Jaora 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, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Jaora State
A treaty State, situated in the Malwa Agency of Central India, with an area of 568 square miles, of which 128 have been alienated in land grants. The territories of the State are much split up, the main portion lying between 23 degree 30' and 23 degree 55' N. and 75 degree o' and 75 degree 30' E. It is bounded by portions of the Indore, Gwalior, and Ratlam States of the Agency, the State of Partabgarh in Rajputana, and the Thakurat of Piploda. It takes its name from Jaora town, at which the head-quarters are situated. The whole State lies on the Malwa highlands, and shares in the general conditions common to that region. There are only two rivers of importance, the Chambal and SiprS.
Ghafur Khan was an Afghan of the Tajik Khel, from Swat His grandfather, Abdul Majld Khan, originally came to India in hopes of making a fortune ; and his two sons Abdul Hamld and Abdur Ras entered the service of Ghulam Kadir Khan, notorious for having blinded the aged emperor Shah Alam in 1788. On the execution of Ghulam Kadir by Sindhia they settled in Rohilkhand. Ghafur Khan was the fourth and youngest son of Abdul Hamld. He married a daughter of Muhammad Ayaz Khan, who held a high post at the Jodhpur court. Ayaz Khan assisted the freebooter Amir Khan in settling the dispute between the chiefs of Jaipur and Jodhpur regarding the hand of the Udaipur princess Krishna Kunwari ; and the friendship thus started led Ayaz to give his younger daughter to Amir Khan, who then took Ghafur Khan into his service, and employed him as his con- fidential agent and representative at the court of Holkar, when absent on distant expeditions. After the battle of Mehidpur (Dec. 21, 1817), Holkar was forced to make terms, and signed the Treaty of Mandasor (see Indore State), by the twelfth article of which it was agreed that Nawab Ghafur Khan should be confirmed in possession of Sanjlt, Malhargarh, Tal, Jaora, and Barauda, and draw tribute from Piploda. The Nawab was at the same time required to furnish a quota of 500 horse and 500 foot and four guns for the assistance, of the British Government, an obligation which was later on commuted for a cash payment Amir Khan protested against this clause, on the ground that Ghafur Khan was holding the districts as his agent ; but the claim was not admitted.
In 1821 certain agreements were mediated between the Nawab and the Malhargarh Thakurs. The Malhargarh Thakurs claimed to be tributary jagirdars, but it was held that they were merely guaranteed leaseholders, the tenure depending on the due observance of the terms of their holding; until 1890 they were a constant source of trouble to the Darbar.
In 1825 Ghafur Khan died, leaving an infant son, Ghaus Muhammad Khan (1825-65). He was placed on the tnasnad, nazarana (succession dues) of 2 lakhs being paid to Holkar. The management of the State was left to the late Nawab's widow, but after two years she was removed from the control for mismanagement In 1842 Ghaus Muhammad Khan received administrative powers. In the same year a money payment of 1.6 lakhs was accepted in lieu of the troops required to be kept up under the treaty, and in return for good services during the Mutiny this was further reduced to 1-4 lakhs in 1859. Three years later a sanad was granted guaranteeing succession in accordance with Muhammadan law. Ghaus Muhammad died in 1865, leaving a son of eleven years of age, Muhammad Ismail Khan (1865-95), who was duly installed, the usual nazarana of 2 lakhs being paid to Holkar. The Nawab was placed in charge of the State in 1874, but his administration was not a success. He incurred a .debt of about 16 lakhs, and, in addition, borrowed 3 lakhs from Government. Muhammad Ismail died in 1895 and was succeeded by his son Iftikhar All Khan, the present chief, then a boy of twelve, the management of the State being entrusted to the Nawab's uncle, Yar Muhammad Khan, until 1906, when the chief received powers of administration. The young chief was educated at the Daly College at Indore, and in 1902 he joined the Imperial Cadet Corps. The present ruler bears the titles of His Highness and Fakhr-ud-daula Nawab Saulat Jang, the second and last dignities being personal, and is entitled to a salute of 13 guns.
