princely state · Indian princely states

Nilgiri State

1521 CE – 1948 CE (approx.) · capital Rajnilgiri

A small princely state in the hills of Balasore in Odisha, the first of the Orissa states to be taken over by the provincial government after independence.

Origins

The ruling family claimed descent from the Bhanja rulers of the region, and tradition dates the state to the early 16th century. Its capital was Rajnilgiri, below the Nilgiri hills inland from Balasore.

Rule and society

Nilgiri was a small state of farmland and wooded hills, known for its stone carving. It was one of the Orissa Tributary Mahals under British supervision after 1803. In 1946–1947 the Praja Mandal led protests against the Raja, and Adivasi unrest followed.

Decline and legacy

In November 1947 the government of Orissa took over Nilgiri's administration, the first such takeover among the Orissa states, and the merger was formalised in 1948. It is now in Balasore district.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Lineage

Nilgiri StateDominion of India 1947 CE – 1950 CE

Connections (2)

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

More states of Indian princely states →

Cite this page

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

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