Jhabua
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, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Jhabua
A guaranteed chiefship under the Bhopawar Agency, Central India, lying between 22 degree 28' and 23 degree 14' N. and 74 degree 20' and 75 degree 19' E., with an area of 1,336 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Kushalgarh State in the Rajputana Agency; on the south by Jobat State ; on the east by All-Rajpur and Dhar ; and on the west by the Panch Mahals District of Bombay. The State lies wholly in the mountainous region of Malwa known as Rath, which is formed by the branch of the Vindhyas that strikes northwards towards Udaipur and constitutes the western boundary of the Malwa plateau. A suc- cession of forest-clad ridges run generally north and south, traversed by numerous streams which flow into the Anas, a tributary of the Mahl. The climate throughout most of the State is subject to greater extremes than are met with on the more open land of the Malwa plateau. The annual rainfall averages about 30 inches.
The State takes its name from the chief town, founded in the sixteenth century by a notorious freebooter, Jhabbu Naik, of the Labhana caste. The present ruler is a Rathor Rajput, descended from Bir Singh, fifth son of Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur in Rajputana. This branch of the family rose to favour at Delhi, and acquired Badnawar in Malwa in fief in 1584. Kesho Das, son of Bhlman Singh, who then held Badnawar, was attached to the retinue of prince Sallm, who, .on his accession as the emperor Jahangfr, employed him to subdue the turbulent freebooters infesting the south- western districts of Malwa. After suppressing these gangs, Kesho Das obtained possession of their lands. In 1607 he was invested with the insignia of nobility by the emperor, but died the same year, poisoned by his son and heir. From this time onwards the State was subjected to much internal disturbance, the confusion being greatly increased by the appearance of the Marathas in 1722; and the next year the State was formally placed under the management of Holkar during the minority of the chief. In 181 7 the revenues were merely nominal, owing principally to Maratha oppression, though, singularly enough, Holkar left the collection and payment of the chauth or fourth part of the revenue which was his due to the Jhabua officials. During the settlement of Malwa by Sir John Malcolm the State was guaranteed to the family. Raja Gopal Singh (1840-94), though only seventeen years of age at the time of the Mutiny, rendered good service in assisting the fugitives from Bhopawar, in recognition of which he was presented with a khilat of Rs. 12,500 in value. In 1865, however, he permitted a prisoner confined under suspicion of theft to be mutilated, for which a fine of Rs. 10,000 was imposed and his salute discontinued for one year. Till 1870 the States of Indore and Jhabua exercised joint juris- diction over the Thandla and Petlawad districts ; but as this arrange- ment led to constant disputes, an exchange of territory was effected in 187 1, by which Petlawad was assigned to Indore, Thandla remaining with Jhabua, which pays Rs. 4,350 a year to Indore in adjustment of revenue. The present chief, Udai Singh, succeeded by adoption in 1894, and has exercised administrative powers since 1898. The ruler bears the title of His Highness and Raja, and receives a salute of 11 guns.
Population has varied at the last three enumerations : (1881)92,938, (1891) 119,787, and (1901) 80,889. The large decrease during the last decade is accounted for by the severe losses incurred by the Bhil population in the famine of 1 899-1 900. The density is 60 persons per square mile. Animists, chiefly Bhils, number 58,428, or 72 per cent, of the total population, and Hindus 18,156, or 22 per cent. The Roman Catholic mission has a station at Thandla, and native Christians numbered 73 in 1901. The chief tribes and castes are Bhils, 29,200, who form 36 per cent, of the population ; Bhilalas, 14,500, or 18 per cent; Patlias, 8,700, or 10 per cent. ; and Rajputs, 2,000, or 3 percent. Agriculture supports 61 per cent, and general labour 8 per cent. The State contains 686 villages and 158 bhilparas (hamlets).
Land is divided locally into two sections : the Mahidhawa or land along the Mahi river, which is cultivable ; and the Ghata or hilly tract, of which the greater part of the State is composed, and which is of low fertility and incapable of irrigation. Of the total area, only 120 square miles, or 9 per cent., are under cultivation, and 4 square miles, or 3 per cent, are irrigated. Of the uncultivated area, 363 square miles, or 27 per cent, of the total area, are cultivable, and 440 square miles, or 33 per cent, are under forest, the remainder being uncultivable waste. Maize occupies 64 square miles, or 53 per cent, of the culti- vated area; rice, 12 square miles; gram and wheat, 10 square miles each ; jowar, 8 square miles ; cotton, 34 square miles ; and poppy, 2 square miles.
