Jaunpur District, 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.
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Jaunpur District
Physical aspects
North-western District of the Benares Division, United Provinces, lying between 25 degree 24’ and 26 degree 12' N. and 82 degree 7' and 83 degree 5' E., with an area of 1,551 square miles. In shape it is an irregular triangle, with the southern boundary as base, and the eastern and western boundaries running up to a blunt apex in the north. The boundaries are formed — on the south by Allahabad, Mirzapur, and Benares ; on the east by Ghazipur and Azamgarh ; on the north by Sultanpur ; and on the west by Sultanpur and Partabgarh. Jaunpur District forms part of the Gangetic plain, but is slightly irregular in contour, with a series of undulating slopes. This apparent diversity of surface is increased by the Paywcal occurrence of lofty mounds often covered with groves, which mark the sites of ruined or deserted towns, the relics of a forgotten race, or the demolished forts of the modern inhabitants. The entire area is very highly cultivated, and the village sites are small and scattered about at short intervals. While the country is well wooded, the trees are seldom planted together in groves. The District is divided into two unequal parts by the sinuous channel of the Gumtl, a tributary of the Ganges, which flows past the capital city, and cuts off one-third of the area to the north-east. It is a considerable river and is crossed by a fine old stone bridge at Jaunpur, and by a railway bridge two miles lower down. The Gumtl is liable to great and sudden floods. While its ordinary rise seldom exceeds 15 feet, it rose 23 J feet in fourteen days in September, 187 1, and was 37 feet above its dry-season level. There are no streams of importance north of the Gumtl ; but it receives the Sai from the south, and a smaller affluent, called the Pili Nadi. The Barna divides Mirzapur from Jaunpur and has a small tributary, called the Basuhi.
Jaunpur exposes nothing but Gangetic alluvium, in which kankar or calcareous limestone and saline efflorescences are the only minerals found.
The flora of the District does not differ from that of the Gangetic plain generally. The mango, mahud, shisham (Dalbergia Sissoo), various figs, and the babul (Acacia arabicd) are the commonest trees. A weed called rasta or baisurai (Pluchea lanceolata), which grows in light soil, is of some hindrance to cultivation.
Owing to the density of the population and the absence of forests or waste lands, wild animals are scarce, and include only a few wolves in the ravines of the Gumtl and Sai, an occasional nilgai, and small animals. Geese, duck, and quail are the commonest wild-fowl, and fish are found abundantly in the rivers and small jfals*
The climate of Jaunpur is moister, and the temperature more equable, than in most Districts of the United Provinces. In January the temperature ranges from about 50 to about 75 , and in May and June from 8o° to no°.
The annual rainfall averages 42 inches, the amount being almost the same in all parts of the District. While variations occur from year to year, extreme failures are very uncommon.
