MAYURBHANJ (Princely State)

(9 gun salute)

  
AREA: 10,989 km2 PRIVY PURSE: 327,400R ACCESSION DATE: 1st January 1949
STATE: Orissa  DYNASTY: Bhanja  RELIGION: Hindu
     
PRESENT RULER: HH Maharaja Shri PRAVEEN CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (2000/-)( Belgaria Palace, Baripada, Mayurbhanj-757002, Orissa, India) 
born July 1959 in Calcutta, Member of the Executive Committee of Rajkumar College at Raipur, married 1984 in Jaisalmer, HH Maharani Rashmi Kumari of Jaisalmer, and has issue.
  • Maharajkumari Rajyashree Manjari Devi, 3rd September 1985 in Calcutta.
  • Maharajkumari Mrinalika Manjari Devi, born 1st December 1990 in Calcutta.
  • Maharajkumari Akshita Manjari Devi, born 1992 in Calcutta. 
PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Founded before 1700 (#2). Rulers were...
  • Raja SAVESHWARA BHANJ  1688/1711
  • Raja VIRAVIKRAMADITYA BHANJ 1711/1728
  • Raja RAGHUNATH BHANJ 1728/1750
  • Raja CHAKRADHAR BHANJ 1750/1761, second son of the Raja of Keonjhar, married and had issue
    • Raja DAMODAR BHANJ (qv)
  • Raja DAMODAR BHANJ 1761/1796 , married 1stly, Rani Sumitra Devi, married 2ndly, Rani Jamuna Devi,
    daughter of Raja ABHIRAM SINGH of Seraikella. He died spm.
  • Rani Sumitra Devi 1796/1810
  • Rani Jamuna Devi 1810/1813, daughter of Raja ABHIRAM SINGH of Seraikella, married (as his second wife), Raja DAMODAR BHANJ (see above), and had issue, two sons who died young.
  • Raja TRIBIKRAM BHANJ 1813/1822, son of Raja PRATAP BALBHADRA BHANJ of Keonjhar, married and had issue. He died 1822.
    • Maharaja JADUNATH BHANJ (qv)
  • Maharaja JADUNATH BHANJ 1822/1863, granted the title of Maharaja for personal use only, married and had issue. He died 1863.
    • Raja SHRINATH BHANJ (qv)
    • Rajkumar Sitanath Bhanj, married and had issue.
      • Maharaja KRISHNA CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (qv)
    • Rajkumar Dwarkanath Bhanj
  • Raja SHRINATH BHANJ 1863/1868, died 1868.
  • Maharaja KRISHNA CHANDRA BHANJ DEO 1868/1882, born 1848, Maharaja [cr.1877], married and had issue, 3 sons and 4 daughters. He died 29th May 1882.
    • HH Maharaja Shri SRIRAM CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (qv)
    • Raja SHYAM CHANDRA MARDRAJ HARICHANDAN, adopted by the Raja of Nilgiri in 1882.
    • Routrai Saheb Shridam Chandra Bhanj Deo, born circa 1879, married Routrai Saheba Ramesh Priya Devi, daughter of Kumar Devi Dutt Singh of Nuagarh in Seraikella (and great grand daughter of Raja Ajamber Singh of Seraikella), and had issue. He died 6th February 1946.
      • Lal Sahib Prafulla Chandra Bhanj Deo, born 23rd May 1909,  M.A. (Cantab.), F.R.A.I., F.R.A.S.; Member of the Rajya Sabha 1952/1959, married 1stly, 1927, Rani Prafulla Kumari Devi of Bastar, married 2ndly, 1938, Lal Saheba Tilottama Devi, born 1920, died 1998, and had issue, seven sons and four daughters. He died 5th March 1959.
        • Rajkumari Kamla Devi (by Rani Prafulla Kumari Devi), born 2nd February 1928, married in Bijwa U.P. She died 1st January 1954.
