Sitamau

The Rajas of Sitamau are Rathore Rajputs descended from Maharaja Udai Singh of Jodhpur. The origin of the Sitamau State dates from the beginning of the 18^th century when the revenues of Titrode pargana were granted by the Emperor Aurangzeb to Keshodas, a grandson of Raja Ratan Singh of Ratlam. Keshodas also received sanads from the Moghal Emperors conferring upon him the perganıs of Nahargarh and Alot. The perganas of Nahargarh and Alot, how ever, passed into the hands of Gwalior and Dewas respectively during the latter part of the 18^th century when the Marathas established their sway in this part of Malwa. Keshodas, the founder of the State, died in the year 1748, and was succeeded by his son Gaj Singh. On his death, in 1752, Gaj Singh was succeeded by his son Fateh Singh (1752-1802). Fateh Singh was succeeded by his son Raj Singh, who ruled till 1867. Between Raja Raj Singh and Maharaja Daulat Rao Scindia an engagement was mediated by Sir John Malcolm in 1820, under which a tribute of Rs. 60,000 Salim Shahi was payable to Gwalior. During the Mutiny of 1857 Raja Raj Singh remained faithful to the British Government and was rewarded with a khilat of Rs. 2,000. Raja Raj Singh was succeeded by his grand- son Bhawani Singh (1867-85). Raja Bahadur Singh, a second cousin of Raja Bhawani Singh, succeeded to the gadi in 1885. Raja Bahadur Singh was succeeded in 1899 by his adopted brother Raja Shardul Singh, who died o f cholera in the following year.

With his death the direct line of the Ruling family became extinct, but, to continue the autonomy of the State, the Government of India recognized the succession of the present Ruler, a brother of the Thakur of Kachhi Baroda (a feudatory of the Dhar State) on the ground of his descent from the senior branch of the family of Raja Ratan Singh. His Highness Raja Sir Ram Singh, K.C.I.E., was born on the The Ruler. 2^nd January 1880 and was educated at the Daly College, Indore. He succeeded to the gadi in 1900.

In 1902 His Highness married a daughter of the Raja of Chhota-Udaipur , who died a year later. In 1903 His Highness married a daughter of the Thakur of Baleri in Bikaner . On her death, in 1915, His Highness married a granddaughter of the Thakur of Maroli in Udaipur State. His Highness has three sons, Rajkumar Raghubir Singh, M.A., LL.B., born on the 22^nd February 1908, Rajkumar Govind Singh, born on the 10^th August 1911, and Rajkumar Raghunath Singh, B.A., born on the 6^th December 1912; and two daughters. The Ruler was made a K.C.I.E. in 1911 on the occasion of the Delhi Darbar.

Capital of the State of the same name in Central India, situated in 24° 1' N. and 75° 21' E., on a small eminence 1,700 feet above sea-level. Sītāmau is 132 miles distant by road from Indore. It is connected with the Mandasor station of the Rajputana- Malwa Railway by a metal road 18 miles in length, and is 486 miles from Bombay. Population (1901), 5,877. The town is surrounded by a wall with seven gates, and its foundation is ascribed to a Mīnā chief, Sātajī (1465). It fell later into the hands of the Gajmalod Bhumias. These Bhumias were Songara Rathors, who came into Malwa and took Sītāmau about 1500. About 1650 Mahesh Das Rathore , father of Ratan Singh, was journeying from Jhalor to Onkārnāth, and was forced to stop at Sītāmau, owing to his wife's illness. She died here, and he asked the Gajmalod Bhūmias for permission to erect a shrine to her memory, but they refused. He seized Sītāmau. The connection thus established between this place and the Rathore clan caused Ratan Singh to get it included in his grant of Ratlam. Laduna, situated 3½ miles from Sitamau , on the edge of a fine tank, was the chief town from 1750 to 1820, Sītāmau being too open to attack by the Marathās. The town contains a school, a guesthouse, a dispensary, and a British post and telegraph office.