Partabgarh State
Contents[hide] |
Partabgarh State, 1908
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.
Physical aspects
(Pratapgarh)state in the south of Rajput- ana, lying between 23° 32' and 24° 18' N. and 74° 29' and 75° E., with an area of 886 square miles. It is bounded on the north and north- west by Udaipur ; on the west and south-west by Banswara ; on the south by Ratlam ; and on the east by Jaora, Sindhia's districts of Mandasor and Nimach, and a detached portion of the Rampura- Bhanpura district of Indore. The greater portion of the State consists of fine open land ; but the north-west is wild, rocky, and hilly, and a range, which in places attains an elevation of 1,900 feet, forms the entire wesstern boundary. There are no rivers of any importance ; the Jakam, which is the largest, rises near ChkotI Sadri in Udaipur, flows through the north-west of the State, and eventually falls into the Som, a tributary of the Mahi.
A large proportion of Partabgarh is covered with Deccan trap, the denudation of which has exposed underlying areas of older rocks belonging to the Delhi system, such as shales, quartzites, and lime- stones, which in the west rest unconformably upon gneiss. In addition to the usual antelope, gazelle, and small game, tigers, leopards, bears, sambar (Cervus unicolor) and chital (C. axis) are to be found along the wesstern border. The climate is generally good and the temperature moderate. The annual rainfall, measured at the capital, averages a little over 34 inches. More than 63 inches fell in 1893, and less than n in 1899.
==History==
The territory was formerly called the Kanthal, meaning the * border ' or Boundary' (kantha) between Malwa and Gujarat. The northern portion was inhabited by Bhils and the rest by various Rajput clans, such as the Sonigaras (a branch of the Chauhans) and the Dors or Dodas. The founder of the State was one Blka, a descendant of Rana Mokal of Mewar, who left his estates of Sadri and Dariawad in 1553, proceeded south and subdued the aboriginal tribes. In 1561 he founded the town of DEOLIA or Deogarh, naming it after a female chieftain called Devi Mini, and subsequently he overpowered the Rajputs living farther to the south and east. About sixty-five years later, one of his suc- cessors, Jaswant Singh, being considered dangerously powerful, was invited to Udaipur and treacherously murdered with his eldest son in the Champa Bagh, whereupon the Kanthal was occupied by Mewar troops. Jaswant Singh's second son, Hari Singh, proceeded to Delhi about 1634, where, partly by the interest of Mahabat Khan, Jahangir's great general, and partly by his own skill and address, he got himself recognized as an independent chief by the emperor Shah Jahan on payment of a tribute of Rs. 15,000 a year. He also received the rank of Haft hazari, or ' commander of 7,000,' and the title of Rawat or, as some say, Maharawat. On his return the Mewar garri- son was expelled with the help of the imperial forces, and the whole country brought under subjection. Hari Singh's son, Pratap Singh, who succeeded in 1674, founded the town of Partabgarh in 1698 ; and from it the State'now takes its name, though some of the people still use the older name Kanthal, or, uniting the names of the former and the present capitals, call the State Deolia-Partabgarh.
As recently as 1869 the chief was described in an extradition treaty then ratified as the * Rajah of Dowleah and Partahgurh.' In the time of Sawant Singh (1775-1844) the country was overrun by the Marathas, and the Maha- rawat only saved his State by agreeing to pay Holkar a tribute of Salim shadhi Rs. 72,720, in lieu of Rs. 15,000 formerly paid to Delhi. The first connexion of the State with the British Government was in 1804; but the treaty then entered into was subsequently cancelled by Lord Cornwallis, and a fresh treaty, by which the State was taken under protection, was made in 1818. The tribute to Holkar is paid through the British Government, and in 1904 was converted to Rs. 36,360 British currency.
The chiefs subsequent to Sawant Singh have been Dalpat Singh (1844-64), Udai Singh (1864-90), and Raghunath Singh, who was born in 1859, succeeded by adoption in 1890, and was installed with full powers in 1891. He bears the titles of His Highness and Maha- rawat, and receives a salute of T 5 guns.
