Barwani State, 1908
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.
Barwani State, 1908
A guaranteed chiefship in Central India, under the Bhopawar Agency, lying between 21° 36' and 22 degree 7' N. and 74° 28' and 75° 16' E., along the left bank of the Narbada river, with an area of 1,178 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Dhar State ; on the north-west by AlT-Rajpur ; on the east by a portion of the Indore State ; and on the south and west by the Khandesh District of Bombay. The State lies generally in the hilly tracts division of Central India, but falls internally into two subdivisions : that of the Narbada valley district, formed of a fertile alluvial plain ; and the remainder of the State, which is rough and hilly. Much of the country is very picturesque, with a succession of ranges and valleys covered with thick forest. In these valleys many traces of former prosperity are met with, such as ruined forts, mosques, and dwelling-houses, now overgrown with jungle, but once used by the Mughal nobles and officials of the Bijagarh sarkar of the Siibah of Malwa. The climate is subject to greater extremes of heat than Malwa, while the cold season is of short duration. The annual rainfall, as recorded at Barwani, averages 22 inches.
The chiefs of Barwani are Sesodia Rajputs, connected with the house of Udaipur. Tradition traces their descent from the second son of Bapa Rawal, the founder of that house, one of whose descendants migrated in the eleventh or fourteenth century into the Narbada districts, and fixed his residence at Avasgarh, a hill fort about 8 miles from Jalgun. The history of the line is for the most part lost in obscurity. According to the State records there have been in all fifty-one Ranas ; but little is known of them, and it is difficult to determine the time at which many of them lived. Paras Ram (Parsan) Singh, the thirty-fifth chief, was defeated by the Muhammadans, and taken a prisoner to Delhi, where he embraced Islam on the condition that he should be allowed to retain his ancestral estates.
His successor Bhim Singh and the two Ranas who followed, though nominally Hindus, were virtually Muham- madans. About 1650 Chandra Singh, forty-first of the line, finding that Avasgarh was too weak a position, moved the capital to Barwani ; and the State has since then been known by its present name. In the time of Mohan Singh, son and successor of Chandra Singh, the greater part of the State was seized by the Marathas. This period marks the decline of the house ; and though the Barwani Ranas managed to keep their independence, and were never actually tributary to any of the great Malwa chiefs, they were finally left with the small strip of territory they now hold instead of their former extensive domains. In 1794
Rana Mohan Singh II succeeded, and was ruling during the settlement of Malwa by Sir John Malcolm. He died in 1839 and was succeeded by his son Jaswant Singh, who, in 1861, was removed from the adminis- tration owing to his incapacity, but was restored to power in 1873, and dying in 1880 was succeeded by his brother IndrajTt, whose administra- tion was also not a success. On his death in 1894, his eldest son, Ranjit Singh the present chief, succeeded at the age of six. During his minority he was educated at the Mayo College at Ajmer. The chief bears the title of Rana, and receives a salute of 9 guns.
Population has been: (1881) 56,445, (1891) 80,266, and (1901) 76,136. The number increased by 42 per cent, between 1881 and 1891, but fell by 5 per cent, during the last decade. The density is 65 persons per square mile. Hindus number 38,670, or 50 per cent.; Animists (chiefly Bhilalas), 32,894, or 43 per cent.; and Musalmans, 4,197. The true percentage for Animists is higher than stated above, as large numbers of Bhilalas returned themselves as Hindus, the total of those speaking Bhil dialects giving 68 per cent, of the population, which is nearer the truth. The State possesses one town, Barwani (population, 6,277), the capital ; and 2)2)2) villages. Almost the entire population is composed of jungle tribes, who, though describing themselves as agriculturists, in fact do but little cultivation. Agriculture supports 65 per cent, of the inhabitants, and general labour 6 per cent.
The total area is thus distributed : cultivated, 302 square miles, or 26 per cent., of which 3 square miles are irrigated ; forest, 566 square miles, or 48 percent. ; cultivable land not under cultivation, 152 square miles; waste, 158 square miles. Of the cropped a.resi, Jo7mr covers 61 square miles ;bajra, 56; cotton, 39 ; til, 31 ; maize, 20; wheat, 5 ; gram, 4 square miles ; and poppy only 12 acres. Cattle-breeding has always been a speciality of this region, bullocks of the Nimar breed being much in demand, on account of their size and strength. Unfor- tunately, of late years breeding has not been very systematically carried on.
The rates of assessment are fixed according to the capability of the soil, varying from Rs. 2-6-5 to Rs. 8 per acre for irrigated land along the Narbada ; from Rs. 2-6-5 to Rs. 3-1-0 per acre for unirrigated lands, and 6 annas for the rocky soils of the hills. Special rates are given to Bhil cultivators to induce them to settle, only Rs. 7-8-0 being demanded from them per 'plough' (15 acres) of land, where other cultivators pay Rs. 20.
The distance of the State from all railways has delayed the develop- ment of trade, although much has been done of late years to increase facility of communication by the construction of feeder-roads in con- nexion with the Agra-Bombay trunk road, the principal route for traffic. In 1891 there were only 7 miles of metalled roads in the State. There are now 118 miles, providing feeders to the Agra-Bombay trunk road. The road from Barwani town to Julwania is the general route for goods and passengers passing to the railway at Mhow, the nearest station, which is 80 miles distant from Barwani. Four British post offices are maintained — at Barwani, An jar, Raj pur, and Khetia — and State offices at other places, with a telegraph office at Barwani.
The State is divided into four parganas, each in charge of a kamasdar, with head-quarters at Anjad, Pansemal, Silawad, and Rajpur. The chief, when exercising powers, has complete civil and revenue control, but in criminal matters submits all cases punishable under the Indian Penal Code with seven years' imprisonment or over for trial by the Political Agent, while sentences by the chief of two years' imprisonment or over have to be confirmed by that officer. All appeals from subor- dinate courts lie to the chief The British codes, modified to suit local usage, have been adopted in the courts. The State being at present under British administration owing to the minority of the Rana, the general control lies with the Political officer. The medical and forest departments are in charge of the Agency Surgeon and Forest officer, respectively.
The total revenue is 4.5 lakhs, of which 1.9 lakhs is derived from land, Rs. 28,000 from forests, Rs. 30,000 from customs, and Rs. 29,000 from excise. The land revenue demand amounts to 15 annas per cultivated acre, and 4 annas per acre of total area. The chief heads of expenditure are general administration (Rs. 56,000), chief's establish- ment (Rs. 53,000), and public works (Rs. 1,10,000). The State pays no tribute to any Darbar and receives no allowances, but it con- tributes Rs. 3,389 yearly towards the up-keep of the Malwa Bhil Corps. The British rupee has been legal tender since 1892. The sale oi ganja, bhangs and opium is controlled by the State. In the hills an excise rate of Rs. 2-8-0 is levied from each Bhil village through the headmen, the Bhils being then allowed to prepare their own liquor. A Central jail is maintained at Barwani, and a regular civil police force has been established. The first school in the State was opened in 1863. In 1898 the Victoria High School was affiliated to the Calcutta University. There are now 19 schools with 1,000 pupils. In 1901, 3 per cent, of the population (almost entirely males) could read and write. Six dispensaries have been opened in the State.
