Damawari

Origin and Lineage of Damawari Thikana

The Thakurs of this thikana are descendants of Maharana Udai Singh II of Mewar (founder of Udaipur) through his third son Baba Veeramdeo, the younger brother of Rana Sagat Singh (founder of the Shaktawat-Sisodia clan). This thikana is a Baba Ranawat thikana (that is, a thikana from which male children were adopted to the ruling house of Mewar, in the absence of a male heir). The descendants of Maharana Udai Singh II were the first branch of Sisodias to carry the patronym of Ranawat. They are a sub-branch of the jagir of Sanwar, and other Viramdevot Ranawats are found in Hamirgarh, Kherabad, Sanwar, Jaiwana, Pahuna, Ranawaton-ki-sadri and Ranawaton-ka bangla.

The Significance of Baba Ranawat and Viramdevot Branch

In the feudal hierarchy of the Mewar State, the Baba Ranawat estates occupied a position of immense strategic and dynastic importance. As close agnatic kinsmen (patrilineal relatives) to the reigning Maharana, they enjoyed high precedence at the Mewar Royal Court (Darbar). The term "Baba" historically designated the nearest royal collaterals. In the event of a vacancy on the Mewar throne without a direct male heir, the ruling family turned to these designated "Baba" Thikanas, such as Sanwar and its sub-branches, to adopt a successor to maintain the continuity of the Sisodia dynasty.

The patriarch of this branch, Baba Veeramdeo (also spelled Viramdev), was a prominent prince of Mewar during one of its most turbulent eras. While his brother Rana Sagat (Shakti) Singh established the Shaktawat clan, Veeramdeo's descendants came to be known as the Viramdevot Ranawats. They served the state of Udaipur in various military campaigns against regional adversaries, securing territories and earning estates (jagirs) in recognition of their valor and loyalty.

Feudal Administration and the Sanwar Connection

Damawari was established as a prominent co-shared or split estate (jagir) under the parent seat of Sanwar. The administration of Damawari was governed by traditional Rajput feudal laws, where the Thakur exercised local judicial, revenue, and executive authority. The Thikana paid annual tribute (Rekh) and provided military service (Chakri) to the Maharana of Udaipur when summoned.

During the 18^th century, as Mewar faced devastating incursions by Maratha forces (including the Holkars and Scindias), the Viramdevot nobles played a critical role in defending the borders of the state and managing local defenses. The resilience of these smaller thikanas ensured that the core administrative framework of Mewar survived the Maratha anarchy.

British Period and Treaty of 1818

With the signing of the Treaty of Alliance between the British East India Company and Maharana Bhim Singh of Mewar in 1818, peace was gradually restored to the region. To understand the wider geopolitical changes of this era, historians often reference the stabilization of Mewar under British paramountcy, details of which can be explored on the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Under British protection, the boundaries of various jagirs, including Damawari, were officially recognized and settled. The Thakurs shifted their focus from active warfare to agrarian management, building stepwells, local temples, and promoting trade and agriculture within their estate boundaries.

Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following India's independence in 1947, the State of Mewar merged into the United State of Rajasthan, eventually becoming part of the modern state of Rajasthan. With the passage of the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act in 1952, the traditional jagirdari system was formally abolished. The feudal privileges of the Thikana of Damawari came to an end, and the administrative powers were integrated into the democratic panchayat system. Today, the descendants of the Damawari Thikana reside as private citizens, actively preserving their historical archives, traditional weapons, and ancestral heritage.