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Narsinghpur District, 1908

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

Physical aspects

District in the Nerbudda Division of the Central Provinces, lying between 22° 37' and 23° 15' N. and 78° 27' and 79° 38 E., in the upper half of the Narbada Valley, with an area of 1,976 square miles. On the north it is bounded by the Bhopal State and by Saugor, Damoh, and Jubbulpore Districts ; on the south by Chhindwara ; on the west by Hoshangabad ; and on the east by SeonI and Jubbulpore. Nearly the whole District lies to the south of the Narbada, occupying a stretch of 15 or 20 miles between the river and the northern range of the Satpura plateau. The Narbada forms the northern boundary for a considerable length, and immediately beyond the river the southern scarp of the Vindhyan range extends like a line of cliffs almost along its banks. A small strip of territory lies to the north of the Narbada. On the south of the District a broad belt of gravelly soil merges through woody borders into the lower slopes of the Satpura highlands. The hilly country itself is generally not more than three or four miles in width. Between the Satpuras and the Narbada lies the greater part of the District, in the first of the wide alluvial basins which, alternating with rocky gorges, give so varied a character to the river's course. The surface of the valley is covered by a deep layer of black alluvial soil, which is famed for its fertility. The general elevation is about i,ioo feet above the sea, the fall in the course of the Narbada within the District being very slight. During its passage through Narsinghpur the Narbada receives the waters of several tributaries, principally from the south. Of these, the most important are the Sher and the Shakkar, with their respective affluents, the Macharewa and Chitarewa. Other smaller rivers are the Dudhi and Soner, which' form the western and eastern boundaries of the District, and the Barurewa. All these rise in the Satpura range on the southern border, and though their courses are short they fill with extraordinary rapidity. The passage of these streams through the soft alluvial soil produces a wide series of ravines on either bank, rendering the ground for some distance uncultivable, the most marked systems of ravines being on the Narbada and Sher. The Hiran and Sindhor rivers join the Narbada from the north.

The valley in the north of the District is covered with alluvium. The hilly country in the south is occupied by rocks referable partly to the Gondwana and partly to the transition system. The forests are not extensive, and are situated principally on the slopes of the Satpuras along the south of the District, with a few patches on the northern border beyond the Narbada. The principal tree, even in the forests, is the mahtia (Bassia latifolia) ; and the rest is mainly a scrubby growth of small teak, achar (Buchanania latifolia), daman (Grewia tiliaefolia), sdlai [Boswellia serrata), palds {Butea frondosa), and similar shrubs and stunted trees. The open country is well provided with mahud and other fruit-bearing or sacred trees.

Tigers are not numerous. Leopards and bears frequent the low hills. Sdmbar and nilgai are met with in most of the forests, but spotted deer are scarce. Bison sometimes visit the south-western hills in the rainy months. The forests are singularly devoid of bird life. Quail are plentiful in certain tracts, as also are peafowl and sand- grouse ; but there are very few water-birds.

The climate is generally healthy and very pleasant in the cold season. The annual rainfall averages 51 inches, and is more usually excessive than deficient, wheat on the heavy black soil being very liable to rust. Frosts sometimes occur in the cold season, but hail is rare.

History

At the earliest period at which anything is known of its history, Narsinghpur formed part of the dominions of the Mandla Gond dynasty. The stronghold of Chauragarh, twenty miles south-west of Narsinghpur town, on the crest of the outer range of the Satpura table-land, is intimately associated with the history of the Mandla kings. Embracing two hills within its circle of defences, it is less a fort than a huge fortified camp ; and the vast scale of the whole work, its numerous tanks and wells excavated at so unusual an elevation, and the massive debris of the buildings, attest the lavish outlay incurred in its completion, and the importance which was attached to it as a royal stronghold. In 1564 Asaf Khan, a Mughal general, invaded the Mandla territories, defeated the Rani Durgavati, widow of the Gond Raja Dalpat Shah, and took by storm Chauragarh, finding, it is said, 100 jars of gold coin and 1,000 elephants. Three generations later, in the time of Raja Prem Narayan, the Bundela prince of Orchha invaded the valley and took Chauragarh after a siege of some months, Prem Narayan being killed by treachery. Rani Durgavati and Prem Narayan are still celebrated in folk-lore. In 1781 the Gond dynasty was finally over- thrown and the valley came under the rule of the Maratha STibahs of Saugor, who were displaced by the Bhonslas fifteen years later. In November, 181 7, on the first intelligence of the disturbances at Nagpur and the treachery of Raja Appa Sahib, British troops were moved into Narsinghpur and the Maratha garrison at Srinagar was defeated. The fort at Chauragarh held out for some time, but was evacuated iri May, 1 818.

