ratlam

RATLAM

BRIEF HISTORY

The state was founded in 1652 by a great grandson of Raja Udai Singh of Jodhpur, namely Raja Rattan Singhji, son of Mahesh Das of Jhalor. The latter, father and son, had performed important military services for the Emperor Shah Jahan. In reward for their services and in recognition of their great deeds of valour, large territories in the south-western districts of Rajputana were conferred on them. The state also served an ulterior political purpose; it acted as a buffer against the Emperor's ambitious sons, Murad and Aurangzeb, Viceroys of the Deccan and Gujarat, respectively. The state acceded to the Dominion of India in 1947.

SALUTE:
15-guns (1921).

ARMS:
Or semé of poppy heads; Hanuman statant armed with a mace and katar proper; a chief paly of five tenne, argent, gules, or, and vert. Helmet: Argent. Crest: A dexter hand holding a katar imbrued proper. Supporters: Falcons proper. Motto: "Ratanasya Sahasam Tadvansh Ratnam" (Ratan's valour is the glory of his race) sable on a riband argent. Lambrequins: Tenne and argent.

FLAG:
A rectangular horizontal bicolour of equal bands of dark green and yellow (top to bottom).

STYLES AND TITLES:
The ruling prince: Maharaja Shrimant (personal name) Singhji Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Ratlam, with the style of His Highness.
The consort of the ruling prince:
The Heir Apparent:
The younger sons of the ruling prince: Maharajkumar Shrimant (personal name) Singh.
The daughters of the ruling prince: Shrimant Maharajkumari Bapu Lalji (personal name) Kunverba Sahiba.

ORDERS & DECORATIONS:
None known.

RULES OF SUCCESSION:
Male primogeniture, with the right of adoption by the recognised head of the family, on the failure of natural heirs.

SOURCES:
Administration Report of the Ratlam State. 1938, 1940-1945. IOR/V/10, Oriental & India Office Collection, British Library, St Pancras, London.
C.U. Aitchison. A Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Sanads Relating to India and Neighbouring Countries. Vols. IV and V Containing The Treaties, &c., Relating to the Central India Agency. Part I-Central India and the Mediatized Chiefs & Part II-Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand. Revised and continued up to the 1st June 1906 By the Authority of the Foreign Department. Superintendent Government Printing, India. Calcutta, 1909.
Amarnath. Brief History of Ratlam.
S.K. Bhatt and P.K. Sethi. Ratlam State Coinage. Academy of Indian Numismatics and Sigillography, Indore, 1980.
Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage. Burke's Peerage Ltd, London, 1900-1959.
Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage. Odhams Press Ltd, London, 1900-1959.
Captain C.E. Luard, MA, IA (compiler). Western States (Malwa) Gazetteer, Volume V. The Central India State Gazetteer Series, Byculla, Bombay, 1908.
Major C. Eckford Luard, IA, MA (compiler). Chiefs and Leading Families in Central India. Government of India, Calcutta, 1916.
Rulers, Leading Families and Officials in the States of Central India, Fifth Edition. Manager of Publications, Delhi, 1935.
Thacker's Indian Directory, Thacker's Press & Directories, Ltd., Calcutta 1863-1956.
A. Vadivelu, The Ruling Chiefs, Nobles & Zamindars of India. G.C. Loganadham Bros., Madras, 1915.
D.F. Vakil. An account of the Viceregal visit to Ratlam August 1928 and of the festivities in connection with the birth of the heir-apparent of Ratlam, November 1927. The Times of India Press, Bombay, 1928.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Father Lawrence Ober, SJ.

RATLAM 2

RATLAM 3

RATLAM 4

MAIN

I would be grateful to hear from anyone who may have changes, corrections or additions to contribute. If you do, please be kind enough to send me an e-mail using the contact details at: Copyright© Christopher Buyers Copyright© Christopher Buyers

CONTACT