Bundi State
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Contents |
Bundi State, as in 1908
Physical aspects
Native State in the south-east of Rajputana, lying between 25° and 26° N. and 75° 15' and 76^ 19' E,, with an area of 2,220 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Jaipur and Tonic; on the west by Udaipur ; and on the south and east by Kotah. The territory may be roughly described as an irregular rhombus, traversed throughout its whole length from south-west to north-east by a double line of hills, constituting the central Bundi range, which divides the country into two almost equal portions. For many miles the precipitous scarp on the southern face of this range forms an Physical almost impassable barrier between the plain country on either side.
There are four passes : namely, one at the town of Bundi, through which runs the road from Deoli to Kotah ; another a little farther to the east near Jainwas, through which the direct road to Tonk passes ; a third between Ramgarh and Khat- garh, where the Mej river has cut a channel for itself; and the fourth near Lakheri in the north-east. The highest peak of the range (1,793 feet above the sea) is at Satur, 10 miles west of Bundi town. The Chambal, though it never enters Bundi territory, forms for very nearly the whole distance the southern and eastern boundaries of the State ; it varies in breadth from 200 to 400 yards, and in places, notably at Keshorai Patan, where it is crossed by a ferry, attains jconsiderable depth. Its principal tributary from the Bundi side is the Mej. The latter, rising in Mewar at an elevation of about 1,700 feet above sea- level, flows almost due north for 13 miles, till it enters Bundi territory near the village of Negarh.
Thence it proceeds in a north-easterly direction a little beyond Dablana, where it inclines almost due east for about 16 miles; and then, turning abruptly south, it cuts its way through the central range, and emerging near Khatgarh, bends with a long and tortuous sweep again to the east, and continuing more or less parallel with the range, falls into the Chambal in the north-east corner of the State. In this way the Mej drains both the northern and southern portions of the State ; its chief tributary in the former is the Bajaen and in the latter the Kural.
The western portion of Bundi is occupied by schists belonging to the Aravalli system, among which are a few outliers of quartzite belong- ing to the Delhi system. At the capital, sandstones of Upper Vindhyan age are faulted down against the Aravalli schists, and a few outliers of the same sandstones are found resting upon the schists in the northern side of the fault. Traces of copper have been found near Datunda ; and iron was formerly worked to a small extent near Bhaironpura, 7 miles north-east of the capital, and also in the north-west corner of the State at Pagara.
The Bundi jungles were in old days famous for their big game. Tod tells us that Maharao Raja Bishan Singh, who died in 182 1, 'had slain upwards of 1 00 lions with his own hand, besides many tigers ; and boars innumerable had been victims to his lance.' There are now no lions in the State, but tigers and black bears are still found in parts, while leopards are numerous. Sdinbar {Cervus unicolor) and chital {C. axis) died in large numbers during the drought of 1899- 1900, but are now again on the increase.
The climate is but moderately healthy ; fevers and rheumatism prevail to a considerable extent. Statistics of rainfall are available only since 1890 and for the capital. The annual rainfall averages about 20 inches, and has varied from nearly 42 inches in 1900 to 13 inches in 1890.
History
The chief of Bundi is the head of the Hara sept of the great clan of Chauhan Rajputs, and the country occupied by this sept has for the last five or six centuries been known as Haraoti. The Chauhans came from Northern India to Sam- bhar, a town now held jointly by the chiefs of Jaipur and Jodhpur, about the beginning of the eighth century, and after ruling there and at Ajmer, gained the kingdom of Delhi. The last Hindu king of Delhi was the famous Prithwi Raj Chauhan, who was killed in 1192 in a battle with Muhammad Ghori. ^\^hile, however, the Chauhans were still ruling at Sambhar towards the end of the tenth century, one Lachhman Raj or Lakhan, the younger son of Wakpati Raj, alias Manik Rai I, set out to found a kingdom for himself and proceeded south-west to Nadol. Here his descendants ruled for about 200 years, when Manik Rai H migrated with some of the clan and settled down in the south-east corner of Mewar at or near Bumbaoda, Menal, (Sec.
