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Maharaja facts for kids

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Raja Ravi Varma, Puddukotta Durbar
Durbar of Pudukkottai Maharaja with British officials.

The word Mahārāja (also spelled maharajah) is Sanskrit for "great king" or "high king". Many languages of India have borrowed the word 'maharaja', there languages include Punjabi, Bengali, Hindi and Gujarati. Its use is mainly for Hindu rulers. A female ruler is known as Maharani (or Maharanee) or great queen. She can be the wife of a Maharaja or a ruler herself.

In 1971, the government of Indira Gandhi abolished the titles and money for all Indian rulers. However some people still claim such titles.

Indian subcontinent

Before independence in 1947, India and Pakistan contained more than 600 princely states each with its own ruler. Some states called the ruler Raja or Thakur (if the ruler were Hindu) or Nawab (if he was Muslim); there were many other titles as well.

Images for kids

  • HH Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar X

    Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, the Maharaja of Mysore (1885)

  • 16 Attributed to Narsingh. Maharaja Jaswant Singh II of Marwar, ca. 1880, watercolor, 39.4 x 29.5 cm, The Brooklyn Museum.

    Maharaja Jaswant Singh II of Marwar, c. 1880. Attributed to Narsingh. The Brooklyn Museum.

  • Shivaji British Museum

    Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale. The Maratha king preferred the title of Chhatrapati as against Maharaja and was the founder and sovereign of the Maratha Empire of India

  • Prithvinarayanshah

    Sri Panch Bada Mahārājādhirāja Prithvi Narayan Shah Dev of Nepal.

  • Khengarji III

    His Highness Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Shri Sir Khengarji III Sawai Bahadur, Rao of Kutch, GCIE, KIH

  • Maharaja Partab Singh (1848 - 1925)

    Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir

  • Rana Bdr Shah

    Shree Panch Mahārājādhirāja Rana Bahadur Shah Bahadur Shamsher Jang Devanam Sada Samaravijayinam, Sovereign King of Nepal

  • King Rama X official (crop)

    Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, King of Thailand (2016–)

  • H.H. Maharaja Thakore Shri Sir Bhagwant Singhji Sagramji Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Gondal, GCSI, GCIE, 1911

    Maharaja Bhagvat-Singh of Gondal.

  • Maharajah of Kolhapur 1912

    The Maratha Rajarshi Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj of Kolhapur.

  • Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Maharaja of Baroda, 1919

    The Maratha Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda.

  • Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma

    Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the Maharaja of Travancore

  • Maharajah Duleep Singh dressed for a State function, c. 1875

    Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.

  • HH MAHARAJAH SIR SRI SRI VIKRAM DEV III K.C.I.E

    Maharaja Vikram Dev III of Jeypore Samasthanam Estate, Kalinga.

  • Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar c1903

    Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Maharajá para niños

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