PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Founded
sometime
in the first half of the 12th century, the founder being
Jati Singh (Jyoti Bhanj), brother of Adi Singh (Adi
Bhanj), founder of the state of Mayurbhanj (#2), a slightly different version
goes like this:- "Jai Singh, a son of Man Singh, the
Maharaja of Jaipur in Rajputana, came to visit the shrine
of Jagannath in Puri. He married Padmavati, the daughter
of the Gajapati King of Puri, Pratapendra Deb, and
received as her dowry the State of Hariharpur, which then
comprised the two States of Moharbhanj and Keunjhar. Two
sons were born to him, the elder of whom was named Adi
Singh and the younger Joti Singh. In mauza Rarua in kila Hariharpur,
there was a petty Zamindar named Mayura Dhwaja in
possession of five pirs. He was conquered by Prince Adi
Singh, and deprived of his Zamindari. The Gajapati King of
Puri, hearing of the success of Prince Adi Singh,
conferred on him the title of Bhanj." The Maharaja
maintains a military force of 2949 infantry and 32 guns
(as of 1892). Rulers were...
Raja GOVIND BHANJ,
Raja of Keonjhar fl.1480
......
- Raja JAGANNATH
BHANJ, 35th Raja of Keonjhar 1688/1700
- Raja RAGHUNATH
BHANJ, 36th Raja of Keonjhar 1700/1719
- Raja GOPINATH BHANJ,
37th Raja of Keonjhar 1719/1736
- Raja NARSINGH
NARAYAN BHANJ, 38th Raja of Keonjhar
1736/1757, married and had issue.
- Raja Daneshwar Narayan Bhanj (qv)
- [?Raja Chakradhar Bhanj, adopted by Raja
Raghunath Bhanj of Mayurbhanj]
- Raja DANESHWAR
NARAYAN BHANJ, 39th Raja of Keonjhar
1757/1758
- Raja JAGATESHWAR
NARAYAN BHANJ, 40th Raja of Keonjhar
1758/1762
- Raja PRATAP
BALBHADRA BHANJ, 41st Raja of Keonjhar
1764/1792 or 1762/1797, married and had issue.
- Raja Janardhan Bhanj (qv)
- Raja Tribikram Bhanj, adopted by the Raja of
Mayurbhanj.
- Raja JANARDAN BHANJ,
42nd Raja of Keonjhar 1794/1825 or 1797/1832, he
received the estate of Pal-Lahara as dowry, but the
people there objected to his succession and Pal-Lahara
subsequently became independent, married 1794, Rani
Krishnapriya, died 1825, daughter of Raja Munipal of
Pal-Lahara, aand had issue.
- Raja GADADHAR
NARAYAN BHANJ Deo, 43rd Raja of Keonjhar
1825/1861 or 1832/1861, married (a), Senior Rani
Bishnupriya, married (b), Junior Rani Kamala Devi,
daughter of Kunwar Ajambar Singh of Seraikella, and had
adoptive issue, as well as natural issue. He died spl
on 22nd March 1861.
- (A) Kumar Brundaban Bhanj Deo, adopted by Rani
Bishnupriya, as the intended successor, but
he was not recognized as such by the British
Authorities.
- (A) Maharaja
Dhanurjai Narayan Bhanj Deo, adopted by Rani
Kamala Devi (qv)
- Maharaja DHANURJAI
NARAYAN BHANJ Deo, 44th Raja of Keonjhar
1861/1905, born 27th July 1849, he succeeded to the gadi on 4th
September 1861 (#1),
he was formally confirmed in the title of Raja as a
hereditary distinction in 1874 and the title of
Maharaja was granted on 1st January 1877 as a personal
distinction, married and had issue.
- Raja Gopinath Narayan Bhanj Deo (qv)
- Routrai Saheb Basudev Bhanj Deo, married and had
issue.
- Kumar Janardan Bhanj Deo, educated at Rajkumar
College, Raipur (Undergraduate); entered politics
after the merger of the Princely States into the
Republic of India; M.L.A. (Orissa) 1952/1965
(three terms); interests were Reading, Sports,
Shooting and Horse riding; married Kumari Sarada
Sundari Devi, and had issue, one son and two
daughters. He died 1st May 1965.
- Raja GOPINATH
NARAYAN BHANJ Deo, 45th Raja of Keonjhar
[27.10.1905] - [12.8.1926], born 3rd February 1883, he
succeeded to the gadi
on 27th October 1905, married and had issue. He
died 12th August 1926.
- Raja Shri Balbhadra Narayan Bhanja Deo (qv)
- Chotrai Saheb Shri Laxmi Narayan Bhanj Deo M.A.,
born 25th July 1912, educated at Rajkumar College,
Raipur; M.L.A. (Orissa) 1946/1957 (two terms);
Member of the Lok Sabha; Development Commissioner,
Keonjhar; Revenue Minister, Keonjhar (xx.8.1945) -
(xx.6.1947); Chief Minister, Keonjhar in 1947 (June
to December); Nominated Member, Orissa Legislative
Assembly 19491952; Member, Orissa State Red Cross
Society; Member, Nrutya Natyakala Parishad, Orissa;
Member of Senate, Utkal University since its
inception till February 1948; an Elected Fellow from
Registered Graduates Constituency till 1952; Fellow,
Royal Economic Society and Royal Society of Arts,
London; Member, South Club, Calcutta; National
Sports Club, New Delhi; and Gymkhana Club, New
Delhi; interests were Shikar and Photography,
Motoring and Travel; married A. Sau. Preemlatika
Raje, and had issue, one son and three daughters. He
died 9th July 1986.
- Raja Shri Anant Narayan Bhanja Deo (qv)
- Rajkumari (name unknown), married (as his
first wife), Raja Kishor Chandra Deo Samant of Athmalik.
- Raja Shri BALBHADRA
NARAYAN BHANJA Deo, 46th Raja of Keonjhar
[12.8.1926] - [19xx], born 26th December 1905 and
succeeded 12th August 1926 (#3),
educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; married Rani
Manoj Manjari Devi, daughter of Raja Sriram Chandra
Singh Deo of Kharsawan,
and his wife, Rani Giriraj Devi, and had issue, one
son and one daughter.
- Raja Shri Nrusingh Narayan Bhanj Deo (qv)
- Rani Swarna Prabha Manjari Devi, married Raja
Prasanna Chandra Deo, Raja Saheb of Jarada, second son of
Raja Hrudaya Chandra Dev Birabar Harichandan
Mahapatra of Talcher,
and had issue, three daughters and two sons. She
died 2005.
- Raja Shri NRUSINGH
NARAYAN BHANJ Deo, 47th Raja of Keonjhar
fl.1970, married (div.), a daughter of HH Thakore
Saheb Shri Pradyumansinhji Lakhajirajsinhji of Rajkot, and his wife, HH
Thakorani Padma Kunverba Sahiba, no issue. He died
after 1970.
- Raja Shri ANANT
NARAYAN BHANJA Deo, 48th Raja of Keonjhar
(see above)
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