BHAVNAGAR

The Gohil Dynasty

GENEALOGY

1870 - 1896 Colonel H.H. Maharaja Raol Shri Sir Takhtsinhji Jaswantsinhji Sahib, Maharaj Raol of Bhavnagar, GCSI (1.1.1886, KCSI 24.5.1881). b. at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 6^th January 1858, elder son of H.H. Maharaj Raol Shri Sir Jaswantsinhji Bhavsinhji Sahib, Maharaj Raol of Bhavnagar, KCSI, by his wife, H.H. Thakorani Shri Hariba Kunverba Sahiba, educ. Rajkumar Coll., Rajkot. Succeeded on the death of his father, 11^th April 1870. Ascended the gadi, at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 23^rd April 1870. Reigned under a Council of Administration until he came of age and was invested with full ruling powers, 5^th April 1878. Attended the Imperial Durbar at Delhi and was granted a personal salute of 15-guns, 1^st January 1877. Granted the personal title of Maharaja, 1891. Hon. Col. Bhavnagar Imperial Service Lancers. Royal Cmsnr. Indian & Colonial Exhibition in London 1886. Instituted the Bhavnagar Competition Medal for prospective candidates of the ICS studying at Cambridge Univ. Hon. LL.D. (Cantab 1893). The Raol Sahib was the first pupil of Rajkumar college, and became its greatest benefactor and patron after his succession. He was also a great benefactor to other, now famous, educational institutions, including the Gujarat and the Fergusson Colleges, the Wadhwan Girassia School and several schools specialising in promoting female education. He advanced and development his state out of all recognition, adopting a modern system of civil and criminal justice, reforming the revenue department, erecting water-works and modern docks, extending medical relief, building a port, bridges, hospitals and schools. Celebrated as a "model ruler of a model state", during his own lifetime. Rcvd: the Prince of Wales gold medal (1875) and the KIH gold medal (1877) m. (first) at Bhavnagar, 20^th April 1874, in a joint ceremony with three others, H.H. Maharani Shri Majirajba Kunverba Sahiba (d. at Gondal, 15^th November 1875), only daughter of H.H. Thakore Shri Sangramsinhji [Sagramji II] Bhanabhai Sahib, Thakore Sahib of Gondal, by his third wife, H.H. Shri Jhalivalu Thakorani Shri Monghiba Kunverba Sahiba, daughter of Jhala Shri Rartansinhji Sahib of Minapur. m. (second) at Bhavnagar, 20^th April 1874, in a joint ceremony with three others, H.H. Maharani Shri Naniba Kunverba Sahiba. m. (third) at Bhavnagar, 20^th April 1874, in a joint ceremony with three others, H.H. Maharani Shri Hariba Kunverba Sahiba, daughter of H.H. Maharana Thakore Shri Rajsinhji Jhala Sahib, Maharana of Wadhwan. m. (fourth) at Bhavnagar, 20^th April 1874, in a joint ceremony with three others, H.H. Maharani Shri Bajirajba Kunverba Sahiba, daughter of Wala Shri Kalaji Sahib, Girassia of Talija. m. (fifth) at Bhavnagar, 1879, H.H. Maharani Shri Bairajba Kunverba Sahiba. m. (sixth) at Bhavnagar, 1888, H.H. Maharani Shri Keserba Kunverba Sahiba. He d. at the Moti Bagh Palace, Bhavnagar, 29^th January 1896, having had issue, three sons and three daughters:

