Bhopawar Agency

Bhopawar Agency
Sub-agency of the Central India Agency
← 1882–1937 →
Map of the Central India Agency with the Bhopawar Agency located at its western end
History
•	Merger of Bhil Agency and Bhil Sub-agency	1882
•	Merger into Malwa Agency	1937
Area
•	1901	19,902 km2 (7,684 sq mi)
Population
•	1901	547,546
	Density	27.5 /km2  (71.3 /sq mi)
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Bhopawar Agency was a sub-agency of the Central India Agency in British India with the headquarters at the town of Bhopawar, so the name. Bhopawar Agency was created in 1882 from a number of princely states in the Western Nimar and Southern Malwa regions of Central India belonging to the former Bhil Agency and Bhil Sub-agency with the capitals at Bhopawar and Manpur. The agency was named after Bhopawar, a village in Sardarpur tehsil, Dhar District of present-day Madhya Pradesh state.

The other chief towns of this region were: Badnawar, Kukshi, Manawar and Sardargarh. The mighty Vindhya and Satpura ranges crossed the territory of the agency roughly from east to west, with the fertile valley of the Narmada River lying between them. The agency also included the "Bhil Country", inhabited by the Bhil people.

History

At the time of its establishment the agency had a total area of 7,684 square miles (19,900 km²), and its population was 547,546 according to the 1901 census. In 1904 certain districts were transferred from this agency to the Indore Residency, created in 1899, and the area of Bhopawar was thus reduced by 3,283 square miles (8,500 km²). In 1925 Bhopawar Agency was merged into Malwa Agency, and in 1927 the agency was renamed the Malwa-Bhopawar States Agency, which was renamed again as the Malwa Agency in 1934.

After Indian Independence in 1947, the rulers of the princely states within Malwa-Bhopawar Agency acceded to the Union of India, and the region became part of the new state of Madhya Bharat. Madhya Bharat was merged into Madhya Pradesh on 1 November 1956.

States and estates

Princely states in the agency included:

1. Dhar.
   • including the future independent petty states of : Jamnia, Kali-Baori, Nimkhera & Rajgadh ; which were then under administrative control of Dhar State, also known as Rajput estates.
   • also including the British guaranteed Fiefdoms (Jagirs) of : Multhan, Kachhi-Baroda, Bakhatgarh & Dhotria ; which always remained under complete suzerainty of Dhar Durbar, also known as Feudatory Estates.
2. Amjhera.
   • The last Raja of Amjhera : Baktawar Singh Rathore revolted against the East India Company during the Mutiny of 1857, thus he was arrested and blown off by the cannon in Dhar (so was the commander of his army who was also arrested and hanged by the neck in Indore) . The captured territories of Amjhera State were transferred as gift to Gwalior Durbar as a measure of goodwill for his steadfast support to British Government during the revolution thereafter . Hence, the entire State of Amjhera (approx. 800 sq.miles) became Gwalior State's Territory .
3. Jhabua .
   • also including around about seventeen (17) Feudal lords (Jagirdars) who paid direct tribute (nazarana/khillat) to Indore Durbar .
4. Barwani .
5. Alirajpur .
   • including the extinct State of Phulmaal which was incorporated into it earlier as well as Fiefs (Jagirs) of Ondhwa & Sondhwa .
6. Jobat .
7. Mathwar .
8. Kathiwara .
9. Ratanmal .
   • This state was merged with the state of Baria (Devgadh) in Bombay Province few years before Independence.
10. Indore State Territory's few enclaves like - Petlawad Tehsil, Dahi Jagir, etc.