The sixth in descent from Manik Rai H was Rao Hado or Har Raj, from whom the sept take the name of Hara. This account differs from that given by the Bundi bards, and by Colonel Tod in his Rajasthan, but is based on inscriptions found at Nadol, Achalgarh, and Menal. The local authorities say the name ' Hara ' was assumed in consequence of a miracle performed in the fifth century by Asapura Devi, the guardian goddess of the Chauhans, over the bones (hada) of Bhanuraj, the son of the Raja of Hansi, who had been devoured by some demon. According to Tod, the date was about 1022 and the demon was no less a person than Mahmud of Ghazni, who killed and dismembered the Chauhan chief, but the latter was restored to life by the goddess. About 1342 Rao Dewa or Deoraj, the second chief after Har Raj, took the town now called Bundi from the Minas, and made them acknow- ledge him as their lord. He may be considered the founder of the State, and since his time there have been twenty-one chiefs of Bundi.
Constant feuds and battles with Mewar took place in the fifteenth century, but the most dangerous enemy of the Haras was the powerful Muhammadan dynasty of Malwa. An army sent by the Sultan of Mandu besieged and took Bundi about 1457, Rao Bairi Sal and many of his nobles falling in its defence. The Rao's youngest son, Sham Singh, was carried off by the invaders, and brought up as a Musalman under the name of Samarkand. Shortly afterwards the Haras com- menced plundering the territories of Mandu, and another army was sent against them under the command of Samarkand, who took Bundi and ruled there for some years, till he was killed by Rao Narayan Das.
The next chief of note was Rao Surjan, with whose accession in 1554 commenced a new era for the Bundi State. During the preceding 200 years the Hara chiefs had, while possessing a certain amount of independence, been to a considerable extent vassals of the Ranas of Udaipur. Their services had been requisitioned by the latter in times of emergency, and had been given as much on account of the relation- ship engendered by marriages between the two houses as from any feeling of dependence. Rao Surjan had, possibly as governor on behalf of the Rana, obtained possession of the famous fortress of Rantham- BHOR, which was much coveted by Akbar.
According to Musalman historians, the emperor besieged it in person and took it in a month ; but the Hindu version is that the siege was ineffectual, and that Akbar obtained by stratagem and courtesy what he had failed to secure by force of arms. In any case the fort passed into the possession of the emperor, and the Bundi chief is said to have received as a reward the government of fifty-two districts including Benares, and the command of 2,000. By this transaction the Bundi State threw in its lot with the Muhammadan emperors, and from this period (1569) the Hara chief bore the title of Rao Raja. Several of Surjan's successors took service with the emperors of Delhi, obtained high rank, and received large grants of land, which were alternately resumed and restored as they lost or gained favour, or took the wrong or right side in the struggle for empire.
In the beginning of the seventeenth century occurred the partition of Haraoti and the formation of Kotah as a separate State. Rao Raja Ratan Singh, chief of Bundi, had given in jdgir to his son, Madho Singh, the town of Kotah and its dependencies. They joined the imperial army at Burhanpur when Jahanglr's son, Khurram, was threatening rebellion against his father ; and for services then rendered, Ratan Singh obtained the government of Burhanpur, and Madho Singh received Kotah and its dependencies, to be held by him and his heirs direct from the crown.
After Ratan Singh came Rao Raja Chhatarsal, who was one of the most gallant chiefs of Bundi. He took part in many battles in the Deccan (such as Daulatabad, Bidar, Gulbarga, &c.), and was finally killed leading the vanguard of the army of Dara against Aurangzeb in 1658. The new emperor naturally transferred all the resentment he harboured against Chhatarsal to his son and successor Bhao Singh, but after vainly attempting to ruin him, decided to use him, and gave him the government of Aurangabad. In 1707, in the battle for Aurangzeb's vacant throne, Budh Singh, chief of Bundi, held a prominent post, and by his conduct and courage contributed largely to the victory which left Shah Alam Bahadur Shah without a rival.
