Suket State

Kingdom of Suket
765–1948
Flag of Suket
Flag
Coat of arms of Suket
Coat of arms
Area 
• 1931
1,088 km2 (420 sq mi)
Population 
• 1931
58,408
History 
• Established
765
• Accession in
Dominion of India
April 15, 1948
Succeeded by
Dominion of India
Today part ofHimachal Pradesh,
Republic of India
Raja Ranjit of Suket and Raja Shamsher Sen of Mandi in the Darbar; ca. 1772

Suket State was one of the Princely states of India during the period of the British Raj.[1] The capital of the state was Pangna. Its last ruler signed the accession to the Indian Union on 15 April 1948. Formerly it belonged to the States of the Punjab Hills and currently, it is part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The present-day Mandi district was formed with the merger of the two princely states of Mandi and Suket.

History

According to tradition the predecessor state was founded about 765[2] by Bira Sen (Vir Sen), claimed to be a son of a Sena dynasty King of Bengal. The early history of Suket was marred by constant warfare against other principalities, especially against the Kingdom of Kullu. At the time of Raja Bikram Sen, Kullu was under the overlordship of Suket State and was reduced to paying tribute to Suket. Raja Madan Sen's reign was the golden age of Suket, when its ruler reduced into submission the neighboring smaller states. During the reign of Raja Udai Sen Suket came under the influence of the Mughal Empire who were content with merely exacting tribute.

At the time of Raja Bikram Sen II, Sukket survived the invasion of the Gurkhas of Nepal (1803 to 1815) and the ensuing brief period of Sikh dominance thanks to the Raja's diplomatic skills. In 1845, when war broke out between the Sikhs and the British, the Rajas of Suket and Mandi took the side of the British, signing a Treaty of Alliance in Bilaspur in 1846. In the same year a sanad was granted to Raja Ugar Sen II confirming him and his heirs in the possession of the Suket territories.[3]

Rulers

The rulers of Suket bore the title Raja.[citation needed] The clan name of the royal lineage was 'Suketi' or 'Suketr'.[4][page needed]

Name Reign start Reign end Notes
Raja Jit Sen 1663 1721 -
Raja Garur Sen 1721 1748 -
Raja Bhikam Sen 1748 1762 During his reign, there were Afghan invasions
Raja Ranjit Sen 1762 1791 -
Raja Bikram Sen II 1791 1838 -
Raja Ugar Sen II 1838 1876 -
Raja Rudra Sen 1876 Apr 1878 -
Raja Arimardan Sen 1878 1879 -
Raja Dasht Nikandan Sen 29 Mar 1879 27 May 1908 -
Raja Bhim Sen 27 May 1908 12 Oct 1919 -
Raja Lakshman Sen 13 Oct 1919 15 Aug 1947 -

Demographics

Religion

Religion in Suket State (1941)[5]: 42 
Religion Population Percentage
Hinduism [a] 69,974 98.43%
Islam 884 1.24%
Sikhism 234 0.33%
Total Population 71,092 100%

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Including Ad-Dharmis

References

  1. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Punjab" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  2. ^ Princely states of India
  3. ^ Mark Brentnall, ed. The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh. p. 94
  4. ^ B. R. Beotra, ed. Gazetteer of the Suket State. (1927)
  5. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB PROVINCE". Retrieved 16 January 2023.

External links

  • Media related to Suket State at Wikimedia Commons

31°32′N 76°53′E / 31.53°N 76.88°E / 31.53; 76.88

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