• 1) H.H. Maharaja Raol Shri Sir Bhavsinhji II Takhtsinhji Sahib, Maharaja of Bhavnagar (s/o Majirajba) - see below.
• 2) Kumar Shri Bhagwantsinhji Takhtsinhji Sahib. b. at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 31^st October 1878 (s/o Hariba). He d.s.p. at the Moti Bagh Palace, Bhavnagar, 22^nd April 1885.
• 3) Raol Shri Mangalsinhji Takhtsinhji Sahib, of Kardej. b. at the Darbargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 3^rd June 1881 (s/o Hariba), educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot. Granted Kardej, Madhada and Dhundhsar, in jagir. Rcvd: Delhi Durbar silver medal (1911). m. at Bhavnagar, 18xx, Rani Shri Rupaliba Kunverba Sahiba. He d. at Bhavnagar, 12^th December 1914, having had issue, an only son:
• a) Raol Shri Vijaysinghji Mangalsinhji [Vajubha Sahib], of Kardej. b. at Bhavnagar, 20^th July 1901, educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot. Rcvd: Delhi Durbar silver medal (1911). He d. 2^nd July 1947, having had issue, three sons:
• i) Raol Shri Chandrajitsinhji Vijaysinghji Sahib, of Kardej, educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot. m. Rani Shri Sushilba Sahiba, nee Baiji Lal Shri Hem Kunverba Sahib, daughter of Raj Rana Shri Shivsinhji Govindsinji Jhala, of Hampur, under Dhrangadhra, by his third wife, Raj Rani Ba Shri Raj Kunverba Sahib, a lady from Ganod, under Rajkot. He had issue, four sons and a daughter:
• (1) Raol Shri Narendrasinhji Chandrajitsinhji [Narendra Gohel], educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot, and Queen Mary Coll. He has issue, one son and one daughter:
• (a) Kumar Shri Satyajitsinh Narendrasinhji Gohel. b. 18^th June 1987, educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot.
• (a) Bai Shri Bhavika Kumari. b. 29^th February 1991, educ. Fatima Convent High Sch, Bhavnagar, and the HL Inst of Commerce (HLIC), Ahemdabad.
• (2) Raol Shri Lokendrasinhji Chandrajitsinhji Gohel [Shri L.C. Raol], educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot (1973). Chair & MD Skylead Group of Cos. m. 1983, Rani Shri Mamta Kumari Devi Sahiba [Mrs M.L. Raol] (b. at Rajkot), sometime Marketing Dir at Skylead Chemicals Pvt Ltd, Dir Skylead Group of Cos, etc, daughter of Thakore Shri Virvikramsinhji Mulvaji Sahib, Thakore Sahib of Lodhika Senior, by his wife, Thakorani Kalpana Devi Sahiba, daughter of Raja Chittar Singh Ju Deo, Raja of Rampura, OBE, in the Jalaun district of UP. He had issue, one son and one daughter:
• (a) Kumar Shri Kartiksinhji Lokendrasinhji Gohel [Tico Raol]. b. at Mangalsinhji Mahal, Bhavnagar, 24^th January 1986, educ. The North London International Sch, Woodside Park, London, Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot, Mayo Coll, Ajmer, and École Hotelier de Glion, Switzerland. Assist Mngr Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in
  Mumbai since 2008. Copyright©Christopher Buyers
• (a) Bai Shri Ambica Kumari [Ambica Raol] [Kunwarani Ambica Kumari, of Seraikella]. b. at Mangalsinhji Mahal, Bhavnagar, 21^st June 1984, educ. Mayo Coll Girls Sch, Ajmer, and Nowrosjee Wadia Coll, Pune (BA Psych 2007). m. at Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur, 20^th January 2011, Kumar Rajvikram Singh Deo. b. at Seraikella House, Calcutta, 7^th October 1983), only son of Sri Patait Sahib Jairaj Singh Deo, of Seraikella, by his wife, Srimathi Pataitrani Sahiba Ruponanda Devi – see India Non-salute (Seraikella).
• (3) Raol Shri Raghvendrasinhji Chandrajitsinhji Gohel [Shri R.C. Gohil], educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot. m. 1985, Rani Shri Punita Devi Sahiba, daughter of Thakore Shri Raghurajsinhji Dileepsinhji Sahib, of Meenapur, in Surendranagar dist, Gujarat. He has issue, one daughter:
• (a) Bai Shri Vishwa Kumari. b. at Mangalsinhji Mahal, Bhavnagar, 30^th June 1989, educ. Mayo Coll Girls’ Sch, Ajmer, and Sophia Coll, Mumbai (BA 2010).
• (4) Raol Shri Shailendrasinhji Chandrajitsinhji Gohil, educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot. m. 10^th February 1989, Rani Shri Devyaniba Sahiba, daughter of Nirmalsinhji Bhavsinhji Parmar, of Muli. He has issue, two daughters:
• (a) Bai Shri Nandita Kumari. b. 19^th November 1990, educ. Fatima Convent High Sch, and Symbiosis Inst of Design, Pune.
• (b) Bai Shri Kamakshi Kumari  b. at Bhavnagar, 20^th May 1996, educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot. Copyright©Christopher Buyers
• (1) Bai Shri Bubhneshwari Devi Sahiba [Thakurani Bubhneshwari Devi, of Ras]. m. Thakur Jaideep Singh, of Ras, under Jodhpur Marwar.
• ii) Raol Shri Surendrasinhji Vijaysinghji Sahib. m. Rani Ushadeviba Sahiba, daughter of Kumar Shri Harischandrasinhji Jaswantsinhji Jhala. b. at Balchandra Vilas, Wadhwan. No issue.
• iii) Raol Shri Diljitsinhji Vijaysinghji Sahib. unm.
• 1) Kunveri Bai Shri Ramba Kunverba Sahiba [H.H. Rani Bama Sahib Ramba Kunverba Sahiba, Rani of Porbandar]. b. at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 14^th April 1876 (d/o Naniba), educ. privately. m. at Bhavnagar, 189x, as his third wife, H.H. Maharaja Rana Shri Bhavsinhji Madhavsinhji Sahib Bahadur, Rana Sahib of Porbandar (d. at Porbandar, 10^th December 1908), eldest son of Patvi Namdar Kumar Shri Madhavsinhji Vikramatji Sahib, Regent of Porbandar, by second wife, a daughter of Kumar Shri Wajesinhji Jadeja, of Sajanpur, in Morvi. She d. at Porbandar, November 1942 - see India (Porbandar).
• 2) Kunveri Bai Shri Kesaba Kunverba Sahiba. b. at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 24^th November 1877 (d/o Naniba).
• 3) Kunveri Bai Shri Rupaliba Kunverba Sahiba. b. at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 18xx.

