Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

Maharaja Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, a ...

Raol

Sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

Shri Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Marathi, Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian), Javane ...

Bhavsinhji II Takhtsinhji, KCSI (26 April 1875 – 16 July 1919) was a Maharaja from the

Gohil dynasty The Gohil dynasty or Gohil or Guhilas of Saurashtra ruled parts of Saurashtra region of present-day Gujarat state of India as subordinates or independents starting 12th century. Their origin is traced to Guhila dynasty of Gujarat and they had m ...

, who ruled the

Bhavnagar State Bhavnagar State was a princely state with 13 Gun Salutes during the British Raj. It was part of Kathiawar Agency in Saurashtra. The State of Bhavnagar covered an area of 2,961 sq. miles and had a population of 618,429 in 1941. Its ruler ...

in western India from 1896 until 1919.The Royal Coronation Number and Who's who in India, Burma and Ceylon by Thomas Peter - 1937 pp:54.

Early life

Born on 26 April 1875, Bhavsinhji II was the eldest son of Sir Takhtsinhji. He was educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot like his father who was the first student in 1870. He was attached to the 2nd Bombay Lancers and served in the Bhavnagar State Forces from 1894 until 1896. He was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1918.

Marriage

Bhavsinhji was first married to Devkunvarba of Deogarh Baria and had a daughter from the marriage. After her death, he married Nanadkunvarba of Khirasara. From his second marriage, he had a son Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji, born in 1912, who later succeeded him to the throne.

Accession

He was installed on the ''gaddi'' (throne) at the Darbargadh Palace in Bhavnagar on 10 February 1896.

Reign

Khalili Collection Enamels of the World Chariot of Maharaja of Bhavnagar CROP

He earned a name as a progressive ruler and continued the modernisation and development programmes instituted by his father Sir Takhatsinhji. During the early part of his reign, when the State faced the Great Famine of 1900, he issued a famine code and personally visited the affected parts of his kingdom. As a part of famine relief measures, he waived all uncollected taxes and distributed ''tagari'' allowances as free gifts. He also initiated the construction of five filter beds and a large service reservoir for future droughts. He was one of the first princely states to start self-governance to people and instituted People's Representative Assembly, comprising farmers, tradesmen, municipal representatives and landholders. Further, he started first Harijan School in 1912 for the upliftment of

Dalit Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming ...

people of his State, and also instituted scholarships for further studies in England, America and Japan, particularly in the fields of medicine and science. As a measure of famine relief works, he founded the Bhavnagar Darbar Bank in 1902 to dispense loans to farmers, merchants and traders, and began a co-operative movement. This bank founded by him and Prime Minister of Bhavnagar, Prabhashankar Pattani later grew in to State Bank of Saurashtra. He was made

Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...

in 1904. An army of Bhavnagar was sent to assist British army in First World War. Bhavsinhji and his wife raised a private Bhavnagar War Hospital in 1916 from their personal funds, for treatment of the injured soldiers serving British army in First World War and also instituted a State war medal for the soldiers.

Scholar

He distinguished scholar of varied interests. He composed four parts of the Sangeet Mala, a treatise on the medicinal properties of Indian plants. He also published the Manual of Indian Ayurvedic Pharmacy. Further, he published translation of

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...

, a musical composition of Macaulay's Horatius.Life Sketch of H. H. Sir Bhavsinhji II, K.C.S.I., Maharaja of Bhavanagar - Bhavnagar (Princely State) 1911 He was also member of management committee of Rajkumar College of Rajkot and authored The Forty Years of the Rajkumar College in seven volumes (1911). The introduction of the Tonic Sol-fa system of notation into Indian music was largely due to his efforts.

Death

He died on 16 July 1919 and his son,

Krishna Kumarasingh Bhavasingh Colonel Maharaja Raol Sir Shri Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji KCSI (19 May 1912 – 2 April 1965) was an Indian king and politician, the last ruling Maharaja of the Gohil dynasty, who ruled Bhavnagar State from 1919 to 1948 and also serv ...

, succeeded him to throne of

Honors

*Delhi Darbar Gold Medal - 1903 *Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India - 24 June 1904 *Granted the personal title of

Maharaja Bahadur Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great Monarch, king" or "high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Em ...

, 1 January 1909 (later made hereditary in recognition of war services from 1 January 1918) *Delhi Darbar Gold Medal - 1911

Memorials

Sir Bhavsinhji Polytechnic Institute was established in commemoration of Bhavsinhji II by his son and successor Sir Krishnakumarsinhji in 1932, which commenced functioning in 1949.

References

{{authority control 1875 births 1919 deaths Maharajas of Bhavnagar Gujarati people Founders of Indian schools and colleges Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India Indian knights English-language writers from India Gujarati-language writers