Bagelkhand or Baghelkhand () is a proposed state and a mountain range in central India that covers the northeastern regions of Madhya Pradesh and a small area of southeastern Uttar Pradesh.
In the 6thâÂÂ12th centuries, Baghelkhand was known as Dahala Mandala, the territory of the Kalachuris of Tripuri. In the beginning of the 13th century, the Chandelas took control of this region by ending the Kalachuri dynasty.
According to folklores and local legends, the Baghel dynasty was founded in the area circa 1140 a king named Vyagradeva, while some claim that a king descended from Vyagraha (Bagh ie. Tiger) founded the Vaghela dynasty. But according to historical records, after the decline of the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti in the 14th century, their Baghel vassals became independent. This dynasty was a branch of the Vaghela dynasty of Gujarat, whose name became Baghela due to schewa deletion. The area's current name Baghelkhand refers to the branch of Baghela dynasty, who ruled this state.
The Bagelkhand Agency was a British political unit which managed the relations of the British with a number of autonomous princely states existing outside British India, namely Rewa and 11 minor states, of which the most prominent were Maihar, Nagod and Sohawal. Other principalities included Jaso, Kothi, Baraundha (aka Patharkachhar) as well as the Kalinjar Chaubes, consisting of the princely estates of Paldeo, Kamta-Rajaula, Tarauwhan, Pahra and Bhaisaunda.
Bagelkhand is surrounded by the Indo-Gangetic plains in the north and east, Bundelkhand in the west and the Vindhya Range in the south.
Currently it divided between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It includes the districts Rewa, Satna, Shahdol, Sidhi , Maihar , Katni in Madhya Pradesh and Chitrakoot & Southern Part of Sonbhadra and Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
The inhabitants of Bagelkhand are called Bagheli and they speak the Bagheli language which is also designated as a dialect of Hindi.