The District subsequently came under British administra- tion, and was augmented in 1826 by the temporary cession by Sindhia of the trans-Narbada parganas of Chanwarpatha and Tendukheda, which finally became British territory in i860. Since' 1818 the tranquillity of the District has been twice disturbed. During the Bundela rising of 1842 the rebels invaded Narsinghpur, receiving the tacit support of nearly all the landholders of Chanwarpatha, and plundered several villages, but were finally defeated and forced to recross the Narbada. In 1857 the Saugor and Bhopal mutineers entered Chanwarpatha on two occasions, and made isolated forays across the Narbada. Except from two or three landholders in Chan- warpatha they met with no support, and were stubbornly resisted at Tendukheda, and by Rao Surat Singh Lodhi at his village of Imjhira. The Deputy-Commissioner, Captain Ternan, took the field with two companies of irregular troops and some matchlockmen furnished by the Gond chiefs, and drove out the rebels. It is worth noticing that this officer had as early as February, 1857, submitted a report on the circulation of the chapdtis, stating his belief that they portended an insurrection ; but his warning was disregarded.

There are few archaeological remains of interest. Barehta, 14 miles south-east of Narsinghpur town, formerly contained a number of sculptures, some of which have been brought to Narsinghpur and placed in the public gardens, while other sculptures are believed to have been taken to Europe, and little remains at Barehta itself. An important place of pilgrimage in the District is Barmhan at the junction of the Narbada and W'arahi rivers, while there are numerous temples and flights of stone steps leading up to the north bank of the river. Dhilwar and Chanwarpatha contain the ruins of Gond forts.

Population

The population of the District at the last three enumerations was as follows: (1881) 365,173, (1891) 367,026, and (1901) 313,951. A small transfer of territory to Narsinghpur from Saugor was made in 1902, and the corrected totals of area and population are now 1,976 square miles and 315,518 persons. Between 1881 and 1891 the population was nearly stationary. In the last intercensal period the decrease was at the rate of 14 per cent. Deaths exceeded births in six years of the decade, and the District was severely affected by the famines of both 1897 and 1900. The District has three towns, Narsinghpur, Gadarwara, and Chhind- WARA ; and 963 inhabited villages. The following statistics of popu- lation in 1 901 have been adjusted on account of the transfer mentioned above : —

About 85 per cent, of the population are Hindus, 10 per cent. Animists, and nearly 4 per cent. Muhammadans. Practically the whole population speak the Bundeli dialect of Western Hindi, the Gonds having almost entirely abandoned their own language. Marathi, Urdu, and Gondi are spoken by a few hundred persons each.

The principal landholding castes are Brahmans (24,000), Rajputs (14,000), Banias (9,000), Kurmis (7,000), Lodhls (30,000), Kaonras (14,000), and Raj Gonds. Brahmans belong principally to Northern India, but there are also some Maratha Brahman landlords, who generally bear the title of Pandit. The Golapurabs form a local sub- caste of Brahmans, who have been settled in the District for a long time and are solely cultivators ; they neither beg nor perform priestly functions. Most of the Rajputs belong to a local sub-caste called Gorai, and are of mixed descent. The principal cultivating castes are Lodhls, Kurmis, and Kaonras. The Kaonras profess to be descended from the Kauravas of the Mahabharata, who after being defeated by the Pandavas came and settled in Narsinghpur. They are certainly not Rajputs, and there is some reason for supposing them to be a branch of the Ahlrs. The labouring classes are Chamars (17,000) and Mehras (15,000), who together form about 10 per cent, of the population; and Gonds, who number 35,000, or 11 per cent. These are all in verj' poor circumstances. The Gonds are compara- tively civilized, but live from hand to mouth. Many of them have only a garden plot for spade cultivation, or a small holding of the poorest soil. They depend largely on viahud flowers and other forest produce, and on the sale of head-loads of grass and fuel. About 62 per cent, of the population were returned as supported by agriculture in 1901.

