PRESENT RULER: VACANT since 22nd January 1958

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: Its foundation is traced to a religious celibate, who came from the Punjab towards the end of the 18th century and established himself in business at Ratanpur. From the founder it passed through a succession of chosen disciples until 1879, when the British government recognized the ruler as an hereditary chief and afterwards conferred upon his son the title of Raja Bahadur. Nandgaon originally consisted of four separate zamindaris (Pandadah, Nandgaon, Mohgaon and Dongargaon) all subject to the Raja of Nagpur, and which progressively came into the possession of the Mahants. Rulers were...

1. Mahant HARI DAS, 1st Chief of Pandadah, took possession of the zamindari of Pandadah after the owner defaulted on a debt.

2. Mahant RAM DAS, 2nd Chief of Nandgaon and Pandadah 1723/-, he took possession of the zamindari of Nandgaon after the owner defaulted on a debt.

3. Mahant RAGHUBIR DAS, 3rd Chief of Nandgaon and Pandadah.

4. Mahant HIMANCHAL DAS, 4th Chief of Nandgaon, Pandadah and Mohgaon; the Raja of Nagpur made a grant of Mohgaon pargana to the Mahant in appreciation of his generosity.

5. Mahant MOJIRAM DAS, 5th Chief of Nandgaon, the zamindar of Dongargaon and his brother revolted against the Nagpur Raja, but were subdued by the Mahant who was then granted Dongargaon in 1823 by the grateful Raja, thus the four parganas were united and became the state of Nandgaon; married and had issue, as well as adoptive issue. ^(#2)

   • Mahant Ghanaram Das (qv)

   • (A) Mahant Ghasi Das (qv)

6. Mahant GHANARAM DAS, 6th Chief of Nandgaon 1862/1865

7. Mahant GHASI DAS, 7th Chief of Nandgaon 1865/1883, born 1820, recognised by the British as Feudatory Chief of Nandgaon in 1865 and was later granted a sanad of adoption; he was a capable administrator and placed his state on a sound financial basis; he made Raj Nandgaon his capital and made it an important trading centre, he also built a Palace there; married and had issue. He died in November 1883.

   • Raja Mahant Balram Das Bahadur (qv)

8. Raja Mahant BALRAM DAS Bahadur, 8th Chief of Nandgaon 1883/1897, born 1866, succeeded 4th November 1883 ^(#1), he was granted the title of Raja in 1887 as a personal distinction and was formally installed on the gaddi with full ruling powers in August 1891, the title of Raja Bahadur was granted on 2nd January 1893 as a personal distinction, married and had adoptive issue. He died 1897.

   • (A) Mahant Rajendra Das (qv)

9. Mahant RAJENDRA DAS, 9th Chief of Nandgaon 1897/1912, born 1893, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur. He died while still a minor in 1912.

10. Mahant SARVESHWAR DAS, 10th Chief of Nandgaon 1913/1940, born 30th March 1906 and succeeded 24th June 1913 ^(#4), educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; married 1931, Maharajkumari Jyoti Manjari Devi, daughter of HH Maharaja Shri Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj, and his second wife, HH Maharani Suchara Devi, and had issue.

    • Mahant Digvijai Das (qv)

11. Mahant DIGVIJAI DAS, 11th Chief of Nandgaon 1940/1958, born 25th April 1933, succeeded 18th September 1940, died sp on 22nd January 1958.

OTHER MEMBERS:

• Name Unknown

  • Mahant Sarveshwar Das (see above)

  • Shri Dr. Kamleshwar Das, educated at Rajkumar College, Raipur; served in the U.N.O. as Deputy Director, Division of Human Rights, United Nations; married Jean (Das), and had issue. He died 6th November 1997 in Bradenton, Florida, USA. ^(#3)

    • Shyam Das

    • Arun Das

    • Kamala Das

    • Raj Das