15 | Tehri-Garhwal, Banaras and Rampur States

Made with NotebookLM

Also Listen in Kannada | Hindi | Marathi

The region known as United Province had three major princely states – Tehri-Garhwal, Rampur and Banaras. Tehri-Garhwal was a hill state, territorially contiguous to both Himachal Pradesh and the United Provinces. Founded in 688 A.D., its ruling family claimed a long lineage. At the time of merger, it had an area of 4,500 square miles and a population of nearly four hundred thousand. Rampur was a prominent representative of what was once the Rohilla power. By the time of integration, it had an area of nearly 900 square miles and a population of about half a million, known for its enlightened administration and significant industrial progress. Banaras was an ancient principality. It was absorbed by the British and formally constituted as a state only in 1911. It covered an area of 875 square miles with a population of nearly four hundred thousand (Memoranda on the Indian States, 1935; Menon, 1956).

Following the Partition of India, the Nawab of Rampur, Sir Saiyid Raza Ali Khan Bahadur, faced considerable pressure not to accede to the Indian Union. Additionally, there was a need to foster confidence among the state's Muslim minority. The Nawab demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the Government of India and was the first important Muslim ruler to openly accept accession. To address the minority's concerns and ensure a smooth transition, the Nawab himself proposed that the state be temporarily administered as a Chief Commissioner's province, which was accepted. Additionally, Rampur's notable Oriental Library, with its rare manuscripts and Mughal miniature paintings, was handed over to the Government of India to be managed by a Trust (Menon, 1956).

In 1948, Tehri-Garhwal experienced agitation for responsible government, leading the ruler to establish a popular ministry. Although this proved to be an utter failure. This administrative instability highlighted the challenges of governance in smaller states. V.P. Menon invited the Maharajah and his ministers to Delhi for discussions. The Maharajah subsequently signed the merger agreement, leading to the state's administration being taken over by the Government of the United Provinces (Menon, 1956).

For Banaras, the integration process involved "several long and tedious discussions" with the Maharajah, particularly regarding his unique position and the state's religious significance, as the ruler was an adopted heir. The Maharajah ultimately agreed to the merger, with specific safeguards provided to preserve his position in respect of religious ceremonies connected with Kashi, acknowledging his unique cultural role (Menon, 1956).

The merger agreements for states like Rampur, Banaras, and Tehri-Garhwal generally followed a standard model, similar to those used for the Orissa and Chhattisgarh States. The privy purse amounts fixed for each state were as follows:

The Nawab of Rampur was the first to sign the merger agreement on May 15, 1948, followed by Maharajah of Tehri-Garhwal signing on May 18 and Maharajah of Banaras on September 5, 1948. Rampur was administered by the central government for a transitional period of six months before its merger with Uttar Pradesh on December 1, 1949 (White Paper, 1950).

References:

• Memoranda on the Indian States. (1935). Manager of Publications.

  
  

• Menon, V. P. (1956). The Story of Integration of the Indian states. Orient Blackswan.

  
  

• Ministry of States. (1950). White Paper on Indian States. Government of India. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/White_Paper_on_Indian_States_(1950)