The Central India Agency was created in 1854, by amalgamating the Western Malwa Agency with other smaller political offices which formerly reported to the Governor-General of India. The agency was overseen by a political agent who maintained relations of the Government of India with the princely states and influence over them on behalf of the Governor-General. The headquarters of the agent were at Indore.
List of Divisions and Princely States/districts of Agency
Bundelkhand Agency
The Bundelkhand Agency was bounded by Bagelkhand to the east, the United Provinces to the north, Lalitpur District to the west, and the Central Provinces to the south. Bagelkhand Agency was separated from Bundelkhand in 1871. In 1900 it included 9 states, the most important of which were Orchha, Panna, Samthar, Charkhari, Chhatarpur, Datia, Bijawar and Ajaigarh. The agency also included 13 estates and the pargana of Alampur, the latter belonging to Indore State.
In 1931, all of the states under the Baghelkhand Agency apart from Rewa were transferred back to Bundelkhand.
Salute states, by precedence: Datia, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns Orchha,Orchha state The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 19, p. 241. title Maharaja or Raja (from 1882, Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja), Hereditary salute of 15-guns Ajaigarh, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Baoni, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Bijawar, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Charkhari, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Panna, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Samthar, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Non-salute states, alphabetically: Alipura, title Rao Beri (Beri-Bundelkhand), title Rao/Raja (originally Dewan) Bihat Chhatarpur, title Maharaja or Raja Garrauli Gaurihar, title Sardar Sawai; from 1859, Rao Jigni, title Rao Lugasi Naigawan Rebai Sarila, title Raja
Jagirs : Banka-Pahari Bijna Bilheri jagir, ?under Chhatarpur, guaranteed by the British Dhurwai Tori Fatehpur (one of the Hasht-Bhaiya jagirs)
Former princely States that were annexed or seized by the British : Banpur, seized in 1857, had been claimed by Gwalior State Bijeraghogarh, seized Chirgaon (one of the Hasht Bhaiya jagirs), seized Jalaun, annexed in 1840 Jaitpur, annexed in 1849 Jhansi, annexed in 1853 Khaddi, annexed Purwa (one of the Chaube Jagirs), seized Tiroha, seized Shahgarh, seized in 1857
Bagelkhand Agency
Bagelkhand Agency, the easternmost charge, was established in March 1871, when it was separated from Bundelkhand agency. In 1900, it covered the area of twelve states, including :
Salute states, by precedence : Rewa, the largest state in Bagelkhand, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 17-guns Baraundha, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns Maihar, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
Non-salute states (alphabetically) : Bhaisaunda Jaso Kamta-Rajaula Kothi Nagode Pahra Paldeo Sohawal Taraon
Zamindari Estates (alphabetically) :
Sohagpur Shahpur Jaitpur Singrauli, also Nifs Singrauli (a mu'amaladari of 700 villages in Rewah) to distinguish it from a smaller zamindari in Singrauli Mirzapur District, North-Western Provinces in what is now eastern UP.) Amarkantak Nigwani Anupur Baikunthpur Chandiya Dhangawan Singbana In 1931, all of the states but Rewa were transferred back to Bundelkhand, and in 1933 Rewa was transferred to the Indore Residency.
Gwalior Residency Gwalior Residency was placed under the Central India Agency in 1854, and separated from it in 1911. Gwalior Residency included the following, among other smaller states, plus Chhabra pargana (district) of Tonk State:
Salute states: Gwalior, title Maharaja Scindia; Hereditary salute of 21-guns. Rampur, title Nawab; Hereditary salute of 15-guns Benares (Ramnagar), title Maharaja; Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local)
Non-salute states: Bhadaura Garha Khaniadhana Raghogarh Paron Umri
Lesser estates (under Thakurs or diwans): Agra Barkhera Kathaun Khiaoda Sangul Wardha Sirsi
Bhopal Agency Bhopal Agency, , which included the following :
Salute states, by precedence : Bhopal, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 19-guns (21-guns local) Dewas Junior and Dewas Senior, title Maharaja, Hereditary salutes of 15-guns (transferred to Malwa Agency in 1907, and to Bhopal Agency in 1933) Narsinghgarh, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Rajgarh, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Khilchipur, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns
Non-salute states, alphabetically : Basoda Kurwai (Korwai) Makrai (transferred to Bhopal Agency in 1933 from the Central Provinces and Berar) Maksudangarh Muhammadgarh Pathari
Indore Residency Indore Residency included most of Indore (Holkar) and after 1933 also Rewa State, the largest state from the Baghelkhand Agency.
Malwa Agency Malwa Agency, , which included parts of Gwalior, Indore and Tonk states and the states of:
Salute states, by precedence : Ratlam State, title Maharaja Bahadur, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local) Jaora State, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 13-guns Sailana State, title Raja Bahadur, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Jhabua State, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Sitamau State, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
Non-salute states : Piploda State
Estates : Panth-Piploda .
In 1925, the Malwa Agency was amalgamated with Bhopawar Agency.
Bhopawar Agency Bhopawar Agency included the princely states of Malwa region: It also included territories of Gwalior and Indore States. In 1927 the agency was renamed the Southern States Agency, later the Southern States and Malwa Agency, and after 1934 Malwa Agency.
Salute states, by precedence : Dhar, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns The following were the jagirs (estates), ruled by the Bhilala tribes, that were under the Suzerainty of Dhar State.:Imperial Gazetteer of India pg.51
Kali-Baori Nimkhera (alias Tirla) Rajgadh
Alirajpur, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns, including the extinct State of Phulmaal which was incorporated into it earlier as well as Fiefs (Jagirs) of . Barwani, title Maharana, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Jhabua, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns
Estates : Jobat Kathiwara Mathwar Ratanmal Bakhatgarh Dotria Kachhi-Baroda Multhan Discontinued : Amjhera, title Rao Chhadawad, title Rao
Jagirs (incomplete) : Jamnia, title Raja Kali-Baori Nimkhera Ondhwa Rajgadh Sondhwa
Post-independence
Upon the British withdrawal from India in 1947, the rulers of the princely states in this area all chose to accede to the new Union of India. The eastern portion of Central India Agency, including Bagelkhand and Bundelkhand agencies, became the new state Vindhya Pradesh. The western portion, including Bhopal, Malwa, and Bhopawar agencies and the Gwalior and Indore residencies, became the new state of Madhya Bharat. Bhopal became a separate state. Makrai was transferred to Madhya Pradesh, which had been created from the former Central Provinces and Berar in 1950. In 1956, the states of Vindhya Pradesh, Madhya Bharat, and Bhopal were merged into Madhya Pradesh. Later another state, Chhattisgarh, was formed from the area that was formerly Madhya Pradesh.
See also List of princely states of British India (alphabetical) List of Maratha dynasties and states List of Rajput dynasties and states Rajputana
References
External links Hunter, William Wilson, Sir, et al. (1908). Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 12. 1908–1931; Clarendon Press, Oxford.