For these services Budh Singh was made a Maharao Raja, a title borne by his successors to this day. Shortly afterwards occurred a bitter feud with Jaipur, and Budh Singh was driven out of his country and died in exile. His son, Umed Singh, after many gallant efforts, succeeded, with the assistance of Malhar Rao Holkar, in recovering his patrimony in 1 748 ; but he had to make over to the Marathas, as payment for their services, the town and district of Patan. In 1770 Umed Singh abdicated in favour of his son, Ajlt Singh, who, three years later, killed Rana Ari Singh of Udaipur when out shooting with him. Centuries before, a dying sati is said to have prophesied that 'the Rao and the Rana should never meet at the ahaira or spring hunt without death ensuing,' and the prophecy has indeed proved true; for in 1531 Rao Suraj Mai and Rana Ratan Singh were shooting together in the Bundi jungles and killed each other, while in 1773, as above stated, Ajit Singh of Bundi killed Rana Ari Singh. In consequence of these unfortunate incidents there is a feud between the two houses, which is not yet forgotten. Ajit lived for only a few months after the event last mentioned, and was succeeded by his son, Bishan Singh, who gave most efficient assistance to Colonel Monson in his disastrous retreat before the army of Holkar in 1804, thereby bringing on himself the special vengeance of the Maratha leader. From that time up to 181 7 the Marathas and Pindaris constantly ravaged the State, exacting tribute and assuming supremacy.
On February 10, 181 8, a treaty was concluded with Bishan Singh by which the State of Bundi was taken under British protection. The tribute formerly paid to Holkar was remitted, and the lands held by that chief in Bundi were also restored to Bishan Singh, who further agreed to pay to the British Government the tribute he had been paying to Sindhia. This was fixed at Rs. 80,000 a year, of which one- half was on account of Sindhia's share (two-thirds) of the revenue of the Patan district, which Government intended to restore to Bundi, under the belief that it had been usurped by Sindhia. When, however, it was found that Sindhia had not usurped this portion of the Patan district, but had received it from the Peshwa, to whom it had been ceded by Bundi for assistance rendered in expeUing a usurper, the tribute payable by Bundi was reduced to Rs. 40,000 a year.
So it remained till 1847, when, with the consent of Sindhia, his share of the Patan district was made over in perpetuity to the Bundi chief on payment of a further sum of Rs. 80,000 a year to be credited to Gwalior. Under the treaty of i860 with Sindhia, the sovereignty of the tract in question was trans- ferred to the British Government, from whom Bundi now holds it as a perpetual fief, subject to a payment of Rs. 80,000 a year, in addition to the tribute of Rs. 40,000 payable under the treaty of 181 8.
Bishan Singh died in 1821 and was succeeded by his son Ram Singh, then ten years of age. The murder of his minister, Kishan Ram, in 1830 by an armed party from Jodhpur would have probably caused hostilities between the two States but for the intervention of the British Government. Maharao Raja Ram Singh's attitude towards the British Government during the Mutiny of 1857 was one of apathy and lukewarmness, which in the case of the rising of the State troops at Kotah amounted almost to an open support of the rebels' cause, due in some measure to the fact that the chief was not on good terms with the Maharao of Kotah. He, however, received in 1862 the usual sanad conferring on him the right of adoption, was created a G. C.S.I, and a Counsellor of the Empire in 1877, and a CLE. in 1878.
His rule was old-fashioned but popular, and was remarkable for the strict integrity he evinced in all his actions. He himself was described as the most conservative prince in conservative Rajputana, and a grand specimen of a true Rajput gentleman. He died full of years and honours in 1889, having ruled for nearly sixty-eight years, and was succeeded by his son, Raghublr Singh, the present Maharao Raja, who was invested with full governing powers in 1890. The only recent event of importance has been the great famine of 1899- 1900. The administration is conducted largely on the same old-fashioned lines. His Highness was made a K. C.S.I, in 1897 and a G.C.I.E. in 1901, and is entitled to a salute of 1 7 guns ; he has no surviving sons, and his nearest relation is his brother.
Population
The number of towns and villages in the Slate is 819, and the popu- lation at each of the three enumerations was: (1881) 254,701, (1891) Population -95>675»and (1901) 171,227. The decrease of 42 per cent, during the last decade was due to the great famine of 1 899-1 900, and to the outbreak of a severe type of fever which followed it. The State is divided into twelve tahsils and con- tains two towns, BuNDi and Naenwa. The table on the next page gives the chief statistics of population in 1901.
In 1901 Hindus numbered 156,359, or over 91 per cent, of the total ; Musalmans, 8,377, or nearly 5 per cent.; and Jains, 6,482, or nearly 4 per cent. The language mainly spoken is known as Haraoti, a form of Jaipurl, which is one of the four main groups of Rajasthani.
