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Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana (1707-1756) was the most powerful ruler of princely state Gohad in northwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. According to Cunningham and William Cook, Bamraulia gotra jats from village Bamrauli (near Agra) in 1505 founded the city Gohad near Gwalior.

Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana

Singhandev was the founder of Gohad state. Later it developed into an important Jat State. The Jat rulers of Gohad were awarded the title of Rana.

Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana played an important role in keeping a power balance in Malwa. Delhi Mughal ruler sent Jay Singh of Jaipur as satrap of Malwa in 1729. Malharrao Holkar, Udaji Panwar and Kanthaji Panwar encountered Jay Singh in Mandavgarh fort. Jay Singh succeeded in defeating Marathas with the help of Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur state. Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana helped Suraj Mal in this mission. This alliance made them the enemies of Marathas. Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana increased his powers and was planning to expand his territories. He marched to Malwa in 1736 but came back and targeted the Gwalior Fort. Marathas were also in race to win the Gwalior Fort. The weak and easy-going Mughal satrap Alikhan, looking to the power of Jats, surrendered the fort to Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana. Meanwhile there was a severe fight between Marathas and Jats to win the Gwalior Fort but Jats won and the Gwalior fort came under Jats. Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana occupied the Gwalior fort from 1740-1756.

Chhatri near Bhimtal in memory of Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana on the Gwalior Fort

In 1756 Marathas attacked the Gwalior Fort under the leadership of Mahadji Sheetole, Yammaji Rahalkar and Motiram Bani with a huge army. Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana was wounded and died in war on Chaitra sudi nawami (Ram nawami) in 1756. Maharaja Bhim Singh had constructed a historical monument Bhimtal in 1754 on the Gwalior fort. His successor Maharaja Chhatra Singh Rana constructed a grand Chhatri near Bhimtal in memory of Maharaja Bhim Singh on the Gwalior Fort. Jat Samaj Kalyan Parishad Gwalior organizes a fair on Gwalior fort on Ram Navami every year in honour of Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana.

The Maratha Historian Balwantrao Bhaiya Saheb Sindhia has written about Bhim Singh Rana in his book “History of Gwalior fort” as under: “They (Kishwar Ali Khan and his people) decided to surrender the fort to Rana Bhim singh. Accordingly some 300 men of Rana were allowed to enter the fortress by the way of Kabootar Khana. They were soon followed by Rana Bhim Singh himself, who accompanied with soldiers on foot and on horse back and took up a position at the village of Goorganwan. ….The people of Gwalior were well cared and more protected during the Rana’s regime. One day, as the Rana came out of the fort and took his stand at the village of Saloo merely to take a view of the position, and to give battle, the forces on both sides took the initiative without any word of command from their respective leaders. The Rana being armless in the midst of the field of battle performed prodigies of valour and receiving wounds retired to Citedal, where he expired and three days after was cremated near the great Tank built by him in accordance with Hindu rites.”

Rana Bhim Singh had no son. Girdhar Pratap Singh became his successor in 1755. Girdhar Pratap Singh was son of Samant Rao Balju, a family friend of Rana Bhim Singh. Girdhar Pratap Singh could not rule Gohad for long as he died in 1757. His successor was Rana Chhatar Singh (1757-1785).

• Dr. Ajay Kumar Agnihotri (1985) : Gohad ke jaton ka Itihas (Hindi), Nav sahitya Bhawan, New Delhi.

• Dr Natthan Singh (2004) : Jat-Itihas, Jat Samaj Kalyan Parishad, Gwalior.
• Jat Samaj, Agra: October-November 2004
• Dr Natthan Singh (2005): Sujas Prabandh (Gohad ke Shasakon ki Veer gatha – by Poet Nathan), Jat Veer Prakashan Gwalior