Rajgarh 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.
Rajgarh State
A mediatized State in Central India, under the Bhopal Agency, lying between 23 27' and 24 u' N. and 76 36' and 77 I 4 / E., with an area of 940 square miles. It is situated in the section of Malwa called Umatwara, after the Umat clan of Rajputs to which the chiefs of Rajgarh and Narsinghgarh belong, bounded on the north by Gwalior and Kotah States, on the south by Gwalior and Dewas, on the east by Bhopal, and on the west by Khilchipur. The northern portion is much cut up by hills, but the southern and eastern districts lie on the Malwa plateau. The chief rivers are the Parbati, which flows along the eastern border, and its tributary the Newaj, which flows by the chief town. In the southern and eastern parts the country is covered with Deccan trap, but in the hills along the northern section the Vmdhyan sandstones are exposed.
The Umat Rajputs claim descent from the Paramara clan, who held Malwa from the ninth to the thirteenth century. Accounts of their rise are conflicting, but they trace their origin to Rana Umaju Later on they entered Malwa, their leader Sarangsen settling at first in Dhar, the ancient seat of the Paramara clan. He subse- quently acquired land in the dodb between the Sind and Parbati rivers, and obtained the title of Rawat. Rawat Krishnajl, eleventh in descent from Sarangsen, died in 1583, and was followed by Dungar Singhji. Dungar Singhjl's eldest son, Udaji, succeeded and established his capital at Ratanpur. His younger brother, Dudaji, held the post of dlwdn or minister to his brother, a position which was inherited by his descendants. The two branches were distinguished as the Udawats and Dudawats. Chhatar Singh, who followed Udajl, died in 1 66 1, his son Mohan Singh succeeding as a minor, and the State being administered by Diwan Ajab Singh of the Dudawat branch. He died in 1668, and was succeeded as minister by his son Paras Ram. The new minister was suspected of having designs on the State, which gave rise to endless disputes. In 1681 these differences became acute, and a division was effected, by which Paras Ram received the territory that now forms the Narsmghgaih State. In the disturbances caused by the Maratha and Pmdari inroads of the eighteenth century, Rajgarh and Narsmghgarh became tributary to Sindhia and Holkar respectively.
At the settlement of Malwa by Sir John Malcolm in 1818, a treaty was mediated between Sindhia and the Rajgarh chief Newal Singh, by which Talen and several other villages were made over to Sindhia in payment of his claims for tribute against the Rawat, while a written agreement was executed by the chief, giving to the British Government alone the right to intervene in the affairs of the State, Talen and the other villages were, however, returned by Sindhia in 1834. In 1880 transit duties on salt were abolished, for which a compensatory payment of Rs. 618-12 is made annually by the British Government, and four years later all similar dues except those on opium were done away with. Banne Singh, the present chief, succeeded in 1902. He bears the hereditary titles of His Highness and Raja, and is entitled to a salute of n guns. He was created K.C.I.E. in 1908.
The population of the State was: (1881) 122,641, (1891) 119,489, and (1901) 88,376, giving a density of 94 persons per square mile. During the last decade there has been a decrease of 26 per cent., owing to the severe famine of 1899-1900. The State contains two towns, RAJGARH (population, 5,399), the capital, and BIAORA (5,607); and 622 villages. Hindus number 78,343, or 89 per cent,, Musalmans, 4,925, or 6 per cent; Ammists (chiefly Bhils), 4,788, or 5 per cent. The Malwi dialect of RajasthanI is the most prevalent. The most numerous castes are Chamars (10,000), Rajputs (7,800), Dangis (3,800), and Gujars and Balais (each 3,000). Of the total population, 46 per cent, are supported by agriculture and 2 1 per cent, by general labour.
About 234 square miles, or 25 per cent, of the total area, are under cultivation, of which 17 square miles are irrigable. Of the unculti- vated area 88 square miles are cultivable, 336 under forest, and the rest is waste. Wheat occupies 101 square miles, or 43 per cent, of the area under cultivation, jowdr 47 square miles, maize 35, cotton 20, gram 16, and poppy 4.
The most important articles of trade are grain and opium. The principal road is that from Rajgarh to Sehore, 57 miles in length, by which most of the traffic passes to the railway. Other roads connect Rajgarh with Khilchipur and Pachor with Shujalpur, giving a total of 114 miles of metalled roads in the State. Combined British post and telegraph offices are maintained at Rajgarh and Biaora, and a branch post office at Talen.
For administrative purposes the State is divided into bevtnparganas Biaora, Karanwas, Talen, Kotada, Kalipith, Newalganj, and Sivagarh each under a tahsildar. The chief has full powers in all revenue, civil judicial, and general administrative matters. In criminal matters he exercises the powers of a Sessions Court, but all heinous crimes are tried by the Political Agent. The British codes are followed generally.
The normal income from all sources is 4-5 lakhs, of which 3-8 lakhs are derived from land revenue, Rs. 17,000 from customs dues (including Rs. 15,000 from opium), Rs. 30,000 from excise, and Rs. 39,000 from interest on Government securities. The lands alienated in jaglrs yield approximately Rs. 47,000 annually. The total expenditure amounts to about 4 lakhs, the mam heads being general administration (Rs. 70,000), chiefs establishment (Rs. 36,000), police (Rs. 28,000), collection of land revenue (Rs. 15,000), tribute (Rs. 55,600), and public works (Rs. 54,000). The State pays a tribute of Rs. 54,000 to Smdhia for Talen, and Rs. 600 to the Rana of Jhalawar for Kalipith. It also receives a tanka (cash payment) of Rs. 2,335 a vear ^ rom Sindhia. The British rupee has been legal tender since 1896.
The land is leased out to cultivators on a fixed assessment, the revenue being collected through farmers (mustdjtrs\ who are respon- sible for the amount assessed and receive a commission. No regular settlement has been made, The rates are fixed in accordance with the quality of the soil, higher rates being levied on irrigated land. The fertile lands in the south and east are assessed at R&. 4-12-10 to Rs. 1-9-7 per acre, and the less productive area in the hilly tract at R. o-j2~io to R 0-6-5. These rates give an incidence of Rs, 3-9-5 per acre on the cultivated area, and of 14 annas per acre on the total area.
No regular army is maintained, but 200 footmen and 30 sowars form the chiefs guard. A regular police force of 357 men is being organized, and there is a Central jail at Rajgarh town.
In 1901, 1-5 per cent, of the population were able to read and write. Three State schools and eight private establishments contain 280 pupils. The total cost of education is Rs. 3,000. The two hospitals in the State cost Rs, 5,000 yearly.
