Akola

Origin and Foundation

The estate of Akola (historically known as Akola Purawaton Ka) was a prominent Rajput fief within the erstwhile princely state of Mewar. The rulers of this Thikana belong to the illustrious Sisodia dynasty, tracing their paternal lineage to Kunwar Puran Mal (popularly known as Thakur Pura Ji), a royal prince of Mewar born to Maharana Amar Singh I and Rani Shahmati Bai Hadi. Kunwar Puran Mal was granted the major jagir of Mangrop along with estates such as Gurlan, Gadar-Mala, and Singoli, thereby establishing the celebrated Purawat offshoot of the Sisodias.

The specific sub-lineage that held Akola emerged through Swami Maharaj (Baba) Nath Ji of Mangrop and his son Maheshdas. Thakur Vijay Singh, the fourth son of Maheshdas, was granted Akola as an independent jagir. Consequently, the dynastic holders of the Thikana carry the titular designation of Thakur and belong to the Maheshdasot Purawat clan of Sisodias.

Feudal Period and Mewar Allegiance

Throughout the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Thakurs of Akola fulfilled their hereditary military and feudal obligations to the Maharanas of Udaipur. During the turbulent transitional period when Mewar entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British East India Company under Maharana Bhim Singh (r. 1778–1828), ancestral titles and revenue entitlements were systematically reviewed and re-recorded. In Vikram Samvat 1876 (c. 1819 CE), Thakur Bhim Singh, grandson of Thakur Vijay Singh, confirmed lineage titles and land rights through the traditional genealogists (Barwas), consolidating the Thikana’s status within the regional nobility.

Fortification, Relocation, and Heritage

The ancestral seat was fortified at the historical settlement known locally as Juna Gaon. The original fort (Garh) served as the administrative and military center for centuries. However, the site faced recurrent challenges from environmental hazards:

• The Flood of VS 2000 (1943 CE): A devastating regional flood forced the residents and nobility to evacuate the fortress and take refuge on elevated lands nearby. Though the inhabitants temporarily returned after the water subsided, the integrity of the fortification was severely compromised.
• Relocation in VS 2012 (1955 CE): Following the marriage of Thakur Partap Singh to a Bhati Rajput princess of Muroli (Junagadh) in Vikram Samvat 2011, the family transitioned settlement away from the dilapidated fort in VS 2012, re-establishing the Thikana’s residential base.

The estate preserves rich architectural and religious relics from the feudal era:

• Sacred Shrines: Inside the old bastion (burj) of the fort lies a dedicated temple to Bheruji. The family's tutelary deity, Dihadi Mata, is consecrated within the royal manor (Rawla). In modern times, Thakur Lal Singh erected the ceremonial gateway of Salar Mata Ji in memory of his consort, Pushpa Kanwar. The estate also houses folk shrines dedicated to Shri Devnarayan and Baba Ramdevji.
• Water Architecture and Cenotaphs: A substantial historical reservoir (talab) remains intact from the jagirdari era. Along its stone embankments stand carved statuary, inscribed stone tablets, and cenotaphs (chhatris) bearing the commemorative effigies of past rulers.

Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following India’s independence and the integration of Mewar into the United State of Rajasthan, the jagirdari system was formally abolished under the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952. The Thikana relinquished its feudal administrative rights, transitioning its focus to agriculture and local public affairs.

Today, the village of Akola falls within the administrative boundaries of Bhilwara district, located roughly 9 kilometers from the district headquarters. The descendants of the Maheshdasot Purawat lineage retain their ancestral Rawla and continue to steward the historic shrines and commemorative monuments of the estate.