Among places of arehaeological interest are Janagarh, TO miles south-west of the capital, with its old fort, in which some Mughal prince is said to have resided, and the reMains of a mosque, bath, and stables ; Shevna, 2 miles cast of Salimgarh, which tradition says was the capital, Shivnagri, of a large state, and which must have been a fine city. Besides a fort it contains several temples, one of which, dedicated to Siva, is beautifully carved. At Virpur, near Sohagpura, is a Jain temple said to be 2,000 years old, and old temples also exist at Bordia, 20 miles south of the capital, and at Ninor in the south- east ; but none of these places has been professionally examined.
population
The number of towns and villages in the State is 413, and the popu- lation at each Census has been: (1881) 79,568, (1891) 87,975, and (1901) 52,025. The decrease of nearly 41 per cent, at the last enumera tion was due partly to the famine of 1899-1900, followed by a disastrous type of fever, and partly, it is believed, to an exaggerated estimate of the Bhils in 1891. The State is divided into the three "Alas or districts of Partabgarh, Magra, and Sagthali, as shown below :
The only town is PARTABGARH, the capital. More than 61 per cent, of the people are Hindus, 22 per cent, are Animist Bhils, and 9 per cent, are Jains. The language Mainly spoken is Malwi or Rangri. By far the most numerous tribe is that of the BHILS, the original inhabitants of the country, who in 1901 numbered 11,500. Next come the Mahajans (5,600), the Brahmans (3,200), the Rajputs (3,200), the Kumhars (3,000), and the Chamars (2,600). About 51 per cent, of the population are dependent on agriculture.
Agriculture
The north-west (the Magra district) is hilly and stony, and here maize is almost the only product; elsewhere the soil is excellent, being mostly black intermixed with a reddish-brown . loam. The principal crops are wheat, sugar-cane, maize, jowar, gram, and barley. Poppy is extensively cultivated. The Bhils largely practise the destructive form of shifting cultivation known as walar, which is described in the article on BANSWARA STATE.
Irrigation is Mainly from wells, of which more than 2,000 are worked in the khalsa portion of the State; there are nine irrigation tanks, but they are old and out of repair, and the area watered from them is insignificant.
The hilly portions of the State are fairly well wooded, teak, black- wood, ptpal (Ficus religiosd), and babul (Acacia arabica) being fre- quently met with, while the south produces sandal-trees, which are a State monopoly. There is no systematic forest conservancy, and the Bhils burn the jungle for purposes of sport or agriculture practi- cally unchecked.
Trade and communications
Manufactures are unimportant, the products consisting only of coarse cotton fabrics, black woollen blankets, and a little enamel work of gold on glass, the latter being confined to a few families at the capital.
The principal exports are grain and opium, and the imports are cotton cloth and salt. The trade is mostly with Bombay. During the eight years ending 1900 the average number of chests of opium exported was 629, worth about 3 lakhs, and the export duty levied by the Darbar averaged Rs. 7,700. In 1901 this duty was raised from Salim shahi Rs. 27 to British Rs. 27 per chest of 1 3/4 maunds, and the 532 1/2 chests exported in 1903-4 paid a duty of more than Rs. 14,000. Salt is obtained from Sambhar, about seven to eight thousand maunds being imported annually.
There is no railway in the State, the nearest station being Mandasor on the Rajputana-Malwa line, 20 miles from Partabgarh town by a metalled road which was constructed in 1894, and of which 13 miles lie in Partabgarh territory. With this exception and a few streets at the capital, the communications are mere country tracks. Two British post offices and one telegraph office are Maintained, and the State has no local postal system.
Famine
Partabgarh is less liable to famine than most of the States of Rajputana, but in 1899-1900 the rainfall was less than one-third of the average and both harvests failed. The system of relief was ade- quate and efficient, and the extent of the operations was limited only by the financial resources of the State. Practically no land revenue was collected; more than 727,000 units were relieved on works and nearly 100,000 gratuitously in villages and poorhouses. Including advances to agriculturists and remissions and suspensions of land revenue, the famine cost the State about 1.7 lakhs, and one-third of the cattle perished.
Administration
The State is governed by the Maharawat with the help of a Kamdar or minister and, in judicial matters, of a committee of eleven members styled the Raj Sabha. Each of the three districts is under a hakim.