1896 - 1919 Colonel H.H. Maharaja Raol Shri Sir Bhavsinhji II Takhtsinhji Sahib, Maharaja of Bhavnagar, KCSI (24.6.1904). b. at Nilambagh Palace,  Bhavnagar, 26^th April 1875, eldest son of Colonel H.H. Maharaja Raol Shri Sir Takhtsinhji Jaswantsinhji Sahib, Maharaj Raol of Bhavnagar, GCSI, by his first wife, H.H. Maharani Shri Majirajba Kunverba Sahiba, educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot and Shivaji Mil Sch, Poona. Attached 2^nd Bombay Lancers, Colonel and Cdt Bhavnagar state Forces 1894-1896, MEC 1894-1896, prom Hon Lieut-Col IA 1/1/1918. Succeeded on the death of his father, 29^th January 1896. Installed on the gadi, at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 10^th February 1896. Attended the Delhi Durbars of 1903 and 1911 Granted the persona title of Maharaja, 1^st January 1909 (made hereditary in recognition of war services, 1^st January 1918). He continued the modernisation and development programmes of his illustrious father, despite facing innumerable difficulties during the famine of 1900. These were alleviated in part when he remitted all uncollected revenue and distributed tagari allowances as free gifts, then set about constructing five filter-beds and a large service reservoir. People's representative assemblies, were established, comprising farmers, tradesmen, municipal representatives and landholders. He founded the Bhavnagar State Savings Bank to dispense loans to farmers, merchants and traders, and began a co-operative movement. He instituted scholarships for further studies in in England, America and Japan, particularly in the fields of medicine and science. A distinguished scholar of catholic interests, he composed four parts of the Sangeet Mala, a treatise on the medicinal properties of Indian plants. He also published the Manual of Indian Ayurvedic Pharmacy, a translation of Homer's Iliad, a musical composition of Macaulay's Horatius, and Forty Years of the Rajkumar College in seven volumes (1912). The introduction of the Tonic Sol-fa system of notation into Indian music was largely due to his efforts. Mbr Management Cttee of Rajkumar Coll and of its Brd of Visitors. Rcvd: Delhi Durbar gold medals (1903 and 1911). m. (first) at Devgadanti, February 1893, H.H. Thakurani Shri Devkunverba Sahiba (b. at Devgadanti, 1880; d. at Lonovla, 22^nd November 1903), third daughter of Maharaol Shri Mansinhji Prithurajsinhji, Maharaol of Baria, by his first wife, Gohil Rani Shrimant Shri Chandra Kunverba Sahiba, daughter of H.H. Maharana Shri Verisalji II Narsinhji Sahib, Raja of Rajpipla. m. (second) at Khirasra, 23^rd August 1905, H.H. Maharani Shri Nandkunverba Sahiba, CI (12.12.1911), KIH Medal 1^st Class (1.1.1917) (d. at the Darvargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 9^th November 1918), a pioneer in the fields of women's education and patron of charitable institutions for female uplift and the war effort 1914-1918, author of Field-Marshal Earl Kitchener Of Khartoum, KG, A Tribute to His Memory (1916),  publisher of British and Hindi Vikram (1914-1919), pubisher and translator of Selected Speeches of the Rt Hon David Lloyd George (1919), etc, second daughter of Thakore Shri Raisinhji Jijibhai Sahib Jadeja, Thakore Sahib of Khirasra. He d. at the Moti Bagh Palace, Bhavnagar, 16^th July 1919, having had issue, three sons and one daughter:

