{{Short description|Hill kingdom and later princely state of British India (697–1948)}} {{Redirect|Bilaspur State|the post-independence administrative division|Bilaspur State (1950–1954)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox country | conventional_long_name = Bilaspur State | native_name = Chandelas of Kahlur | status = | empire = British Indian Empire | government_type = Monarchy | year_start = 697 | year_end = 1948 | s1 = Bilaspur State (1950–1954) | flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg | image_flag = Bilaspur_flag.svg | image_coat = Bilaspur State CoA.png | image_map = Chamba Kangra Bilaspur Mandi Kulu 1911.jpeg | image_map_caption = Princely States of the Shimla Hills, Bilaspur in the south straddling the Sutlej (1911) | capital = Bilaspur | today = Himachal Pradesh, India }} thumb|260px|Raja '''Bijai Chand''' with other Rajput chiefs. thumb|260px|Dan Chand, prince of Bilaspur. Last quarter of the 18th century. '''Bilaspur State''' or '''Kahlur State''', was a kingdom (697–1815) and later a princely state (1815–1948) ruled by Chandel Rajput dynasty of Kahlur, under the Punjab States Agency of British India. The state was earlier known as '''Kahlur''' and was later renamed '''Bilaspur'''.<ref name="a">[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_A-J.html States before 1947 A-J]</ref> It covered an area of {{cvt|1173|sqkm|sqmi}} 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.<ref name="c">[https://books.google.com/books?id=tG0fnF0VRk0C&pg=PA35 Social, cultural, and economic history of Himachal Pradesh By Manjit Singh Ahluwalia]</ref>
==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 (697–730). He was born into the Chandel Rajput dynasty of the Chedi Mahajanapada, which traces its lineage to the Chandravanshi rulers of Chedi, particularly Shishupala of Shuktimati—also known as Chandeli, identified with present-day Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brentnall |first=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ayYbAvECXQwC&dq=kahlur+chandel&pg=PA50 |title=The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh |date=2004 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-163-4 |language=en}}</ref> After Raja Kahal Chand (890–930) 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 (now in Punjab, India) 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 ({{Reign|1663|1665|show=lword}}).<ref name=a/> 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<ref>{{cite book | last = Singh | first = Kartar | title = Guru Gobind Singh and the Mughals | publisher = Guru Gobind Singh Foundation | location = Chandigarh | year = 1967 | oclc = 49259 | pages = 55 }}</ref> 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 (1778) but by 1790 only Mangal State continued to acknowledge Bilaspur's suzerainty.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ayYbAvECXQwC&pg=PA50 |title=The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh |author=Mark Brentnall |publisher=Indus |year=2005 |isbn=9788173871634 |page=52 }}</ref> Since the 18th century the rulers of Bilaspur State patronised artists of the Kangra painting style.<ref>[http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/asia/asia_features/sikhism/art/hindu/index.html Hindu Hill Kingdoms] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330034200/http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/asia/asia_features/sikhism/art/hindu/index.html |date=30 March 2010 }} ''V&A Museum''.</ref> thumb|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.<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Kahlur |volume=15 |page=634}}</ref> 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, from 26 January 1950 Bilaspur retained an independent identity as a separate province and as a part-C State of India named Bilaspur State. The Raja was appointed commissioner of the State. In following years after Raja resigned, his deputy Chhabra was appointed by govt of India and helped run the temporary government of Bilaspur while the territory of the princely state was politically integrated into the Indian Union.<ref name="c" />
== Demographics == {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Religious groups in Bilaspur State (British Punjab era) ! rowspan="2" |Religious<br>group ! colspan="2" |1921<ref name="Census1921">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25430165 |jstor=saoa.crl.25430165 |access-date=30 March 2024 |title=Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables. |year=1921 |pages=29}}</ref> ! colspan="2" |1931<ref name="Census1931">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25793242 |jstor=saoa.crl.25793242 |access-date=30 March 2024 |title=Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables. |year=1931 |pages=277}}</ref> ! colspan="2" |1941<ref name="Census1941">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.28215541 |jstor=saoa.crl.28215541 |access-date=30 March 2024 |title=Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab |year=1941 |pages=42 |author1=India Census Commissioner |volume=6 }}</ref> |- !{{abbr|Pop.|Population}} !