MarioStpierre: stub

2025-11-13T21:40:55Z

stub

New page

{{Short description|Maharawal of Dungarpur from 1844 to 1898}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}{{Use Indian English|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Maharawal Sir Udai Singh II
| title = Maharawal of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]]
| succession = Maharawal of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]]
| reign = 1844 –1898
| coronation = 28 September 1847
| predecessor = [[Jaswant Singh II of Dungarpur|Jaswant Singh II]]
| regent = {{plainlist|
* [[Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh|Dalpat Singh]] (1844 – 1852)
* Safdar Hussain (1852 –1857)
}}
| successor = [[Bijai Singh]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1839|05|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Sabli]], [[Dungarpur State|Dungarpur]], [[Rajputana]], [[British Raj]]
| death_date = 13 February 1898
| death_place = [[Dungarpur State|Dungarpur]], [[Rajputana]], [[British Raj]]
| spouse = *HH Maharaniji Sa Devadiji (Chauhanji) Umaid Kanwarji of [[Sirohi State]]
*HH Maharaniji Sa Chauhanji Shiv Kanwarji of [[Motagaon]] in [[Banswara State]]
| issue = *Yuvraj Khuman Singh
*Baiji Lal Shringar Kanwarji m.to HH Maharawal Sir [[Bairi Sal]] of [[Jaisalmer State]]
| house = {{flagicon image|Flag_of_Dungarp.svg}} [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]]
| father = {{plainlist|
* [[Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh|Dalpat Singh]] (adoptive)
* Rajvi Jaswant Singh of Sabli in [[Dungarpur]] (biological)
}}
| investiture = 1857
| dynasty = [[Guhilot]]
}}
'''HH Rai-Raian Mahi-Mahendra Shri Ravi Kul Bhushan Maharawal Sir Udai Singh II''' was the [[Ahar, Rajasthan|Ahar]] [[Guhilot]] ruler of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur State]] from the year 1844 to 1898.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5OY2AQAAMAAJ |title=Rajputana Gazetteers: Mewar Residency |date=1908 |publisher=Scottish Mission Industries |pages=32 |language=en}}</ref>

== Birth ==
He was born on 22 May 1839 to Maharaj Jaswant Singh of [[Sabli]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sir Roper Lethbridge |first=K. c i e |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150766 |title=The Golden Book Of India |date=1893 |pages=129}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Bayley |first=C. S. |url=https://archive.org/details/chiefsleadingfam00csba |title=Chiefs and leading families in Rajputana |date=2004 |publisher=New Delhi : Asian Educational Services |others=Public Resource |isbn=978-81-206-1066-8 |pages=36–37}}</ref>

== Succession ==
After the death of Maharawat Savant Singh of [[Pratapgarh State|Pratapgarh]], his grandson [[Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh|Dalpat Singh]], who had been adopted into the royal family of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]] and served as regent there following the deposition of [[Jaswant Singh II of Dungarpur|Jaswant Singh II]] from 1825 to 1844, returned to [[Pratapgarh State|Pratapgarh]] and ascended the throne.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Xxxxxxxx |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.52340/ |title=Short History of the Dungarpur State or Western Bagar |date=1911 |pages=110–111, 113–117, 119–123}}</ref> This raised the question of whether it would be in the best interests of both [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]] and [[Pratapgarh State|Pratapgarh]] to unite under a single ruler.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=K.K. Sehgal |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.08625/ |title=Rajasthan District Gazetteers: Dungarpur |date=1974 |publisher=Jaipur, Government Central Press |pages=35}}</ref> However, it was deemed unsuitable by both the Government of India at the time and the nobles of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]].<ref name=":1" /> Seeing all this, the deposed [[Jaswant Singh II of Dungarpur|Jaswant Singh]] tried to adopt Mohkam Singh, but the nobles of the state intervened, prevented him from doing so, and compelled him to go to [[Mathura]].<ref name=":3" /> Eventually, [[Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh|Dalpat Singh]] was granted permission to adopt a successor to the throne of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]], and Udai Singh was selected.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

It is said that when the selection committee, which was to choose the successor to the throne, came to [[Sabli]], they distributed sweets among its Thakur's four sons.<ref name=":1" /> Three of them put out their open hands to accept them, but the fourth one, Udai, refused to take them unless they were given to him in a dish.<ref name=":1" /> Next, the committee distributed some money among them.<ref name=":1" /> All of them pocketed it except for Udai, who distributed a portion of it among some poor boys, gave some to [[Brahmin]]s, and from the remaining amount, bought himself a [[pistol]], [[dagger]], and clothes.<ref name=":1" /> This impressed the members of the selection committee, and they immediately chose him as the next Maharawal.<ref name=":1" />

