Badu

The historic estate of Badu, situated in the Parbatsar region of the present-day Nagaur District in Rajasthan, was a prominent Thikana (feudal estate) of the erstwhile princely state of Marwar (Jodhpur). Historically ruled by the Mertia clan of Rathore Rajputs—who trace their noble lineage back to Rao Duda, the son of the illustrious founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodha—Badu served as a crucial military and administrative outpost. Throughout the Mughal and Maratha eras, the rulers of Badu demonstrated fierce loyalty to the Marwar crown, actively participating in key regional campaigns and safeguarding the trade routes traversing Central Rajasthan. During the period of the British Raj, the estate maintained its internal autonomy under the Rajputana Agency, transitioning from a militaristic fiefdom into an agrarian administrative unit. Following India's independence in 1947, the estate was integrated into the democratic state of India, and its legacy survives today through its rich cultural heritage, historic temples, and traditional Rajput architecture.