The Princely State of Kachhi Baroda was one of the erstwhile princely states of India that was under the indirect rule of the British Empire in India. During the early 19th century, the region was appointed as one of the princely states of India that was administered by native rulers. The region covered a total area of 34.53 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 4,181 in the year 1931. The territory of Kachhi Baroda was located in the northernmost parts of Badnawar district or pargana of the princely state of Dhar, almost on the boundaries with the princely states of Ratlam, Gwalior and Sailana. The territories were not homogeneous, other villages of other states superseding.
The Princely State of Kachhi Baroda was incorporated as a part of the Central India Agency, which was under the administrative control of British India. It was also a part of the former Bhopawar Agency.
History of Princely State of Kachhi Baroda
The native rulers of princely state of Kachhi Baroda were primarily Rathor Rajputs of the Ratlam branch of the Jodhpur family, who descended from the 2nd son of the founder of Ratlam, Rai Singh. The ruling family initially settled in Badnawar in the year 1659. The Rathor Rajputs were compelled to relocate to Kachhi Baroda in the year 1733. From the year 1900, a collateral branch of Kachhi Baroda was ruled in Sitamau, which was another state of Rathor in Central India. The native ruler of the state of Kachhi Baroda held the title of Thakor and the style of Raja. This distinction was granted to him due to his his relationship with the Maharaja of the princely state of Ratlam.
The princely state of Kachhi Baroda was a guaranteed feudatory of the state of Dhar to which it paid annual tribute for sixteen villages. The territory also included 4 other villages that were seized from Bakhtgarh, all under the guarantee of the British Government of India. In the years 1886 and 1903, the British administration recognized the right of the local government of Dhar state to implement jurisdiction in the guaranteed Thakurats and Bhumiats subordinate to it. After the right was recognised, the native government of the state of Dhar accepted restricted civil and criminal jurisdictional authority to the share holders who were deemed competent of exercising them, including the state of Kachhi Baroda.
The last ruler of the princely state of Kachhi Baroda, who was the tenth in his line since the rule of Rai Singh, acceded his state to the newly formed Union of India, also known as Dominion of India, after the nation gained independence on 15th August 1947.