Nagpur

Origin and Gond Foundation

The history of Nagpur began significantly in 1702 when it was founded by the Gond King, Raja Bakht Buland Shah of Deogarh, on the banks of the Nag River, from which the city derived its name. He established this urban center by combining twelve small agricultural hamlets collectively known as "Rajapur Baraasa" or "Barasa." His successor, Raja Chand Sultan, continued to develop the infrastructure of the city, fostering trade and commerce. However, following Chand Sultan's death in 1739, intense succession disputes broke out within the Gond royal family. Seeking to restore order and secure her sons' rights, Chand Sultan's widow appealed to the Maratha military commander, Raghoji I Bhonsle, who was then governing Berar on behalf of the Maratha Peshwa.

Raghoji I Bhonsle intervened in 1743, successfully resolving the civil conflict. Recognizing the strategic and economic value of the region, he decided to establish his direct authority over Nagpur, making it the sovereign capital of the Bhonsle Maratha kingdom. The Bhonsle family originally traced their lineage as traditional village headmen (Patils) from Deora, located in the Satara District of Maharashtra. Raghoji's grandfather and his grand-uncles had served with distinction in the military forces of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In recognition of their valor, Chhatrapati Shahu I of Satara later conferred high military commands upon the family, along with the hereditary right to collect chauth (a one-fourth revenue tribute) in the territories of Berar and Gondwana.

The Golden Era of the Bhonsle Dynasty

Under the leadership of Raghoji I Bhonsle (who ruled until 1755), the Nagpur Kingdom expanded rapidly. He launched several ambitious military campaigns, most notably into the Bengal Presidency. Between 1741 and 1751, Raghoji’s forces, led by his capable general Bhaskar Pandit, carried out repeated expeditions into Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, which severely challenged the authority of Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal. These campaigns culminated in the Treaty of 1751, under which the Nawab ceded the province of Odisha to the Marathas and agreed to pay an annual tribute of twelve lakhs of rupees as chauth.

To learn more about the extensive expansion of this Maratha confederacy branch, see the detailed profile of the Bhonsle Dynasty on Wikipedia.

Anglo-Maratha Conflicts and Decline

The prosperous reign of the Bhonsles faced a critical turning point during the rule of Raghoji II Bhonsle (1788–1816). As the British East India Company sought to expand its hegemony across central India, Nagpur was drawn into the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803). Raghoji II allied with Maharaja Daulat Rao Scindia of Gwalior against the British, but the coalition suffered defeats at the Battles of Assaye and Argaon. Consequently, Raghoji II was forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Deogaon in 1803, by which he ceded Odisha, southern Berar, and Cuttack to the British, vastly reducing the kingdom's territory and economic power.

Following the death of Raghoji II, Mudhoji II Bhonsle, popularly known as Appa Sahib, assumed power in 1816. During the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818), Appa Sahib made a desperate attempt to break free from British control by aligning with Peshwa Baji Rao II. His forces engaged the British in the hard-fought Battle of Sitabuldi in November 1817, but were ultimately defeated. Appa Sahib was subsequently deposed and sent into exile, marking the end of the independent military power of the Nagpur State.

British Regency and the Doctrine of Lapse

In 1818, the British East India Company placed a minor prince, Raghoji III, on the throne under a British regency administered by the resident, Richard Jenkins. During this period, the administration was heavily reorganized along British lines, though local traditions were preserved. Raghoji III was granted full ruling powers in 1830, but his reign remained closely supervised by British political agents.

Raghoji III died in 1853 without leaving a direct male heir or a formally adopted successor. Consequently, the Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, applied the controversial Doctrine of Lapse, annexing the Nagpur Princely State into British India in 1854. The territory was initially administered as the Nagpur Province, which was later integrated into the Central Provinces in 1861. Following the annexation, the Bhonsle royal family was pensioned off, receiving an annual sum of 203,000 Rupees, and their private estates were largely managed under British supervision.

Post-Independence and the Modern Era

Following India's independence in 1947, the Nagpur territory was merged into the new Indian Union. Nagpur was designated as the capital of the newly created Madhya Pradesh state. However, following the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, the administrative boundaries of Indian states were redrawn on a linguistic basis. The Marathi-speaking Vidarbha region, including Nagpur, was subsequently merged into Bombay State, which later became the state of Maharashtra in 1960.

Under the historic Nagpur Pact of 1953, Nagpur was designated as the official auxiliary or "second capital" of Maharashtra. Today, the city hosts the winter session of the Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). The descendants of the Bhonsle dynasty continue to reside in Nagpur, maintaining the Senior Bhonsle Palace and actively participating in the cultural, social, and political life of the region.

References and Further Reading

• For an overview of the geographic and historical development of the region, visit the Encyclopædia Britannica Entry on Nagpur.
• For comprehensive archival details on the administrative transition of the Central Provinces, consult the Nagpur Kingdom Historical Overview on Wikipedia.