The most numerous caste in the State is that of the Minas, num- bering 22,000, or about 13 per cent, of the total. They once possessed a good deal of this territory, and were noted as daring arid expert plunderers, dacoity being their profession and their pastime ; they have now settled down and become very fair agriculturists and soldiers. A wild tract of country in the vicinity of the cantonment of Deoli is called the Mina Kherar ; it consists of several villages belonging to the Bundi, Jaipur, and Mewar States, which are inhabited by Parihar Minas, or Mlnas who claim descent from the Parihar Rajputs who used to rule at Mandor in Jodhpur. Owing to the civilizing influence of the Deoli Irregular Force, now the 42nd (I)eoli) regiment, the Mlna Kherar is at the present time as peaceable as it was formerly turbulent. After the Mlnas come the Giijars (18,000), who are cattle-dealers and breeders and agriculturists; the Brahmans (17,000), the Malis or gardeners (13,000), the Mahajans or bankers and traders (11,400), and the Chamars or workers in leather (10,700). Taking the population as a whole, more than 53 [ler cent, live solely by the land, and many more are [larlially agriculturists.
Agriculture
In the northern half of the State the soil is for the most part hard and stony, and dependent on the rainfall for moisture ; generally speaking, the only harvest here is the kharif, sown when the rains fall, and gathered about October. The southern half of Bundi is, on the other hand, rich in alluvial soils ; the south- eastern tahsils are covered almost entirely with a rich black cotton soil, capable of producing almost any crbp, while in other parts the soil is a light sandy loam rendered fertile by means of numerous wells.
The principal rains crops are xwdXt^^joivdr, and mung; while in the cold season wheat, barley, gram, opium, linseed, &c., are grown. The area ordinarily cultivated is estimated at about 420 square miles, of which 178 are under wheat, 32 under cotton, and 20 under poppy.
Cattle, ponies, sheep, goats, and camels are all bred in considerable numbers. Pasturage is abundant in ordinary years. The area irrigated is about 70 square miles, almost entirely from wells, of which there are about 10,000. Leathern buckets drawn up with a rope and pulley by bullocks moving down an inclined plane are universally used for lifting the water. The only irrigation tanks are those at Hindoli and Dugari, which are said to irrigate 240 and 600 acres respectively.
Large tracts of Bundi are woodland, and the total forest area is re- turned as about 890 square miles. The commonest trees are the khair {Acacia Catechu), khejra {Frosopis spicigera), babul {Acacia arabica), dhak {Butea frondosa), mahud (Bassia /afifo/ia), gu/ar {Ficus glome- rafa), sal [Shorea robusta\ goiya ( Trema orientalis), mm {Melia Azadirachta), pipal {Ficus religiosa), bar {Ficus bengalensis), aonla {Phyllanthus Emblica\ tamarind, and tendu {Diospyros tofnentosa). The forests are not systematically worked, but are fairly protected. The net forest revenue is about Rs. 4,000.
Trade and Communication
The iron mines in the north-west corner were at one time extensively worked, but are now deserted. Limestone admirably adapted for building purposes is found in several parts.
The manufactures are unimportant. There is a cotton-press belong- ing to the State at Baori, 10 miles from Deoli, in iraaean which on an average about 44,000 maunds of cotton are pressed yearly at a profit to the Darbar of about Rs. 21,000. In the working season 60 hands are employed. the chief exports are cotton, oilseeds, spices, opium, hides, gum, wool, and ghl ; while the chief imports include piece-goods, sugar, rice, salt, and metals.
There is no railway in the State, the nearest stations being NasTrabad on the Rajputana-Malwa line, 87 miles north-west of Bundi town, and Baran on the Indian Midland Railway, 65 miles to the south-east. The Nagda-Muttra line, now under construction, will, however, traverse the eastern portion of the territory, while the proposed Baran-Ajmer- Marwar Railway, the earthwork of which was practically completed during the famine of 1899-1900, is to run close to the capital. The total length of metalled roads is nearly 47 miles, and of unmetalled roads 9f miles, all maintained by the State. There are, in addition, the usual country tracks. The only British post office is situated at the capital, but the Darbar has a local postal system of its own.
