The Bastar rulers trace their ancestry not just to the moon, but also to Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu king to rule from Delhi in the 12th century. Bastar has seen the rule of number of kingdoms like the Nals, Chalukyas and the Kakatiyas. The great Kakatiya King Pratap Rudra’s brother, Annam Deo, left Warangal and established his kingdom at Bastar, around AD 1424.
Bastar has seen several hundred years of royal rule, wars of succession, conquering of kingdoms, battles, conspiracies etc. After Annam Deo it witnessed the rule of Hamir Deo ,Pratap Raj Deo ,Rajpal Deo,Dalpat Deo and others. It was during the reign of Dalpat Deo that the capital of their kingdom was shifted to Jagdalpur.
After the death of Dalpat Deo, his son Daryao Deo over threw his elder brother Ajmer Singh from the throne, and became the ruler. Ajemr Singh was successful in securing the throne back but after two years Daryao Deo once again succeeded in overthrowing Ajmer Singh and became the ruler.
After the death of Daryao Deo, his eldest son Mahipal Deo succeeded to the throne of Bastar. He was latter succeeded by Bhopal Deo. Bhairam Deo was the next successor.
Bhairam Deo died in 1891, leaving a minor son Rudrapratap Deo. During his minority the state was managed by government until January 1908 when the young Raja was installed as Feudatory Chief of Bastar. In 1910 a tribal revolt occurred against the Diwan and British government who ruled over the state. Raja Rudrapratap Deo died in 1921 and his daughter Praphul Kumari Devi ascended the throne in 1922. She married with the prince of Mayurbhanj princely state of Orissa.
Praphul Kumari Devi died in 1936 in London and her elder son Maharaja Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo, first Oriya ruler of Bastar and the 20th Maharaja of Bastar, ascended the throne in 1936 as a minor age. The famous Maharani hospital at Jagdalur was built in memory of Maharani Praphul Kumari Devi in 1937.
Later in 1941, an Air strip was made at Jagdalpur. One bridge was also constructed during this time over river indravati. In 1948, Bastar state has been merged in Indian Union.
Maharaja Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo got killed in a “police action” on 25 March 1966 when he revolted against the Union Of India for the rights of tribals in his erstwhile principality, scores if not hundreds of tribals got killed in that police action defending their former ruler,[citation needed] who ultimately succumbed to 13 bullet injuries in Baster Palace. The current Maharaja Kamal Chandra Bhanj Deo is his grand nephew.
History of Jagdalpur
