Aheri

Aheri was the centre of an extensive estate in the forested country southeast of Chanda. Its chiefs were related to the Gond royal family and held lands rich in teak and shisham. The estate’s early history is tied to the rulers of Chanda, who depended on local chiefs to govern the wooded districts beyond their capital.

Koksha, who held Aheri from 1703 to 1769, received his grant from the Gond king Ram Shah on condition that he expel rebellious chiefs from Surjagarh. After several years of warfare he succeeded and later fought for the last Gond ruler against the Marathas. His successor supported the Bhonsle chief Mudhoji in 1773. In 1818 the Aheri chief again backed the Bhonsle cause, garrisoning Chanda against the British.