Famine is an exceptional occurrence. Distress is said to have pre- vailed in 1833-4, while in 1868-9 there was great scarcity of fodder and two-thirds of the cattle perished. The State suffered severely in 1899-1900, and it was not until the famine had well advanced that the Darbar made any practical effort to relieve the prevailing distress. Grain, fodder, and water were alike deficient. One- half of the cattle are said to have died, and, excluding cholera and small-pox, the death-rate among human beings was higher than it should have been. More than 3,000,000 units were relieved on works, and 754,000 in poorhouses ; the total direct expenditure by the Darbar exceeded 3-7 lakhs, while land revenue to the extent of 4 lakhs was remitted. In addition, a further sum of about i-8 lakhs, granted by the committee of the Indian Charitable Relief Fund, was spent in giving extra food to the people and providing them with bullocks, grain, &c.
Administration
The State is governed by the Maharao Raja, assisted by a council, which is divided into five departments under five working members. The twelve tahsils are each under a tahsilddr, and ... smaller subdivisions are wwatx patwaris and For the guidance of the various courts of justice the State has its own criminal and civil codes, based on Hindu law, the customs of the country, and the similar enactments of British India. The lowest court is that of the kohvdi, whose jurisdiction is confined to the capital ; this official disposes of petty civil suits not exceeding Rs. 25 in value, and on the criminal side can pass a sentence of one month's imprisonment or fine up to Rs. 11.
Next come the courts of the iahs'ildars, of the two kiladdrs or governors of the forts of Taragarh (at the capital) and Naenwa, and of an official known as the jdglr bakhshi, who disposes of petty cases occurring in the estates of the jdgirddrs. These courts have the same criminal powers as the kotivdl^ and decide civil suits not exceed- ing Rs. 200 in value. The superior civil and criminal courts, namely those of the Hdkiin d'nvdni and Hdkhn fanjddri, are located at the capital ; they hear appeals against the decisions of all the courts men- tioned above, and try cases beyond their powers. The civil court decides suits not exceeding Rs. 2,000 in value, while the criminal court can punish with imprisonment up to one year and fine up to Rs. 100.
The highest court is that of the council, the final appellate authority in the State ; it disposes of all cases beyond the powers of the two tribunals last mentioned, and when presided over by the Maharao Raja can pass sentence of death.
The normal revenue is nearly 6 lakhs, the chief sources being land (including tribute from Jdgifddrs), about 3-6 lakhs ; and customs, 1-8 lakhs. The ordinary expenditure is about 5-6 lakhs, the main items being: cost of establishment (civil a,nd judicial), 1-3 lakhs; army and police, 1-3 lakhs; tribute, 1-2 lakhs; and household expenditure (in- cluding the chief's privy purse), 1-2 lakhs. Owing principally to the famine of 1 899-1 900, the State owes about a lakh to the British Government, but has ample assets.
Bundi has had a silver coinage of its own since the time of Shah Alam II, and there have been various issues under different names. Up to 1 90 1 four kinds of rupees were current in the State: namely, the old rupee struck between 1759 and 1859 ; the Gydrah sana or rupee of the eleventh year of Akbar II ; the Ram shahi, struck between 1859 and 1886, and named after the late chief; and the Katdr shahi, first coined in 1886, and so called from the dagger (katdr) on its obverse. Of these coins, the Gydrah sana was always largely mixed with alloy, and was therefore used for charitable purposes, weddings, &c. ; but the other rupees were at one time or another of the same value as the British rupee. The Bundi rupees depreciated to such an extent that, in 1899-1900, 162 of them exchanged for 100 British rupees. In igoi the Darbar declared that in future the sole legal tender, besides British coin, would be the Chehra shahi, which it proceeded to coin and issue. This rupee is said to be of pure silver, and now exchanges for 13^ British annas.
The land revenue was formerly collected partly in cash and partly in kind, but since 1881 has been paid entirely in cash at rates then fixed by the Darbar. There are said to be 142 different rates for 'wet' and 99 for ' dry ' land ; they vary with the quality of the soil, the distance of the field from the village site, &c. The maximum and minimum rates per acre are : for 'wet' land Rs. 14-14-0 and Rs. 2-3-0, and for 'dry' land Rs. 8 and 2^ annas respectively, all in the local currency. In the khdisa area, comprising about two-thirds of the State, the cultivator, so long as he pays the demand regularly, is not disturbed in his possession. The bhtimids, now few in number, are always Rajputs ; they hold a few acres of land rent-free, and in return render miscellaneous services.
