Dholpur

Flag of Dholpur

The Dholpur family is a branch of the House of Gohad. It was ruled by the Bamrolia Dynasty which was founded by Jai Singh of Bairat(see Gohad for early history). Rao Anirudh Singh the grandson of Rana Shri Gaj Singh of Gohad(1699 1713) was given the jagir of Adhupura. The Adhupura house rose to become one of the premier nobles of Gohad durbar. The last ruler of Gohad, Maharaj Rana Shri Chatra Singh lost Gwalior to Mahadji Scindia in 1784, who then crushed his opponent by seizing the whole of Gohad. Chhatra Singh fled to the neighbouring Karauli, but was returned to Scindia as a state prisoner, confined at Gwalior fort, then quietly poisoned in 1788.

The Bamrolia clan had effectively been destroyed by the Scindia then spent the next twenty-years fighting each other in a bloody tussle for power. Eventually all the clan leaders resolved to settle their differences by choosing a single ruler in the person of Rao Kirat Singh of Adhupura. Installed at Baghthurra Fortress in 1803, he at once revived the alliance with the British. They agreed to restore Gohad to him in return for his help in crushing the Maratha power. However, once hostilities ceased, Scindia opposed the restoration. The Rana then agreed to surrender Gohad in 1805, receiving Dholpur, Bari and Rajakhera as compensation in the following year. The ancient town of Dholpur became the capital of the new state, from which the state also took its name.

Maharaj Rana Kirat Singh died in 1835, leaving his throne to his minor and younger son. His elder son having pre deceased him without leaving any issue, seventeen years earlier. The first few years of the new ruler, Maharaj Rana Bhagwat Singh’s reign saw his sister-in-law actively involved in the administration. On his eventual assumption of full ruling powers, he proved to be a model ruler of his time. He showed his mettle during the Indian Mutiny when, despite the loss of territory to the mutineers, he extended his protection to European civilians, saving them from certain death. He also sent a force of 1,500 men for the defence of Agra. His services were recognised with the grant of additional titles, an increased gun-salute and additional territories. He died leaving his throne to his grandson, his own son having pre-deceased him very shortly before.

Succeeding as a minor in 1873, Maharaj Rana Nihal Singh proved himself every inch his grandfather’s heir. He assisted the British during the Tirah expedition in 1882, becoming one of the first Indian rulers to secure a commission and to serve in person in a Royal regiment. A near thirty-year reign saw advances in almost every field of government endeavour. He modernised the administration, organised public works, restored monuments, built hospitals, dispensaries and tanks, and created an extensive road and rail network. At his death in 1901, Dholpur possessed one of the most modern infrastructures of any princely state.