Pathari 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.
Pathari State
A petty mediatized State in Central India, under the Bhopal Agency, with an area of 22 square miles, and a population (1901) of 2,704. Locally the State is called Baro-Pathari or Chor- Pathari, the former from the old ruined city of Baro, the latter from its former unenviable notoriety as the home of marauding gangs.
The chiefs, who are descended from the Bhopal house, are Pathans of the Barakzai family and the Mirzai Khel. Mund Muhammad Khan, father of the original grantee, held a jagir in Rahatgarh (now in the Central Provinces), of which he was deprived by Mahadaji Sindhia. On the mediation of the British authorities, however, his son, Haidar Muhammad Khan, received the Pathari jagir in 1794, as a grant from Daulat Rao Sindhia. Land is still held by the Nawabs at Rahatgarh, in the Saugor District of the Central Provinces. The present chief, Abdul Karim Khan, succeeded in 1859 as a boy of five, and received powers in 1872. He pursued, however, a course of extravagance, plunging the State so deeply in debt as to necessitate his removal from the management in 1895. He resides at Sehore with his family, and the State continues under British administration. The chief bears the hereditary title of Nawab. The archaeological remains at Pathari are of considerable interest, forming in fact a part of those at Baro, which is situated one mile south of this town. The road from Baro to Pathari is marked by the remains of numerous temples, satl stones, and other indications of an extensive settlement.
The soil is fertile and produces good crops. Of the total area of 22 square miles, 5 square miles, or 23 per cent., are cultivated, while 12 square miles are capable of cultivation, the rest being grazing, jungle, and waste land. The chief ordinarily exercises limited powers, all serious matters being dealt with by the Political Agent. The State has a revenue of Rs. 9,000. Its finances are at present burdened with a debt of Rs. 30,000.
The chief town of Pathari is picturesquely situated on a small sand- stone hill 1,800 feet above the level of the sea, on the edge of a lake enclosed by a fine dam of undressed stone, in 23 56' N. and 78 13' E. It is n miles distant by metalled road from Kulhar station on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Population (1901), 1,106. A British post office and a jail are situated in the town.
Pathari shows many signs of its importance in the early days ot Hindu rule, though, as it now stands, it is purely Muhammadan in character. The remains of numerous statues, carved stones from Hindu temples, and old foundations are everywhere visible. The principal object of interest is the magnificent column which stands to the east of the town. It is cut from a fine white sandstone, apparently hewn in the old quarry close by, and is 47 feet high, 42 feet being in a single piece.It is surmounted by a bell capital, on which there were originally two human figures back to back, but only a part of one remains. Close by is a small temple, which now contains a lingam, but was originally dedicated to Vishnu, as is shown by the figure of Garuda over the doorway. On the northern face of the pillar there is an inscription of thirty-eight lines.
The record is dated in A.D. 86 1, and sets out that the temple of Vishnu (no doubt that close by) was built by a king Parabala of the Rashtrakuta race, who set up this Garuda bannered pillar before it. The record is additionally interesting in connexion with the Monghyr copperplate, which records the birth of the Pala king Devapala, who was born of Ram Devi, daughter of king Parabala. A slab in an old baori (well with steps), dated in 1676, records its construction by Maharaja Prithwlraj Ju Deo, in the time of Aurangzeb. The Hindu town was destroyed by the Muhammadans, possibly by Alamgir.
[Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. xvii, part ii, p. 305 ; A. Cunningham, Archaeological Survey Reports, vol. vii, p. 64 ; vol. x, p. 69 ; Nachrichten der Konig. Gesell. der Wissen. zu GOttingen (1901), p. 519 ; Indian Antiquary, vol. xxi, p. 258.]
