The status of Rajpipla among Indian princely states

The Princely State of Rajpipla

Rajpipla was a prominent princely state prior to the independence of India, and merger of princely states with the Union of India.

Of a total of 536 ruling princely states in undivided India, there were 120 salute states with uneven numbered gun-salutes ranging from 9 to 21, and 416 non-salute states.

Rajpipla was a 13-gun salute state. There were only 57 princely states with gun-salute of 13-guns and above.

Rajpipla State had an area of about 4,000 square kilometres. Only 46 princely states in India had an area of 4,000 square kilometres or more.

Rajpipla was among the top four princely states in the Bombay Presidency, the others being Kolhapur, Idar and Khairpur (now in Sindh, Pakistan), out of a total of 152 salute and non-salute states.

Rajpipla was the largest and only first-class princely state in the Rewakantha Agency, comprising 61 states.

Rajpipla was the second-largest after Baroda among Gujarat states (excluding Kathiawad).

Based on the above facts, Rajpipla ranked among the top 10 percent of the ruling princely states in undivided India.

The Gohil Rajput Clan

The ancient Gohil Rajput clan, to which the Rajpipla royal family belongs, is one of the oldest and most respected in India. It traces its origin to the 6^th century AD and beyond, and it ruled over north Gujarat, Mewar, Marwar, and Gohilwar in present-day south Saurashtra, before holding sway over Rajpipla for 600 years from the mid-14^th century till merger in 1948. The Sisodias emananted from the Gohils, and in turn the Bhonsles and Ranas of Nepal sprung from the Sisodias. Only five original Gohil Rajput royal families remain, those of the erstwhile princely states of Bhavnagar, Rajpipla, Palitana, Lathi and Vala (Vallibhipur), all in present-day Gujarat.