Beja State

Beja State was a small Princely State in India during the British Raj, in the region that is now Himachal Pradesh. Its capital was at Beja.

The state included 45 villages, over an area of 13 km² or 5 mi² which yielded an average revenue of Rs. 2000 in 1901, and was one of the 18 Simla Hill States, under the authority of Punjab States Agency. It is situated just below Kasauli to the west and is bordered by Mahlog, Patiala State, Kuthar and the Bharauli tract of Simla District around Sabathu. The last ruler of the state, Thakur Lakshmi Chand, signed the merger agreement acceding to the Indian Union on 15 April 1948.

History

The Beja State was founded around the year 1350 CE by Thakur Govardhan Chand, a descendant of Dhul Pal a scion of the Tomar Rajput Dynasty of Delhi. This lineage connects Beja to the broader history of Rajput rule in northern India.

Beja remained a small but autonomous hill state for several centuries. In 1790, it gained independence from its status as a tributary to Bilaspur, asserting its sovereignty among the Simla Hill States. It was a semi-sovereign kingdom of India (Himachal Pradesh). The state's capital was the town of Beja, also known as Kot Beja, located near Kasauli in present-day Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. The ruling family held the title of '' Thakur''. and their descendants continue to reside in the region.

Beja is one of the original constituent members of the Chamber of Princes, a number of smaller states indirectly represented by 12 princes whom they periodically elected.

Rulers

The rulers were Rajputs of the Tomar clan and bore the title of '' Thakur''. The rulers are descendants of Dhul Pal of Tomar Dynasty of Delhi.

Thakurs

*Pali Chand
*Busha Chand
*Tegh Chand
*Git Chand
*Hari Chand
*Suja Chand
*Kirpal Chand
*Kedr Chand
*Kishen Chand
*Ratan Chand
*Kanhor Chand
*Lakshmi Chand
*Kushal Chand
*Bhim Chand
*Tara Chand
*Ajai Chand
*Vijai Chand
*Narayan Chand
*Lal Chand
*Anoop Chand
*Atar Chand
*Jai Chand (1759–1773)
*Man Chand (1773–1817)
*Pratap Chand (1817–1841)
*Udai Chand (1841–1905)
*Puran Chand (1905–1943)
*Lakshmi Chand (1943–1953)

Titular rulers
*Vijay Chand (since 1953)

Gallery

File:Ruines of fort of Beja State ,Simla Hill States,Himachal Prades,India.jpg, Ruines of fort of Beja State, Simla Hill States, Himachal Prades, India
File:Fort of Beja Princely State ,Simla Hill States,Himachal Prades,India.jpg, Fort of Beja Princely State, Simla Hill States, Himachal Prades, India
File:Ruines of fort of Beja State ,Simla Hill States,Himachal Prades,India.jpg, Ruines of fort of Beja State, Simla Hill States, Himachal Prades, India
File:Sh. Vijay Chand,Son of Sh.Luxmi Chand, last king of Beja Princely State ,Himachal Prades, India.jpg, Sh. Vijay Chand, Son of Sh. Luxmi Chand, last king of Beja Princely State, Himachal Prades, India
File:View from the roof of fort of Beja State part of Simla Hill States,Himachal Prades,India.jpg, View from the roof of fort of Beja State part of Simla Hill States, Himachal Prades, India

See also

*Tomaras of Delhi
*Tomaras of Gwalior
* Tomaras of Nurpur

References

{{Authority control

Princely states of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh
18th-century establishments in India
1948 disestablishments in India
Kasauli