The Central India Agency was created in 1854, by amalgamating the Western Malwa Agency with other smaller political offices which formerly reported to the

Governor-General of India The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 1 ...

. The agency was overseen by a political agent who maintained British relations with the princely states and influence over them on behalf of the Governor-General. The headquarters of the agent were at

Indore Indore () is the largest and most populous city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. It is also considered as an education hub of the state and is the only city to ...

List of Divisions and Princely States/districts of Agency

Bundelkhand Agency

: Bundelkhand Agency was bounded by Bagelkhand to the east, the United Provinces to the north, Lalitpur District to the west, and the Central Provinces to the south. Bagelkhand Agency was separated from Bundelkhand in 1871. In 1900 it included 9 states, the most important of which were Orchha, Panna, Samthar, Charkhari,

Chhatarpur Chhatarpur is a city and a municipality in Chhatarpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhatarpur District. Chhatarpur is a city and a municipality in Chhatarpur district in the state of ...

Datia Datia is the district headquarter of the Datia District in north central Madhya Pradesh,a state of Central India. It is an ancient city, ancient town, mentioned in the Mahabharata ruled by King Dantavakra. The city is 78 km from Gwalio ...

Bijawar Bijawar is a city the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Bijawar Taluk, and was formerly the capital of a princely state of British India of the same name. The people of Bijawar are demanding the distric ...

and Ajaigarh. The agency also included 13 estates and the ''

pargana Pargana ( bn, পরগনা, , hi, परगना, ur, پرگنہ) or parganah, also spelt pergunnah during the time of the Sultanate period, Mughal times and British Raj, is a former administrative unit of the Indian subcontinent and each ...

'' of Alampur, the latter belonging to Indore State. In 1931, all of the states under the Baghelkhand Agency apart from Rewa and Singrauli were transferred back to Bundelkhand. Salute states, by precedence: *

, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns * Orchha, title Maharaja or Raja (from 1882, Saramad-i-Rajha-i-Bundelkhand Maharaja), Hereditary salute of 15-guns * Ajaigarh, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Baoni, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 11-guns *

, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Charkhari, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Panna, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Samthar, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Non-salute states, alphabetically: *

Alipura Alipura is a town in Nowgong tehsil, Chhatarpur district, Sagar division of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located near Harpalpur at an altitude of above sea level. The language of the local population is Hindi. History Formerly this town was ...

, title Rao * Beri (Beri-Bundelkhand), title Rao/Raja (originally Dewan) * Bihat *

, title Maharaja or Raja * Garrauli * Gaurihar, title Sardar Sawai; from 1859, Rao *

Jigni Jigni State was a princely state of the Bundelkhand Agency of the British Raj. It was a small Sanad state of about 82.87 km2 with a population of 4,297 inhabitants in 1901. The state was surrounded by the Hamirpur and Jhansi districts o ...

, title Rao * Lugasi * Naigawan Rebai * Sarila, title Raja

Jagir A jagir ( fa, , translit=Jāgir), also spelled as jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in the Indian subcontinent at the foundation of its Jagirdar (Zamindar) system. It developed during the Islamic rule era of the Indian subcontinent, starti ...

s : * Banka-Pahari * Bijna * Bilheri ''

jagir A jagir ( fa, , translit=Jāgir), also spelled as jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in the Indian subcontinent at the foundation of its Jagirdar (Zamindar) system. It developed during the Islamic rule era of the Indian subcontinent, starti ...

'', ?under

, guaranteed by the British *

Dhurwai Dhurwai was a princely state in India during the British Raj. It was one of the Hasht-Bhaiya Jagirs, under the Bundelkhand Agency of British India. Its capital was the town of Dhurwai, with a population of 777 in 1901. Today it is part of Jhansi ...

* Tori Fatehpur (one of the

Hasht-Bhaiya The Hasht-Bhaiya ( hi, आठभैया meaning 'Eight Brothers') (e)states were a group of jagirs (small feudatory estates, formally ranking below a proper princely state) of Central India during the period of the British Raj. They belonged ...

s'') Former princely States that were annexed or seized by the British : * Banpur, seized in 1857, had been claimed by

Gwalior State Gwalior state was a semi-autonomous Maratha state. It was centred in modern-day Madhya Pradesh, arising due to the rise of the Maratha Empire and fragmentation of the Mughal Empire. It was ruled by the Scindia, House of Scindia (anglicized fro ...

* Bijeraghogarh, seized * Chirgaon (one of the Hasht Bhaiya jagirs), seized * Jalaun, annexed in 1840 *

Jaitpur Jaitpur is a village and a Gram panchayat under Barahiya Tehsil in Lakhisarai district of Bihar, India. It is situated on the bank of river Ganges at a distance of 3.5 km from Barahiya, 15.5 km from Lakhisarai and 117 km dista ...

