KEONJHAR (Princely State)

 
AREA:  8,019 km2 PRIVY PURSE:  111,500R  ACCESSION:  1st January 1948
STATE:  Orissa  DYNASTY:  Kachhawa (Bhanja) RELIGION:  Hindu
  POPULATION: 215,612 (1892)   
     
PRESENT RULER: Raja Shri ANANT NARAYAN BHANJA Deo
married and has issue.
  • Rajkumar Dhananjay Narayan Bhanja Deo
  • Rajkumar Janmejay Narayan Bhanja Deo
 
PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY:   Founded sometime in the first half of the 12th century, the founder being Jati Singh (Jyoti Bhanj), brother of Adi Singh (Adi Bhanj, founder of the state of Mayurbhanj) (#2). Rulers were..
    Raja GOVIND BHANJ fl.1480
    ......

  1. Raja JAGANNATH BHANJ 1688/1700

  2. Raja RAGHUNATH BHANJ 1700/1719

  3. Raja GOPINATH BHANJ 1719/1736

  4. Raja NARSINGH NARAYAN BHANJ 1736/1757, married and had issue.
    • Raja DANESHWAR NARAYAN BHANJ (qv)
    • [?Raja CHAKRADHAR BHANJ, adopted by Raja RAGHUNATH BHANJ of Mayurbhanj]

  5. Raja DANESHWAR NARAYAN BHANJ 1757/1758

  6. Raja JAGATESHWAR NARAYAN BHANJ 1758/1762

  7. Raja PRATAP BALBHADRA BHANJ 1764/1792 or 1762/1797, married and had issue.
    • Raja JANARDAN BHANJ (qv)
    • Raja TRIBIKRAM BHANJ, adopted by the Raja of Mayurbhanj.

  8. Raja JANARDAN BHANJ 1794/1825 or 1797/1832

  9. Raja GADADHAR NARAYAN BHANJ Deo 1825/1861 or 1832/1861, married (a), Senior Rani Bishnupriya, married (b), a daughter of Kunwar AJAMBAR SINGH of Seraikella, and had adoptive issue, as well as natural issue. He died spl March 1861.
    • (A) Kumar Brundaban Bhanj Deo, adopted by Rani Bishnupriya, as the intended successor, but he  was not recognized as such by the British Authorities.

  10. Maharaja DHANURJAI NARAYAN BHANJ Deo 1861/1905, born 27th July 1849, succeeded 4th September 1861 (#1), married and had issue.
    • Raja GOPINATH NARAYAN BHANJ Deo (qv)

  11. Raja GOPINATH NARAYAN BHANJ Deo 1905/1926, born 3rd February 1883, succeeded 27th October 1905, married and had issue. He died 12th August 1926.
    • Raja Shri BALBHADRA NARAYAN BHANJ Deo (qv)
    • Chotrai Saheb Shri Laxmi Narayan Bhanj Deo M.A., born 25th July 1912, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; M.L.A. (Orissa) 1946/1957 (two terms); Member of the Lok Sabha; Development Commissioner, Keonjhar; Revenue Minister, Keonjhar (xx.8.1945) - (xx.6.1947); Chief Minister, Keonjhar in 1947 (June to December); Nominated Member, Orissa Legislative Assembly 19491952; Member, Orissa State Red Cross Society; Member, Nrutya Natyakala Parishad, Orissa; Member of Senate, Utkal University since its inception till February 1948; an Elected Fellow from Registered Graduates Constituency till 1952; Fellow, Royal Economic Society and Royal Society of Arts, London; Member, South Club, Calcutta; National Sports Club, New Delhi; and Gymkhana Club, New Delhi; interests were Shikar and Photography, Motoring and Travel; married A. Sau. Preemlatika Raje, and had issue, one son and three daughters. He died 9th July 1986.
      • Raja Shri ANANT NARAYAN BHANJA Deo (qv)
    • Rajkumari (name unknown), married (as his first wife), Raja KISHOR CHANDRA DEO SAMANT of Athmalik.

  12. Raja Shri BALBHADRA NARAYAN BHANJ Deo 1926/- , born 26th December 1905 and succeeded 12th August 1926, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; married Rani Manoj Manjari Devi, daughter of Raja SRIRAM CHANDRA SINGH Deo of Kharsawan, and his wife, Rani Giriraj Devi, and had issue, one son and one daughter.
    • Raja Shri NRUSINGH NARAYAN BHANJ Deo (qv)
    • Rani Swarna Prabha Manjari Devi, married Raja PRASANNA CHANDRA DEO, Raja Saheb of Jarada, second son of Raja HRUDAYA CHANDRA Dev Birabar Harichandan Mahapatra of Talcher, and had issue, three daughters and two sons. She died 2005.

  13. Raja Shri NRUSINGH NARAYAN BHANJ Deo fl.1970, married (div.), to a princess of Rajkot, no issue.

  14. Raja Shri ANANT NARAYAN BHANJA Deo (see above)
OTHER MEMBERS:
  • Routray Saheb Basudev Bhanj Deo, married and had issue.
    • Kumar Janardan Bhanj Deo, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur (Undergraduate); entered politics after the merger of the Princely States into the Republic of India; M.L.A. (Orissa) 1952/1965 (three terms); interests were Reading, Sports, Shooting and Horse riding; married Kumari Sarada Sundari Devi, and had issue, one son and two daughters. He died 1st May 1965.

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LAST MODIFIED:  
1. "The Golden Book of India"; LETHBRIDGE, Roper, MacMillan & Co., 1893 , p.242
2. S. N. Sarkar in "Maharaja Sri Ram Chandra Bhanj Deo" gives the following as the origin of the state, Jai Singh, a relative of the ruler of Jaipur, came to Puri with his two sons, defeating the local chief named Mayurdhwaja, and  was succeeded in Mayurbhanj by his elder son, and in Keonjhar by his younger son. This occurred  in 618AD.