Founder of Nagpur Bakht Buland Shah: Ruler whose dynasty ruled Vidarbha and portions of Madhya Pradesh

Founder of Nagpur Bakht Buland Shah: Bakht Buland Shah, the ruler of the Deogarh dynasty, established Nagpur more than 300 years ago. By combining twelve separate hamlets, he founded and constructed a city.

Currently, it is the largest metropolis in all of central India and one of the fastest-growing cities in India. Bakht Buland Shah is credited with laying the city’s foundation and beautifying and expanding it. He united Sitabardi, Gadge, Bhankheda, Raipur, Rajapur, Sakkardara, Phutala, Haripur, and several other villages to create the city.

Mohallas were delineated, roads were created, and structures were constructed. During his reign, a fort was erected in Nagpur, a mosque was constructed that still stands today, and the town’s population grew. Under his successors, the city grew even more quickly. The dynasty that once governed from Deogarh, which is now located in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, subsequently made Nagpur its regional capital.

According to historical texts, Jatba was the Gond chieftain who governed from Deogarh (Devgad) during the reign of Emperor Akbar. His son, Koka Shah, succeeded him, and he was superseded by Bakht Buland Shah. Bakht Buland Shah sought the assistance of Aurangzeb during a succession dispute; he was successful in his endeavor. His claim and authority were acknowledged, and he ascended to power. Bakhd Buland Shah had also spent years at the Delhi imperial court.

Shah was a Gond who’d converted to Islam. He was the father of five sons: Chand Sultan, Mohammad Shah, Ali Shah, Yusuf Shah, and Wali Shah. Chand Sultan was the one who succeeded his father. During his reign, the fort was fortified and five primary gates were built. In addition, the Juma Talab was constructed alongside the Juma Masjid.

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In addition, wells were excavated and gardens were planted. Unfortunately, the dynasty and its role in establishing the foundation for Nagpur are only mentioned in passing in contemporary texts. Burhan Shah, Chand Sultan’s son, succeeded him. Previously, Bakht Buland Shah ruled over portions of Chhindwara, Balaghat, and Betul in Madhya Pradesh, in addition to Nagpur, Seoni, and Bhandara in Maharashtra. However, his son Chand Sultan perceived a decline in Mughal authority and expanded the empire by capturing more territory. He apprehended Paunar.

But after the demise of Chand Sultan in 1735, trouble began. Wali Shah revolted and eliminated the ‘obstacle’ by executing Bahadur Shah, who was anticipated to succeed. Akbar and Buran, two siblings of Bahadur Shah, were young. Therefore, their mother approached Raghoji Bhonsale. Soon after his arrival, Raghoji defeated Wali Shah and reinstated Burhan Shah to the throne. In exchange, she divided the kingdom into three portions and gave Raghoji one of them. Consequently, Raghoji’s influence increased over time.

A few years later, when Akbar Shah rebelled against Burhan Shah, Raghuji was again requested to intervene. Burhan Shah has now given Raghoji the jagir of Akbar Shah. Raghoji was to receive a portion of the revenue, and when Burhan Shah’s diwan attempted to increase his influence, Raghoji had him arrested and took Burhan Shah under his protection, granting him a Rs 3 lakh annual pension.

However, even after he assumed leadership, mutual respect remained. Raghoji would bring significant matters to Burhan Shah’s attention, they would discuss it, and the tradition continued that successors of Raghoji would receive the blessings of the contemporary nominal ruler of the Shah dynasty. In fact, the tradition persisted and the ties remained until the middle of the twentieth century, when one of the descendants, Azam Shah, was still alive.

Sharfuddin Sahil, who has written multiple texts on the history and heritage of the region, notes that Burhan Shah witnessed the reigns of four Bhonsla rulers—Raghoji, Janoji, Modhaji, and Raghoji II—who all respected him and referred to him as Raja Sahab.

Burhan Shah was buried in the royal graveyard of the Gond Muslim dynasty at Nagpur’s Sakkardara after his demise in 1896. Bahram Shah, Suleman Shah, Firoz Shah, Sikandar Shah, Azam Shah, and Anwar Shah were his six sons. His father was succeeded by Bahram Shah.

Sir Richard Jenkins asserts that Bakht Buland Shah deserves much of the credit for the development of agriculture, industry, and commerce in Gondwana and Nagpur because he attracted hardworking migrants to his domain by offering them generous land grants. “As a sovereign, his greatest accomplishment was the founding of Nagpur. He oversaw the construction of the city, its subdivision into localities, the construction of roadways, and the erection of a protective wall around it.”

The gazetteer states, “In 1706, he moved the capital from Devgad to Nagpur.” Following Burhan Shah, the Bhonsla dynasty ruled until the British seized complete control. Sadly, the dynasty that played such a pivotal role in the history of the region is not accorded the respect it deserves.

Heritage and history require conservation efforts and heightened awareness.

The fort at Deogarh is in ruins, and the graveyard at Sakkardara is also unattended, with unmarked graves and land predators eyeing the property. This Gond Muslim Shahi Qabristan once covered a vast area but is now confined to less than 2 acres. The cause is encroachment and inadequate maintenance.

Here were interred the kings, their descendants, and family members. In fact, robbers previously targeted the location because they believed the ornaments were interred with the corpses. It has been designated as Waqf land by the state administration, but there has been less emphasis on safeguarding and protecting the area.

Approximately 81 graves are located here, the majority of which cannot be readily identified. In addition to Bakht Buland Shah, this site contains the burials of Chand Sultan, Burhan Shah, Bahram Shah, Rahman Shah, Suleman Shah, Azam Shah, and their relatives.