Banganapalle
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts.Many units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
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Banganapalle
Physical aspects
One of the five Native States in political relations with -the Madras Government, the Political Agent being the Collector of Kurnool. It lies between 15 3' and 15 29' N. and 77 59' and 78 22' E., on the table-land of the Southern Deccan within Kurnool District, at a height of about 800 feet above sea-level. It is bounded on the north by the Ramallakota and Nandyal taluks of that District, on the east and south by Nandyal and Koilkuntla, and on the west by Pattikonda and Koilkuntla. The total area is 255 square miles. The State consists of two detached portions. The main part is a straggling area beginning at the Rampur Physical pass over the Erramala hills on the west and extend- ing eastwards to Banganapalle town, and thence southwards almost parallel to the Kunderu river through a tract of rich black cotton soil. The detached portion consists of three hill villages, comprising an area of about 20 square miles surrounded by part of the Koilkuntla tahck.
Except the Erramalas, which skirt the country on the west, two long spurs running parallel to one another in the western portion and enclosing the valley of the Jurreru, there are no hills of importance in the State. Even these are low and tame in appearance. The country is generally flat ; but the western arm, extending from the Rampur pass to Banganapalle town, is hilly. It is also generally bare, except in the west and round Banganapalle, where the Nawab has planted groves of trees. The surface is covered with black cotton soil in the south, and in the other parts with red gravelly earth, sometimes very stony. The whole country slopes eastward to the Kunderu, and is well drained by that river and the Jurreru, which are the chief streams. The Jurreru rises in the Erramalas, flows past Banganapalle town, and enters the Kunderu after a course of 45 miles. A small stream called the Paleru crosses the southern limb of the territory. The Jurreru alone, which is perennial, is used for irrigation.
The geology of Banganapalle is simple. The lowest rocks are of the Cuddapah formation, and occupy the bottom of the Jurreru valley between Banganapalle town westward and Pasupula. They consist chiefly of argillites, with intercalated trap flows of the Cheyyar group. Resting on them is a strip of conglomerate, west of the town, which has been mined for diamonds for many generations. There are no forests yielding revenue. The larger game include leopard, hyena, wolf, antelope, and wild hog ; and the feathered game, partridge, quail, and jungle-fowl. The streams abound in fish of inferior kinds. The climate is hot, but healthier than the surrounding portions of Kurnool District. November, December, and January are pleasantly cool and dry ; February, March, April, and May are increasingly hot ; in June, July, August, and September the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain and high winds. The annual rainfall averages about 30 inches. Fever is endemic, but is nowhere of a severe type.
History
The oldest extant title-deed of the family, which is dated in 1761, records the fact that the Nizam in that year appointed one Husain All Khan as Kiladar (commandant) and Faujdar (magis- History. ^^ Qf Banganapalle. This document refers to the removal of one Muhammad Beg Khan, apparently from the post given to Husain All Khan ; but the nature of that transaction is not indicated. It would seem, however, from the manuscript records of the family that Muhammad Beg Khan was the great-grandfather of Husain All Khan, and the adopted son of a person of the same name appointed Kiladar of Banganapalle by the Sultan of Bijapur in the last half of the seventeenth century. A document still preserved at Banganapalle bears the seal of Muhammad Beg Khan and the date 1131 Hijra (a.d. 1 7 18-9).
Within a few years the country fell under the dominion of Mysore. A translation of a letter of confirmation, dated 1783, at the beginning of Tipii's reign, is preserved in the archives of the Madras Government. In this letter Tipu refers to the assiduity of the recently deceased Husain All Khan in the Sarkar affairs, and confers the jagzr of Ban- ganapalle on his son Ghulam All Khan. As a matter of fact, it would appear that, notwithstanding this grant, Tipu at once resumed the jagir, and expelled Ghulam All Khan. Letters written by Tipu in the same year summon Ghulam All Khan to his presence and refuse to accept his excuses for not coming. Another, dated 1790, to the Kiladar of
Banganapalle, is adaressed to one Yusuf. According to the traditions of the family, Tipu's deputy was defeated in a pitched battle by Ghulam All Khan and his uncle Asad All Khan about seven years after Ghulam All Khan's expulsion. A document is extant purporting to be an order of the Nizam, dated 1790, conferring Banganapalle on AsadAliKhan and Ghulam All Khan. It is, however, of doubtful authenticity. These two persons are referred to as joint jagirddrs in the correspondence of the year 1800. The present family traces its descent from GhulamAliKhan, who survived his uncle. In 1800, when the Nizam handed over Kurnool and the other Ceded Districts to the East India Company in exchange for a subsidiary force to be stationed in his territories, he transferred to the Madras Government his control over Banganapalle. At the same time he stipulated that, as it was the sole means of subsistence of a numerous family, the jdglr should be continued to Asad All Khan and Ghulam All Khan ; and this was agreed to by the British representative.
