The Maharana ("Great Rana") is a variation on the Indian royal title
Rana. Maharana denotes '
great king' or '
high king', similar to the word "
Maharaja".
The term derives from the Sanskrit title "Mahārāṇaka".
Usage at the time of independence
Salute states
The gun salutes enjoyed by the states that acceded to the Dominion of India on 14 August 1947, included the following Maharanas:
*Hereditary salute of 19-guns (21-guns local): the Maharana of
Udaipur State (Mewar)
*Hereditary salute of 13-guns the Maharana of
Rajpipla
*Hereditary salute of 11-guns: the Maharana of
Barwani
Hereditary salutes of 9-guns:
*The Maharana of
Danta
*The Maharana of
Wadhwan
*The Maharana of
Sant
Some of the rulers were granted increased gun salutes after the independence, e.g. the above-listed Maharana of Mewar (Hindu; at Udaipur, Maharajpramukh in Rajasthan) was raised to first place in the Order of Precedence, displacing the
Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar (Muslim), and all 9-gun states were permitted the use of the style of
Highness.
Compound ruler titles
*The Maharana Raj Sahib of
Wankaner - Hereditary salute of 11-guns
*The Maharana Sahib of
Dharampur
References
{{Reflist
Heads of state
Royal titles
Noble titles
Titles of national or ethnic leadership
*
Indian feudalism
Titles in India