Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/294

 Sunth-Rampur.

SUNTH-RAMPUR is a second class State in the Rewa^Kantha Agency in the Bombay Presidency. Its rulers belong to the Parmar caste of Rajputs who originally came from Malwa. Jhalam Singh established his power at Jhalod in the Panch Mahals and gave his name to the town. There is a legend that the Emperor hearing the exceeding beauty of the daughter of Jhalam Singh, Rana of Jhalod (the fifth in succession from the founder), demanded her in marriage; and that on Jhalam Singh's declining the alliance he was attacked by the Mogul army, defeated and killed. His son, Rana Sunth, fled for safety to the Sunth jungle, then under the sway of a Bhill chief by name Sutta.

In the year 1 255 A.D. Sunth, defeated Sutta and took possession of his capital called Bhrahmapuri. He changed its name to Sunth and established his own dynasty.

According to another tradition, the Sunth family is said to have come from Dhar in Malwa, when that principality was conquered by the Mahomedans. From 1443 A.D. the State was tributary to the Ahmedabad Sultans, and on their decline received some additions of the territory.

In 1819 A.D. Sunth was overrun by Sindhia's troops, and would have been either annexed or laid waste, had not the British Government interfered. Through the medium of Sir John Malcolm, it was arranged that on condition of Sindhia withdrawing his troops, Sunth should pay a tribute of Rs. 6,000.

The present ruler of Sunth State is Joravar Singhji who was adopted in 1 896 A.D. by the late Maharana Pratap Singhji from Babral Bhyat family and was sent for education to the Rajkumar College at Rajkot. After attaining majority, he was invested with full powers in 1902 A.D. He is an intelligent Chief who keenly supervises the administration of the State.

The area of the State is 394 square miles containing a population of 59,351 souls according to the census of 191 1 A. D. The gross revenue of the State is 1,66,582 rupees and it pays a tribute of Rs. 5,855 to the British Government

The present Chief, Maharana Shri Joravar Singhji, receives a salute of 9 guns.