{{Abbr|%|percentage}} !{{abbr|Pop.|Population}} !{{Abbr|%|percentage}} !{{abbr|Pop.|Population}} !{{Abbr|%|percentage}} |- ! Hinduism 15px{{efn|name=ad-dharmi|1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis}} | 96,000 | {{Percentage | 96000 | 98000 | 2 }} | 99,023 | {{Percentage | 99023 | 100994 | 2 }} | 108,375 | {{Percentage | 108375 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Islam 15px | 1,559 | {{Percentage | 1559 | 98000 | 2 }} | 1,458 | {{Percentage | 1458 | 100994 | 2 }} | 1,498 | {{Percentage | 1498 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Sikhism 15px | 437 | {{Percentage | 437 | 98000 | 2 }} | 507 | {{Percentage | 507 | 100994 | 2 }} | 453 | {{Percentage | 453 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Christianity 15px | 4 | {{Percentage | 4 | 98000 | 2 }} | 6 | {{Percentage | 6 | 100994 | 2 }} | 7 | {{Percentage | 7 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Jainism 15px | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 98000 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 100994 | 2 }} | 3 | {{Percentage | 3 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Zoroastrianism 15px | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 98000 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 100994 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Buddhism 15px | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 98000 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 100994 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Judaism 15px | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 98000 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 100994 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Others | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 98000 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 100994 | 2 }} | 0 | {{Percentage | 0 | 110336 | 2 }} |- ! Total population ! 98,000 ! {{Percentage | 98000 | 98000 | 2 }} ! 100,994 ! {{Percentage | 100994 | 100994 | 2 }} ! 110,336 ! {{Percentage | 110336 | 110336 | 2 }} |- class="sortbottom" | colspan="7" | {{small|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===
{{Div col}} #Bir Chand, founder; ({{reign|697|730}}) #Udhran Chand #Jaskarn Chand #Madanbrahm Chand #Ahl Chand #Kahal Chand, 6th Raja;({{reign|890|930}}) #Slar Chand #Men Chand #Sen Chand #Sulkhan Chand #Kahn Chand, 11th Raja. Conquered Hindur, which he created as a separate realm for his second son. #Ajit Chand, 12th Raja (son of Khan Chand) #Gokul Chand #Udai Chand, ({{reign|1133|1143}}) #Gen Chand #Pruthvi Chand #Sangar Chand, ({{reign|1197|1220}}) #Megh Chand, ({{reign|1220|1251}}) #Dev Chand #Ahim Chand #Abhisand Chand, ({{reign|1302|1317}}) #Sampurn Chand ({{reign|1317|1355}}) #Rattan Chand ({{reign|1355|1406}}) #Narandar Chand #Fath Chand #Pahar Chand #Ram Chand #Uttam Chand #Gyan Chand ({{reign|1518|1555}}) #Bikram Chand ({{reign|1555|1593}}) #Sultan Chand ({{reign|1593|1600}}) #Kalyan Chand ({{reign|1600|1636}}) #Tara Chand ({{reign|1636|1653}}) #Dip Chand ({{reign|1653|1665}}) #Bhim Chand (Kahlur) ({{reign|1665|1692}}) #Ajmer Chand ({{reign|1692|1728}}) #Devi Chand ({{reign|1738|1778}}) #Mahan Chand ({{reign|1778|1824}}) #Kharak Chand ({{reign|1824|March 1839}}) #Jagat Chand ({{reign|March 1839|1850}}) #Hira Chand ({{reign|March 1850|January 1883}}) #Amar Chand ({{reign|January 1883|January 1889}}) #Bijai Chand ({{reign|3 February 1889|18 February 1927}}) #Anand Chand ({{reign|18 February 1927|12 October 1983}}) {{div col end}}
==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.<!-- Mamgain, p. 37, 222 --> There was little long-distance trade that required currency.<!-- Mamgain, p. 222 --> Any coins that did circulate in the area were probably originally from elsewhere, such as the Delhi Sultanate.<!-- Mamgain, p. 222 --> After the British gained influence in the region in the mid-1800s, the British system based on the rupee predominated.<!-- Mamgain, p. 222 --> For everyday transactions, though, barter was the main way that most people exchanged goods and services.<!-- Mamgain, p. 222 --><ref name="Gazetteer 1975">{{cite book |last1=Mamgain |first1=M.D. |title=Himachal Pradesh District Gazetteers: Bilaspur |date=1975 |publisher=Chandigarh, Greater Punjab Press |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.3138 |access-date=8 April 2023}}</ref>{{rp|37, 222}}
== Notes == {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==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. *{{Commons category-inline|Bilaspur State}}
{{Princely states of India}} {{Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh}} {{Princely states of the Punjab and Simla Hills}} {{Authority control}} {{Coord|31|19|N|76|50|E|source:kolossus-nowiki|display=title}}
Category:States and territories established in 1815 Category:States and territories disestablished in 1948 Category:Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh Category:Rajput history Category:Princely states of Himachal Pradesh Category:7th-century establishments in India Category:697 establishments Category:1948 disestablishments in India