The mineral resources are probably considerable, but have not as yet been fully investigated. At present manganese is worked to a small extent in the Rambhapur pargana by a Bombay firm, who pay a royalty of 4 annas per ton of ore exported. The ore is exported from Meghnagar station on the Ratlam-Godhra section of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway, to which a light tramway has been laid by the contractors.
The isolated and wild nature of the country makes any general development of commerce difficult. The main source of commercial profit is opium, which is exported to Ratlam.
The chief means of communication are through the Meghnagar, Bajranggarh, Amargarh, and Bhairongarh stations of the Ratlam- Godhra section of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway. In 1900 a metalled road was commenced by the British Government between Jhabua and the Meghnagar station. British post offices are maintained at Jhabua, Thandla, Bajranggarh, Ranapur, and Meghnagar.
The State is divided for administrative purposes into four par- ganas — Jhabua, Rambhapur, Ranapur, and Thandla — each under a tahsildar. Besides these parganas, managed directly by the State, eighteen families of nobles, the umraos, hold fiefs extending over 946 square miles, or 71 per cent, of the total area, and pay a tribute of Rs. 5,000 to the Darbar, and Rs. 7,510 to Holkar.
The administration is carried on by the chief, assisted by the Diwan and the usual departments, of which the medical and forest are super- intended by the Agency Surgeon and the Forest officer, respectively. The chief exercises judicial powers intermediate between those of a District Magistrate and a Sessions Court, all serious cases being reported to the Political Agent. In cases of murder among the Bhils, the Darbar reports to the Political officer whether the case is one which can be dealt with by the local panchayat (council of elders) or should be tried by the Political Agent Appeals in criminal cases lie to the Diwan and to the chief, with power of reference to the Political Agent. In civil matters the chiefs decision is final The normal revenue of the State is m lakhs, excluding alienated lands (1.3 lakhs). Of this, Rs. 53,000 is derived from land, Rs. 13,000 from customs, Rs. 10,000 from excise, and Rs. 5,000 from tribute.
The chief heads of expenditure are Rs. 60,000 on general adminis- tration, Rs. 20,000 on the chiefs establishment, Rs. 15,000 on collecting the land revenue, and Rs. 3,000 on medical.
The incidence of the land revenue demand is Rs. 1-4-0 per acre of cultivated land and 3 annas per acre on the total area. As in all Rajput States, much of the land has been alienated in jagir grants to members of the chiefs family and others. These alienated territories comprise 56 per cent, of the total cultivated area, but pay only 3 per cent, of the total revenue. All rents are taken in cash, and since 1902 have been paid direct to the tahsildar. Ordinary rates vary from Rs. 3-3-2 to Rs. 9 per acre. A higher rate, amounting sometimes to Rs. 24 an acre, is paid for irrigable land growing poppy and sugar- cane. In the hilly tract, the rates vary from a few annas to R. 1.
Opium is weighed at Jhabua, Thandla, and Hanumangarh before passing out of the State, and a duty of Rs. 5 is levied per chest of 40 lb. ; when the poppy comes from the land of an Umrao Rs. 2 to Rs. 3 are taken by the State, the balance being received by the Umrao.
Copper coins were struck in Jhabua up to 1881, but discontinued after that date. The British rupee was made legal tender in 1893. No regular troops are kept up, such irregulars as exist being used to assist the police. Two serviceable guns are used for firing salutes. The police were organized in 1901, and number 95 men under a chief inspector, besides 425 rural village police. The Central jail is at Jhabua town.
The first school was opened in 1854. There are now 17 public and private schools, of which one is the mission school at Thandla, established in 1900. There are 283 pupils. In 1901 only 2 per cent, of the population (almost all males) were able to read and write. The State maintains three dispensaries — at Jhabua, Ranapur, and Thandla.
The town of Jhabua is situated in 22 degree 45' N. and 74 degree 38' E., on the edge of a small lake called the Bahadur-Sagar, 1,171 feet above sea-level. Population (1901), 3,354. The palace, which is surrounded by a mud wall with masonry bastions, stands on the north bank of the lake. The streets are narrow, steep, and winding. Beside the lake is the cenotaph of Raja Ratan Singh (1832-40), who was killed by lightning when riding on an elephant in the Nilkanth procession, during the Dasehra festival. The town is 11 miles from the Meghnagar station on the Godhra-Ratlam section of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway. It contains a State guesthouse, a dispensary, a British post office, a jail, and a school.
