Kurundwad.
1. Senior Branch.
KURUNDWAD State comes under the Political Agent of Kolhapur and Southern Mahratta Country. This Sate was a saranjam grant made by the Peshwa to Nilkanth Rao Trimbak Patwardhan about the year 1763 A.D. on condition of military service. About the year 1810 A. D., the State was divided into two parts, Kurundwad and Shedbal, of which the latter lapsed to the British Government in 1857 A.D. owing to failure of heirs.
In the year 1817 A.D., treaties were made by Mr. Elphinstone with Keshav Rao of Kurundwad and Ganapat Rao of Shedbal on the lines of the Pandharpur Settlement of 1811 A.D., and the strength of the contingents to be supplied for service was determined.
In 1855 A. D., a further division of Kurundwad into Senior and Junior was effected by the British Government between Raghunath Rao, Ganapat Rao, Vinayak Rao and Trimbak Rao. On the death of Trimbak Rao without issue in 1869 A.D., his share of the jahagir was bestowed upon Ganapat Rao by the British Government, and the share possessed by him in the mam Estate reverted to the Senior Chief, Raghunath Rao, whose descendants rule over the Senior Branch. Chintaman Rao alias Balasaheb, who was a well educated chief, came to the gadi in 1876 A.D. and ruled till 1907 A.D. His son and successor, Bhalchanfra Rao alias Annasaheb, a graduate of the Allahabad University, is the present ruler.
The Senior Chief's Estate contains an area of 185 square miles and a population of 42,474 souls. The estimated annual revenue of the jahagir is nearly two lacs of rupees, of which Rs. 9,612 are paid as tribute to the Paramount Power.
The Chief of Kurundwad Senior ranks as a first class Sirdar in the Southern Mahratta Country, and has power to try his own subjects for capital offences. His family holds a Sanaa of adoption, and succession follows the rule of primogeniture.
