This was decided by the Indian government’s provincial department that all provinces should be united under a single state of Rajasthan, and for this work, extensive intelligence, farsightedness, patience and diplomacy was essential and because of this, the work was completed gradually with lot of care. The different stages of Rajasthan Unification: These were five stages.

First Stage : The formation of Matsya organisation. In this organisation, Alwar Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karoli were included since from the geographical, caste and economic perspectives these states were alike. The rulers of the 4 states were called on 27 February 1948 to Delhi and the proposal for their integration was placed in front of them. That was instantly accepted on the recommendation of A. K. Munshi.

This organisation was named as Matsya organisation as was the name of this place from the Mahabharat era. On 28 February 1948, the documents were signed and on 18 March 1948, the central minister A. V. Gadgil inaugurated the organisation. The population of Matsya was 18 Lakh and its annual income was ₹2 crore. The Maharaja of Dholpur, Uday Bhan Singh was made supreme head and Council of Ministers was formed.

Shobha Ram of Alwar was made Prime Minister of all 4 states included in organisation one member from each state was taken to form Council of Ministers. Gopi Lal Yadav (Bharatpur), Master Bholanath (Alwar), Dr. Mangal Singh (Dholpur) and Chiranjali Sharma (Karoli) took the oath as ministers.

Second stage: United Rajasthan : in this organisation, Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, Banswara, Pratapgarh and Shahpura were included. Kota, Jhalawar and Dungarpur rulers made one Hadoti organisation as was thought over and on 3 March 1948 all the three rulers agreed in Delhi to the idea of integration. The same opinion was formed by the rulers of Banswara, Pratapgarh and Dungarpur.

The native Praja Mandal’s pressure was also there in favour of organisation. Shahpur and Kishangarh were 2 such provinces that had in their part opposed to their merger with Ajmer, Marwada. This is why they agreed to be included in United Rajasthan. This way United Rajasthan had 9 : states; Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, Kishangarh, Shantipura and Tonk.

The area of the united Rajasthan was 16807 sq. miles, population 23.5 lakh and income 1.90 crore annually. According to the provincial department’s estimentes. Mewar province was situated. According to the provincial department’s estimentes. Mewar could place its independent identity.

Still then provincial department invited the state of Mewar for inclusion. The Mewar Maharana, Bhupal Singh and Mewar state Dewan Sir S. V. Ramamurthi opposed the proposal and said Mewar’s 1300 years old kingdom with glorious traditions could not be given up and their identity could not be erased on India map.

By seeing the rigid attitude of Mewar state, the provincial department took the decision to leave Udaipur for the time being and merge the province of South East to construct United Rajasthan. In the proposed United Rajasthan, Kota was the largest province.

The decision was taken the post of supreme head of United Rajasthan be given to Maharaj Bheem Singh of Kota and on 25 March, 1948. N. V. Gadgil inaugurated this new organisation. The Kota Maharaj being given the post of Supreme King on the basis of larger area was not acceptable to the Maharaj of Bundi because traditionally their position was higher than Kota.

Bundi Maharao prayed to the Maharaja of Mewar to merge in new state so that Udaipur Maharaj could become supreme head by which the difficulties of Bundi Maharaj would be solved. Maharana gave Bundi Maharaj that very answer that he had given few days to provincial department.

In the end, being helpless Bundi Maharao agreed for Kota Maharaj to be the supreme head of United Rajasthan, Bundi Maharao was made vice supreme head and Maharao of Dungarpur junior vice supreme head. The brief constitution of these states was prepared and it was to be inaugurated on 25 March, 1948.

The decision of Mewar not to get included in United Rajasthan in Mewar sparked a quick revolt in Mewar. The main leader of Mewar Praja Mandal and constitutiontal representative committee member M. L. Verma said Mewar cauld not decide about the 20 lakh people fate alone through Maharana Saheb and his chief Ram Murthi. Praja Mandal’s clear policy was that Mewar ended its identity and became a part of Rajasthan.

Maharana remained firm on his decision but soon the political circumstances of Mewar changed. An obstacle arose in Mewar with respect to formation of council of ministers, between Praja Mandal and Mewar government. This obstacle could be resolved if Mewar joined the union. Maharana on 23 March 1948, in order to merge Mewar in United Rajasthan forwarded the information of this decision to Indian government and requested to set the date of inauguration on 25th March.

Third Stage : Mewar merges with United Rajasthan : Three days after the United Rajasthan’s inauguration, a discussion started on the question of Mewar merger. 

Sir Rama Murthi informed about three main demands.

1. Maharana would be made United Rajasthan’s hereditary supreme head. 

2. He had to be given Rs 20 Lakh annual allowance. 

3. Udaipur be made the capital. Provincial department talked to the rulers of United Rajasthan and decided to merge Mewar with United Rajasthan.

