{{Short description, Variation on Indian royal title Maharaja Maharao is a variation on the Indian (mainly

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

) royal title

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

, also meaning ' great king' in Hindi. It is composed of ''Maha-'' 'great' and the royal title ''Rao'', a variation on

Raja Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. T ...

Ruler title in British India

Salute states (all in present India)

The gun salutes enjoyed by princely states that acceded to the Dominion of India on 14 August 1947, included the following Maharaos: *Hereditary salute of 17-guns (19-guns local): the Maharao of Cutch *Hereditary salute of 17-guns: the Maharao of Kotah *Hereditary salute of 17-guns: the Maharao Raja of Bundi *Hereditary salute of 15-guns: the Maharao Raja of Alwar

Non-salute states

''(probably quite incomplete)'' * Sirohi (Rao till 1889)

Other use

"Maharao" is also used as a

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...

and a

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

in India: * Dnyanesh Maharao (born 1960), writer and editor from Maharashtra * Maharao Raghuveer Singh (born 1943), Indian historian

Sources

Indian princely states
Indian feudalism Heads of state Royal titles Noble titles Titles of national or ethnic leadership Titles in India