The population of the State was: (1881) 108,834, (1891) 117,650, and (1901) 84,202. In the latest year Hindus numbered 62,405, or 74 percent, of the total; Mu sal mans, 15,854, or 19 per cent.; Jains, 3,314, or 4 per cent. ; and Antmists, 2,585, or 3 per cent, (mostly Bhils and SondhiasV Of the Muhammadan population, 73 per cent, live in Jaora town. The density of population is 148 persons per square mile, that for all Malwa being only 116. There are two towns, Jaora (popu- lation, 23,854), the capital, and Tal (4,954) ; and 337 villages. The population rose in the period ending 1891 by 8 per cent., but fell during the last decade by 29 per cent., chiefly on account of the famine of 1 899- 1 900. The Rangrl or Malwl dialect of RajasthanI is spoken by 70 per cent. Besides the animistic tribes mentioned, the most numerous castes among Hindus are : Rajputs, 7,200 ; Chamars, 5,500 ; Kunbls, 5,000; and Balais, 3,700. About 38 per cent, of the population are supported by agriculture, and 12 per cent, by general labour.
The soil of the State is among the richest in Malwa, being mainly of the best black cotton variety, bearing excellent crops of poppy. Of the total area of 568 square miles, 274, or 48 per cent, are under culti- vation, of which 24 square miles are irrigated. Of the uncultivated area, 94 square miles, or 17 per cent of the total area, are capable of cultiva- tion, the rest being waste. Of the cropped axes,jowar and cotton each occupy 49 square miles, or 16 per cent. ; maize, 37 square miles, or 12 per cent. ; poppy, 18 square miles, or 6 per cent ; and wheat, 10 square miles, or 3 per cent.
The chief means of communication are the Nlraach-Mhow high road and the JaonvPiploda road, both metalled and kept up by Government ; and the Rajputana-Malwa Railway and the Ratlam-Godhra-Baroda branch of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway, which joins the Rajputana-Malwa at Ratlam, and forms the shortest route to Bombay.
For administrative purposes the State is divided into seven tahsils (or districts) — Jaora, Barauda, Barkhera, Malhargarh, Nawabganj, Sanjlt, and Tal Mandawal— each under a taksi/dar, who is collector of revenue and magistrate of the district
The chief is the final authority in all general administrative and civil
judicial matters. In criminal cases, however, he is required to submit
all cases involving the penalty of death for confirmation by the Agent to
the Governor-General. The judicial system was organized in 1885 on
the model of British courts, and the punishments laid down in the
British codes were introduced in place of the primitive pains and
penalties which were then in force.
No revenue survey has as yet been made, and crops are appraised on the ground before the harvest. The incidence of land revenue demand is Rs. 3 per acre of cultivated land, and Rs. 1-8 per acre on the total area. Collections are made in cash, in three instalments.
The total revenue of the State amounts to 8-5 lakhs, of which 58 lakhs, or 68 per cent, is derived from land ; Rs. 29,000, or 3 per cent., from opium ; Rs. 25,000, or 3 per cent., from customs ; and Rs. 14,000 from tribute. The chief heads of expenditure are : general administra- tion, 1.2 lakhs; chiefs establishment, Rs. 30,000; charges in respect of collection of land revenue, Rs. 62,600 ; police, Rs. 35,000 ; military, Rs. 34,000 ; public works, Rs. 31,000 ; tribute, Rs. 1,37,000.
A duty of Rs. 7 per maund is levied on raw opium, and of Rs. 2 on every 10 lb. of the manufactured article. Dues are also levied on every chest of 140 lb. : namely, on Jaora-grown opium, Rs. 30; on foreign opium, Rs. 13 when it comes from a distance of 50 miles or less, and Rs. 9 when it comes from more than 50 miles. About 1,000 chests pass annually through the Government scales maintained in Jaora town, at which the British Government levies an export duty on all opium passing through British India to the Chinese market. This duty amounts to about 5 lakhs a year.
Since 1895 the British rupee has been legal tender.
The State maintains 59 regular cavalry, 124 infantry, and 48 artillery with 16 guns, besides 36 irregulars. The police force was organized in 1892, and now includes 370 regular police and 332 rural police, giving 1 man to every 226 persons. A Central jail is maintained at Jaora town.
An English school was started in 1866. In 1896 the Barr High School, teaching up to the University entrance standard, was opened. There are now ten other State schools, as well as several private institu- tions, which 'are supported by grants-in-aid. The cost of education is Rs. 5,000 a year.
Two hospitals are maintained in Jaora town, one for men and one for women, and five dispensaries in the districts.
