Surguja
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, units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts.Many units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Surguja
Feudatory State in the Central Provinces, lying between 22° 38' and 24 6' N. and 82° 31' and 84° 5' E., with an area of 6,089 square miles. Till 1905 it was included in the Chota Nagpur States of Bengal. It is bounded on the north by the Mirzapur District of the United Provinces and the State of Rewah ; on the east by the Palamau and Ranch! Districts of Bengal ; on the south by the Jashpur and Udaipur States and the District of Bilaspur ; and on the west by Korea State.
Surguja may be described in very general terms as a secluded basin, walled in on the north, east, and south by massive hill barriers, and protected from approach on the west by the forest-clad tract of Korea.
1 This figure, which differs slightly from the area shown in the Census Report of 1901, was supplied by the Surveyor-General.
Its most important physical features are the Mainpat, a magnificent table-land forming the southern barrier of the State, and the Jamirapat, a long winding ridge which is part of its eastern boundary. From the Jamirapat, isolated hill ranges and the peculiar formations locally known as pats rise to an elevation of 3,500 and 4,000 feet, forming on the north the boundary of Palamau and blending on the south with the hill system of northern Jashpur. In the valley of the Kanhar river there is an abrupt descent of 900 feet from the table-land of the east to the fairly level country of central Surguja, which here divides into two broad stretches of fertile and well-tilled land. One of these runs south towards Udaipur, and separates the Mainpat from the wild highlands of Khuria in Jashpur ; the other trends to the west and, opening out as it goes, forms the main area of cultivated land in the State. The principal peaks are Mailan (4,024 feet), Jam (3,827 feet), and Partagharsa (3,804 feet). The chief rivers are the Kanhar, Rehar, and Mahan, which flow northwards towards the Son ; and the Sankh, which takes a southerly course to join the Brahmani. The watershed in which all these rivers rise crosses the State of Surguja from east to west, and extends through the States of Korea and Chang Bhakar farther into the Central Provinces. None of the rivers is navigable, and the only boats used are the small canoes kept at some of the fords of the Rehar and Kanhar. The table-land and hill ranges in the east of the State are composed of metamorphic rocks, which here form a barrier between Surguja and Chota Nagpur proper. In central Surguja this meta- morphic formation gives place to the low-lying carboniferous area of the Bisrampur coal-field ; and this again is succeeded farther west by coarse sandstone, overlying the metamorphic rocks which crop up here and there. The chief tree is the sal {Shorca robusta), which abounds every- where. Tigers, leopards, bears, wild buffaloes, bison, and many kinds of deer are found.
The early history of Surguja is obscure ; but, according to a local tradition in Palamau, the present ruling family is said to be descended from a Raksel Raja of Palamau. In 1758 a Maratha army in progress to the Ganges overran the State, and compelled its chief to acknow- ledge himself a tributary of the Bhonsla Raja. At the end of the eighteenth century, in consequence of the chief having aided a rebellion in Palamau against the British, an expedition entered Surguja ; and, though order was temporarily restored, disputes again broke out between the chief and his relations, necessitating British interference. Until 1818 the State continued to be the scene of constant lawlessness ; but in that year it was ceded to the British Government under the provi- sional agreement concluded with Mudhoji Bhonsla of Berar, and order was soon established. In 1826 the chief was invested with the title of Maharaja. The present chief, who attained his majority in 1882, received the title of Maharaja Bahadur in 1895 as a personal distinction, The State pays Rs. 2,500 annually to Government as tribute, hut this amount, is subject to revision. The chief archaeological remains are the stone gateways, rock caves, and tunnel on Ramgarh Hill, and the deserted fortress at Juba.
The recorded population increased from 182,831 in 1872 to 270,311 in 1881, to 324,552 in 1891, and to 351,011 in 1901; but the earlier enumerations were very defective. The people live in 1,372 villages, and the density is 58 persons per square mile. Hindus number 204,228; Animists, 142,783; and Muhammadans, 3,999. The majority of the inhabitants are Dravidian aborigines, the most numerous castes being Gonds (83,000), Goalas and Pans (30,000 each), Kaurs and Oraons (29,000 each), Raj wars (18,000), Korwas (16,000), Kharwars (14,000), and Bhumijs (10,000), while among other abori- ginal tribes Bhuiyas, Cheros, Ghasis, Mundas, Nagesias, and Santals are also represented.