As regards the Maharana to be life – long supreme head, this was decided that after Maharana’s death, would, the post would be accepted as closed. United Rajasthan’s capital was made Udaipur but one convention every year of Vidhan Sabha was decided upon. Mewar’s Maharana had demanded an allowance of 20 lakh.

In answer, the allowance was kept ₹20 lakh but in form of annual grant of ₹15 lakh and for religious activities 5 lakh were agreed upon. On 1 April 1948, Mewar signed on the merger letter. This organisation was inaugurated by Pt. Nehru on 18 April 1948 in Udaipur. Mewar’s Maharana the supreme head, Kota’s maharaj senior vice supreme head and Bundi and Dungarpur rulers were junior vice supreme head.

Prime Minister M. L. Verma on advice Pt. Nehru and Sardar Patel decided to form the Council of Ministers. In the Council of Ministers were Gokul Pd. Asawa (Shahpura), Prem Narayan Mathur, Bhurelal Bhaya and Mohan Lal Sukhadiya (Udaipur), Bhogilal Pandya (Dungarpur), Abhin Giri (Kota) and Brij Sunder Sharma (Bundi). This way the 3rd stage of Rajasthan unification was completed.

Fourth Stage : Greater Rajasthan Formation : With the merger of Mewar, rest of the state’s merger became easier and certain. In Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, the public opinion of merger and unification became stronger. Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer states had boundaries connected with Pakistan from where the fear of aggression was always.

From the angle of transportation and communication avenues, this area was very backward. Their development was beyond the states economic capacity economic capacity. The leader of Samajvadi Pary Dr. J. P. Narayan on 9th November 1948 in a public gathering demanded the construction of greater Rajasthan without delay and on the all – India level Rajasthan, movement committee was constituted.

Its President Dr. R. M. Lohiya demanded unification of Rajasthan. The Secretary of Provincial Department V. P. Menon started the talks with concerned rulers. On 11 January 1949, he left for Jaipur and talked with Jaipur Maharaja. Jaipur Maharaja Sawai Man Singh after much hesitation and counselling finally was prepared for Greater Rajasthan but condition was laid that the Jaipur Maharaj would be made hereditary supreme head of Greater Rajasthan and Jaipur would be made the Capital.

After the consent of conditon of merger, this message was sent to Bikaner and Jodhpur by telegram. The rulers of Bikaner and Jodhpur finally gave the consent for the process of merger. On 14 January 1949, Sardar Patel in a simple gathering in Udaipur declared about the construction of Greater Rajasthan.

The Maharaja of Mewar was declared life – long supreme king. The ruler of Jaipur was made Royal King, the rulers of Jodhpur and Kota Senior Vice Royal King and Bundi and were Dungarpur rulers Junior Vice Royal Kings. Royal King and his council of ministers were in central government. Royal Kings, letter of acceptance was signed for constitution to accept the federal and stratagic aspects.

Sardar Patel inaugurated the newly formed group on 30th March 1949, and in present form the day is celebrated as Rajasthan Day. Shri Hiralal Shastri on 4th April 1949 took charge of ministry, the council of ministers would Shri Sidhraj Dadtha (Jaipur), Prem Narayan Mathur (Udaipur), Bhure Lal Bhaya (Udaipur), Phool Chand Bapna (Jodhpur), Narsingh Kachwaha (Jodhpur), Rao Raja Hanumant Singh (Jodhpur), Raghuvar Raj Goyal (Bikaner) and Vedpal Tyagi (Kota), Jaipur ruler received 18 lacs, Jodhpur rulers ₹17.5 lacs, Bikaner ruler 17 lacs, Jaisalmer ruler 2 – 8 lacs in the form of Privy Purse. Jaipur was declared capital and Rajasthan’s large importance increased as some state level government enterprises, higher offices/working places i.e., High Court in Jodhpur, Education Deparment in Bikaner, Mineral Department in Udaipur, Agriculture Department in Bharatpur were established

The Fifth Stage: The merger of Matsya organisation in greater Rajasthan. During the formation of Matsya organisation, the four state rulers were clearly conveyed that in future, this organisation would merge either in Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh. Matsya organisation was working in independent form but its government was beset with problems.

Th agitation of Mewar was a subject of worry for them, and the Bharatpur farmer assembly and citizen assembly’s anti government movement was at its peak. Bharatpur farmer assembly demanded seperate identity for Bharatpur and Dholpur. Now the doubt began to form that Matsya organisation would be broken or divided.

The foresight of this doubt was the reason why the four state rulers and Prime Minister were called on 10th May 1949 to Delhi for talks. The option was given to them to either merge with close by state Uttar Pradesh or in Rajasthan, Where Alwar and Karoli were in favour of merger with Rajasthan, Bharatpur and Dholpur were in favour of merger with Uttar Pradesh.

For the solution of problem, a committee was formed under Shri Shankar Rao Dev’s presidentship. As per the recommendation of this committee, Bharatpur and Dholpur had public support for merger with Rajasthan. On 15th May 1948 Matsya union was included in Rajasthan.