princely state · Indian princely states

Kalahandi State

1005 CE – 1948 CE (approx.) · capital Bhawanipatna

A Naga dynasty state in western Odisha, once known as Karond, whose Maharajas ruled from Junagarh and later Bhawanipatna until 1948.

Origins

Tradition holds that the Naga dynasty was founded around 1005 by Raghunath Sai, with its capital at Junagarh. The early history of the state is known mainly from family tradition and later records.

Rule and society

Kalahandi was a largely rural state of rice fields and forest with a large Kondh population. In the 18th century it became tributary to the Bhonsles of the Nagpur Kingdom, and in 1849 the capital moved to Bhawanipatna. It passed to British supervision with Nagpur in 1853, and a Kondh uprising in 1882 was put down by British troops.

Decline and legacy

Maharaja Pratap Keshari Deo signed the merger agreement, and Kalahandi joined Orissa on 1 January 1948. It is now a district of Odisha.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Lineage

Kalahandi StateDominion of India 1947 CE – 1950 CE

Connections (2)

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

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Cite this page

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

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