Practically, the entire population is dependent on agriculture. The soils and systems of tillage are similar to those in Ranchi and Palamau Districts, but many of the aboriginal tribes on the hills and plateaux practise ' shifting ' cultivation. The principal crops grown are rice and other cereals, including wheat, barley, oats, maize, marud, gondii, and kodon ; also gram and other pulses, oilseeds, cotton, san-hemp, and flax. Cultivation is extending, but large tracts are still covered with unreclaimed jungle. The State contains extensive grazing grounds, to which large herds of cattle from Mirzapur and Palamau are sent every year.
The forests are of the same general character as those of Palamau ; they consist chiefly of sal, but, owing to distance from the railway, they are at present of very little value. The principal jungle pro- ducts other than timber are lac, tasar silk, and catechu. It has been estimated that the coal-measures of the Bisrampur field occupy an area of about 400 square miles, but no systematic prospecting has been done. Traces of lead are found.
There are fair roads from Bisrampur to the border of the Udaipur State and to Lerua, and a road from Dora to Partabpur. Altogether 410 miles of roads are maintained by the State, but these are chiefly fair-weather tracks. An extensive trade in jungle products, oilseeds, and ghi is carried on by means of pack-bullocks.
The relations of the chief with the British Government are regulated by a sanad granted in 1899, and reissued in 1905 with a few verbal changes due to the transfer of the State to the Central Provinces. Under this sanad the chief was formally recognized and permitted to administer his territory subject to prescribed conditions, and the tribute was fixed for a further period of twenty years, at the end of which it is Uable to revision. The chief is under the general control of the Conunissioner of Chhattisgarh as regards all important matters of administration, including the settlement and collection of land revenue, the imposition of taxes, the administration of justice, arrange- ments connected with excise, salt, and opium, and disputes in which other States are concerned ; and he cannot levy import and export duties or transit dues, unless they are specially authorized by the Chief Commissioner. He is permitted to levy rents and certain other customary dues from his subjects, and is empowered to pass sentences of imprisonment up to five years and of fine to the extent of Rs. 200 ; but sentences of imprisonment for more than two years and of fine exceeding Rs. 50 require the confirmation of the Commissioner. Heinous offences calling for heavier punishment are dealt with by the Political Agent, Chhattisgarh Feudatories, who exercises the powers of a District Magistrate and Assistant Sessions Judge ; the Commissioner occupies the position of a Sessions Court in respect of such cases, while the functions of a High Court are performed by the Chief Com- missioner.
The revenue of the State in 1904-5 was Rs. 1,27,000, of which Rs. 72,000 was derived from land and Rs. 23,000 from excise. The expenditure in the same year was Rs. 1,26,500, including Rs. 34,000 expended on administration, Rs. 12,000 on domestic charges, and Rs. 8,000 on public works. The land revenue demand is Rs. 80,000 ; and the State is divided for revenue purposes into 22 lappdsox parganas, of which 6 are maintenance grants held by the junior branches of the chiefs family', 4 belong io Jagirdars or ilakadars, and the remaining 12 are in the immediate control of the Maharaja himself. The collection of revenue in the latter is made through tahsllddn, while the rent for the ildkaddri and maintenance tenures is paid direct into the State treasury by the holders. The ildkaddrs hold their lands in perpetuity and pay rent to the Maharaja ; and the jdgirddrs also hold in per- petuity on payment of a quit-rent with certain feudal conditions, which for the most part have fallen into disuse. Both these tenures are resumable by the Maharaja, on the failure of direct male heirs to the grantee. The State contains 18 thdnas, and the police force consists (1904-5) of 25 otlficers and 134 men, maintained at a cost of Rs. 10,000. In addition, there is a body of rural police, called goraiis, who are remunerated by grants of land and are also paid in kind. The State jail is at Bisrampur, and prisoners sentenced to terms of imprisonment not exceeding two years are detained there. The only schools in the State are 11 pathsalas ; and in 1901 only 900 persons could read and write. There is a charitable dispensary at Bisrampur, at which 2,150 out-patients were treated during 1904-5; a fine new building, which will be used for a dispensary and hospital, has recently been con- structed. Vaccination is carried on by licensed vaccinators, and 14,400 persons were successfully vaccinated in 1904-5.
[Sir W. W. Hunter, Statistical Account of Bengal (1877), vol. xvii : and Memoirs Geological Survey of India, vol. vi.]
