Bilaspur State (princely state)

File:Mandawa-Havelî 320-Maharajahs' room-20131007.jpg

Raja Bijai Chand with other Rajput chiefs.

File:Dan Chand, prince of Bilaspur (6125127594).jpg

Dan Chand, prince of Bilaspur. Last quarter of the 18th century.

Bilaspur State or Kahlur State, sometimes Kahloor Riyasat, was a kingdom (697–1849) and later princely state (1849–1948) in the Punjab Province ruled by a separate branch of Chandravanshi Chandel rajput dynasty. Raja Bir Chand 697–730 was the founder of the state but it was named Kahlur only after the Construction of Kahlur Fort by Raja Kahal Chand around 890–930CE and Raja Anand Chand the 44th Raja was the last ruler.

The state was earlier known as Kahlur Riyasat and was later renamed Bilaspur. It covered an area of Template:Cvt, on the name of Sage Bias (from Biaspur later became Bilaspur) and had a population of 100,994 according to the 1931 Census of India. The last ruler of Bilaspur State acceded to the Indian Union on 12 October 1948.

Bilaspur State remained Bilaspur Province in independent India until 1950 when the province was briefly renamed "Bilaspur State" before it was merged with Himachal Pradesh state as a district in 1954.

In the pre-partitioned Punjab, the Raja of Kahlur (Bilaspur) elevated the Kolis to the status of Kshatriya and he wanted them to serve in his army and Raja did so.

History

According to local oral tradition and records during the reign of Raja Harihar Chand, a new state was founded around 697 CE by his son First Ruler Raja Bir Chand. He was born in the Chandel Rajput dynasty, who claimed to be a descendant of Sisupala from the Chandravansha Haihaya tribe. After Raja Kahal Chand had built Kahlur Fort the state was named Kahlur (probably from Kahal-pur) and the ruling Chandel Dynasty of Kahlur was also Known as Kahluria. Initially the capital of the state was at a place named Jandbari — in (now in punjab after 1953) — and then it was transferred to Kahlur Fort, but was later moved permanently to present town Bilaspur by Dip Chand, the 32nd Raja of Kahlur (Template:Reign)

Raja Bhim Chand who succeeded Raja Deep Chand fought Battle of Nadaun against Mughals and came out victorious. Mughals under Alif Khan were supported by Raja of Kangra and Raja Dayal of Bijarwal When Raja Bhim Chand abdicated in 1692 to lead a life of sanyasi the state was at previously unknown heights. The reign of Bhim Chand's son Ajmer Chand was of conquest as well. By the end of his forty years reign the number of states paying tribute was considerable: Baghal State, Baghat, Keonthal, Beja, Mangal, Bhajji, Mahlog, Dhami, Kuthar, Kotkhai, Kunihar, Balsan, and Nehra among others. All continued to pay tribute until Mahan Chand reign 1778 but by 1790 only Mangal State continued to acknowledge Bilaspur'so suzerainty. Since the 18th-century the rulers of Bilaspur State patronised artists of the Kangra painting style.

File:Detail of the main, continuous tract of territory of Kahlur (Bilaspur) State from a map of the various Hill States of the Punjab Hills region, copied in 1852.jpg

Detail of the territory of Kahlur (Bilaspur) State from a map of the various Hill States of the Punjab Hills region, copied in 1852.

Bilaspur State came under British protection in 1815 under Raja Mahan Chand and became one of the Simla Hill States. Raja Anand Chand was the last ruler of the princely state and Pandit Sant Ram was the last Home Minister. As Bilaspur acceded to India on 28 October 1948, Bilaspur retained an independent identity as a separate province and as a part-C State of India. The Raja was appointed commissioner of the State. In following years after Raja resigned his deputy Chhabra, who was appointed by govt of India, helped run the temporary govt of Bilaspur while the territory of the princely state was politically integrated into the Indian Union.

From 26 January 1950 Bilaspur was administered by the Government of India as a separate C-Class state named Bilaspur State which in 1954 was incorporated into the State of Himachal Pradesh as a province.

Demographics

Religious groups in Bilaspur State (British Punjab province era)

Religious group	1921		1931		1941
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Hinduism File:Om.svgTemplate:Efn	96,000		99,023		108,375
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg	1,559		1,458		1,498
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg	437		507		453
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg	4		6		7
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg	0		0		3
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg	0		0		0
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg	0		0		0
Judaism File:Star of David.svg	0		0		0
Others	0		0		0
Total population	98,000		100,994		110,336
Note: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.

Ruling dynasty

Chandel in Bilaspur belong to different branches of the ruling family. These families are numerous, and all enjoyed jagir pensions from state amounting in aggregate to Rs. 40,000 a year in 1933. The chief names are:

• Ajmerchandia
• Kaliyanchandia
• Tarachandia
• Sultanchandia

Rajas

1. Bir Chand, founder; (Template:Reign)
2. Udhran Chand
3. Jaskarn Chand
4. Madanbrahm Chand
5. Ahl Chand
6. Kahal Chand, 6th Raja;(Template:Reign)
7. Slar Chand
8. Men Chand
9. Sen Chand
10. Sulkhan Chand
11. Kahn Chand, 11th Raja. Conquered Hindur, which he created as a separate realm for his second son.
12. Ajit Chand, 12th Raja (son of Khan Chand)
13. Gokul Chand
14. Udai Chand, (Template:Reign)
15. Gen Chand
16. Pruthvi Chand
17. Sangar Chand, (Template:Reign)
18. Megh Chand, (Template:Reign)
19. Dev Chand
20. Ahim Chand
21. Abhisand Chand, (Template:Reign)
22. Sampurn Chand (Template:Reign)
23. Rattan Chand (Template:Reign)
24. Narandar Chand
25. Fath Chand
26. Pahar Chand
27. Ram Chand
28. Uttam Chand
29. Gyan Chand (Template:Reign)
30. Bikram Chand (Template:Reign)
31. Sultan Chand (Template:Reign)
32. Kalyan Chand (Template:Reign)
33. Tara Chand (Template:Reign)
34. Dip Chand (Template:Reign)
35. Bhim Chand (Kahlur) (Template:Reign)
36. Ajmer Chand (Template:Reign)
37. Devi Chand (Template:Reign)
38. Mahan Chand (Template:Reign)
39. Kharak Chand (Template:Reign)
40. Jagat Chand (Template:Reign)
41. Hira Chand (Template:Reign)
42. Amar Chand (Template:Reign)
43. Bijai Chand (Template:Reign)
44. Anand Chand (Template:Reign)

Currency

No coins from Bilaspur State have been found, and the state may have simply been too small and remote, with little demand for currency, to mint its own. There was little long-distance trade that required currency. Any coins that did circulate in the area were probably originally from elsewhere, such as the Delhi Sultanate. After the British gained influence in the region in the mid-1800s, the British system based on the rupee predominated. For everyday transactions, though, barter was the main way that most people exchanged goods and services.Template:Rp

Further reading

• Hutchinson, J. & J. PH Vogel (1933). History of the Panjab Hill States, Vol. II. 1st edition: Govt. Printing, Pujab, Lahore, 1933. Reprint 2000. Department of Language and Culture, Himachal Pradesh. Chapter XIII Bilaspur State, pp. 494–518.
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