Jayappa Sindhia

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Jayappa Sindhia (Scindia, Shinde) (c. 1720 - 25 July 1755) was a Maratha general. He ruled Gwalior State in northern India from 1745 to 1755, succeeding his father Ranoji Rao Scindia who had founded it.

Variants

• Jayappa Rao Scindia
• Jayappa Scindia
• Jayappaji Rao Shinde
• Jayappaji Rao Scindia
• Jayappa Dadasahib
• Jaippa Scindhia
• Jayappa Scinde
• Jayappa

History

Gwalior state was a semi-autonomous Maratha state. It was centred in modern-day Madhya Pradesh, arising due to the rise of the Maratha Empire and fragmentation of the Mughal Empire.

It was ruled by the House of Scindia (anglicized from Shinde), a Hindu Maratha dynasty, and was entitled to a 21-gun salute when it became a princely state of the India. The state took its name from the old town of Gwalior, which, although not its first capital, was an important place because of its strategic location and the strength of its fort; it became later its capital, after Daulat Rao Sindhia built its palace in the village of Lashkar, near the fort. The state was founded in the early 18th century by Ranoji Sindhia, as part of the Maratha Confederacy. The administration of Ujjain was assigned by Peshwa Bajirao I to his faithful commander Ranoji Shinde and his Sarsenapati was Yasaji Rambhaji (Rege).

Under Mahadji Sindhia (1761–1794) Gwalior State became a leading power in Central India, and dominated the affairs of the confederacy. The Anglo-Maratha Wars brought Gwalior State under British suzerainty, so that it became a princely state of the British Indian Empire. Gwalior was the largest state in the Central India Agency, under the political supervision of a Resident at Gwalior. In 1936, the Gwalior residency was separated from the Central India Agency, and made answerable directly to the Governor-General of India. After Indian Independence in 1947, the Scindia rulers acceded to the new Union of India, and Gwalior state was absorbed into the new Indian state of Madhya Bharat.

Death

Jayappa was killed by two men named Khokar Kesar Khan and Kan Singh, who were adherents of Maharaja Vijay Singh of Jodhpur before the walls of Nagaur in Rajasthan on 25 July 1755, after entanglement in the affairs of Jodhpur

He was succeeded by his son Jankoji Rao Scindia, who was killed at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.

His family

Jayappa had four daughters who married in the knight families of Shinde, including one in Nimbalkar, two in Ghorpade and last one in the house of Savant - Bhonsle family. Jankoji Shinde married Kashibai Nimbalkar, sister of Vyankatrao and Janrao Nimbalkar of Phaltan, both Sardars of the Nizam of Hyderabad, hailing from Phaltan.

In Jat History

Rup Ram Katara was Priest and Vakil of Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur. He played important role in administration of Maharaja Suraj Mal. Rup Ram Katara was a friend of Jayappa Sindhia. During the course of the siege of Kumher Maharani Kishori requested Diwan Roop Ram Katara to take letter of Maharaja Suraj Mal with the proposal of peace treaty with him. Jat Queen and her wining over the Jayappa Sindhia to the Jat side has been described by Dr. Raj Pal Singh in detail as mentioned below.

Dr. Raj Pal Singh writes....During the course of the siege of Kumher one-day (17th March 1754) when Khande Rao Holkar had gone in a palanquin to inspect an advanced battery, he was gunned down by the Jats. On learning of the death of his only son, Malhar Rao Holkar "turned almost mad with grief and vowed to extirpate the Jats in revenge." But Suraj Mal, never failing in ceremonial propriety shared the bitter grief of Malhar by sending him and Khande Rao's infant son, mourning robes. In memory of Khande Rao a temple was also built³⁴ which stands even today (near Gangarsauli Village) in front of the fort of Kumher.

On Malhar's invitation Imad joined the besiegers.³⁵ "Raghunath Rao gave Imad-ul-Mulk a written undertaking to deliver to him one-fourth of the treasure and other booty expected to be captured from the Jats. "³⁶ With his arrival the Maratha army attempted more vigorously to invest the fort but they were held at bay by obstinate Jats who fired back from their cannons fixed on the walls of the fort.³⁷ Malhar Rao was bent upon total extermination of the Jat power. The Jats had defended

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[p.152]: Kumher valiently but feelings ran high on both sides. "When all seemed lost Maharani Kishori roused the drooping spirits of her husband, telling him to trust her and banish despair from his mind. "³⁸ She sent, one night, Tej Ram Kataria (son of Rup Ram Kataria) to Jaippa Scindhia with the turban of Suraj Mal and a letter seeking his help. Jaippa accepted the presents and in reciprocation sent his own turban to Suraj Mal along-with an encouraging letter promising all possible help.

Thus Jaippa was won over to the Jat side by a clever move of Maharani Kishori . ³⁹ Using his influence, Jaippa Scindhia pressed Raghu Nath Rao to accept 'Khandani' and to come to an understanding with the Jats and end the futile fight.

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34 Sirdeshahi, I, p. 102; Hingane, II, p. 40; Rajwade, I, p. 33; TAH, p. 117; Bhao Bakhar, p. 5; D.C. p. 48.

35 TAH, 111b.

36 SPD, XXVII, 104; J.N. Sarkar, FME, I, p. 324 f.n.

37 TAH, 114a.

38 K.R. Qanungo, Jats, p. 49.

39 Bhao Bakhar, p. 6; Gulgale Daftar (Sitamau, M.S.), Vol. I, No. 212 and 217 also confirm this move of the Jat Queen and her wining over the Scindhia to the Jat side.