Of the 359 Christians, 66 belong to the Anglican communion and 267 are Methodists. Native Christians number 319. The Hardwicke American Methodist Episcopal Mission has a station at Narsinghpur.

Agriculture

The greater part of the cultivated area consists of black alluvial soil. The quality varies according to the lie of the land, ground which is undulating or cut up by ravines being the poorest. Below the Satpura Hills there is a belt of light sandy soil suited to the growth of rice. A somewhat peculiar system followed in the hill country is that of sowing several of the autumn crops together, such mixtures as kodo?i, Jowdr, and cotton, til and arhar, or rice, Joivar, and arhar, with urad or niFatg as a fourth ingredient in each case, being found in the same field. The cultivators hope that in such cases they will get a good return from one or two of the crops whatever the nature of the season may be ; but such a hetero- geneous mixture can scarcely be considered good agriculture. In recent years there have been heavy decreases in the acreage of wheat, gram, and kodon, partly counterbalanced by a rise in those of masTir^ rice, and cotton.

More than 45 square miles are held wholly or partially free of revenue, and the remainder on the ordinary malguzdri tenure. The following table gives the principal agricultural statistics for 1903-4, in square miles : —

No considerable extension of cultivation is now possible. Wheat, either sown singly or mixed with gram, covers 318 square miles, or 27 per cent, of the cropped area; gram, 176 square miles; til, 78; rice, 54 : jowar, 33, and cotton, 50. The small millet koden is mainly grown as a food-crop in the hilly tracts by Gond cultivators, and is not exported. Only 7.000 acres are occupied by linseed. It is peculiarly liable to rust, and is therefore not a popular crop for heavy black soil, but the area under it was larger a few years ago than at present. The cultivation of cotton has recently increased. It is grown on the light soil along the banks of the Narbada or mixed with other crops, and the out-turn is usually poor. Rice is raised mainly as a catch-crop in embanked fields before gram, or as a mixture with other crops.

The principal agricultural improvement is the embankment of wheat- fields to hold up water during the rains. This, however, is practised only in the eastern part of the District adjoining Jubbulpore, and the anticipation that it would gradually extend to the remaining area has not been fulfilled. Only about 2,500 acres were regularly embanked in 1893, but since then up to 1905 embankments have been constructed on an additional 13,000 acres. In places where the surface is sloping the field cannot be embanked on all sides, but a bank is run across the lower end to prevent scouring. About 78 square miles have small embankments of this type, or bandhids. During the eleven years following 1893 only Rs. 17,000 was advanced under the Land Improve- ment Loans Act, and 1-9 lakhs under the Agriculturists' Loans Act.

Cattle are bred in the District, and are also imported from Chhind- wara, Nimar, Hoshangabad, and Saugor. The Narsinghpur cattle have no particular reputation. They are slow, but have the strength which is requisite for cultivation in the heavy black soil. The number of cattle was greatly reduced by mortality in the famines. Buffaloes are kept for breeding purposes and for the manufacture of ghl. There were formerly a considerable number of horses in the District ; but the impoverishment of many landowners and the construction of good roads have rendered horse-breeding too expensive, and to a great extent destroyed the taste for it, the people generally preferring a bullock- cart to a horse, when the former method of locomotion is practicable.

Only about 2,000 to 2,500 acres are irrigated. Irrigation is almost entirely from wells, and is practically confined to sugar-cane and garden crops. There are about 1,100 irrigation wells. The area of Government forest is 249 square miles, all of which is ' reserved.' The principal forests are on the Satpura range in the south of the District, and there are small patches north of the Narbada on the Vindhyan range. Teak, saj (Terminalia tometitosa), khair (OAcacia Catechu), and bamboos are the principal trees. The revenue in 1903-4 was Rs. 20,000.

The coal-mines situated at IMohpani, twelve miles from Gadarwara at the foot of the Satpura Hills, are served by a branch line of railway. They have been worked since 1862, and the opening out of some fresh seams has recently been undertaken. The annual out-turn is now about 43,coo tons. The coal is of moderate quality. In 1904 the mines were sold by the Nerbudda Coal and Iron Company to the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Coal is also found in small quantities in the Sher and Shakkar rivers. There are iron mines at Tendukheda on the north of the Narbada close to the base of the Vindhyan range, but they are worked only by native miners, or Lobars. About 150 large and 70 small furnaces were working in 1895 ; but the returns for 1904 show only 8, and the industry is now nearly extinct, though the iron has a local reputation. The mines are mere open pits cut to the depth of about 30 feet through the black soil and underlying clay, and have to be re-excavated annually after the rainy season. Copper ores occur at Barmhan. They were worked for a time, and the band of rock in which they lie was found to be 6 feet thick, while the average yield of copper from some ores was 28 per cent.

