27 | Sirohi State

Sirohi’s ruling family claimed descent from Prithviraj Chauhan, who built Sirohi as his capital in 1425. Sirohi was an integral part of the Rajputana Agency, consisting of 19 independent states, one chiefship, and one estate, which formed a solid block of territory with the exception of the British Indian territory of Ajmer-Merwara. Sirohi entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British in 1823. In 1845, its ruler ceded lands on Mount Abu to the British for a sanatorium under certain conditions, and these approximately six square miles were permanently leased to the British Government in October 1917 (Menon, 1961).

The state was in direct political relations with the Agent to the Governor General in Rajputana. By 1940, Praja Mandals, or popular political organizations, had formed in Sirohi, advocating for structural change.

In the latter half of November 1947, a proposal was made to Sardar Patel to transfer some states from the Rajputana Agency, including Sirohi, to the Western India and Gujarat States Agency due to a presumed Gujarati-speaking majority. This transfer was carried out on 1 February 1948. On 19 March 1948, other Gujarat states agreed to merge with the Bombay Province, but Sirohi was excluded from these discussions. The reasons for this exclusion were that Sirohi's ruler was a minor and a dispute about the succession was ongoing (Menon, 1956).

As all other states in the Western India and Gujarat States Agency merged with Bombay, Sirohi could not remain isolated. Gokulbhai Bhatt, an adviser to the Dowager Maharani and President of the Rajasthan Provincial Congress Committee, suggested that Sirohi be taken over as a centrally administered area temporarily. This arrangement was enacted via an agreement signed by the Maharani Regent Krishna Kunwar Ba on 8 November 1948. Subsequently, on 5 January 1949, the state's administration was handed over to the Government of Bombay to manage on behalf of the Government of India (Menon, 1956; White Paper on Indian States, 1950).

A significant dispute arose regarding Sirohi's final destination. Gujaratis advocated for the entire state to merge with Bombay, citing Mount Abu's traditional and historical ties to Gujarati culture, including the renowned Jain temples of Dilawara, and the ruling family's connections to Kathiawar and Kutch. Rajasthan leaders, conversely, argued that Sirohi had long been part of Rajputana, that the majority of its population was not Gujarati-speaking, and that many Rajput rulers had summer residences in Mount Abu (Menon, 1956; White Paper on Indian States, 1950).

This controversy led to agitation in the press and Parliament. V.P. Menon, after studying the situation on the ground, concluded that merging the entire state with Bombay would not be appropriate. Sardar Patel suggested a division of the state as the most viable solution. This proposal was accepted by Gokulbhai Bhatt and other Sirohi leaders, albeit reluctantly. The final decision was that the Abu Road and Dilawara tehsils of Sirohi would merge with Bombay, while the rest of the state would integrate with Rajasthan. This was formalized by an order under Section 290-A of the Government of India Act of 1935. Sirohi stands out as the only princely state that was divided under these new arrangements (Menon, 1956).

The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) later reaffirmed Rajasthan's claim to the Abu Road taluk, recommending its transfer to Rajasthan. The modern state of Rajasthan was finally formed on 1 November 1956, by merging United Rajasthan and Ajmer, and this included the Abu Road taluka and Sunel Tappa (States Reorganization Committee, 1955).

References:

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

  
  

• States Reorganization Committee. (1955). Report of the States Reorganization Committee (p. 273). Government of India.

  
  

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