, annexed in 1849 *

Jhansi Jhansi (; Hindi: झांसी, Urdu: ) is a historic city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It lies in the region of Bundelkhand on the banks of the Pahuj River, in the extreme south of Uttar Pradesh. Jhansi is the administrative head ...

, annexed in 1853 * Khaddi, annexed * Purwa (one of the Chaube Jagirs), seized * Tiroha, seized *

Shahgarh Shahgarh is a town and a tahsil in Sagar district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Its connected with National Highway No. 86 Route, National Highway 539 and MP SH 37. Geography Shahgarh is located at . It has an average elevation of 411 ...

, seized in 1857

Bagelkhand Agency

Bagelkhand Agency The Bagelkhand Agency was a British political unit which managed the relations of the British with a number of autonomous princely states existing outside British India, namely Rewa and 11 minor states, of which the most prominent were Maihar, Na ...

, the easternmost charge, was established in March 1871, when it was separated from Bundelkhand agency. In 1900, it covered the area of twelve states, including :

Salute state A salute state was a princely state under the British Raj that had been granted a gun salute by the British Crown (as paramount ruler); i.e., the protocolary privilege for its ruler to be greeted—originally by Royal Navy ships, later also ...

s, by precedence : * Rewa, the largest state in Bagelkhand, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns *

Baraundha Baraundha (also known as Pathar Kachhar) was a princely state of colonial India, located in modern Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. Although historically far larger, at the time of Indian independence in 1950, it was a saluted state of 9 guns. ...

, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns *

Maihar Maihar is a tehsil in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India. Maihar is known for the temple of the revered mother goddess Sharda situated on Trikuta hill. Origin of the name It is said that when lord Shiva was carrying the body of the dead mother go ...

, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns Non-salute states (alphabetically) : * Bhaisaunda * Jaso * Kamta-Rajaula * Kothi * Nagode * Pahra *

Paldeo Paldeo, also spelt 'Paldev', was a princely estate (Jagir) in India during the British Raj. It was under the Bundelkhand Agency of the Central India Agency until 1896 when it was transferred to the Baghelkhand Agency. In 1931 it was transferred ...

* Sohawal * Taraon Zamindari Estates (alphabetically) : * Sohagpur * Shahpur * Jaitpur * Singrauli, also Nifs Singrauli (a mu'amaladari of 700 villages in Rewah) to distinguish it from a smaller zamindari in Singrauli Mirzapur District,

North-Western Provinces The North-Western Provinces was an Presidencies and provinces of British India, administrative region in British India. The North-Western Provinces were established in 1836, through merging the administrative divisions of the Ceded and Conquere ...

in what is now eastern UP.) * Amarkantak * Nigwani * Anupur * Baikunthpur * Chandiya * Dhangawan * Singbana In 1931, all of the states but Rewa were transferred back to Bundelkhand, and in 1933 Rewa was transferred to the Indore Residency.

Gwalior Residency

Gwalior Residency was placed under the Central India Agency in 1854, and separated from Central India Agency in 1921. It included the following, among other smaller states, plus

Chhabra Chhabra is a city and a municipality in Baran district in the state of Rajasthan, India, near to the border with Madhya Pradesh. Chhabra is a historic walled city with a fort. Its name comes from the six gates in the walls. Geography Chhabra is ...

(district) of Tonk State : Include Jagirs Chhadawad, Bagli, Dattigaon, Balipur/chikli, Nimkheda, Pathari, Tonk Khurd, etc. Salute states : *

Gwalior Gwalior() is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; it lies in northern part of Madhya Pradesh and is one of the Counter-magnet cities. Located south of Delhi, the capital city of India, from Agra and from Bhopal, the s ...

, title Maharaja Scindia; Hereditary salute of 21-guns. * Rampur, title Nawab; Hereditary salute of 15-guns * Benares ( Ramnagar), title Maharaja; Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local) Non-salute states : * Bhadaura *

Garha The Garha, Gaur, Gaud or Gour, Gauri are a Muslim community or caste found in the Indian states of Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana,Manohar, K S Singh, ed. (2005) ''People of India Uttar Pradesh''. Vol. XXIII. p. 407 Punjab and Uttarakha ...

* Khaniadhana * Raghogarh * Paron * Umri Furthermore, lesser estates (under Thakurs or diwans) * Agra Barkhera * Kathaun * Khiaoda * Sangul Wardha * Sirsi

Bhopal Agency

Bhopal Agency, , which included the following :

s, by precedence : *

Bhopal Bhopal (; ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division. It is known as the ''City of Lakes'' due to its various natural and artificial lakes. It i ...

, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 19-guns (21-guns local) * Dewas Junior and

Dewas Senior Dewas Senior was established by Tukoji Rao I Puar during the Maratha conquest of Central India. It was a 15 Gun Salute Maratha princely state. On 12 December 1818 it became a British protectorate. History The original state was founded in ...