In the administration of justice the courts are guided generally by the Codes of British India. The lowest courtb are those of the hakims two of whom (at Partabgarh and Sagthali) are second-class magis- trates, and can decide civil suits the value of which does not exceed Rs. 500, while the third (in Magra) is a third-class magistrate and can decide civil suits up to a value of Rs. 250. The Sadr Criminal and Civil Court, besides hearing appeals against the decisions of hakims, takes up cases beyond their powers, the presiding officer being a first- class magistrate with jurisdiction in civil suits up to a value of Rs. 1,000. The highest court of the State is the Raj Sabha; it can puriish with a fine of Rs. 2,000, five years' imprisonment, and two dozen stripes, and decide civil suits not exceeding Rs. 3,000 in value, while it hears appeals against the decisions of the Sadr Court. When presided over by the chief, its powers aie absolute. The principal nobles have limited jurisdiction in their own estates over their own people ; in criminal cases they can award six months' imprisonment and Rs. 300 fine, while on the civil side they decide suits the value of which does not exceed Rs. 1,000. Cases beyond their powers go before the Raj Sabha.
The normal revenue of the State, excluding income from lands alienated to Rajputs, Brahmans, temples, &c, is about 1.7 lakhs, of which one lakh is derived from the land, Rs. 40,000 from customs, and Rs. 20,000 as tribute from jdgirddrs. The normal expenditure is about 1.4 lakhs, the Main items being privy purse (Rs. 40,000), tribute (Rs. 36,360), cost of adininistration (Rs. 33,500), and army and police (Rs. 24,000). The State is in debt to Government to the extent of about 6 1/2 lakhs, and the finances have consequently since 1901 been under the control of the Resident in Mewar.
According to the local account a mint was established at the capital early in the eighteenth century, but the story is improbable. The coins struck there have for a long time been commonly called Salim shahi, the name being derived from that of Salim Singh, the ruler of Partabgarh from 1758 to 1775, or possibly a contraction of Shah Alam II, who is said to have conpirmed the right of coining. The local rupee was formerly worth from 12 to 13 British annas, but in January, 1903, it exchanged for about 7 annas only. It was con- sequently decided to replace the local currency in 1904 by British coin ; but as the actual market rate of exchange during the period of conversion was more favourable to holders of the Partabgarh rupee than the rate fixed on the average of the previous six months, no coins were tendered for conversion. The Salim shdhi currency is, however, no longer legal tender in the State, and the Partabgarh mint has been closed in perperuity.
There are three kinds of land tenures in the State : namely, khalsa, chdkrdna and dharmada. Khalsa land is the property of the State and is leased generally on the ryotwari system, there being few inter- mediate zamindari. The lessees can neither sell nor mortgage, but, on the other hand, they are never, without sufficient reason, deprived of their holdings, which usually descend from father to son. Chdkrdna lands are those granted to Rajputs and officials for work performed, and are held on the usual tenure of service and tribute. Lands granted to Brahmans, temples, Charans, and Bhats are called dhar- mdda; they are held rent free, but neither they nor chakrana lands can be mortgaged or sold.
A rough settlement was made in 1875, when leases were granted for ten years, but the people were opposed to a settlement of any kind, and it has since been customary to grant annual leases. Regular settlement operations are, however, in progress, which were to be finished by the end of 1906. The current assessment per acre varies from 8 annas to Rs. 1-8 for 'dry' land and from Rs. 2-8 to Rs. 17.8 for ' wet ' land, and the revenue is collected mostly in cash.
The military force consists of 13 gunners, 22 cavalry, and 76 infantry, with 19 unserviceable guns; while the police force numbers 170 of all ranks, including 6 mounted men. The jail has accom- modation for 23 males and 17 females, the average daily number of prisoners in 1904 being 33. A new jail is under construction.
Education is at a low ebb, only 4 per cent, of the population (8.3 males and about o-1 females) being able to read and write. In 1901 there was but one regular school, attended by 194 pupils, or less.than 3 per cent, of the population of school.going age, while the total expenditure on education was Rs. 600. The daily average attendance at this school fell in 1903 to 98. Recently two more schools have been started : namely, a nobles' school at the capital for the sons of Th&kurs and of people of means, and a small vernacular school at Deolia. The daily average attendance at these institutions in 1904 was, respectively, 30 and 14, and the total expenditure on education was Rs. 2,650.
The State possesses one hospital, with accommodation for 4 in- patients, and one dispensary. In 1904 the number of cases treated was 9,311, of whom 16 were in-patients, and 643 operations were performed. The cost of these institutions, about Rs. 1,900, was borne entirely by the State. Vaccination is very backward. Only one vaccinator is employed, and in 1904-5 the number of person* successfully vaccinated was 244, or about 4 per 1,000 of the population. [Rajputixna Gazetteer, vol. iii (1880, under revision).]
