princely state · Indian princely states

Bonai State

1500 CE – 1948 CE (approx.) · capital Bonaigarh

A hilly princely state on the Brahmani river in northern Odisha, ruled from Bonaigarh until 1948.

Origins

The ruling family claimed descent from the Kadamba dynasty, and tradition dates the state to around 1500. Its early history is poorly documented.

Rule and society

Bonai was a rugged, forested state with a largely Adivasi population, including Bhuyan and Munda communities. It was counted among the Chota Nagpur tributary states until 1905, when it was transferred to the Orissa Tributary States. Its hills contain iron ore deposits.

Decline and legacy

Bonai merged into Orissa on 1 January 1948 and is now part of Sundargarh district.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Lineage

Bonai StateDominion of India 1947 CE – 1950 CE

Connections (2)

Bonai State was a protectorate of Company rule in India1803 CE – 1858 CE
Bonai State was a protectorate of British Raj1858 CE – 1947 CE

More states of Indian princely states →

Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Bonai State. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bonai-state
MLA: “Bonai State.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bonai-state. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Bonai State.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bonai-state.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Bonai State’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bonai-state (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