Orcha ... The Kingdom

ORCHHA (Princely State) (15 gun salute)

AREA: 5,387 km2	PRIVY PURSE: 185,300R	ACCESSION: 1st January 1950
STATE: Madhya Pradesh	DYNASTY: Bundela	RELIGION: Hindu
	POPULATION: 321,364 (1901)	REVENUE: 700,000Rs

PRESENT RULER: HH Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri MADHUKAR SHAH Ju Deo Bahadur, 27th Maharaja of Orchha

born 8th December 1944, educated at Doon School, Dehra Dun, Uttaranchal, and graduated in 1964 from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, married 1973 in New Delhi, HH Maharani Snehlata Devi, born 1947, daughter of HH Maharaja PRATAP SINGH Malvinder Bahadur of Nabha, and has issue, 3 daughters and a son. Maharajkumari Vindeshwari Shah, born 2nd November 1975, married 25th November 2007 in New Delhi, Yuvraj Kamlendra Singh of Jhabua. Maharajkumari Rajeshwari Shah, born 15th October 1977.  Maharajkumari Bijeshwari Shah, born 12th August 1980 Raja Bahadur Rudra Pratap Shah, born 26th May 1983.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Founded in about 1250. Rulers were ... Raja Pancham Singh 1048/1071 Raja Virbhadra Singh 1071/1087, married and had issue. Raja Karanpal Singh (qv) Kunwar Randhir Singh Kunwar Hirashah Kunwar Hansraj Kunwar Kalyanshah Raja Karanpal Singh 1087/1112, married and had issue. Raja Kinnar Shah (qv) Raja Shaukan Dev (qv) Raja Nanak Dev (qv) Kunwar Vir Singh, married and had issue. Raja Mohanpal Singh (qv) Raja Abhaybhupati Singh (qv) Raja Kinnar Shah 1112/1130 Raja Shaukan Dev 1130/1152 Raja Nanak Dev 1152/1159 Raja Mohanpal Singh 1159/1197 Raja Abhaybhupati Singh 1197/1215 Raja Arjunpal Singh 1215/1231, married and had issue. Raja Virpal (qv) Raja Sohanpal (qv) Kunwar Dayapal Raja Virpal 1231/1251 Raja Sohanpal 1251/1259, married and had issue. Raja Sahjendra Singh (qv) Kunwar Ram Singh Kunwar Indrajit Singh, ancestor of the later Rajas of Bihat. Raja Sahjendra Singh 1259/1283 Raja Nanak Dev II 1283/1307, married and had issue. Raja Prithviraj Singh (qv) Kunwar Indraraj Raja Prithviraj Singh 1307/1339 Raja Ram Singh 1339/1375, married and had issue. Raja Ramchandra Singh (qv) Raja Mednepal Singh (qv) Raja Ramchandra Singh 1375/1384 Raja Mednepal Singh 1384/1437 Raja Arjun Dev 1437/1468 Raja Malkhan Singh 1468/1501, married and had issue. Kunwar Kharag Singh  Kunwar Jagjit Singh  Rauja RUDRA PRATAP (qv)  Kunwar Jait Singh Kunwar Shah Diwan Kunwar Devi Singh Raja RUDRA PRATAP 1501/1531, he managed to increase his lands considerably during the confusion caused by Padshah Baber's  invasion; married and had issue. He died 1531. Kunwar Kirat Shah Kunwar Bhupat Shah Raja BHARTI CHAND (qv) Raja MADHUKAR SHAH (qv) Kunwar Anand Das Kunwar Chandan Das Kunwar Durga Das Kunwar Ghanshyam Das Kunwar Prayag Das Kunwar Bhairon Das Kunwar Khande Rai Kunwar Udyajit Singh of Mahewa, married and had issue. Kunwar Ragho Das Kunwar Kosi Das Kunwar Ganga Das Kunwar Hridaya Narayan Kunwar Bharti Chandra Kunwar Prem Chandra, married and had issue. Kunwar Bhagwan Das, married and had issue.  Kunwar Bhagwan Das, married and had issue. Kunwar Chandju Kunwar Kharag Rai Kunwar Champat Rai, married and had issue. He died after 1649. Kunwar Gopal Rai Kunwar Sarvahan Kunwar Anand Rai Maharajadhiraja Chhatrasal, born 1649, married and had issue. He died 1731. Kunwar Rajaraj Kunwar Jagatraj [Raja JAGATRAJ SINGH of Jaitpur] Kunwar Hirde Shah [Raja HIRDE SHAH of Panna] Kunwar Unoop Singh  Kunwar Bharti Chand [Dewan BHARTI CHAND of Jaso] Kunwar Padam Rao [Rao PADAM RAO of Jigni] Kunwar Govind Das  Kunwar Umrood Singh  Kunwar Sher Singh  Kunwar Man Singh  Kunwar Mohan Singh  Kunwar Dalpat Singh  Kunwar Ratan Shah Kunwar Sujan Rai Kunwar Kunwar Sen Kunwar Man Shah, ancestor of the Garrauli Royal Family. Raja BHARTI CHAND 1531/1554, he unsuccessfully tried to oppose Sher Shah on his march to Kalinjar in 1545. He died 1554 Raja MADHUKAR SHAH 1554/1592, a religious recluse who allowed the fortunes of the state to decline