Sindkhed, 1908
Sindkhed
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.
Village in the Mehkar taluk of Buldana District, Berar, situated in 19 57' N. and 76 10' E. Population (1901), 2,711. The pargana of Sindkhed was granted mjaglr to the kazl of the town about 1450, and he afterwards gave it voluntarily to the famous Maratha family of Jadon or Jadav, the most famous member of which was Lakhji. LakhjT was, according to one account, a Rajput from Kur- wali in Hindustan, but the family also claimed descent from the Yadava Rajas of Deogiri. Lakhji obtained a command of 10,000 horse under the Ahmadnagar government, but afterwards espoused the Mughal cause, receiving a command of 15,000 horse in the imperial army. He was entrapped by Maloji Bhonsla into giving his daughter in marriage to Shahji, and she thus became the mother of Sivajl. Not- withstanding this connexion, the Jadons were, except on one occasion, steady imperialists throughout the wars between Mughal and Maratha, and held high rank in the imperial army. The representatives of the family are now settled at Kingaon Raja ; but they lost their possessions in 1851, owing to an act of rebellion by Arab troops under their command
The temple of Nilkantheshwar to the south-west of the village is the oldest structure traditionally assigned to Hemad Pant Several fine buildings attest the former magnificence and prosperity of the place. Sindkhed was held by Sindhia for nearly sixty years, and was restored to the Nizam in 1803. In 1804 General Wellesley wrote : " Sindkhed is a nest of thieves ; the situation of this country is shock- ing ; the people are starving in hundreds, and there is no government to afford the slightest relief." Baji Rao Peshwa encamped at Sindkhed for some days in 1818, when the British troops were on his track. The decline of the place was hastened by marauders, whose names Mohan Singh, Budlam Shah, and Ghazi Khan were long remembered with terror.
