PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The
traditional
history of Kanker goes back to 106AD when Raja Satkarni of
the Satavahan dynasty ruled Kanker. Afterwards the
Chalukya rulers added Kanker to their empire where it
remained till 788AD. A succession of dynasties then
controlled Kanker till the end of the Kandra dynasty in
1385. The present ruler belongs to a very old Rajput
family, and according to tradition, his ancestor, Raja
Veer Kanhar Dev, formerly the abdicated ruler of Jagannath
Puri, was raised to the throne by a vote of the people and
ruled till 1404. Under the Marathas, the Kanker State was
held on condition of furnishing a military contingent 500
strong whenever needed. In 1809, the Chief was deprived of
Kanker, but was restored to it in 1818 by the British
Resident on payment of a tribute of 500Rs. Rulers were...
- Raja GOOR SAI DEO, Raja of Kanker -/1729,
married and had issue. He died 1729.
- Raja Harpal Deo (qv)
- Rani (name
unknown), married Raja Dalpat Dev of Bastar, and had issue.
- Raja HARPAL DEO, Raja of Kanker 1729/1775,
died 1775.
- Raja DHIRAJ SINGH DEO, Raja of Kanker 1775/-
- Raja RAM RAJ SINGH DEO, Raja of Kanker
- Raja SHYAM SINGH DEO, Raja of Kanker -/1802
- Raja BHOOP DEO, Raja of Kanker 1802/1809
(first time)
INTERREGNUM 1809/1818 (Maratha occupation)
- Raja BHOOP DEO, Raja of Kanker 1818/1839
(second time), married and had issue. He died 1839.
- Raja PADMA DEO, Raja of Kanker 1839/1853,
constructed a temple devoted to the goddess Durga,
married and had issue. He died 1853.
- Maharajadhiraj Nahar Deo (qv)
- Rajkumar Laxman Dev
- Rajkumar Shiv Charan Dev
- Rajkumar Ghanshyam Singh Dev
- one of these brothers was the father of
Maharajadhiraj Komal Deo (qv)
- Maharajadhiraj NAHAR DEO, Maharaja of Kanker
1853/1903, born 13th May 1850, he succeeded to the gadi as a minor
on 5th December 1853 (#1), he was granted
the right of adoption by the British authorities, and
acknowledged their supremacy; during his reign he
constructed a number of temples, a library and a
Palace, he established a new town named Narharpur near
Kanker; he married Maharanidhirani Padmalaya Devi,
daughter of Raja Bhairam Deo of Bastar, and had issue.
He died May 1903.
- Rajkumar (name
unknown), died vpsp aged 14 years.
- Rajkumar (name
unknown), died vpsp aged 16 years.
- Maharajadhiraj KOMAL DEO, Maharaja of Kanker
1903/1925, born 1873, succeeded 9th May 1903, during
his reign he established one high school, one Girls
school and 15 primary schools as well as two hospitals
(in Kanker and in Sambalpur). He established a new
town near Kanker named Govindpur, which he wanted to
make his capital; he married three times and had
issue, one daughter. He died spm 8th January 1925 and was
succeeded by his nephew (or relative).
- Maharajkumari Govind Kumari
 Maharajadhiraj BHANU
PRATAP DEO, Maharaja of Kanker 1925/1969,
adopted from Ratu (Chhota Nagpur), born 17th September
1922 and succeeded 8th January 1925 (#2), Kanker was initially
administered by Shri Raghuveer Prasad Yadhav while the
young ruler was educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur
and later at Mayo College, Ajmer (B.A. and I.C.S.
examination); also studied in England; in 1944 he was
granted full ruling powers; M.L.A. (Madhya Pradesh)
for two terms in 1952/1957 and 1962/1967; he
established a new town named Bhanupratappur and
constructed a cinema in Kanker; he was instrumental in
founding a new degree college in Kanker in 1962 to
which he donated furniture and books; he married in
1944, Maharanidhirani Amulya Prabha Devi, daughter of
HH Maharaja Shri Sudhansu Shekhar Singh Deo of Sonepur, and his wife,
HH Maharani Shrimati Khirode Kumari Devi, and had
issue. He died 14th August 1969.
- Maharajadhiraj Udai Pratap Deo (qv)
- Maharajkumari Manjushree Devi, married Kumar Shri
Mahirajsinhji Surendrasinhji of Sayla, and has issue.
- Maharajadhiraj UDAI PRATAP DEO, Maharaja of
Kanker 1969/2001, he was an avid conservationist and
was President of the General Council, Rajkumar College
from 1988 to 1993; married Maharanidhirani
Tripureshwari Devi, daughter of Thakore Saheb Surendra
Singh of Sayla, and his
wife, Thakorani Manishwari Devi, and had issue. He
died 2001.
- Maharajkumari Anuradha Devi
- Maharajadhiraj Aditya Pratap Deo (qv)
- Maharajkumar Surya Pratap Deo (Prince Jolly),
educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; he is
presently (2009) actively involved in heritage
tourism; married 29th January 2007, Kumari
Rajeshwari Singh Jhala, daughter of Kumar Mahipal
Singhji Jhala.
- Maharajkumar Ashwini Pratap Deo B.Com. (Prince
Jai), educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur and Zakir
Hussain College, Delhi University (B.Com).
- Maharajadhiraj ADITYA PRATAP DEO, Maharaja of
Kanker (see above)
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