indore

INDORE

BRIEF HISTORY

Malharrao Holkar, a distinguished Mahratta military commander and Sardar, received Indore and large territories for his part in the conquest of Malwa in 1733. His descendants were amongst the most important leaders in the Mahratta confederacy. They eventually came into conflict with their former allies, the Peishwa and Scindia of Gwalior in 1802 but joined them again to fight against the British in 1803. Decisively beaten during the Third Anglo-Mahratta War of 1817-1818, the dynasty surrendered large territories to the HEIC. The British intervened in state affairs in 1843 after a series of succession disputes within the family. Two succeeding Maharajas abdicated under embarrassing circumstances. The state acceded to the Dominion of India in 1947 and entered the Madhya Bharat Union in 1948. The Indian government took the view in 1950 that Maharaja Yeshwantrao II's son by his American wife could not succeed to the gadi and he was excluded from the succession. Yeshwantrao II's only daughter, thus became Maharani when he died in 1961.

SALUTE:
19-Guns (21-Guns local)

ARMS:
Khanda (broad-sword) and lance saltire-wise over a field of poppy and wheat in which a sacred bul (Nandi) couchant and a horse rearing.
Crest: a sun in splendour under a Chhatri or royal umbrella.
Copyright© Christopher Buyers
As granted at Delhi in 1877:
Gules; two lances in saltire surmounted or, a horseman's sword pointed upwards argent, in chief three poppy beads proper seeded or. Crest; A bay horse trapped. Supporters: horses trapped proper. Motto: Prahomesho Labhya Shri Kartuh Praradhbat - Umesh (i.e. Lord Shiva) has said, success attends him who strives (or, is obtained by the efforts of the door.

STYLES & TITLES:
The ruling prince: Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shri (personal name) Holkar Bahadur, Maharaja of Indore, with the style of His Highness.
The Consort of the ruling prince: H.H. Maharani Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati (personal name) Sahiba, Maharani of Indore, with the style of Her Highness.
The Heir Apparent: Yuvaraj Shrimant (personal name) Holkar Bahadur.
The younger sons of the ruling prince: Maharajkumar Shrimant (personal name) Holkar Bahadur.
The unmarried daughters of the ruling prince: Maharajkumari Shrimant (personal name) Raje Sahib Holkar.
The married daughters of the ruling prince: Maharajkumari Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati (personal name) Raje Sahib (husband’s surname name).

RULES OF SUCCESSION:
Primogniture, the issue of legally recognized Mahratta wives taking precedence over others.

ORDERS & DECORATIONS:
See link below.
Copyright© Christopher Buyers
SOURCES:
G.R. Aberigh-Mackay. The Chiefs of Central India. Volume 1. Thacker, Spink and Co, Calcutta, 1879.
G.R. Aberigh-Mackay (comp.). The Native Chiefs and their States in 1877. Second Edition. The Times of India Steam Press, Bombay, 1878.
Lieut-Colonel John Briggs (transl). “Secret Correspondence of the Court of the Peshwa, Madhu Rao, from the Year 1761 to 1772”, Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. II., pp 109-165. Parbury, Allen & Co, London, 1830.
Muntazim Bahadur M.W. Burway. Life of His Highness Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar II, GCSI, Ruler of Indore (1835-1886). Holkar State Printing Press, Indore, 1925.
Muntazim Bahadur Mukund Wamanrao Burway. Life of Subadar Malharrao Holkar, Founder of the Indore State (1693-1766 AD), Indore, 1930.
Chiefs and Leading Families in Central India. Government of India, Central Publication Branch, Calcutta, 1925.
L.C. Dhariwal (comp.). The Indore State Gazetteer (Revised and Enlarged). Superintendent Holkar Government Press, Indore, 1931.
Andrea Hunter Halgrimson. “Fargoan Lawler Married Indian Maharaja in 1939”, The Forum, Saturday, July 03, 2004.
Russell Harris (comp.). The Lafayette Photographic Collection at the V&A Image Library, Kensington, London, 2000.
Captain C.E. Luard (comp.). Chiefs and Leading Families in Central India. The Government of India, Calcutta, 1916.
Captain C.E. Luard, and Major Ram Prasad Dube. Indore State Gazetter. The Central India State Gazetter Series. Superintendent Government Printing, Calcutta, 1908.
Tony McClenaghan, Indian Princely Medals: A record of the Orders, Decorations and Medals of the Indian Princely States. Lancer Publications, Spantech & Lancer, New Delhi, 1996.
Major-General Sir John Malcolm, GCB, KLS. A Memoir of Central India, including Malwa, and adjoining provinces, with the history, and copious illustrations of the past and present condition of the country. Third edition. Parbury, Allen & Co, London, 1832.
Ann Morrow. Highness, The Maharajas of India, F.A. Thorpe (Publishing) Ltd, Anstey, Leicestershire, first published by Grafton Books, London 1986, first Charnwood ed. published Nov.1987
The Government of His Highness Maharjadhiraj Raja Rajeshwar Sawai Shree Yeshwant Rao Holkar Bahadur, Maharaja of Indore.
Rulers, Leading Families and Officials in the States of Central India. Government of India, Central Publication Branch, Calcutta, 1928.
Rulers, Leading Families and Officials in the States of Central India, Fifth Edition. Manager of Publications, Delhi, 1935.

SPECIAL ASKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Deepak Aggarwal.
Akshay Chavan.
Richard Hutto.
Abhijit Malwade, Mumbai, India.
Father Lawrence Ober, SJ.

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