Sitamau State
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.
Sitamau State
One of the mediatized States of the Central India Agency, under the Political Agent in Malwa, lying between 23° 48 and 24° 8' N. and 75° 15' and 75° 32' E., with an area of about 350 square miles, of which 239 square miles, or 68 per cent., have been alienated in jagir grants. It is bounded on the north by the Indore and Gwalior States ; on the south by Jaora and Dewas ; on the east by the Jhalawar State in Rajputana ; and on the west by Gwalior. The place after which it takes its name was founded by a Mina chief, Sataji, the name Satamau, or village of Sata, having been metamorphosed into the more orthodox name of Sitamau. The State is situated on the Malwa plateau, and its geological conditions, flora, and fauna are the same as elsewhere in that region. The only stream of importance is the Chambal, which forms the eastern boundary, and is used as a source of irrigation.
The Sitamau chief is a Rathor Rajput belonging to the Jodhpur family, and closely related to the Rajas of Ratlam and Sailana. The Sitamau State was founded by Kesho Das, a grandson of Ratan Singh of Ratlam, who in 1695 received a sanad (grant) from Aurangzeb con- ferring upon him the parganas of Titroda, Nahargarh, and Alot. Of these parganas^ Nahargarh and Alot were seized by the chiefs of Gwalior and Dewas respectively, during the Maratha invasion. On the settlement of Central India, after the Pindari War, Sir John Malcolm mediated between Daulat Rao Sindhia and Raja Raj Singh of Sitamau, and the latter was confirmed in the possession of his land on paying a yearly tribute to Sindhia of Rs. 33,000, which in 1860 was reduced to Rs. 27,000. For services rendered in the Mutiny of 1857, Raja Raj Singh received a khilat of Rs. 2,000. In 1865 he ceded all land required for railways free of compensation, and in 1881 relinquished his right to levy transit dues on salt, receiving a sum of Rs. 2,000 annually as compensation. He died without issue, and was succeeded by Bahadur Singh, selected from another branch of the family by the British Government, and installed in 1885. The Gwalior Darbar raised an objection, contending that they should have been consulted, and also claimed succession dues (nazarana). It was ruled, however, that Sitamau being a mediatized chiefship of the first class, the primary contention was not tenable, while succession dues were payable to the British Government only and not to Gwalior. In 1887 Bahadur Singh abolished all transit dues in his State, except those on opium and timber. He died in 1899 and was succeeded by Shardul Singh, who only lived ten months. The present chief. Ram Singh, was selected by Government to succeed him in 1900. He is the second son of the Thakur of KachhI-Baroda (see Bhopawar Agency), and was born in 1880 and educated at the Daly College at Indore. The ruler bears the titles of His Highness and Raja, and receives a salute of 11 guns.
The population of the State has been : (1881) 30,939, (1891) 33,307, and (1901) 23,863. In the latest year Hindus numbered 21,406, or 90 per cent, of the total; Musalmans, 1,517; Jains, 781 ; and Animists, 159. The density is 68 persons per square mile. The population decreased by 28 per cent, during the decade ending 1901. The State contains one town, Sitamau (population, 5,877), the capital ; and 89 villages. The principal dialect is Rangri or Malwi, spoken by 98 per cent, of the population. The most numerous castes arc lirah- mans and Rajputs, each numbering about 4,000. Agriculture supports 48 per cent, of the total, and general labour 12 per cent.
The rich black soil which prevails produces excellent crops of all ordinary grains, and also of poppy grown for opium. Of the total area of 350 square miles, 70, or 20 per cent., are under cultivation, 10 square miles, or 13 per cent, of this area, being irrigated and 60 'dry ' ; of the remainder, 7 square miles are capable of cultivation, the rest being jungle and irreclaimable waste. Of the cropped area, 61 square miles produce cereals, 7 poppy, and 2 cotton. Irrigation is confined to poppy and vegetables.
Trade and commerce have expanded considerably since the opening of the Rajputana-Malwa Railway and the construction of the metalled road between the Mandasor station on that line and the town of Sitamau, a distance of 18 miles. A British post and telegraph office has been opened at Sitamau town.
The State is divided for administrative purposes into three tahsils — Sitamau, Bhagor, and Titroda — each under a tahsildar or naib-tahsildar who is collector of revenue and magistrate for his charge.
The Raja has full powers in all revenue, civil judicial, and general administrative matters. In criminal cases he exercises the powers of a Sessions Court in British India, but is required to submit all sentences of death, transportation, or imprisonment for life to the Agent to the Governor-General for confirmation. The British codes, modified to suit local needs, have been introduced into the State courts.
The normal revenue is 1-3 lakhs. Of this, Rs. 80,000 is derived from land, Rs. 31,000 from tribute paid by feudatory Thakurs, and Rs. 13,000 from customs dues. The principal heads of expenditure are : chief's establishment, Rs. 23,000; general administration, Rs. 11,000: public works, Rs. 5,000 ; police, Rs. 8,000 ; tribute to the Gwalior State, Rs. 27,000. The income of alienated lands amounts to 1-7 lakhs. Ihe incidence of land revenue demand is Rs. 3 per acre of cultivated land, and 13 annas per acre of the total area. British rupees have been the State currency since 1896.
No troops are kept up by the State. A police force was organized in 1896, and a jail has been opened. Sitamau town contains one school, with about 200 pupils, and a dispensary,
