PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY:
Predecessor state founded about 1450, the modern state of
Panna was founded in 1731, becoming the capital of
Maharaja Chhatar Sal. Champat Rai, a descendant of Raja
Rudra Pratap of Orchha, rebelled against the Mughals,
later his fourth son, Maharaja Chhatar Sal, became the
most prominent Bundela leader, as well as being a good
administrator and a brave warrior, who led a revolt in
1671 against the Mughal Empire and soon captured Naugaon
in present-day Chhatarpur District. In 1680 he conquered
Mahoba, and went on to control much of Bundelkhand, ruling
from Panna. He formed an alliance with the Maratha Peshwa
Baji Rao I, who was challenging the Mughals for control of
central India, and in 1729, Baji Rao sent a Maratha army
to aid Chhatar Sal against the Marathas. Upon his death in
1731, his kingdom was divided amongst his sons, with
one-third (including Mahoba, Banda, and Jhansi) going to
his ally, the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I. The portion
containing Panna went to Harde Sah, the eldest son of
Chhatar Sal, other descendants ruled the states of Panna,
Ajaigarh (founded 1765), Charkhari (founded 1765),
Chhatarpur (went to the Ponwar Rajputs in 1785), and Jaso.
In the early 19th century, Panna became a princely state
of British India, and gained control of the states of
Sohawal and Nagod. Raja Nirpat Singh assisted the British
in the Revolt of 1857, and the British rewarded him with
the title of Maharaja. Maharaja Mahendra Yadvendra Singh
acceded to the Government of India on 1st January 1950,
and the former Princely State became Panna District of the
new Indian state of Vindhya Pradesh. Vindhya Pradesh was
merged into Madhya Pradesh on 1st November 1950. Rulers
were...
- Raja HARDE SAH, 1st Raja of Panna 1731/1739,
eldest son of Maharaja Chhatarsal, received Panna from
his father, valued at Rs39 lakhs annually in 1731, he
sacked the Rewah Kingdom in about 1731, causing Raja
Avadhoot Singh to flee to Pratapgarh in Oudh, married
and had issue. He died 1739.
- Raja Sabha Singh (qv)
- Rajkumar Prithvi Singh, claimed the succession
after his father's death, and with the help of the
Marathas managed to take control of the Shahgarh
area of Panna state, becoming its first Raja around
1744, married and had issue.
- Raja Hari Singh
- Raja Kishen Singh, married and had issue.
- Raja Mardan Singh, Raja of Garhakotah fl.1810,
married and had issue. He died about 1810.
- Raja Arjun Singh of Shahgarh, died 1842.
- Thakur Jawahar Singh, married and had issue.
- Raja Bakht Bali Singh, Raja of Shahgarh,
he joined the Mutiny in 1857, but later gave
himself up and was imprisoned. He died after
1869.
- Kunwar Khet Singh
- Kunwar Narayan Singh
- Kunwar Amar Singh
- Kunwar Medni Mal
- Raja Salam Singh, Raja of Loogasi.
- Kunwar Shankar Singh
- Kunwar Samar Singh
- Kunwar Gandarp Singh
- Kunwar Anup Singh
- Raja SABHA SINGH, 2nd Raja of Panna
1739/1752, married and had issue. He died 1752.
- Raja Aman Singh (qv)
- Raja Hindupat Singh (qv)
- Kunwar Khet Singh
- Raja AMAN SINGH, 3rd Raja of Panna 1752/1758,
constructed a palace at Fort Kalinjer, donated Alipura
pargana to Rao Mukund Singh, a sardar of Panna, killed
in 1758, murdered by his brother.
- Raja HINDUPAT SINGH, 4th Raja of Panna
1758/1778, constructed Jugal Kishore Temple at Panna,
he granted territory of Maihar to his Minister Beni
Hujoori [Hazuri] in 1778, married and had issue. He
died 1778.
- Raja Anirudh Singh (qv)
- Raja Dhokal Singh (qv)
- Thakur Sarnat Singh, married and had issue.
- Thakur Harai or Hira Singh, married and had
issue.
- Raja ANIRUDH SINGH , 5th Raja of Panna
1778/1779, succeeded his father after an older brother
was overlooked in the succession, being a minor, the
state was managed by Beni Hazuri and Khemraj Chaube, a
Brahmin, and Sonesah Ponwar, who as a result of their
jealousy and suspicions of each other, caused the
state to fall into civil war which was intensified by
the death of the Raja, and the rivalry of numerous
claimants. During this period the area of Panna State
was much reduced as these three carved out for
themselves Maihar, Paldeo and Chhatarpur respectively,
as free states. Ultimately Dhokal Singh, brother of
Raja Anirudh Singh was able to establish himself on
the gaddi.
He died 1779.
INTERREGNUM 1779/1785
- Raja DHOKAL SINGH, 6th Raja of Panna
1785/1798, married and had issue.