from this time; the Mughal forces invaded Orchha for the first time in 1577 when Sadik Khan managed to take Orchha after a severe fight; in 1591 the Raja seized some parganas near Gwalior and was attacked and defeated by the Imperial troops forcing him to flee to the jungles, where he died soon afterwards of a natural death; married and had issue. He died 1592. Kunwar Horal Deo, died 1577. Raja RAM SHAH (qv) Raja BIR SINGH DEO [Virsingh Dev] (qv) Kunwar Indrajit Singh Kunwar Pratap Singh Kunwar Har Singh Deo, ancestor of the Bhasnai branch, to which belonged HH Maharaja Lokendra Sir BHAWANI SINGH Bahadur ofDatia. Raja RAM SHAH, Raja of Orchha 1592/1605 (deposed), and Raja of Chanderi 1608/1612, sued for pardon and was allowed to succeed, but he was a weak ruler and was unable to keep his brothers in check; Padshah Akbar deposed the Raja and placed his brother on the gadi; he was imprisoned in Delhi for a short time, but was eventually released and granted the fiefs of Chanderi and Banpur in 1608; married and had issue. Kunwar (name unknown) Singh, married and had issue. Raja Bharat Shah of Chanderi 1612/1646, married and had issue. Raja Devi Singh of Chanderi 1646/1717, married and had issue. Raja Duraj Singh of Chanderi 1717/1733, married and had issue. Raja Durjan Singh of Chanderi 1733/-, married and had issue. Raja Man Singh of Chanderi -/1760, married and had issue. Raja Anirudh Singh of Chanderi 1760/1774, married and had issue. Raja Ram Chand of Chanderi 1778/1802, married and had issue. Raja Parjapal of Chanderi 1802 Raja Mur Pahlad of Chanderi 1802/1842, married and had issue. Raja Mardan Singh of Chanderi 1842/1858, the state lapsed with his death and was annexed by the ruler of Gwalior. Raja Hati Singh of Chanderi 1774/1778 Raja BIR SINGH DEO 1605/1627, a ruler of strong principles and no scruples, he amassed great wealth and property; he was not only a great warrior but an enthusiastic builder, leaving many monuments, forts and temples; married and had issue. He died 1627. Kunwar Chandrabhan Kunwar Narhari Das Raja JHUJHAR SINGH (qv) Kunwar Tulsi Das Kunwar Beni Das Raja BHAGWAN RAO of Datia. Kunwar Kishan Singh Kunwar Hardaul of Baragaon, married and had issue. Kunwar Bejani Shah of Baragaon, married and had issue. Kunwar Pratap Singh of Baragaon, married and had issue. Kunwar Diwanrai Singh of Baragaon, married and had issue. Kunwar Umaid Singh, ancestor of the Banka Pahari Royal Family. Kunwar Hindu Singh, ancestor of the Tori Fatehpur Royal Family. Kunwar Samant Singh, received Bijna around 1690 and was the ancestor of the Bijna Royal Family. Kunwar Mokham Singh, ancestor of the Chirgaon Royal Family. Kunwar Aman Singh, ancestor of the Durwai Royal Family. Raja JHUJHAR SINGH 1627/1635, a weak and turbulent ruler, he soon plunged his state into difficulties; after serving the Mughal Emperor in the Deccan, he returned home and suspected his brother of adultery with his wife, he forced his brother to drink poison whose name became exalted into a local deity; he went into open rebellion against the Mughal forces in 1634-1635, but was  pursued and driven into the jungles where he was killed; married and had issue. He died 1635. Raja PAHAR SINGH (qv) Raja DEVI SINGH 1635/1641  Raja PAHAR SINGH 1641/1653, of Kaniyadana, married and had issue. Raja SUJAN SINGH I (qv) Raja INDRAMANI SINGH (qv) Raja SUJAN SINGH I 1653/1672 Raja INDRAMANI SINGH 1672/1675, married and had issue. Raja JASHWANT SINGH (qv) Raja JASHWANT SINGH 1675/1684, married and had issue. Raja BHAGWAT SINGH (qv) Raja BHAGWAT SINGH 1684/1689, married and had issue. Raja UDWAT SINGH (qv) Raja UDWAT SINGH 1689/1735, married and had issue. Raja PRITHVI SINGH (qv) Raja AMAR SINGH of Khaniadhana. Raja PRITHVI SINGH 1735/1752, during his rule, more of his territories were lost to the Marathas. Raja Mahendra SANWANT SINGH 1752/1765, he was granted the title of Mahendra by Padshah Alamgir. Raja Mahendra HATI SINGH 1765/1768 