Shimla/ Simla Hill States, 1908
Simla Hill States
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.
A collection of Native States in the Punjab, surrounding the sanitarium of Simla, and extending between 30 46' and 32 5' N. and 76 28' and 79 14' E. They are bounded on the east by the high wall of the Himalayas; on the north-west by the mountains of Spiti and Kulu belonging to the District of Kangra, and lower down by the Sutlej, separating them from the State of Suket and Kangra proper ; on the south-west by the plains of Ambala ; and on the south-east by Dehra Dun and the Native State of Tehri. They are controlled by the Superintendent, Simla Hill States, in subordination to the Punjab Government. Table III appended to the article on the PUNJAB (Vol. XX, p. 381) gives some of the leading statistics regarding them.
The mountains here form a continuous series of ranges, ascending from the low hills which bound the plains of Ambala to the great central chain of the Western Himalayas. This central chain terminates a few miles south of the Sutlej in Bashahr, the most northern of the States. The same State is broken on its northern frontier by spurs from the snowy hills which separate it from Spiti, and on the east by similar spurs from the range shutting it off from Chinese Tartary. Starting from the termination of the Central Himalayas, a transverse range, the last to the south of the Sutlej, runs south-west throughout the 'length of the Simla States, forming the watershed between the Sutlej and the Jumna. A few miles north-east of Simla, it divides into two main branches, one following the line of the Sutlej in a north-west direction, and the other, on which Simla stands, continuing south-west, until, at a few miles north of Sabathu, it meets at right angles the mountains of the Outer or sub-Himalayan system, which have a direc- tion parallel to the Central Himalayas, i.e. from north-west to south- east. South and east of Simla, the hills lying between the Sutlej and the Tons, the principal feeder of the Jumna, centre in the great Chaur peak, 11,982 feet high, itself the termination of a minor chain that branches off southwards from the main Simla range. The moun- tain system (excluding Bashahr) may be thus mapped out roughly into three portions : the Chaur peak, and the spurs radiating from it, occupy- ing the south-east comer ; the Simla range, extending from the Central Himalayas to the neighbourhood of Sabathu; and the mountains of the sub-Himalayan series, running from north-west to south-east, and forming the boundary of the Ambala plains. The last-mentioned group may be subdivided into the sub-Himalayas proper, and an outer range, corresponding to the Siwalik hills of Hoshiarpur on the one side and of the Gangetic Doab on the other. The sub-Himalayan and the Siwalik ranges form parallel lines, having between them an open space of varying width, known as the Kiarda Dun, a broad and well-cultivated valley. The Dun in Nalagarh is open and richly cultivated, like the corresponding Kiarda Dun in Sirmur and Jaswan Dun in Hoshiarpur.
The wilder parts of Bashahr beyond the Sutlej are thus described by Sir H. Da vies
'Immediately to the south of Spiti and Lahul is the district of KanaLwar, which forms the largest subdivision of the Bashahr prin- cipality, and consists of a series of rocky and precipitous ravines, descending rapidly to the bed of the Sutlej. The district is about 70 miles long, by 40 and 20 broad at its northern and southern extremities respectively. In middle Kanawar the cultivated spots have an average elevation of 7,000 feet. The climate is genial, being beyond the influence of the periodical rains of India ; and the winters are com- paratively mild. Upper Kanawar more resembles the alpine region of Tibet. Grain and fuel are produced abundantly; the poppy also flourishes. The Kanawaris are probably of Indian race, though in manners and religion they partially assimilate to the Tibetans. The people of the north are active traders, proceeding to Leh for charas^ and to Gardokh for shawl-wool, giving in exchange money, clothes, and spices. The mountain paths are scarcely practicable for laden mules, and merchandise is carried chiefly on the backs of sheep and goats. 5
The principal rivers by which the drainage of these hills is effected are the Sutlej, the Pabar, the Giri or Giri Ganga, the Gambhar, and the Sirsa. The Sutlej enters Bashahr State from Chinese territory by a pass between two peaks, the northern of which is 22,183 feet above sea-level, and flows south-west through Bashahr, receiving the drainage from the Central Himalayas on the one side and from the Spiti hills on the other, till it reaches the border of Kulu, a few miles above the town of Rampur. From this point it forms the boundary of the Simla States, until, shortly before reaching the border of Kangra proper, it turns southwards, and passes through the State of Bilaspur, which it divides into two nearly equal portions. It is crossed by bridges at Wangtu, and at Lauri below Kotgarh. In Bilaspur small boats are employed on the river ; elsewhere inflated skins are used to effect a passage. The Sutlej is not fordable at any point. Its principal feeders in Bashahr are the Baspa from the south, and the Spiti from the north. The Pabar, which is one of the principal feeders of the Tons, and therefore of the Jumna, rises in the State of Bashahr, having feeders on the southern slopes of both the Central Himalayas and the transverse Simla range. It flows southwards into Garhwal. The Giri, or Giri Ganga, rises in the hills north of the Chaur, and, collecting the drainage of the whole tract between that mountain and the Simla range, flows south-west until, meeting the line of the Outer Himalayas, it turns sharply to the south- east, and enters the State of Sirmur. Its principal feeder is the Ashmi, or Assan river, which rises near Mahasu, in the Simla range, and, after receiving a considerable contribution from the eastern face of the hill upon which Simla station stands, joins the Giri just at the point where that river turns south-east. The Gambhar rises in the Dagshai hill, and, running north-west past Sabathu, receives the Blaini and several other streams which rise in the hills to the south of Simla station, and, still continuing its course north-west, empties itself into the Sutlej about 8 miles below the town of Bilaspur. The Sirsa collects the drainage of the Dun of Nalagarh. Of these streams, the Pabar and Giri Ganga are of considerable volume. Except the Sirsa, all are perennial, retaining a small supply of water even in the winter months, and swelling to formidable torrents during the rainy season. The Pabar is fed from perennial snow. Further information regarding the Simla Hill States will be found in the separate articles on each. Opium made in the Hill States is imported into the Punjab on payment of a duty of Rs. 2 per seer.
The chiefs of the Hill States possess full powers, except that sentences of death passed by them require the confirmation of the Superintendent, Hill StateSj who is also the Deputy-Commissioner of Simla District. In thirteen of the twenty-eight States, owing to the minority or incapacity of the chiefs, the administration is not at present in their hands. In Bija, Kunihar, Madhan, and Mailog it is carried on by councils of State officials ; in Dhadi it is in the hands of a relative of the chief, and in Tharoch in those of the Wazir ; Bilaspur, Jubbal, Bashahr, Kumharsain, and Kanethi are administered by native officials of the British service, deputed by Government, who are styled managers ; in Baghal the council consists of a brother of the late chief and an official deputed by Government ; and in Kuthar the manager is a member of the ruling family of Suket In all these cases, the authority in charge of the administration exercises in practice the powers of the chief.