        • Maharaja PRAVIR CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (by Rani Prafulla Kumari Devi) (see Bastar)
        • Rani Saheba Geeta Kumari Devi (by Rani Prafulla Kumari Devi), born 29th October 1930, married Raja Saheb KADAMBA KESHRI CHANDRA DEO, Raja Saheb of Bonai, and has issue. She died 17th December 2002.
        • Raja VIJAY CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (by Rani Prafulla Kumari Devi) (see Bastar)
        • Kumar Meghnath Bhanj Deo (by Shrimati Tilottama Devi), married Kumari Saraswati Devi of Ratu (Chhota Nagpur), no issue.
        • Kumar Makardhwaj Bhanj Deo (by Shrimati Tilottama Devi), married married Kumari Sisirrangini Devi of Dugni, Dist. Seraikella-Kharswan, and has issue, three sons and three daughters.
          • Kumar Mahesh Bhanj Deo
          • Kumari Sangeeta Bhanj Deo
          • Kumari Sunita Bhanj Deo
          • Kumar Manoj Bhanj Deo
          • Kumar Mandeep Bhanj Deo
        • Kumari Sumitra Devi, married Barun Ganguly, and has issue, one daughter. 
          • Rima Sen, married Deb Sen, and has issue, one daughter and one son.
        • Kumar Manmath Bhanj Deo (+) (by Shrimati Tilottama Devi), married Kumari Prabhas Devi of Chemrudihi, Kharswan, and had issue, one son.
          • Kumar Mahendra Bhanj Deo
        • Kumar Minketu Bhanj Deo (by Shrimati Tilottama Devi), married Kumari Jaya Devi of Kolkata, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
          • Kumar Manjit Bhanj Deo
          • Kumari Rinku Devi
        • Kumar Madan Bhanj Deo (+) (by Shrimati Tilottama Devi), died unmarried.
        • Kumari Subhadra Devi (by Shrimati Tilottama Devi), married Maharajkumar Juga Bhanu Singh Deo, third son of Tikayat Nrupendra Narayan Singh Deo of Seraikella, and his wife, Tikayet Rani Kusum Manjari Devi, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
    • Daughter, married the Raja of Porahat.
  • HH Maharaja Shri SRIRAM CHANDRA BHANJ DEOHH Maharaja Shri SRIRAM CHANDRA BHANJ DEO 1882/1912, born 17th December 1871, succeeded 29th May 1882 (#1), Maharaja [cr.1910], installed 15th August 1892, he worked for allround development of the  Mayurbhanj state and implemented various welfare schemes designed to help the people. He was revered as a Philosopher king. Impressed with the noble qualities of Utkal Mani Gopabandhu Das he made him his advocate. Gopabandhu turned out to be friend, philosopher and guide for the ruler. He constituted the state council for administration in the state and brought about reforms in the sphere of language, health and administration. During his reign, scientific operation of iron mines was started for the first time. He commissioned a narrow gauge railway line from Rupsa to Baripada. He presided over the first meeting of Utkal Samilani on 3rd December 1933. He was a patriot and great patron of the  Oriya language and helped tremendously in setting up educational and medical institutions for the benefit of the people; married 1stly, 1896, HH Maharani Lakshmi Kumari Devi, born 25th August 1879, grand-daughter of Maharaja Hilmani Singh of Chhota-Nagpur, died 6th March 1902, married 2ndly, 1904 in Calcutta, HH Maharani Suchara Devi, daughter of Maharishi Keshub Chandra Sen, and had issue. He died 22nd February 1912.
    • Rajkumari Sripat Manjari Devi (by Maharani Lakshmi Kumari Devi), born 1897, died 9th April 1906.
    • HH Maharaja Shri PURNA CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (by Maharani Lakshmi Kumari Devi) (qv)
    • HH Maharaja Sir Shri PRATAP CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (by Maharani Lakshmi Kumari Devi) (qv)
    • Maharaj Kumar Dhrubendra Bhanj Deo (by Maharani Suchara Devi), an R.A.F. Pilot during WWII. He died in action on 2nd August 1942.
