| Keonjhar State କେନ୍ଦୁଝର | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princely State ofBritish India | |||||||
| 12th century–1948 | |||||||
 Flag | |||||||
 Keonjhar State in theImperial Gazetteer of India | |||||||
| Area | |||||||
• 1931 | 8,019 km2 (3,096 sq mi) | ||||||
| Population | |||||||
• 1931 | 460,609 | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 12th century | ||||||
| 1948 | |||||||
| |||||||
Keonjhar State (Odia:କେନ୍ଦୁଝର), also known asKeunjhar, was one of theprincely states ofIndia during the period of theBritish Raj.[1] The second largest of the states of theOrissa States Agency, it was located in present-dayKendujhar district,Odisha.
The state was bounded in the north bySinghbhum District, in the east by theState of Mayurbhanj andBalasore District, in the south byDhenkanal State andCuttack District, and in the west by the states ofPal Lahara andBonai. The state consisted of two clearly differentiated areas: Low Keonjhar, a region of flat river valleys — the main river being theBaitarani, and the High Keonjhar, an area of forests dominated by mountain ranges with theGandhamadan reaching a height of 1078 m.The capital was atKeonjhar.[2]
According to traditions, Keonjhar State was founded during the 12th century rule of theEastern Ganga dynasty when the founder Jyoti Bhanja of theBhanja dynasty, who was the brother of Adi Bhanja of Mayurbhanj, was enthroned as the Raja of Keonjhar with the help of the dominant localBhuyan clans. The influence of the Bhuyans on the enthronement rituals and regnal traditions of Keonjhar suggests a long-standing relationship with the kingdom.[3][4]
Around the 14th century, a prince from Keonjhar named Ananga Bhanja, who was a nephew of the Raja of Keonjhar was named the king of Baudh by the local chieftains under Ganga rule.[5][6]
After theindependence of India in 1947 Keonjhar merged intoRepublic of India on 1 January 1948[7] following which it became the part ofKeonjhar district (now Kendujhar).
The rulers of Keonjhar State of theBhanja dynasty. The Keonjhar royal family adopted the emblems of the neighbouring State of Mayurbhanj, apeacock and the yellow and blue colours.[8]
21°38′N81°36′E / 21.633°N 81.600°E /21.633; 81.600
  | This Indian Princely state related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byadding missing information. |
