Freedom struggle, Prajamandal movement and integration of Rajasthan

Freedom-struggle questions on Rajasthan begin with the old Rajputana map. Mewar, Marwar, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Kota, Bundi, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dungarpur, Banswara and smaller states were ruled by princes, not by one provincial government. Earlier dynastic memories, such as Mewar's Chittor-Udaipur line, Marwar's Rathore centre at Jodhpur, the Kachhwaha line of Amber-Jaipur and the Hada Chauhan houses of Bundi-Kota, shaped political identity. Ajmer-Merwara was different because it was under direct British administration, so its political route did not match the princely states. For objective exams, this background matters because revolt, Prajamandal activity and merger happened state by state.

The British did not annex most Rajputana states into a regular province. Instead, they used treaties, residencies, political agents and the doctrine of paramountcy. The 1818 treaties, signed after Maratha and Pindari pressure, brought major states such as Marwar, Mewar, Bundi, Bikaner and Jaipur under British paramountcy while leaving internal rulers in place. This arrangement created a double structure: the ruler controlled local administration, and the British supervised external relations and political stability. In later nationalist politics, that double structure produced two targets. One target was British imperial control; the other was autocratic princely rule. This is why Rajasthan's freedom struggle must be read through 1857, Prajamandal politics, peasant movements, tribal mobilisation and final integration, not only through Congress activity in directly ruled British provinces.