Trade and communications

Hand-weaving and dyeing were formerly carried on to a considerable extent, but the industries are suffering from the competition of machine- made cloth. Gadarwara is the most important centre, while Singhpur and Amgaon have also considerable numbers of looms and dye-houses and Narsmghpur a few. Indigo is used in combination with other agents to produce the dark-green cloth called amohivd, padded coats of which are largely worn in the cold season. Chichli has an industry of brass-workers, and brass vessels are also imported from Jubbulpore and Poona. Glass bangles are made at Nayakheda and Barha, and rude glass bottles for holding the sacred water of the Narbada at Barmhan. A few Muham- madan butchers have settled at Gadarwara and prepare dried meat. A ginning factory has lately been opened at Gadarwara by a private company, and another at Chhindwara.

Wheat has hitherto been the staple product of Narsinghpur District, forming about 50 per cent, of the total exports. Oilseeds, gram, and other grains are also exported to a less extent. Ghl is sent to Calcutta and Bombay, and hides and bones to Bombay. The exports of forest produce from Narsinghpur are not considerable, but those of the adjoining tracts of Chhindwara are brought to Babai station. The imports are principally cotton piece-goods, salt, sugar, kerosene oil, tobacco, and articles of hardware. Rice is imported by road from Seonl and Chhindwara, salt comes from Gujarat, and gur or unre- fined cane-sugar from Lucknow and Patna. Three annual fairs are held — at Barmhan, Barehta, and Sankal. A large amount of trafiSc in household and other commodities takes place at the Barmhan fair.

The Jubbulpore line of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway passes through the centre of the District from west to east, having a length of 75 miles and 8 stations within its limits. There is also a branch line of 12 miles from Gadarwara to the Mohpani coal-mines. The feeder roads to Gadarwara, Kareli, Chhindwara, and Narsinghpur are the most important trade-routes. Previous to the opening of the railway to Saugor, Kareli was a place of considerable importance, as it was the station for Saugor, with which it is connected by a metalled road crossing the Narbada at Barmhan. It now only retains the trade of the southern part of the Rehli tahs'il and the centre of Narsinghpur. A metalled road is projected from Narsinghpur town to Lakhnadon in Seoni District, and has been constructed for 1 7 miles ; but it passes through poor country and there is not much traffic on it. The old road from Jubbulpore to Bombay runs through the District, but as it adjoins and is parallel to the railway, it is no longer of any impor- tance. The length of metalled roads in the District is 79 miles, and of unmetalled roads 135 miles. The expenditure on maintenance in 1903-4 was Rs. 33,000. The Public Works department maintains 94 miles of the more important roads and the District council the remainder. There are avenues of trees on 1 1 7 miles.

Famine

The earliest scarcities of which accounts are available resulted rather from political disturbances than climatic causes. War and its effects caused distress in the upper Narbada Valley during years 1771, 1783, and 1809. It is recorded that in 1 77 1 wheat sold in Narsinghpur at 5 seers to the rupee. In 1832-3 severe distress occurred, owing to a poor harvest caused by excessive, followed by deficient, rain. The failure of 1868-9 was not severe in Narsinghpur. In 1894 and 1895 the spring crops were spoilt by excessive winter rain. A little relief was given by opening works in 1895, and the forests were thrown open. In 1895 the rains stopped prematurely and the harvest was only 60 per cent, of normal. This was followed by a total failure of the crops in 1896-7. Famine prevailed throughout the year 1897, when 59,000 persons, or 16 per cent, of the population, were on relief in June. The total expenditure was 10 lakhs, the principal form of relief consisting of road works. In 1 899- 1 900 two-fifths of a normal crop were obtained, and the District was not severely distressed. The expenditure was 1-5 lakhs, and some useful work was done in the eradication of kdns grass (Saccharum spontaneum) and the construction of field embankments.

Administration

The Deputy-Commissioner is aided by three Assistant or Extra- Assistant Commissioners. For administrative purposes the District is divided into two tahsils, each of which has a tahsildar and a ndib-tahsildar. The Forest officer usually belongs to the Provincial Service.