• 1) H.H. Maharaja Raol Shri Sir Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji Sahib, Maharaja of Bhavnagar (s/o Nandkunverba) - see below.
• 2) Raol Shri Nirmalkumarsinhji Bhavsinhji Sahib. b. at the Darbargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 2^nd August 1914 (s/o Nand Kunverba), educ. Rajkumar Coll, Rajkot, MMT Dufferin Castle, and Govt Agricultural Coll, Poona. Head of Grass, Stud, Forests and Cattle Depts 1945-1949. Rcvd: Coron Medal (1937). m. (first) at Bansda, 19^th December 1938, Rani Shri Chandradan Kunverba Sahiba (d. of heart failure at Bhavnagar, 6^th April 1939), daughter of Maharaja Maharawal Shri Pratapsinhji Ghulabsinhji Sahib, Maharaja of Bansda. m. (second) at Agartala, 14^th December 1940, Rani Bina Devi Sahiba (b. at Ujjayanta Palace, Agartala, 191x), daughter of H.H. Bisam-Samar-Bijojee Mahamopadhyaya Pancha-Srijukta Maharaja Manikya Sri Sri Sri Birendra Kishore Deb Barman Bahadur, Maharaja of Tripura. He had issue, by his second wife:
  • a) Bai Shri Gayatri Devi Sahiba [Thakurani Gayatri Devi Sahiba, of Diggi]. m. Thakur Ashok Kumar Singh, of Diggi (b. 23^rd August 1949; d. 2005), elder son of Thakur Narain Singh, of Diggi, under Jaipur, by his wife, Thakurani Kamla Kumari, daughter of Thakur Ram Singh Tanwar. She had issue, one son and one daughter. Copyright©Christopher Buyers
• 3) Raol Shri Dharmendrakumarsinhji Bhavsinhji Sahib. b. at the Darbargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 14^th April 1917 (s/o Nand Kunverba), educ. Stanmore Prep Sch., Harrow Sch, Mdsx, and Samaldas Coll, Allahabad Ubiv (BSc). Mbr Post-War Reconstruction Cttee for the Preservation of Wildlife 1946, Private Sec to the Maharaja 1946-1949, Vice-Chair Indian Brd of Wildlife, Ministry of Agric and Food 1952-1955, Wildlife Preservation Officer for Bombay 1955-1956, Vice-Presdt Amateur Athletic Assoc of India 1963, Mbr Royal Asiatic Soc & Asiatic Soc (Calcutta) 1946, Bombay Natural History Soc, etc. Author: Birds of Saurashtra (1955), A Field Guide to Big Game Census in India (1959), Sixty Indian Birds (1972), Reminiscences of Indian Wildlife (1992), etc. Rcvd: Coron Medal (1937). m. at the Darbargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 14^th February 1939, Rani Shri Manhar Kunverba Sahiba, daughter of Thakor Shri Ranjit Singh, Thakor of Bagli, in Central India. He d. at Dilbahar Palace, Bhavnagar, January 1986, having had issue, one daughter:
  • a) Bai Shri Kumud Kumari Sahiba [H.H. Maharani Shri Kumud Kumari Sahiba, Maharani Sahib of Gondal]. m. H.H. Maharaja Thakore Shri Jyotendrasinhji Sahib, Maharaja Thakore Sahib of Gondal (b. 26^th May 1940), elder son of H.H. Maharaja Thakore Shri Vikramsinhji Sahib, Maharaja Thakore Sahib of Gondal, by his wife, H.H. Maharani Shri Nayankunverba Sahiba, daughter of Rajadhiraj Shri Keshri Singh, of Achrol, in Jaipur. She had issue – see India (Gondal).
• 1) Maharajkumari Bai Shri Manhar Kunverba Sahiba [H.H. Mahendra Maharani Shri Manhar Kunverba Sahiba], KIH Gold Medal (3.6.1916), b. at the Darbargadh Palace, Bhavnagar, 189x (d/o Dev Kunverba). m. at the Darbargadh Palace, Bhavnagar,  ^nd December 1912, as his first wife, Colonel H.H. Mahendra Maharaja Shri Sir Yadvendra Singh Ju Deo Bahadur, Maharaja of Panna, KCSI, KCIE (b. 31^st July 1893; d. 4^th August 1963), eldest son of Rao Raja Shri Kuman Singh Ju Deo Sahib Bahadur. She d. at Kasauli, Simla, 23^rd May 1927, having had issue, two sons and six daughters – see India (Panna).

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