- Raja KISHOR SINGH, 7th Raja of Panna
1798/1834 (1840), confirmed in his possessions by sanads
granted in 1807 and 1811, constructed Jaggananth ji
temple at Panna, was awarded control of Sohawal state
and Nagod state by the British authorities, married
and had issue.
- Raja Harbans Singh Ju Deo Bahadur [Harbans Rai]
(qv)
- Maharaja Mahendra Nirpat Singh Ju Deo Bahadur (qv)
- Raja Devi Prasad Singh Ju Deo
- Raja HARBANS SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur, 8th Raja
of Panna 1834/1849.
- Maharaja Mahendra NIRPAT SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur,
9th Maharaja of Panna 1849/1870, assisted the British
during the mutiny, by holding the forst of Kalinjar
and clearing Damoh District of rebels, for which he
was rewarded with a khilat worth 20,000Rs, and
the Samaria pargana, and in 1869 was granted
the title of Maharaja as a personal distinction. In
1862 a sanad of adoption was granted him, and
in 1863 he ceded the land required for the East Indian
Railway, constructed Lokpal Sagar (Tank) near Panna,
developed the commercial area in Panna known as Bada
Bajar, constructed the Ram Janki temple at Panna,
married and had issue. He died 1870.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra Sir Rudra Pratap Singh Ju Deo
Bahadur (qv)
- HH Maharaja Mahendra Lokpal Singh Ju Deo Bahadur
(qv)
- Kunwar Lakshman Singh Ju Deo, adopted by Rao
Bhopal Singh of Jigni and succeeded there as Rao
Lakshman Singh II Bahadur of Jigni.
- Rao Raja Khuman Singh Ju Deo, married a sister of
Diwan Shobha Singh, and had issue. He was murdered
in June 1901 (1902?).
- Capt. HH Maharaja Mahendra Sir Yadvendra Singh
Ju Deo Bahadur (qv)
- Majhle Raja Raghvendra Singh Ju Deo, born 1896,
Revenue Minister.
- Nanay Raja Bharatendra Singh Ju Deo, born 1898,
Home Minister.
- HH Maharani Padmini Kunverba Sahiba, married
18th June 1917, Lt.-Col. HH Maharana Shri Sir
Vijaysinhji Chhatrasinhji Sahib, Maharaja of Rajpipla, and had
issue.
- Maharajkumari (name
unknown) Kumari, married Diwan Shriman
Kunwar Shoba Singh, and had issue.
- Rani Nawal Kunwar, married (as his 1st
wife), Rao Bir Singh Ju Deo, Rao of Bihat, and had
issue, one daughter.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra Sir RUDRA PRATAP SINGH Ju
Deo Bahadur, 10th Maharaja of Panna 1870/1893,
born 10th July 1848, succeeded 9th June 1870 (#1), K.C.S.I. [cr.1876],
granted the title of Maharaja, which was made
hereditary, and received an addition of 2 guns to his
salute as a personal honour in 1877, one of the best
rulers of Panna, he constructed Baldeoji Temple and
Govindji Temple, constructed many roads and cavelets
and a bridge over the river in Panna, also constructed
the Ajaigarh ghat; married a sister of Diwan Jangjit
Singh. He died sp.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra LOKPAL SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur,
11th Maharaja of Panna 1893/1898, married (amongst
others), HH Maharani Sujan Kanwar, she died after
1934, and had issue. He died 9th March 1898.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra Madho Singh Ju Deo Bahadur
(qv)
- Maharajkumari (name
unknown) Kumari, married (as his 2nd wife),
Rao Raghuraj Singh, 7th Rao Saheb of Beri.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra MADHO SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur,
12th Maharaja of Panna 1898/1902 (deposed),
constructed the Mahendra Bhavan Palace in Panna,
deposed for complicity in the murder of his uncle, Rao
Raja Khuman Singh, married and had issue. He died
after 1925 (#2).
-
 Col. HH Maharaja Mahendra Sir
YADVENDRA SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur K.C.S.I.,
K.C.I.E., 13th Maharaja of Panna 1902/1963, born 31st
January 1893, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer and with
the Imperial Cadet Corps, Dehra Dun from 1913; he
succeeded to the gadi on 20th June 1902 and was
invested with full ruling powers on 4th February 1915,
appointed UpRaj Pramukh of Vindhya Pradesh after the
merger of his state into the Indian Republic; he was
made a K.C.I.E. on 1st January 1922 and a K.C.S.I. on
1st January 1932, he was well-known sportsman and polo
player in his day; married 1stly, on 2nd December 1912
in Bhavnagar, HH Maharani Shri Manhar Kunverba, died
1927, daughter of HH Maharaja Raol Shri Bhavsinhji II
Takhatsinhji of Bhavnagar,
and his first wife, HH Maharani Dev Kunverba Sahiba,
she had issue, two sons and six daughters, married
2ndly, 1928, HH Maharani Shri Gopal Kumari, daughter
of Thakur Saheb Sawai Singhji, Raja Saheb of Isarda, and his wife,
Thakurani Sugan Kunwar, she had issue, two daughters,
and had issue, two sons and eight daughtesr. He died
4th August 1963.