Whatever had been the precise relations of the jagirddrs to the court of Hyderabad, the British at first neither levied tribute from them nor, as far as can be ascertained, exercised any authority over them. Indeed the jdglrddr as late as 182 1 seemed to consider himself still dependent on the Nizam. He usually resided at Hyderabad, and civil and criminal justice were nearly at a standstill. Internal government went from bad to worse, and at times shameful disorder prevailed. Finally (1831) the jdgirddr was driven out of the country and took refuge in British territory. These disturbances induced the British Government to resume the jdglr in 1832. The Government did not at this time consider that they were pledged to its continuance, and a proclamation notifying the resumption was issued in 1835. From 1835 to 1848 the State was accordingly administered by the Madras Government.
The stipulation of the Nizam for the continuance of the jdglr was, however, brought to notice in 1837 ; and the Court of Directors decided in the following year that the Nizam's stipulation entitled the holder of the estate to be treated as an hereditary jdgirddr, that the resumption must be cancelled, and the jdglr given back as soon as it was free from debt. Accordingly in 1848 it was restored to the head of the family, Ghulam Muhammad All, grandson of Ghulam All Khan ; and, as had been the case before 1831, he' was permitted to enjoy the jdglr with- out payment of tribute and to administer its civil and criminal justice with certain restrictions. A sanad conferring these powers was issued in 1849. In 1862 another sanad was granted to him, guaranteeing that the British Government would permit any succession to the jdglr which might be legitimate according to Muhammadan law. Ghulam Muhammad All died in 1868, and was succeeded by his nephew Fateh All Khan, who received the hereditary title of Nawab
in 1876. In consequence of his misgovernment, he was removed in January, 1905, from the direct administration of the State, which was placed under the management of an Assistant Political Agent. Fateh All Khan died three months later, and was succeeded bv his son Saiyid Ghulam All Khan, thirty-one years of age, who had been educated privately at Banganapalle and Kurnool. His succession has been recognized, but he has not yet received a sanad, and the Assistant Political Agent meanwhile continues to conduct the administration.
Population
The number of villages in the State is 63, and there are no towns. The population was 45,208 in 1871, 30,754 in 1881, 34,596 in 1891, and 32,264 in 1901. It will be seen that the State has not yet regained the inhabitants lost during the great famine of 1876-8, and that even the last decade shows a decline. Banganapalle town was formerly a place of some importance, owing to its position on the main road from Gooty to Cumbum ; but it has declined greatly since the opening of the Southern Mahratta Railway, and its present population is less than 4,000.
Though the density of the population is a little higher than in the surrounding District of Kurnool, the State is most sparsely peopled, there being only 127 persons per square mile against an average of 270 for the Presidency. The ruler is a Muhammadan ; but the majority of the population are Hindus, who number 25,735, or nearly 80 per cent, of the total. The Muhammadans come next, being 6,232, or 19 per cent. ; many of them live in Banganapalle town. The Christians number only 297, and there are no missions in the State. Telugu is the prevailing language, being spoken by 81 per cent, of the population, and Hindustani is more prevalent than in Kurnool, being the vernacular of 1 7 per cent.
The Kapus, the chief agriculturist caste of the Telugu country, are the most numerous community among the Hindus, forming nearly 21 per cent, of the total. Next in order come the Malas and Madigas, who correspond to the Paraiyans and Chakkiliyans of the south. The Gollas (shepherds) number 2.421, and the Boyas or hunting caste 2,286. Among Musalmans, the Shaikhs are the most numerous tribe, being 77 per cent, of the total. Next come the Saiyids, who number 16 per cent. The Musalmans in the State are mostly Sunnis, though the Nawab himself is a Shiah. The Christian population consists almost wholly of natives.