, both title Mharaja, Hereditary salutes of 15-guns (transferred to Malwa Agency in 1907, and to Bhopal Agency in 1933) * Narsinghgarh, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Rajgarh, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Khilchipur, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 9-guns Non-salute states, alphabetically : * Basoda * Kurwai (Korwai) * Makrai (transferred to Bhopal Agency in 1933 from the Central Provinces and Berar) * Maksudangarh * Muhammadgarh *

Pathari Pathari is a town in Vidisha district, Many tourist attractions in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Geography Pathari is located at . It is located close to a lake on a hillock with an elevation of 550 metres. There are ancient ruins ...

Indore Residency

Indore Residency included most of Indore (Holkar) and after 1933 also Rewa State, the largest state from the Baghelkhand Agency.

Malwa Agency

Malwa Agency, , which included parts of

and Tonk states and the states of: Salute states, by precedence : * Ratlam State, title Maharaja Bahadur, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local) * Jaora State, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 13-guns * Sailana State, title Raja Bahadur, Hereditary salute of 11-guns *

Jhabua State Jhabua State was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. It had its capital in Jhabua town. Most of the territory of the princely state was inhabited by the Bhil people, who constituted a majority of the popu ...

, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Sitamau State, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Non-salute states : * Piploda State Estates : *

Panth-Piploda Panth-Piploda was a province of British India. It is located in present-day Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. Panth-Piploda was British India's smallest province, with an area of , and a population of 5267 (male 2666, ...

. In 1925, the Malwa Agency was amalgamated with Bhopawar Agency.

Bhopawar Agency

Bhopawar Agency included the princely states of: It also included territories of

and

States. In 1927 the agency was renamed the ''Southern States Agency'', later the ''Southern States and Malwa Agency'', and after 1934 ''Malwa Agency''.

s, by precedence : *

Dhar Dhar is a city located in Dhar district of the Malwa region in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Dhar district. Before Indian independence from Great Britain, it was the capital of the Dh ...

, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 15-guns The following were the jagirs (estates), ruled by the

Bhilala A Bhilala is a tribe found in the Malwa and Nimar of the Central Provinces and in Central India. The total strength of the Bhilalas is about 150,000 persons, most of whom reside in the Bhopawar Agency, adjoining Nimar. Only 15,000 were returned f ...

tribes, that were under the Suzerainty of Dhar State.:Imperial Gazetteer of India pg.51 # # Kali-Baori # Nimkhera (alias Tirla) # Rajgadh *

Alirajpur Alirajpur is a city in the Alirajpur tehsil in Alirajpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Alirajpur State was formerly a princely state of India, under the Bhopawar Agency in Central India. It lay in the Malwa region of Madhya Pr ...

, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns, including the extinct State of Phulmaal which was incorporated into it earlier as well as Fiefs (Jagirs) of . *

Barwani Barwani or Badwani ( hi, Baḍwāni) is a municipal town in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh, India, that is situated near the left bank of the Narmada River. It is the administrative headquarters of Barwani district and has also served a ...

, title Maharana, Hereditary salute of 11-guns * Jhabua, title Raja, Hereditary salute of 11-guns Estates : * Jobat * Kathiwara * Mathwar * Ratanmal * Bakhatgarh * Dotria * Kachhi-Baroda * Multhan Discontinued : * Amjhera, title Rao * Chhadawad, title Rao

s (incomplete) : * Jamnia, title Raja * Kali-Baori * Nimkhera * Ondhwa * Rajgadh * Sondhwa

Post-independence

Upon the British withdrawal from India in 1947, the rulers of the princely states in this area all chose to accede to the new Union of India. The eastern portion of Central India Agency, including Bagelkhand and Bundelkhand agencies, became the new state

Vindhya Pradesh Vindhya Pradesh was a former state of India. It occupied an area of 23,603 sq. miles. It was created in 1948 as Union of Baghelkhand and Bundelkhand States, shortly after Indian independence, from the territories of the princely states in the ea ...

. The western portion, including Bhopal, Malwa, and Bhopawar agencies and the Gwalior and Indore residencies, became the new state of

Madhya Bharat Madhya Bharat, also known as Malwa Union, was an Indian state in west-central India, created on 28 May 1948 from twenty-five princely states which until 1947 had been part of the Central India Agency, with Jiwajirao Scindia as its Rajpramukh. ...

became a separate state. Makrai was transferred to

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the second ...

, which had been created from the former Central Provinces and Berar in 1950. In 1956, the states of Vindhya Pradesh, Madhya Bharat, and Bhopal were merged into Madhya Pradesh. Later another state,

Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prad ...

, was formed from the area that was formerly Madhya Pradesh.

References

External links

* Hunter, William Wilson, Sir, et al. (1908). ''Imperial Gazetteer of India'', Volume 12. 1908–1931; Clarendon Press, Oxford. {{Geography of India Agencies of British India Historical Indian regions 1854 establishments in India 1854 establishments in British India 1947 disestablishments in India 1947 disestablishments in British India History of Madhya Pradesh