- HH Maharani Kanchan Prabha Devi (by HH Maharani
Shri Manhar Kunverba), born 28th May 1914, the
eldest daughter, married 28th May 1931 in Panna,
Capt. HH Bisam-Samar-Bijayi Mahamahodya
Pancha-Srijukta Maharaja Manikya Sir Bir Bikram
Kishore Dev Varman Bahadur of Tripura.
- Maj. HH Maharaja Mahendra Narendra Singh Ju Deo
Bahadur (by HH Maharani Shri Manhar Kunverba) (qv)
- Maj. Maharaj Pushpendra Singh (by HH Maharani Shri
Manhar Kunverba), born 25th October 1916 in Panna,
educated at Mayo College, Ajmer (Class-Captain
1935/36) and at Daly College, Indore.
- Maharajkumari Indira Kumari (by HH Maharani Shri
Manhar Kunverba), born 10th March 1918, died
unmarried 16th June 2006 at Rajmandir Palace, Panna.
- Maharajkumari Pushpa Kumari Devi (by HH Maharani
Shri Manhar Kunverba), born 1920, married 11th
February 1940, Maharaj Kumar Nagendra Singh of Dungarpur. She died
11th August 1996.
- Maharajkumari Sarla Kumari (by HH Maharani Shri
Manhar Kunverba)
- Maharajkumari Kamla Kumari (by HH Maharani Shri
Manhar Kunverba)
- Maharajkumari Chandra Kumari (by HH Maharani Shri
Gopal Kumari), born 30th January 1929.
- Maharajkumari Nirmala Devi (by HH Maharani Shri
Gopal Kumari), born 1931, married 30th November
1951, Rana Ramchandra Pal Singh of Bhajji, and had issue.
She died 2002.
- Maj. HH Maharaja Mahendra NARENDRA SINGH Ju Deo
Bahadur, 14th Maharaja of Panna 1963/-, born
29th May 1915, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer and at
Daly College, Indore; Vice-President of the State
Council; Member of the Legislative Assembly of Madhya
Pradesh in 1957, 1962 and 1967; Member of Parliament
(Lok Sabha) in 1971 from Satna; Member of Parliament
(Lok Sabha) in 1977, from Damoh; Social worker and
founder of many educational institutions in Panna;
married 24th February 1937 at Kathmandu in Nepal, HH
Maharani Durga Rajya Laxmi Devi, daughter of Lt.-Gen.
Maharajkumar Shingha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana of
Lambjang and Kaski in Nepal,
and had issue.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra Manvendra Singh Ju Deo
Bahadur (qv)
- Maharaj Lokendra Singh, born 1945, Member of the
Legislative Assembly (Madhya Pradesh) in 1977 and
1993, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) in 1989,
married Rani Nishi Kumari [née Baisa Indira Kumari],
daughter of Major Apji Abhay Singh of Palaitha, and his wife,
Rani Chand Kumari, and has issue, two daughters.
- Rajkumari Kamaksha Kumari Devi, married Rajkumar
Preetendra Singh of Nagod.
- Rajkumari Sulakshana Kumari [Yuvrani Sahib
Sulakshana Kumari of Bhinga], married (as his
first wife), 22nd January 1995, Yuvaraj Rudramani
Kant Singh of Bhinga.
She died sp
on 29th July 1998.
- Maharajkumari Kumkum Kumari, married Yuvaraj
Balwant Singh of Chhatarpur,
died 1990, and has issue, one son.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra MANVENDRA SINGH Ju Deo
Bahadur, 15th Maharaja of Panna -/2009, born
26th June 1939 in Mussoorie, educated at Mayo College,
Ajmer; married 23rd May 1967 in Bhavnagar, HH Maharani
Dilhar Kunverba, fourth daughter of HH Maharaja
Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavsinhji of Bhavnagar, and his
wife, HH Maharani Vijayba Sahiba, and had issue, one
son and one daughter. He died 8th October 2009.
- Yuvaraj Raghvendra Singh (succeeded as HH Maharaja
Mahendra Ragvendra Singh Ju Deo Bahadur) (qv)
- Maharajkumari Krishna Kumari, born 13th June 1972
in Bombay, married 4th February 1995 in Panna (div.
May 2004), Kunwar Purujit Singh, born 10th July
1970, son of Rajkumar Tara Singh of Koti.
- HH Maharaja Mahendra RAGHVENDRA SINGH Ju Deo
Bahadur (see above)
OTHER MEMBERS:
- Capt. Kunwar Hira Singhji, born in November 1891, son of Rao Sahib Trilok Singhji, maternal
uncle to the Maharaja of Panna (in 1938); he was made a Single Tazimi
Sardar of Jammu and Kashmir State in 1932; awarded the King's Silver Jubilee
Medal in 1935.
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