princely state · Indian princely states
Junagadh State
Origins
Muhammad Sher Khan Babi, a Pathan officer of the Mughal administration in Gujarat, declared himself independent at Junagadh in 1748, taking the name Bahadur Khanji. His family had served in Gujarat since the 17th century.
Rule and society
The Nawabs governed a mostly Hindu population that included the sacred Girnar hill and the temple of Somnath. They accepted British supremacy in 1807 and ranked as a salute state of the Kathiawar Agency. Mahabat Khanji III, known for his many dogs, protected the last Asiatic lions in the Gir forest, then a royal hunting reserve.
Decline and legacy
Advised by his diwan Shah Nawaz Bhutto, Mahabat Khanji acceded to Pakistan in 1947. Indian blockade and a provisional government in exile led him to flee, and India took over in November. A plebiscite in February 1948 voted overwhelmingly for India, and Junagadh joined the United State of Saurashtra.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (3)
- Junagadh State was a protectorate of Company rule in India1807 CE – 1858 CE
- Junagadh State was a protectorate of British Raj1858 CE – 1947 CE
- Junagadh State was conquered by Dominion of India1947 CE
More states of Indian princely states →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Junagadh State. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/junagadh-state
- MLA
- “Junagadh State.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/junagadh-state. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Junagadh State.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/junagadh-state.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Junagadh State’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/junagadh-state (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