Agriculture
The general agricultural conditions and practice differ but little from those in the neighbouring British taluks of Kurnool District. The chief A icultur food-grains grown are cholam {Sorghum vulgare), cambu (Pennisetum typhoideuni), ragi (Eleusine coracana), rice, korra (Setaria italica), and wheat. Bengal gram is the most important of the pulses, and cotton is the most widely cultivated industrial crop.
No accurate statistics are available of the total area of the State, or of the forest, arable, occupied, and cultivated areas. The Nawab had the jagir surveyed recently by a British survey party working under the Deputy-Superintendent of Revenue Survey, Kurnool. The total area, excluding hill blocks, was found to be 218 square miles, but further details are not available. The total occupied area is returned as 74,284 acres, of which 72,333 acres are 'dry' land, 1,277 acres 'wet,' and 674 acres garden. These figures include 21,870 acres of sub-jdglrs which till recently were enjoyed as estates by the relations of former Nawabs. No reliable statistics of cultivation exist.
There are no irrigation works of importance. About twenty dams are periodically constructed across the Jurreru and water is diverted to small tanks. Only one tank is of any importance, but a good deal of cultivation is supplied by wells sunk on the banks of the Jurreru.
Lime is found at Palkur and among the hills. Many years ago, copper is said to have been obtained ; and quite recently a Madras merchant stated that he had found traces of copper and coal and diamond shale, and he has obtained a lease for the mining of these over 18 square miles. About a mile to the east of Banganapalle town is a small diamond mine, which formerly yielded some stones but is not worked now. The revenue from diamonds is estimated at Rs. 2,300 in the schedule to the sanad of 1761.
Trade and communication
The principal exports are cholam, ghl, skins, mangoes, oranges, and lacquer-ware. For the last three of these the town of Banganapalle is noted. The principal imports are rice, sugar, cloths, salt, jaggery (coarse sugar), and kerosene oil.
The only roads are the Rampur pass, over the Erramalas, running from west to east through the heart of the State, and the Paniem-Owk connecting the Paniem railway station with Banganapalle town. These two join within a mile of Banganapalle. The former was constructed by the Kurnool District board, and was once an important trade route between the east coast and the Districts of Anantapur and Bellary. It crosses the Nallamalais by the Nandikanama pass and the Erramalas by the Rampur pass. It is now very little used and consequently neglected. The other road was constructed by the Nawab to connect his capital with Paniem railway station, which is 17 miles distant, and was con- tinued to the south to link it with the Owk-Tadpatri frontier road. It is maintained in good condition. The total length of the roads is 53 miles, but they have till now been very badly maintained. A road cess is levied for the purpose.
Famine
The State is situated within the famine zone of the Presidency and suffered severely in the great distress of 1876-8. It was also affected by all the other bad seasons which have afflicted Kurnool.
Administration
The administration was till recently conducted by the Nawab in person with the assistance of a Diwan, who was an officer in the British iS service with a salary of Rs. 2 so a month. The
removal, at the beginning of 1905, of the Nawab from the direct management of the jagir and the temporary substitution of an Assistant Political Agent have already been mentioned. The latter is now administering the State personally without a Diwan. He is assisted by a tahsildar, who is responsible for the revenue administration. There are two civil courts, called the Adalat Court and the Sadr Court. The former is presided over by a Munsif, who is empowered to decide suits up to the value of Rs. 3,000. Original suits above that amount should only be filed in the Sadr Court, which used to be presided over nominally by the Nawab, but in practice by the Diwan. The Assistant Political Agent is now president. All appeals from the Munsifs decisions lie to this court. No special authority exists by which the civil courts exercise power over natives of British India or European British subjects.
Two courts exist for the administration of criminal justice : namely, the magistrate's court and the Sadr Court. The former is presided over by a magistrate, who is empowered to award imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, a fine not exceeding Rs. 500, and whip- ping up to twelve stripes. The Sadr Court, presided over formerly by the Nawab or Diwan but now by the Assistant Political Agent, is both a Court of Session and an Appellate Court to which appeals from the magistrate's decisions are preferred. The powers of the Sadr Court are unlimited, except that sentences of mutilation are absolutely prohibited and that capital sentences must be confirmed by the Government of Madras.
