Editing Maharaja (section)

===[[Raja]] as a ruler's title===
On the eve of [[Indian independence movement|independence]] in 1947, the [[British Indian Empire|Indian Empire]] contained more than 600 [[princely state]]s, each with its own native ruler, often styled [[Raja]] or [[Rana (title)|Rana]] or [[Thakur (title)|Thakur]] (if the ruler were [[Hinduism|Hindu]]) or [[Nawab]] (if he were [[Muslim]]), with a host of less current titles as well.

The [[British Empire|British]] directly ruled two-thirds of the [[Indian subcontinent]]; the rest was under [[indirect rule]] by the above-mentioned princes under the considerable influence of British representatives, such as [[Resident (title)|Resident]]s, at their courts.

The word Maharaja may be understood simply to mean "ruler" or "king", in spite of its literal translation as "great king". This was because only a handful of the states were truly powerful and wealthy enough for their rulers to be considered 'great' monarchs; the remaining were minor [[princely state]]s, sometimes little more than towns or groups of villages. The word, however, can also mean emperor in contemporary Indian usage.

The title of Maharaja was not as common before the gradual British colonisation of India, upon and after which many [[raja]]s and otherwise styled Hindu rulers were elevated to Maharajas, regardless of the fact that scores of these new Maharajas ruled small states, sometimes for some reason unrelated to the eminence of the state, for example, support to the British in Afghanistan, [[World War I]] or [[World War II]]. The Maharaja of Punjab in the 19th century was Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He earned this title by keeping the Britishers beyond the Sutlej and even crushed the Afghan Empire. Maharajas in the twentieth century were the Maharaja of [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]] and [[Maharaja Jagatjit Singh]] of [[Kapurthala]]. Apart from princely states, rulers of some large and extended zamindaris were also awarded the title of Maharaja. The rulers of [[Jeypore]], [[Darbhanga]], [[Vizianagaram]], [[Parlakhemundi]] [[Gidhaur]] were a few zamindars who were titled Maharaja for their cordiality and contribution to the British Raj.
* Variations of this title include the following, each combining ''Maha-'' "great" with an alternative form of [[Raja]] 'king', so all meaning 'Great King': ''[[Maharana]]'' (as in [[Udaipur]]), ‘’[[maharaj rana]] ( as in [[Jhalawar]], ’’ [[Rawal (title)|Maharawal]]'' (as in [[Dungarpur]]/[[Jaisalmer]]), ''[[Maharawat]]'' ([[Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh|Pratapgarh]]), ''[[Maharao]]'' (as in [[Kotah]], [[Bundi]]) and ''[[Rawal (title)|Maharaol]]'' (as in [[Baria State|Baria]]).
* ''Maharajah'' has taken on new spellings due to the time change and migration. It has even been shortened to ''Mahraj'' and ''Maraj'' but the most common is ''Maharajah'' and ''Maharaj''.
* Despite its literal meaning, unlike many other titles meaning [[Great King]], neither Maharaja nor ''Rajadhiraja'' ('[[King of Kings]]'), nor its equivalent amongst Maharajas, 'Maharajadhiraja', ever reached the standing required for imperial rank, as each was soon the object of title inflation.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} Instead, the Indian title which is commonly rendered as Emperor is [[Emperor#Samrajya system|Samrat]] or Samraj(a), a personal distinction achieved only by the [[List of Maurya emperors|Mauryans]] and the [[Vakataka dynasty|Vakataka]] ruler [[Pravarasena I]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Upinder |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GW5Gx0HSXKUC&pg=PA482 |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |date=2008 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-81-317-1677-9}}</ref> Muslim equivalent of emperor would be [[Padshah]] (of Persian origin), notably applied to the [[List of emperors of the Mughal Empire|Mughal dynasty]], the paramount power until the British established their raj.

{| class="toccolours" style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em;"
| style="background:#f8eaba; text-align:center;"|
<div class="center">
; Maharajas
</div>
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
<gallery>
File:H.H. Maharaja Thakore Shri Sir Bhagwant Singhji Sagramji Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Gondal, GCSI, GCIE, 1911.jpg|Maharaja [[Bhagvatsinhji|Bhagvat-Singh]] of [[Gondal, India|Gondal]].
File:Maharajah of Kolhapur 1912.jpg|The [[Marathi people|Maratha]] [[Shahu of Kolhapur|Shahu]] of [[Kolhapur]].
</gallery>
|-
|
|-
|
<gallery>
File:Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Maharaja of Baroda, 1919.jpg|The [[Maratha]] [[Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III]] of [[Baroda]].
File:Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.jpg|[[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]], the Maharaja of [[Travancore]]
File:Shri Sir Nripendra Narayan, Maharaja of Cooch Behar.jpg|Maharaja [[Nripendra Narayan]] of [[Cooch Behar State|Cooch Behar]].
</gallery>
|-
|
|-
|
<gallery>
File:Maharajah Duleep Singh dressed for a State function, c. 1875.jpg|Maharaja [[Duleep Singh]], the last Maharaja of the [[Sikh Empire]].
File:HH MAHARAJAH SIR SRI SRI VIKRAM DEV III K.C.I.E.jpg|Maharaja [[Vikram Dev III]] of [[Kingdom of Jeypore|Jeypore Samasthanam]] [[Zamindar|Estate]], [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]].
File:Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar c1903.jpg|[[Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV|Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV]], the [[Maharaja of Mysore]]
</gallery>
|-
|}