[[Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh|Dalpat Singh]] was unwilling to leave the throne of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]], so a force of 400, commanded by Abhai Singh and Arjun Singh, went to [[Pratapgarh State|Pratapgarh]] to settle the matter by force.<ref name=":1" /> This all took [[Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh|Dalpat]] by surprise; therefore, he thought it best to resolve the conflict with diplomacy.<ref name=":1" /> He took Udai in his lap and proclaimed him as his adopted son and successor to the throne of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]].<ref name=":1" /> Upon this, the party returned to [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]] and installed Udai Singh on the throne.<ref name=":1" />

== Minority ==

=== First regent: 1844 – 1852 ===
Udai was only seven years old when he was crowned Maharawal in 1844.<ref name=":1" /> As he was a minor, his adoptive father, [[Dalpat Singh of Pratapgarh|Dalpat Singh]], was appointed [[regent]].<ref name=":1" /> During his regency, he oversaw affairs in [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]] from [[Pratapgarh State|Pratapgarh]], which caused things to worsen and disorder to take over.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> This continued for eight years until, in 1852, the regency was taken from him.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" />

=== Second regent: 1852 – 1857 ===
When the regency was taken from Dalpat Singh, the Government of India at the time appointed Munshi Safdar Hussain as the [[regent]].<ref name=":1" /> He continued the administration of the state until Udai came of age in 1857.<ref name=":1" /> He proved to be a capable administrator, improved state revenue, and kept both the nobles of the state and the [[Bhil]]s in check.<ref name=":1" /> During his regency, Abhai Singh and Arjun Singh became unmanageable, wanted to do everything their way, and had no respect for the Maharawal as they thought they had brought him to the throne.<ref name=":1" /> To bring them to reason, he had Abhai Singh's estate confiscated.<ref name=":1" /> Seeing this, Arjun Singh came to reason.<ref name=":1" />

== Reign ==
The long minority ended in 1857 when he was granted full administrative powers.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly after, the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]] started.<ref name=":1" /> During the uprising, he assisted the British Government and Capt. Brooke in suppressing it, both personally and by providing troops, and offered shelter to European refugees.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> He stayed with his army in [[Kherwara Chhaoni|Kherwara]] for six months and stopped a mutiny among the troops in that cantonment.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Not Available |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.36597 |title=Report On The Administration Of The Dungarpur State Rajputana |date=1946 |pages=4}}</ref> For his services, in 1862, he was given a sanad that granted him the right of adoption.<ref name=":1" /> He was also gifted two [[cannon]]s, which he did not accept as a free gift but instead paid for them.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Not Available |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35787 |title=Report On The Administration Of The Dungarpur State, Rajputana For 1918-19 |date=1920 |pages=25}}</ref> His early rule was generally marked by constant disputes between him and the nobles of his state, who had both civil and criminal powers within their estates.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> As the powers his nobles had were the cause of his troubles, he stripped them of all civil and criminal powers and became the absolute ruler of his state, as all powers were now vested in him.<ref name=":1" /> During the [[Rajputana famine of 1869]], he handled it well by providing generous and careful relief efforts to relieve his suffering subjects.<ref name=":1" /> The measures he took were described as humane and judicious.<ref name=":3" /> He established regular courts, founded a hospital, and opened schools.<ref name=":4" /> He built [[Udai Bilas Palace]] on the shores of [[Gaib Sagar Lake|Gaib Sagar lake]] at a cost of over a lakh of rupees.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Museum at Dungarpur |url=https://www.wmf.org/blog/museum-dungarpur |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=World Monuments Fund |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
He was married in 1855 to the daughter of the Maharao of [[Sirohi state|Sirohi]] and had issue, a son, Khuman Singh.<ref name=":2" />

== Death ==
He died in February 1898<ref>{{Cite book |last=Not Available |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35691 |title=Memoranda On Native States In Indian 1911 |date=1911 |pages=119}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> and was succeeded by his grandson, [[Bijai Singh|Vijay Singh]], as Maharawal of [[Dungarpur state|Dungarpur]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Purushotam Vishram Mawjee |url=https://archive.org/details/DurbarAlbum1/ |title=(1911) Imperial durbar album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars, Vol. I. |date=1911 |pages=84}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Behera |first=Maguni Charan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rd9mEAAAQBAJ |title=Tribe, Space and Mobilisation: Colonial Dynamics and Post-Colonial Dilemma in Tribal Studies |date=2022-03-25 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=978-981-19-0059-4 |pages=412 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:1839 births]]
[[Category:1898 deaths]]
[[Category:Hindu monarchs]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:People from British India]]
[[Category:People from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Maharajas in Rajputana]]

Udai Singh II of Dungarpur - Revision history

MarioStpierre: stub