Deo Raj
{{Short description|Zamindari estate}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2023}}
Deo Raj, was a zamindari (estate) situated in what is now Aurangabad district of Bihar.{{cite book|author1=Anirudha Behari Saran|author2=Gaya Pandey|title=Sun Worship in India: A Study of Deo Sun-Shrine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8XimO39s7_gC&dq=Deoraj+&pg=PA49|year=1992|publisher=Northern Book Centre|isbn=978-81-7211-030-7|pages=30}} The Deo Raj family were notable for being the protectors of Deo Sun shrine (Deo Surya Mandir).{{cite news |last1=Srivastava |first1=Priya |title=Deo Sun Temple |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/bihar/deo-sun-temple/ps52430772.cms |accessdate=7 April 2019 |agency=Times of India}} The dynasty came to an end in 1934, as Jagannath Prasad Singh Kinkar, its last ruler, died without leaving a descendant.{{cite book|author1=Anirudha Behari Saran|author2=Gaya Pandey|title=Sun Worship in India: A Study of Deo Sun-Shrine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8XimO39s7_gC&pg=PA49|year=1992|publisher=Northern Book Centre|isbn=978-81-7211-030-7|pages=28–30}}
Origins
During either 14th or 15th century, there was a migration of Sisodia Rajputs from Mewar to South Bihar. These migrant Rajputs, along with local Hindu rulers, played a significant role in renovating and maintaining numerous Hindu shrines and temples. The region contains a 15th-century inscription that records the dedication of a temple by King Bhairavendra. The inscription names twelve of his ancestors and suggests that the area was once under the rule of his dynasty. The migrant Deo Rajas eventually became the overlords of Umga through a matrimonial alliance with this lineage.
File:Sun-temple DEO Aurangabad Bihar,India.jpg
The Deo Rajas were among a number of Rajput migrant groups to arrive in Southern Bihar and they replaced the previous Umga chiefs.{{cite book|author=Gyan Prakash|title=Bonded Histories: Genealogies of Labor Servitude in Colonial India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQFvks7lahoC&pg=PA64|date=30 October 2003|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-52658-6|pages=64–65}}{{cite book |author=Tahir Hussain Ansari |title=Mughal Administration and the Zamindars of Bihar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kUueDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT22 |date=20 June 2019 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-00-065152-2 |pages=253 |quote=This family belonged to Gaya and seems to be one of the oldest families of Bihar. It traced its origin from the family of the Sisodia Rajputs. This chieftaincy was founded during the Mughal period.}}
Relations with the British
The zamindars of the Deo estate generally maintained cordial relations with the British.{{cite journal | title=The Role of the Rulers of Deo Estate in the Anti-British Movements in Bihar (1781-1858 A.D.) | author= R. N. Prasad | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 37| year=1976 | pages= 352–353|jstor = 44138974}} They refused to join other rebellious zamindars in the 1781 rebellion and the 1857 rebellion. They also refused to join the nearby tribal uprisings including the Santhal rebellion. It is notable that the Rajas of Deo did not provide help to Kunwar Singh despite Raja Fateh Narayan Singh, the then ruler of Deo, marrying his daughter of to Kunwar Singh.{{cite book |last1=Datta |first1=K. K. |title=Biography of Kunwar Singh and Amar Singh |date=1957 |publisher=K. P. Jayaswal Institute |page=[https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.13066/page/n38 20] |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.13066 |accessdate=7 April 2019}}