DATIA (Princely State)

(15 gun salute)

  
AREA:  2,362 km2 PRIVY PURSE:  154,300Rs  ACCESSION:  1st January 1950
STATE:  Madhya Pradesh  DYNASTY:  Bundela  RELIGION:  Hindu
  POPULATION: 173,759 (1901) REVENUE: 400,000Rs
     
PRESENT RULER: HH Maharaja Lokendra RAJENDRA SINGH Ju Dev Bahadur, 13th Maharaja of Datia since October 2006.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The state was founded in 1626 and it came under British control, with other territories in Bundelkhand, by the Treaty of Bassein, concluded with the Peshwa in 1802. The ancient title of the family was Maharaja Rao Raja, but in 1865, the Government recognised only the title of Maharaja as hereditary. The Maharaja maintains a military force of 945 cavalry, 5203 infantry, and 124 guns, and he is entitled to a salute of 15 guns (in 1893). The motto of the family is Wir dalap Sharandah ("Lord of the Brave Army, Giver of Refuge"). Rulers were...
  1. Rao BHAGWAN RAO, 1st Rao of Datia and Baroni 1626/1656, received Datia and Baroni from his father (Raja Bir Singh Deo of Orchha) in 1626 and established his own state. He died 1656.

  2. Rao SUBHA KARAN, 2nd Rao of Datia 1656/1683, died 1683

  3. Rao DALPAT SINGH, 3rd Rao of Datia 1683/1706 (#2)

  4. Rao RAMCHANDRA SINGH, 4th Rao of Datia 1706/1733, died 1733

  5. Rao INDRAJIT SINGH, 5th Rao of Datia 1733/1762

  6. Rao SHATRUJIT SINGH, 6th Rao of Datia 1762/1801 (#3)

  7. Raja PARICHHAT SINGH, 7th Raja of Datia 1801/1839, he allied himself with the British throughout the subsequent wars with the Mahrattas; and was rewarded in 1817, on the deposition of the Peshwa, by a new treaty and enlarged territories, later he was granted the title of Raja in the 1820's., married and had adoptive issue. He died sp in 1839.

  8. Raja BIJAI SINGH Bahadur, 8th Raja of Datia 1839/1857, born 1826, married 1sty, Senior Rani, died 1858, married 2ndly, Junior Rani, and had illegitimate issue as well as adoptive issue. He died spl in 1857.
    • Kunwar Arjun Singh, favoured for adoption as successor by the Junior Rani, he briefly contested the succession after his father's death.
    • (A) HH Maharaja Lokendra Sir Bhawani Singh Bahadur (qv)

  9. HH Maharaja Lokendra Sir BHAWANI SINGH Bahadur K.C.S.I., 9th Maharaja of Datia 1857/1907, born 13th August 1846 (1854 #1), he succeeded by adoption on 20th November 1857, he belonged to the Bhasnai branch of the Orchha Royal Family, descended from Kunwar Har Singh Deo, brother of Raja Bir Singh Deo of Orchha, the title of Maharaja was recognized as hereditary in 1865, and on 1st January 1877, at the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi, in honour of the Proclamation of Her Most Gracious Majesty as Empress of India, the additional title of Lokendra was granted, he enjoyed a personal gun salute of 19 which was granted in 1906, married and had issue, one son. He died 4th August 1907.
    • Hon. Lt.-Col. HH Maharaja Lokendra Sir Govind Singh Ju Dev Bahadur (qv)

  10. Hon. Lt.Col. HH Maharaja Lokendra Sir GOVIND SINGH Ju Dev Bahadur (1886-1951)Hon. Lt.-Col. HH Maharaja Lokendra Sir GOVIND SINGH Ju Dev Bahadur, 10th Maharaja of Datia 1907/1951, born 1886, G.C.I.E. [cr.1932], K.C.S.I. [cr.1918], Vice President of the St John Ambulance Association and Patron of the Red Cross Society, married 1stly, 1902, a daughter of the Dhandera Jagirdar of Manpura in Gwalior, she died before 1935, married 2ndly, a daughter of Thakore Sahib of Sayla, married 3rdly, a daughter of the Thakur of Suara in Datia, and had issue. He died 1951.
    • HH Maharaja Lokendra Balbhadra Singh Ju Dev Bahadur (by 1st marriage) (qv)
    • Maharajkumar Jashwant Singh (by 2nd marriage), born 1926.

  11. HH Maharaja Lokendra BALBHADRA SINGH Ju Dev Bahadur, 11th Maharaja of Datia 1951/1978 , born 1907, married a daughter of Maharaja Bhagwati Prasad Singh, Taluqdar of Balrampur in Oudh, and had issue. He died 29th March 1978.
    • HH Maharaja Lokendra Krishan Singh Ju Dev Bahadur (qv)
    • Maharajkumar Balram Singh, married Maharajkumari Urmila Kumari, daughter of HH Maharawat Sir Ram Singhji II Bahadur of Pratapgarh, born 1937.

  12. HH Maharaja Lokendra KRISHAN SINGH Ju Dev Bahadur, 12th Maharaja of Datia 1978/2006, married and had issue. He died October 2006.
    • HH Maharaja Lokendra Rajendra Singh Ju Dev Bahadur (qv)
    • Maharajkumar Harishchandra Singh, former Joint Director C.B.I., married Rani Uma Kumari, daughter of Thakur Gulab Singh of Siriyari, and his wife, Thakurani Hem Kanwar, and has issue.
      • Rajkumar Taruraj Dev
    • Maharajkumar Ghanshyam Singh, former Member of the Legislative Assembly in Madhya Pradesh, President of the Datia District Congress Committee, married and has issue.
      • Rajkumari Ksheerja Kumari [Rani Ksheerja Kumari of Baghal], married January 2008, Rajkumar Harvashvardhan Singh [now Raja Harvashvardhan Singh of Baghal], son of Tikka Pramod Singh of Baghal, and his wife, Tikka Rani Poornima Devi, and has issue, one daughter.
    • Maharajkumari Gayatri Kumari [now Rajmata Gayatri Kumari of Khilchipur], married 20th May 1970, Raja Rao Bahadur Bhartendra Singhji of Khilchipur, and has issue.
    • Rani Sahib Gargi Devi, married Rao Harshvardhan Singh of Vijayanagar.

  13. HH Maharaja Lokendra RAJENDRA SINGH Ju Dev Bahadur, 13th Maharaja of Datia (see above)
Other Members:
  • ?Kunwar Sahib of Datia, married Rajkumari Srikala Devi, only daughter of Raja Jitamitra Singh Deo of Khariar, and his wife, Rani Rajshree Devi.
  • Kumari Prabha Devi, married Rajkumar Ranvijay Singh of Koti in Himachal Pradesh, born 1946, died 14th January 1996, and has issue, two daughters.
  • Shri Raghunath Singh of Nandigaon, a relative of HH the Maharaja of Datia, fl.1924.
The help of Deepak Aggarwal is gratefully acknowledged, July 2011.
ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, SUGGESTIONS? ... Click_here
DOWNLOAD or FILL IN SUBMISSION FORM / QUESTIONNAIRE
Back to WORLD OF ROYALTY or INDIAN PRINCELY STATES


1. "The Golden Book of India"; LETHBRIDGE, Roper, MacMillan & Co., 1893 , p.111
2. "Dictionnaire de Civilisation Indienne" - Editions Bouquins)
3. http://www.booksmatter.com/b0932900895.htm (thanks to Lionel Gagnant)