The law relating to offences and criminal procedure which applies in British India is followed in Banganapalle. The powers of the courts are absolute, subject to the limitations mentioned above, as regards natives of the State and natives of British India who have committed offences and remain in the State. As regards natives of India who have escaped into British territory after committing offences in the State, the Political Agent may either certify that the case should be prosecuted in British India or surrender the accused to the Bangana- palle authorities for trial in that State, subject to certain exceptions. The Banganapalle criminal courts cannot exercise any authority over European British subjects. Except housebreaking and theft, grave crime is not prevalent.
No laws and regulations have been framed by the Nawab separately for the State. The Indian Penal Code and the Civil and Criminal Procedure Codes of British India are in force, having been adopted by the Nawab as laws of the State, and other British enactments are similarly adopted as occasion requires.
As regards salt, the Nawab has undertaken absolutely to prohibit the manufacture of earth-salt in his State on receipt of an annual com- pensation of Rs. 3,000. No opium is grown, and the Nawab gets his supply from Madras on licences countersigned by the Political Agent. He has his own arrangements for the administration of the abkari revenue. The import of spirits manufactured in the State into British territory is prohibited. Toddy may, however, be imported from Banganapalle on payment of one anna per gallon by a fixed route, on which there is a chaukl or customs station. Until 1904 the Nawab controlled his own ganja revenue ; but he has since agreed to prohibit absolutely ganja cultivation, in return for an annual payment of Rs. 3,060 as compensation.
The Nawab administers his own stamp revenue, adopting the Indian Stamp Act as his model. There are no telegraphs in the State. The State post office was amalgamated with the British postal system on January r, 1900, when the Nawab issued a regulation applying the provisions of the Indian Post Office Act to Banganapalle. The only post office is at Banganapalle town.
Ghulam Ali Khan, the sole jagl rdar after 1815, made a settlement in 1820 with a view to prevent future disputes among his relatives, by which he assigned certain villages (called subjdglrs) to each of his cousins and other members of the family. These sub-jdglrs were, from the beginning, resumable at will ; they were resumed under the Govern- ment management of 1835-48, were granted again when the estate was restored, and have recently (1905) been finally resumed by the Madras Government. The subjrigirddrs owned twenty-eight villages, and generally enjoyed the land revenue without paying any peshkash to the Nawab.
Very little is known of the land revenue history of the rest of the State. The rates of assessment are not settled, but vary with the will of the Nawab. To remove the present uncertainties of tenure and land assessment and to place the land revenue administration upon a satis- factory and intelligible basis, the late Nawab, as already mentioned, recently had the State surveyed by a British survey party and contem- plated introducing a revenue settlement.
The total revenue in 1904-5 amounted to Rs. 96,000, of which Rs. 21,700, or nearly one-fourth, was made up of deposits and loans. Of the remainder, land revenue contributed Rs. 24,000 ; salt, excise, mohtarfa, and stamps, Rs. 23,500; Rs. 9,200 was received from
miscellaneous sources, and Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 3,200 from road cess
and forests respectively. The total expenditure amounted to 1-2 lakhs,
of which Rs. 62,500, or more than one-half, was incurred on account
of the Nawab's household and family. The next considerable item
is the establishment, which cost Rs. 23,100, or a little less than one-
fifth. About Rs. 12,000 was given by way of pensions in lieu of sub-
jdgirs.
The police force consisted in 1904-5 of 5 head constables, 59 con- stables, and one bugler, assisted by 131 talaiydris. There are five police stations. A jail is maintained at Banganapalle, the local medical officer being ex-officio superintendent.
Education is very backward. The State maintains two schools, one of which teaches up to the first and the other up to the fourth standard. In 1904-5 the number of pupils was 120 (all boys), and the cost to the State was Rs. 1,022. Some village schools are maintained in rural tracts, but no statistics are available regarding them.
The State possesses only one hospital, at Banganapalle town. The total number of cases treated in 1904-5 was 13,169; 106 surgical operations were performed, and the expenditure was Rs. 2,535. The number of chilaren vaccinated in 1904-5 was 763, of which only 621 cases, or 19 per 1,000 of the population, were successful. The results are unsatisfactory when compared with those of the adjoining British territory, where the corresponding figure was 256 per 1,000.