Raja Mahendra MAN SINGH 1768/1775 Raja Mahendra BHARTI CHAND 1775/1776, adopted from Bijna State. Raja Mahendra VIKRAMAJIT 1776/1817 (abdicated) and in 1834, adopted from Bijna State, he entered into relations with the British authorities in 1812, abdicated in favour of his son, but resumed power on his death. He died 1834. Raja Mahendra DHARAM PAL 1817/1834, died 1834. Raja Mahendra TEJ SINGH 1834/1842, adopted from Bijna State, died 1842. Raja Mahendra SUJAN SINGH II 1842/1848, adopted from Bijna State, died 1854 HH MaharajaMahendra  HAMIR SINGH 1848/1874, Maharaja [cr.1865], he received a sanad of adoption in 1862. He died 15th March 1874. Maharaja Pratap Singh of Orchha  HH Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri Sir PRATAP SINGH Bahadur Ju Deo 1874/1930, born 1854, K.C.S.I. [cr.1900], G.C.S.I. [cr.1906], K.C.B.(mil)[cr.1901], G.C.I.E. [cr.1900], K.C.I.E [cr.1894], Hon. ADC to HM, Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand [cr.1882], granted a personal salute of 17 guns; married and had issue. He died 3rd March 1930. Raja Bahadur Bhagwant Singh, Yuvaraj Saheb of Orchha; married, as his third wife, the third daughter of Rana PADAM CHAND of Jubbal, and had issue, four sons. He died vp. HH Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri Sir VIR SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur (qv) Rao Raja Karan Singh Ju Deo, married and had issue. Rajkumari Jayanti Devi [Rani Jayanti Devi of Koti], married Rana DEVESH CHAND of Koti in Himachal Pradesh, and had issue. She died 10th March 2010. Rao Raja Narendra Singh Ju Dev, married and has issue, one daughter and two sons. Rajkumari Gita Rathod Rajkumar Dhruv Singh Dev  Rajkumar Rudra Singh Dev, born 1957, married 14th December 1987, Rajkumari Manjari Kumari, daughter of Raja VISHWARAJ PRATAP SINGH of Kawardha, and his wife, Rani Shashi Prabha Devi (now the Rajmata Sahiba of Kawardha). Rao Raja Gayanendra Singh Ju Dev, married and has issue, three daughters and one son. Rajkumari Gauri Parikh Rajkumari Hema Chand Rajkumari Maya Rana  Rajkumar Vishwajeet Singh Dev Rao Raja Jayanendra Singh Ju Deo, married and had issue. Rao Raja Praduman Singh Ju Dev, married and has issue, three sons. Rajkumar Brijraj Singh Dev Rajkumar Mrigendra Singh Dev  Rajkumar Shivraj Singh Dev Rajkumari Usha Kumari Rao Raja Mahendra Singh Ju Deo, married and had issue, three daughters and one son. Rajkumari Ila Raghuvanshi Rao Raja Dinesh Singh Ju Dev, married and has issue, one daughter and two sons. Rajkumari Abha Singh Lt.-Col. Rajkumar Abhay Singh Dev  Rajkumar Ajay Singh Dev Rajkumari Gayatri Kumari Rajkumari Kumud Singh Kunwar Sawant Singh, second son, adopted into Bijawar in 1898, as HH Bharat Dharmendra Maharaja Sawai Sir SAWANT SINGH Bahadur of Bijawar. Maharajkumari (name unknown) [HH Maharani Sahiba of Chhatarpur], married 1884 (as his first wife), HH Maharaja Sir VISHWANATH SINGH Bahadur of Chhatarpur. She died sp 1920.  Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri Sir VIR SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur HH Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri Sir VIR SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur 1930/1956, born 14th April 1899, K.C.S.I., married and had issue. He died 1956. HH Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri DEVENDRA SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur (qv) Maharajkumari Sudha Kumari, born 22nd November 1930, married into Dhami, and had issue. She died 25th February 1978. HH Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri DEVENDRA SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur 1956/- HH Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja Mahendra Sawai Shri MADHUKAR SHAH Ju Deo Bahadur (see above) OTHER MEMBERS: Rani Mahendra Kumari, married (as his first wife), Raja SURENDRA BIKRAM SINGH of Itaunja. Ref : http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_253.gif