dewass

DEWAS

(Senior)

BRIEF HISTORY

The ruling family claims common descent with those of Dewas Junior and Dhar, from the ancient Parmar (or Puar) dynasty. The family possesses a genealogical chart listing 238 generations descended from Agnipalak, who ruled more than four thousand years ago. Vikramaditya (valorous as the sun), perhaps the greatest ruler of this house and the founder of an era still in use, began his reign at Ujjain, in Malwa, in 56 BC. The domains of the ancient Parmars extended beyon d the Narbudda river and encompassed all of Central and Western India, the Indus being their boundary in the West. They carried their arms into the Deccan, perhaps the first to extend the Hindu religion, south of the Narbudda. In the following centuries the family endured great vicissitudes of fortune. The descendants of Vikramaditya established themselves as Rajas of Bijolya, in Mewar and Dhar in Malwa. It is from these rulers that the ruling houses of Dewas and Dhar descend. In 1728, the Peshwa of Satara bestowed the town of Dewas and surrounding villages on two brothers, Tukaji and Sivaji Puar, successful generals in the Maratha conquest of Central India. The state was ruled jointly by the descendants of these brothers for close to a century (a common saying being - if a lime be presented to Dewas, it must be cut in half and equally shared). They entered into a treaty of friendship and alliance with the HEIC in 1818. Dewas acceded to the Dominion of India in 1947 and joined the Madhya Bharat Union in 1948.
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SALUTE:
15-guns.
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ARMS:
Gules, Hanuman statant argent holding a mountain Dronachal in dexter and a mace in sinister hand, on a chief or a pellet between two flames proper. Crest: Wings erect gules. Supporters: Elephants proper. Motto: "Daladwayo bhati vansha" (Two branches grace one stem). Lambrequins: gules and argent.
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STYLES AND TITLES:
The ruling prince: Kshatriya Kulavatana Sapta Sahasra Senapati Pratinidhi, Maharaja Shrimant (personal name) Puar, Maharaja of Dewas (Senior), with the style of His Highness.
The consort of the ruling prince: Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati Maharani (personal name) Maharaje Sahib Puar, Maharani of Dewas (Senior), with the style of Her Highness.
The Heir Apparent: Yuvaraj Shrimant (personal name) (father's name) Maharaj Puar.
The younger sons of the ruling prince: Shrimant Maharajkumar (personal name) (father's name) Maharaj Puar.
The daughters of the ruling prince: Shrimant Maharajkumari (personal name) Raje Sahib Puar.
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ORDERS & DECORATIONS:
The Jaripatka Decoration: instituted by Maharaja Tukojirao III before 1921 and awarded in three classes (1^stclass in gold, 2^nd class in silver-gilt, and 3^rd class in bronze).

The Jaripatka Decoration, 1st Class.

Maharaja Padak (the Maharaja's Medal): instituted by Maharaja Tukojirao III and awarded in two classes, (1^stclass in gold, and 2^nd class in silver).
Panchayat Padak (Council Medal): instituted by Maharaja Tukojirao III in 1914 and awarded in a single class, a silver medal.

RULES OF SUCCESSION:
Male primogeniture, with the right of adoption by the recognised head of the family on the failure of natural male heirs.

GLOSSARY:
Pratinidhi: Viceroy.
Sapta Sahasra Senapati: Commander of 7,000.
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SOURCES:
Captain C.E. Luard, MA, IA (compiler). Western States (Malwa) Gazetteer, Volume V. The Central India State Gazetteer Series, Byculla, Bombay, 1908.
Major C. Eckford Luard, IA, MA (compiler). Chiefs and Leading Families in Central India. Government of India, Calcutta, 1916.
Manohar Malgonkar, The Puars of Dewas Senior. Orient Longmans Limited, Bombay, 1963.
Rulers, Leading Families and Officials in the States of Central India, Fifth Edition. Manager of Publications, Delhi, 1935.
Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, since 1826.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Father Lawrence Ober, SJ
Abhijit Malwade, Mumbai, India

DEWAS SENIOR 2	DEWAS SENIOR 3	DEWAS SENIOR 4
DEWAS JUNIOR	DHAR	MAIN

I would be grateful to hear from anyone who may have changes, corrections or additions to contribute. If you do, please be kind enough to send me an e-mail using the contact details at: Copyright© Christopher Buyers

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