Eastern States Union (1946-1947)

When India was preparing for its independence in 1947, more than 600 Princely States had their fates hung in mid-air. There were a series of confusion and fear that where would their fate lie ahead - as independent states (as speculated by many) or as part of the new dominions of India and Pakistan. Eventually between 1947 to 1950, all these Princely States were acceded to India after signing the Instrument of Accession. But it didn't stop at just accession as there were two other documents that were signed by many States - Instrument of Merger and Covenants. 

Today's Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha had several States of sizeable areas that were merged into unions that existed between 1950 to 1956. Saurashtra Union comprised all the Princely States of Kathiawar region, Madhya Bharat was made up of central Indian States and so on. Several proposals of Unions were also voiced out, but the Government of India rejected them on the basis of various grounds. One such proposal was of the Eastern States Union formed of Chhattisgarh and Orissa States. 

The Eastern States consisted of the following States : 

1. Changbhakar
2. Korea
3. Surguja
4. Udaipur
5. Raigarh
6. Sarangarh
7. Jashpur
8. Gangpur
9. Kawardha
10. Khairagarh
11. Nandgaon
12. Kanker
13. Bastar
14. Kalahandi
15. Patna
16. Sonepur
17. Baudh
18. Daspalla
19. Rairakhol
20. Hindol
21. Nayagarh
22. Ranpur
23. Dhenkanal
24. Talcher
25. Pal Lahara
26. Keonjhar
27. Bamra
28. Bonai
29. Mayurbhanj
30. Nilgiri
31. Seraikela
32. Kharsawan
33. Narsinghpur
34. Baramba
35. Athgarh
36. Tigiria
37. Sakti
38. Chhuikhadan

All these States are now distributed between Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand. But the plan of formation of the Eastern States Union was first rejected by the Prime Minister of Orissa, HK Mahtab, in June 1946. Eventually, as independence was coming closer, in August 1947 some of these States held a meeting under the leadership of Raja of Korea. But none of these meetings could be of any use as by the end of 1947, several princes and even Sardar Patel strongly opposed this Union and on 23rd December 1947, these States were merged officially to Orissa Province and Central Provinces. 

There were several other Unions that were proposed; some of them got rejected, while some were approved. The list is as follows:

• The Deccan States Union
• Matsya Union
• The United State of Rajasthan
• The Madhya Bharat Union
• The Rajasthan Union
• The Union of Gwalior
• The Second Rajasthan Union
• The United State of Gwalior, Indore and Malwa (Madhya Bharat)
• Patiala and East Punjab States Union
• The United State of Kathiawar (or the United State of Saurashtra)
• The Greater Rajasthan Union
• The Union of Travancore and Cochin

These were all approved/failed intermediary unions/states that remained till 1956 till the reorganisation of Indian states. Below here is a map of the proposed Eastern States Union.