    • Maharaj Kumari Jyoti Manjari Devi (by Maharani Suchara Devi), married the Raja Saheb of Nandgaon.
  • HH Maharaja Shri PURNA CHANDRA BHANJ DEO 1912/1928, born 7th August 1899, married 27th January 1917, HH Maharani Takhat Kunwerba, daughter of Capt. HH Maharana Raj Sahib Shri Sir AMARSINHJI BANESINHJI of Wankaner. He died sp 21st April 1928.
  • HH Maharaja Sir Shri PRATAP CHANDRA BHANJ DEO 1928/1968, born 18th February 1901, educated at Rajkumar College, Ajmer and Muir Central College, Allahabad; G.C.I.E. [cr.1946] , K.C.I.E. [cr.1935],  Flight Lt. RAF, first Pro-Chancellor of Uktal University, Member of the Standing Committee of the Chamber of Princes, First President of the Council of Rulers of the Eastern States, Member of the International Committee for Bird Preservation in London, Member of the Royal Society for Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturing and Commerce in London, Member of the Bombay National Historical Society, Member of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, married 25th November 1925, HH Maharani Prema Kumari Devi of Shahpura, and had issue. He died 1968.
    • HH Maharaja Shri PRADEEP CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (qv)
    • Maharaj Swaroop Chandra Bhanj Deo, educated Mayo College, Ajmer, Rajkumar College, Raipur, Massachussets Institute of Technology and CalTech, USA; married Rani Asha Bhanjdeo, daughter of Dr. Bhatnagar, who was Research Director (India), Ciba-Geigy. He died 21st March 1991.
    • Maharani Pratibha Manjari Devi, born 1935, married 22nd May 1955, Maharaja Bahadur PRATAP SINGH of Gidhaur and has issue.
  • HH Maharaja Shri PRADEEP CHANDRA BHANJ DEO 1968/2000, born 12th December 1929 in Calcutta, married 8th February 1951 in Calcutta, HH Maharani Bharati Rajya Lakshmi Devi, daughter of HM King Tribhuvan of Nepal, born 17th February 1928 in Kathmandu, and had issue. He died 15th September 2000.
    • HH Maharaja Shri PRAVEEN CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (qv)
    • Maharaj Kumari Prabha Manjari Devi, born 21st December 1952 in Calcutta, died 11th June 1990 in London.
    • Maharajkumari Padma Manjari Devi [HH Maharani Padma Manjari Devi of Kalahandi], born October 1953 in Calcutta, married HH Maharaja Shri UDAI PRATAP DEO of Kalahandi, and has issue.
    • Maharaj Kumari Sneha Manjari Devi, born 2nd May 1955 in Calcutta, married 7th May 1981 in Kathmandu, Shri Sarad Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal.
  • HH Maharaja Shri PRAVEEN CHANDRA BHANJ DEO (see above)
OTHER MEMBERS:
  • Babu Brindabhan Chandra Bhanj Deo, Chotra Sahib of Mayurbhanj, paternal uncle of HH Maharaja Shri SRIRAM CHANDRA BHANJ DEO, married and had issue.
    • Daughter1, married 1894, Raja Sahib Mehrban-i-Dostan Sri HARIHARA Marda Raja Deo Bahadur of Khallikote and Atagada.
    • Daughter2, married 1895, Raja Sahib Mehrban-i-Dostan Sri HARIHARA Marda Raja Deo Bahadur of Khallikote and Atagada.
 
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LAST MODIFIED:  
1. "The Golden Book of India"; LETHBRIDGE, Roper, MacMillan & Co., 1893 p.322
2. S. N. Sarkar in "Maharaja Sri Ram Chandra Bhanj Deo" gives the following as the origin of the satate, Jai Singh, a relative of the ruler of Jaipur, came to Puri with his two sons, defeating the local chief named Mayurdhwaja, and  was succedeed in Mayurbhanj by his elder son, and in Keonjhar by his younger son. This occurred  in 618AD.