The civil judicial staff consists of a District and a Subordinate Judge, and a Munsif at each tahsil. The Divisional and Sessions Judge of the Nerbudda Division has jurisdiction in Narsinghpur. The crime of the District, which was serious a few years ago, is now petty. Civil work is very heavy, and the people are noted for their fondness for litigation. Suits between landlord and tenant and mortgage suits furnish the largest number of cases. Under the Maratha revenue system, villages were let out to the highest bidder, and any rights or consideration which the village headmen may have enjoyed in the past were almost entirely effaced. No legal status was given to tenants, and the older cultivators were protected only by the custom that, so long as the annual rent demanded was paid, their tenure was hereditary and continuous. During the period of Maratha rule the District was severely rack-rented, every possible device of illegal exaction being employed to raise money ; but the effect of this oppressive administration was largely counterbalanced by the fact that the considerable garrisons maintained at Srinagar and Chauragarh and the court of the local governor afforded a ready market for produce. These facts were disregarded when the District first came under British administration, and in consequence the attempts made to collect the nominal demand under the Marathas proved a disastrous failure. The annual demand at cession was 6-67 lakhs, and twenty years afterwards it had fallen to 4 lakhs. In 1836 a twenty years' settlement was concluded, and the revenue fixed at 3-47 lakhs. The next revision was delayed for some years owing to the Mutiny, and was completed in 1864 by Mr. (Sir Charles) Grant, whose settlement report is one of the most interesting publications relating to the Central Provinces. The revenue was raised to 4-22 lakhs, an increase of 27 per cent., the settlement being made for thirty years. During its currency Narsinghpur, like other Districts at this period, prospered greatly. The cropped area increased by io| per cent., and there was a rise of 60 per cent, in the price of grain. A new settlement was concluded in 1894, at which the demand was raised to 6-42 lakhs, or by 50 per cent. Some temporary remissions of land revenue have been made since the famines, in consequence of the agricultural deterioration which resulted from them. The term of the revised settlement varies from fifteen to seventeen years, a shorter period than the one now generally prescribed of twenty years having been adopted, in order to produce a regular rotation of District settle- ments. The average incidence of revenue per acre of cultivation was R. 0-15-3 (maximum Rs. 1-6-8, minimum R. 0-8-6), while that of the rental was Rs. i-ir-7 (maximum Rs. 2-13, minimum R. 0-14-3).

Collections on account of land revenue and revenue from all sources are shown below, in thousands of rupees : —

Local affairs, outside municipal areas, are managed by a District council and two local boards each having jurisdiction over one tahsil. The income of the District council in 1903-4 was Rs. 78,000. The expenditure was mainly on public works (Rs. 25,000) and education (Rs. 30,000). Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, and Gadarwara are municipal towns.

The force under the District Superintendent of police consists of 339 officers and men, including 3 mounted constables, besides 1,032 village watchmen for 966 inhabited towns and villages. Narsinghpur town has a District jail, with accommodation for 170 prisoners, including 13 females. The daily average number of prisoners in 1904 was 89.

In respect of education the District occupies the fourth position in the Province, nearly 5 per cent, of the population (9-4 males and 0-3 females) being able to read and write. The proportion of children under instruction to those of school-going age is 13 per cent. Statistics of the number of pupils are as follows: (1880-1) 4,334; (1890-1) 6,062; (1900-1) 5,926; and (1903-4) 6,110, including 554 girls. The educational institutions comprise two English and six vernacular middle schools, and 93 primary schools. The expenditure on educa- tion in 1903-4 was Rs. 49,000, of which Rs. 43,000 was derived from Provincial and Local funds and Rs. 4,000 from fees.

The District has 7 dispensaries, with accommodation for 98 in- patients. In 1904 the number of cases treated was 50,813, of whom 571 were in-patients, and 1,879 operations were performed. The expenditure was Rs. 10,000, of which the greater part was provided from Provincial and Local funds.

Vaccination is compulsory only in the municipal towns of Narsingh- pur, Gadarwara, and Chhindwara. The number of persons successfully vaccinated in 1903-4 was 59 per 1,000 of the District population, a high proportion.

[C. Grant, Settlement Report (1866); E. A. De Brett, Settlement Report (1895) ; R. V. Russell, District Gazetteer (1906).]