Kahlur Princely State :

Bilaspur State or Kahlur was a princely state in the Punjab Province during the era of British India, ruled by a Hindu Rajput dynasty. The state was initially known as Kahlur and was later renamed Bilaspur.  It covered an area of 1173 km², and had a population of 100,994 according to the 1931 Census of India. The last ruler of Bilaspur State signed the accession to join the Indian Union on 12 October 1948.

Bilaspur State remained Bilaspur Province in independent India until 1950 when the province was briefly renamed "Bilaspur State" before it was merged with Himachal Pradesh state as a district in 1954.

History :

According to local myths compiled during the reign of Raja Hira Chand the predecessor state was founded around 697 CE by Bir Chand. After Kahal Chand had built Kahlur Fort the state was named after it. Initially the capital of the state was at a place named Jhandbari — now in Hoshiarpur district — and then it was transferred to Kahlur Fort, but was later moved permanently to Bilaspur by Dip Chand, the 32nd Raja of Kahlur (reigned 1663–1665). Since the 18th-century the rulers of Bilaspur State patronised artists of the Kangra painting style.

Bilaspur State came under British protection in 1815 under Raja Mahan Chand and became one of the Simla Hill States. Raja Anand Chand was the last ruler of the princely state and Pandit Sant Ram was the last Home Minister. As Bilaspur acceded to India on 12 October 1948, Bilaspur retained an independent identity as a separate province and as a part-C State of the Union of India. The Raja was appointed commissioner of the State. In following years after Raja resigned his deputy Chhabra, who was appointed by govt of India,helped run the temporary govt of Bilaspur while the territory of the princely state was politically integrated into the Indian Union.

From 26 January 1950 Bilaspur was administered by the Government of India as a separate C-Class state named Bilaspur State which in 1954 was incorporated into the State of Himachal Pradesh as a province.

Predecessors :

Raja Bir chand, 1st Raja of 'Kahlur' 697/730 or fl.880, founder, subjugated 15 neighbouring states but was ultimately checked by the Raja of Sirmur, with whom he made peace.

Raja Kahal chand, 6th Raja of Kahlur 894/902, he built Kot Kahlur, giving its name to the state.

Raja Kahn chand, 11th Raja of Kahlur 1057/1099, conquered Hindur and gave it to his second son, Sujit Chand, from whom the ruling line of Nalagarh is descended, married and had issue.

Raja Sangar chand, 16th Raja of Kahlur 1197/1220, married and had issue, ten sons, seven of whom founded jagiri families, existing to the present day.

Raja Megh Chand, 17th Raja of Kahlur 1220/1251, forced to flee a rebellion by his subjects which was eventually put down with the help of the Sultan of Delhi.
Raja Gyan Chand, 28th Raja of Kahlur 1518/1555 or 1570/1600, forced to convert to Islam, after quarrelling with the Governor of Sirhind and being defeated in battle, married (amongst others), the daughter of the Muslim Governor of Sirhind, and had issue. He died 1555 and was buried at Kiratpur.

Raja Kalyan Chand, 30th Raja of Kahlur 1600/1636 or 1630/1645, married (amongst others) a daughter of Raja Shyam Sen of Suket, she committed sati, 1645, and had issue, eight sons. He died 1645.

Raja Dip Chand, 32nd Raja of Kahlur 1653/1665, provided assistance to the Mughal Emperor, for which he received a khillat of 5 lakhs and a sanadauthorising his suzerainty over 22 states; he transferred the capital to Bilaspur; married (a), Rani Kunkam Devi of Kullu, married (b), Rani Jalal Devi, daughter of Raja Shyam Sen of Mandi, married, Rani Champa Devi, and had issue. He died on 27th April 1665 at Nadaon, poisoned to death by the Raja of Kangra.

Raja Bhim chand, 33rd Raja of Bilaspur 1665/1692 (abdicated), born about 1651, spent the last few years of his life as a fakir after abdicating in favour of his son, married and had issue. He died about in 1712.

Raja Ajmer chand, 34th Raja of Bilaspur 1692/1738 or 1712/1741, he was a formidible military ruler, and forced a number of neighbouring states to pay tribute; married (amongst others), daughter of Raja Fateh Shah of Garhwal, married (b), a Princess of Sirmur, and had issue, seven sons. He died 1738 (1741).

Raja Mahan Chand, Raja of Bilaspur 1778/1824, born 1772, during his reign the state was overrun by the Gurkhas from 1803 to 1815, and after their expulsion, the state was confirmed to the Raja by a sanad from the British Government, dated 6th March 1815, he waged war with Nalagarh and Kangra, and lost Dhar Kot to the Sikhs, married and had issue. He died in 1824.

Raja Kharak chand, Raja of Bilaspur 1824/1839, born 1813, married (amongst others) (a), Rani Tripta Devi, daughter of Raja Karam Prakash II, Raja of Sirmur, married, a daughter of Rana Shiv Saran Singh, Rana of Baghal, and had issue. He died 29th March 1839 at Bilaspur leaving three widows, including the two daughters of Raja Karam Prakash II of Sirmur.

Raja Hira chand, Raja of Bilaspur 1850/1883, born 1835, he rendered good service during the Mutiny of 1857, and was rewarded with a salute of 11 guns, married a daughter of the Raja of Rajpur [Raipur] in Ambala, and had issue. He died January 1883.

HH Raja Sir Anand Chand K.C.I.E., Raja of Bilaspur 1927/1983, born 26th January 1913, succeeded on 18th February 1927 on his father's abdication; installed 1928 and granted full ruling powers on 9th January 1933; educated at Mayo College, Ajmer; he abolished Begar (heavy labour) in 1936 and passed legislation abolishing child marriage; he introduced the Bilaspur Prohibition Act in 1942; he constructed new roads linking the capital with both Suket and Mandi, as well as new schools and health centres; he also built the Shri Gopalji Temple and the New Palace (now submerged); Member of the Constituent Assembly 1947/1948; Chief Commissioner of Bilaspur 1948/1950; Member, Lok Sabha 1952/1957 and the Rajya Sabha 1958/1964 and 1964/1970; Member of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Asembly 1977/1982; Author of "Bilaspur - Past, Present and Future"; married 1stly, 18th May 1931 HH Rani Umawati Kumari, born 1916, died 12th/13th March 1961 in Delhi, daughter of Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand Bahadur of Jubbal, and his first wife, Rani Tara Devi, married 2ndly, 1969, Rani Sudarshan Kumari, born 1940, daughter of Kanwar Mehar Chand of Bhojpur, and had issue. He died 12th October 1983 or 15th November 1983 in London.

HH Raja Kirti Chand, Raja of Bilaspur 1983/2013, born 1941, educated at Chandigarh, married Kumari Karuna Kumari [HH Rani Karuna Kumari of Bilaspur], daughter of Kunwar Hemender Singh of Mohal in Suket, and his wife, Kanwarani Kushal Devi, and has issue, two children, one son and one daughter. He died 8th October 2013 at Chandigarh after a brief illness.

  HH Raja Shubhendra Chand, Raja of Bilaspur ( At Present, on honourary basis )