They receive small quantities of grain from the cultivators of their villages, and every third year pay from one-third to one-half of their income to the Darbar. The chauih-battas, so called from the rent payable by them having been fixed at one-fourth of the produce of their fields, are also Rajputs, and their number is comparatively large. They now hold their land at a reduced rate and perform the same duties as the bhTimids, but they receive no perquisites from their villages and are excused the tribute to the Darbar every third year. Lands are held on jdglr tenure by relations and connexions of the chief, by other Rajputs, and in some cases by officials in lieu of salary. Some of the jdgirddrs hold their lands rent-free, but the majority pay tribute ; all have to perform service when called on, both in person and with their con- tingents, but the number of the latter is dependent rather on the will of the chief than on any fixed rating. All jdglr estates are liable to be resumed for misconduct. KhairCit lands, or those granted to Brahmans or religious and charitable institutions, are held rent-free and cannot be alienated. If the holder has no male issue, the land is resumed.
The military force consists of 350 regulars (100 cavalry, 200 infantry, and 50 artillerymen) and 400 irregular infantry ; there are 48 service- able guns.
The police force consists of 722 men, all unmounted. Of these, 79 do duty at the capital and the remainder are distributed over 13 thdnas in the rest of the State. The Central jail has accommodation for 149 prisoners, and there are small lock-ups at the head-quarters of each tasil.
In respect of the literacy of its population Bimdi stands fifteenth among the twenty States and chiefships of Rajputana, with 2-5 per cent. (4-7 males and o-i females) able to read and write. Only two educa- tional institutions are maintained by the State : namely, a high school at the capita], and a small vernacular school at Naenwa, which are attended by 200 boys, of whom 60 study English. There are said to be about 12 indigenous schools under private management. The total State expenditure on education is about Rs. 3,000 a year.
There is but one hospital, at the capital ; it is maintained by the Darbarat a cost varying from Rs. 1,800 to Rs. 2,500 a year. Vaccination is nowhere compulsory, and is everywhere backward. A staff of two vaccinators is kept up, which in 1904-5 successfully vaccinated only 561 persons, or about 3 per 1,000 of the population, while the average number vaccinated in each of the previous five years was but 164. Rdjputa)ia Gazetteer, vol. i (1879, under revision).]
After 1947
2021: Brig Bhupesh Singh Hada chosen titular head
Jaipur: Indian soldier and mountaineer Brigadier Bhupesh Singh Hada is set to be adorned with the title of the “king” of the Hada Rajputs in Bundi, a former princely state in Rajasthan. The Hada Rajput community has chosen the gallant Army personnel as its 26th “king”. His crowning ceremony will be held at a temple in Bundi on Sunday.
Brigadier Hada was honoured with the Shaurya Chakra -- India’s third-highest peacetime gallantry -- for his role in anti-terrorist operations in the year 1999. He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal for his exceptional work at Siachen in 2019. Besides being a brave of the motherland, Brigadier Hada is a skilled mountaineer. For him, no height is too high. He holds the distinction of conquering Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, and Mt Lhotse. Furthermore, the braveheart has also served as a combat underwater diver and a paratrooper, according to a report published by The Times of India.
Ranjit Singh, the son and successor of Col Maharao Raja Bahadur Singh -- the last king of the Bundi Rajputs -- had passed away in January 2010. He had no children. After his demise, legal battles over ownership of royal properties broke out between his relatives. The inheritance issues kept the community without a “king” for nearly 12 years until its members decided to pick somebody from among themselves to ascend to the throne. Subsequently, a ‘Paag Committee’ was set up to choose a suitable successor. ‘Paag’ refers to a turban tied to the successor following the demise of the head.
“We invited nominations through a social campaign, saying the Bundi community’s ‘Paag’ must get a worthy head. After several meetings and deliberations, a couple of names were shortlisted, which included Shivendra Singh Kapren, and Brig Hada,” the TOI report quoted ‘Paag committee’ spokesperson Arihant Singh as saying.
On December 4, the committee announced its decision that it has chosen Brig Hada as the new king. But the committee’ made it clear that the new king would not make claims on properties of the former royal families of Bundi. The “king” is “titular and ceremonial” head of the community, Brig Hada said. The primary responsibility is to maintain unity in the community and make efforts for the preservation of the history and culture of the community by not letting the tradition die, he added.
