Alidhra

Origin and Foundation

Alidhra Princely State, also historically known as Mendarda or Amra Moka's Estate, was a minor princely state located in the historic Sorath region of the Kathiawar Peninsula (in modern-day Gujarat, India). The estate was ruled by the Kathi Kshatriya dynasty, specifically belonging to the Wala (or Vala) clan, which held extensive territorial tracts throughout Saurashtra. The foundation of the Alidhra estate was laid by Kumar Shri Moka Bhima Wala, the younger son of Darbar Shri Bhima Valera Wala, the 2^nd Darbar Sahib of the Khijadia State. Under the traditional inheritance laws of the Kathi rulers, the state was partitioned among the sons, leading to the creation of Alidhra as an independent seat of power.

British Raj and Administrative Jurisdiction

During the British colonial era, Alidhra was classified as a non-salute state and was placed under the administrative supervision of the Sorath Prant of the Kathiawar Agency (later integrated into the Western India States Agency). Due to the fragmented nature of landholdings in Kathiawar, the state was classified as a semi-jurisdictional taluka.

The Talukdar of Alidhra exercised limited judicial powers, which were defined by the British Political Agency to maintain local law and order. The judicial authority of the ruler was categorized as follows:

• Criminal Jurisdiction: Powers to sentence offenders up to three months of rigorous imprisonment and impose fines of up to 200 Rupees.
• Civil Jurisdiction: Authority to hear and decide cases involving monetary or property disputes up to the value of 500 Rupees.

Any judicial matters exceeding these limits were referred directly to the court of the British Political Agent stationed in the region.

Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following India's independence in August 1947, the ruling family of Alidhra signed the Instrument of Accession, merging the estate into the newly formed Indian Union. In February 1948, Alidhra officially became a part of the United State of Kathiawar, which was later renamed the Saurashtra State. Following subsequent administrative reorganizations, the territory of the former estate was absorbed into Bombay State in 1956, and eventually became a part of the Junagadh district in the State of Gujarat upon its creation on May 1, 1960.

References and External Links

• To learn more about the administrative division of the Kathiawar states during the British Raj, refer to the Imperial Gazetteer of India on the Digital South Asia Library.
• For geographical and modern administrative details of the Sorath region, visit the Official Junagadh District Portal.