Ponwar

The Ponwar (also Panwar, Puar, Powar, or Pawar) are an Arya clan of that ruled the states of Chhatarpur, Dewas, Dhar, and Rajgarh in central India. They claimed the same descent as the Paramara clan of Aryans and Kshatriyas, who ruled Malwa from the 9th to the 14th centuries. The state of Rajgarh was ruled by the Umat clan of Ponwar rulers and came into separate existence after the division of Umatwara in the 16th century. The other half-of Umatwara was ruled by the sister state of Narsingarh. The Ponwar "Rawat"s, later "Raja"s, became tributaries of Sindhia in the 18th century. However, they alone are considered to be pure Pawar rulers in Malwa.

The Maratha Peshwa Bajirao invaded Malwa in 1723, and his armies were led by Maratha generals that included Udaji Rao Ponwar, Malhar Rao Holkar and Ranoji Sindhia. Udaji Rao Ponwar established himself at Dhar in Malwa in 1728, but in 1732 fell out of favor with the Peshwa and was imprisoned; his younger brother Anand Rao Ponwar became the Raja of Dhar, and his descendants ruled the state until Indian Independence.

Two Ponwar brothers, Tukaji Rao (senior) and Jivaji Rao (junior), established themselves as rulers of Dewas in 1728; their descendants divided the state in two, ruled by senior and junior branches of the family descended from the two brothers.

The Ponwar rulers of Chhatarpur took control of the state in 1785, and became a princely state of British India in 1806. The Ponwar Maharaja acceded to the Government of India on 1 January 1950.

Ancient Heroes In This Clan

1. Raja Vikramāditya2. Raja Bhoja Of Malwa, Bhopal and Bhojpur (Bhojpuri Language is named after him.)3. Raja Bhrithari

Ponwar rulers of Dewas (Senior branch)

*Raja Tukaji Rao I Puar (1728-16 November 1754). Born c. 1696, died 1754.
*Raja Krishnaji Rao I Puar (16 November 1754 - 24 March 1789). Born 1740, died 1789.
*Raja Tukaji Rao II Puar (24 March 1789-28 September 1827). Born 1783, died 1827.
*Raja Rukmangad Tukaji Rao Puar "Khasi Sahib" (28 September 1827 - 26 July 1860). Born 1821, died 1860.
*Raja Krishnaji Rao II Puar "Baba Sahib" (26 July 1860 - 12 October 1899). Born 1849, died 1899.
*Raja (later Maharaja) Tukaji Rao III Puar "Kesho Rao Bapu Sahib" (Raja 4 April 1900-1 January 1918, Maharaja 1 January 1918 - 21 December 1937). Born 1888, died 1937.
*Maharaja Vikramasimha Rao Puar (21 December 1937-23 March 1947) Born 1910, died 1983.
*Maharaja Krishnaji Rao III Puar (23 March 1947-15 August 1947). Born 1932, died 1999.

Ponwar rulers of Dewas (Junior branch)

*Raja Jivaji Rao Puar (1728-15 August 1774). Died 1774.
*Raja Sadashiv Rao I Puar (15 August 1774-2 December 1790). Died 1790.
*Raja Rukmangad Rao Puar (2 Dec 1790-1817). Died 1817.
*Raja Anand Rao Puar (1817-1840). Died 1840.
*Raja Haibat Rao Puar (1840 - 12 May 1864). Died 1864.
*Raja Narayan Rao Puar "Dada Sahib" (1864-19 January 1892). Born 1860, died 1892.
*Raja (later Maharaja) Malhar Rao Puar "Bhava Sahib" (Raja 19 January 1892-1 January 1918, Maharaja 1 January 1918-4 February 1934). Born 1877, died 1934.
*Maharaja Sadashiv Rao II Puar "Khasi Sahib" (4 February 1934-2 December 1943). Born 1887, died 1943.
*Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Puar "Bhav Sahib" (2 December 1943-15 Aug 1947). Born 1905.

Ponwar rulers of Chhatarpur

* Raja Kunwar Sone Shah (1785-1816).
* Raja Pratap Singh (1816-1854). Son of Kunwar Sone Shah.
* Raja Jagat Singh (1854-1867). Grandson of Kunwar Sone Shah. Born 1846, died 1867.
* Raja (later Maharaja) Vishwanath Singh (Raja 1867-1895, Maharaja 1895-1932). Son of Jagat Singh. Born 26 August 1866, died 1932.
* Maharaja Bhawani Singh Bahadur (1932; acceded 1950). Son of Vishwanath Singh. Born 1921.

ee also

*Paramara