewa Parliamentary Constituency of Madhya Pradesh during 1971-1977 and 1980-1989. An agriculturist and businessman by profession, he was Raj Pramukh of Vindhya Pradesh. He was a very popular and active social worker. As a philanthropist, he built hospitals, dispensaries and organised camps for providing medical aid to indigent and sick people. He donated his palace at Satna and other properties for establishment of educational institutions like Banaras Hindu University and College in Satna. A widely travelled person, he evinced keen interest in the fields of sports, education, photography, archaeology and wildlife preservation. He established and developed National Park at Bandhogarh. He had served as a member of All India Wildlife Preservation Board and as the Director of Madhya Pradesh Udyog Vikas Nigam, Bhopal. He also made special efforts for development of irrigation, industries, transport, electrification and rail services in his area, married 1943, HH Maharani Praveen Kunverba, born 1926, daughter of HH Maharajadhiraj Mirzan Maharao Shri VIJAYARAJJI KHENGARJI Sawai Bahadur of Kutch, and his wife, HH Maharani Shri Padmakunwar Ba Sahiba, and had issue. He died 20 November 1995 at Rewa. Posted by AZHAR at 10:29 PM 0 comments Links to this post Rewa is the important districts of Madhya Pradesh

Rewa is one of the important districts of Madhya Pradesh and located between 24º18' to 25º12' north latitudes and 81º2' to 82º18' east longitude.

The district headquarters is at Rewa town, which has a total population of 15,54,987 and an area of 6240 square kilometers.

Rewa has a great potential as a tourist hub with its historical reminiscences and forest resources. Some of the must visit places are Deorkothar, Govindgarh, Bandhavgarh and Sirmaur.

[[Image:Delhi Durbar 1903.jpg|250px|thumb|Elephant Carriage of the Maharaja of Rewa, Delhi Durbar of 1903 The Rajas of Rewa were Rajputs of the Baghela(vaghela) branch of the Solanki or Chalukya clan (Hindu Agnivanshi Rajput clan of Gurjar stock), and claimed descent from the founder of the Anhilwara (Patan) dynasty in Gujarat.They ruled from Bandhavgarh under the first ruler Raja Vyaghradev who was direct descendant of famous Gujarati King and Warrior Vir Dhawal . In the mid 1550s, Raja Ramachandra Singh Baghela maintained a musically talented court, including the legendary Tansen. In 1617, Maharaja Vikramaditya Singh moved his capital to Rewa. Maharaja Martand Singh was the last ruler of Rewa who acceded to the Union of India after the country became independent.

Birbal was born in Sidhi District of Rewa Kingdom. The Emperor Sher Shah Suri, died fighting with Ruler of Rewa Vir Singh at Fort of Kalinjar.

Maharaja Ramchandra Singh and Akbar stayed friends. Two of the Navratnas of Akbar, Tansen and Birbal(original name Mahesh Das.) were sent from Rewa by Maharaja Ramchandra Singh once Akbar became the Emperor of India.

Sitar Virtuoso Pandit Ravi Shankar studied music from Alauddin Khan of Maihar, also in Rewa state.

The state came under British paramountcy in 1812 and remained a princely state within the Raj until India's independence in 1947.

The most of the inhabitants of the hilly tracts were Gonds and Kols. The estimated revenue of the state was Rs.200,000/- p.a. The staple crops were rice, millets and wheat. More than one-third of the area was covered with forests, yielding timber and lac.

Post-independence: Upon India's independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Rewa acceded unto the dominion of India. Rewa later merged with the Union of India and became part of Vindhya Pradesh, which was formed by the merger of the former princely states of the Bagelkhand and Bundelkhand agencies. Rewa served as the capital of the new state.

In 1956, Vindhya Pradesh was merged with other nearby political entities to form the Indian constitutive state of Madhya Pradesh.

Bagheli is local language of the area.

Maharaja Martand Singh was the last ruler of state who acceded to the Union of India after the country became independent.

Mohammed Jalaluddin Akbar, or Akbar The Great grew up in this area and after his father, Humayun, was driven in exile. Akbar received same education and upbringing that prince Ram Singh received. Maharaja Ramchandra Singh and Akbar stayed friends.

It was the first princely state in India to declare Hindi as a national language in times of Maharaja Gulab Singh. He is also credited for declaring the first responsible government in modern India, providing citizens a right to question monarch's decision.