History
The earliest traditions connected with the District point to its occu- pation by aboriginal Bhars and Soerls. In the later Hindu period it contained several places of importance, chief among which was Zafarabad, then known as Manaich. This place has recently been identified as the fort of Munj, captured by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1019. The rule of the Musalmans was not, however, established at that time, and towards the close of the eleventh century the District was included in the new Rathor kingdom of Kanauj. When Muhammad Ghorl commenced his victorious march against Jai Chand of Kanauj, the latter sent his vast treasures to the fort of Asnl, which was also probably situated near Zafarabad, and after Jai Chand's death in 1194 the Muhammadans penetrated through this place to Benares. The magnificent temples of the Rathor kings were plundered and overthrown, and although Hindu governors were recognized, they paid allegiance to the king of Delhi. In 1321 Ghiyas- ud-din Tughlak appointed his son, Zafar Khan, governor, and thirty- eight years later, in 1359, Firoz Shah Tughlak founded the city of Jaunpur. A eunuch, named Malik Sarwar, who had held important posts at the court of Delhi, was appointed Wazlr in 1389 with the title of Khwaja-i-Jahan. A few years later, in 1394, the administration of all Hindustan, from Kanauj to Bihar, was placed in his charge, so that he might reduce the turbulence of the Hindus, and he assumed the title of Sultan-ush-Shark, or ' king of the east.' The ambitious eunuch had hardly succeeded in his task when he declared his own indepen- dence, the revolt being rendered easier by Timor's invasion* which destroyed the last semblance of the authority of the kings of Delhi. Tlmur, on his departure from India, granted large jagirs to Khizr Khan, and Khwaja-i-Jahan materially strengthened his position by adopting Khizr Khan's nephew, Karanphul, as his son and heir. The dynasty thus founded ruled at Jaunpur for nearly a century, and proved formidable rivals to the sovereigns of Delhi. Khwaja-i-Jahan died ia 1399, and was succeeded by Karanphul under the title of Mubarak Shah. An attempt was made by Ikbal Khan, de facto ruler of Delhi, to crush the rising power, but without success. Mubarak Shah died in 1 40 1 and was succeeded by his brother, Ibrahim Shah, who, like his successors, was a builder of magnificent mosques and a patron of learn- ing. In 1407 Ibrahim achieved his desire and took Kanauj, Sambhal, and Baran (Bulandshahr), He was approaching Delhi when news came that Muzaffar Shah (I) of Gujarat had defeated Hoshang Shah of Malwa, and had designs on Jaunpur. Ibrahim therefore withdrew, giving up his new acquisitions of Sambhal and Baran. By 14 14, Khizr Khan acquired the supreme power at Delhi. Ibrahim was thus for a time free from danger in that quarter, and set out in 1427 to attack Kalpi, but was opposed by Mubarak Shah, who had succeeded Khizr Khan in 1421. He made another unsuccessful attempt in 1432, and also invaded Bengal and other adjoining territory. Ibrahim died in 1440, and was succeeded by his son Mahmud, who was allowed by the king of Malwa to attack Kalpi in 1444, in order to punish an impious governor. Mahmud attempted to retain this fief, but was compelled to resign it He then sacked Chunar and laid waste Orissa, and in 1452 advanced to Delhi during the absence of Bahlol Lodi, who had ascended the throne a year earlier. Bahlol returned and Mahmud retired ; but a few years later hostilities again broke out and continued till Mahmud's death in 1459. His eldest son, Muhammad Shah, was killed after a few months and was succeeded by another son called Husain Shah. For some years Husain confined his incursions to Orissa, or to Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand; but at length he too undertook to invade Delhi, and lost his kingdom in the venture. The first expedition took place in 1473, and during the next few years fortune inclined now to one side and now to the other. In 1480, how- ever, Husain was twice defeated in the Central Doab, and Jaunpur fell. .Husain maintained hostilities in various directions, and in 1487 recovered Jaunpur for a time, but was soon driven out again, and Barbak Shah, son of Bahlol, became governor. Bahlol died in 1489 and was succeeded by his son, Sikandar ; Barbak Shah also claimed the throne, and was defeated, but restored to’ his governorship. Revolts continued, and Husain Shah made a final effort about 1496, but was repelled and died a few years later. When Ibrahim, last of the Lodls, was defeated and killed by Babar at Panfpat in 1526, Bahadur Khan, the governor of Bihar and Jaunpur, asserted his independence ; but after the fall of Agra and Delhi, Babar sent his son HumayOn eastward. The Mughal rule was not, however, firmly established, and the Pathans under Sher Shah and his successors governed the country for a time. On the revival of Mughal power, Jaunpur fell before Akbar's general in 1559, and remained in the Mughal empire till its break up, al- though rebellions took place soon after the capture of the city. At the reorganization of the empire in 1575 Allahabad became the capital of the province in which Jaunpur was included. Nothing worthy of note occurred in connexion with this District until 1722, when it passed to the Nawab of Oudh. Some years later it was granted to Mans£ Rani, founder of the Benares Estate; and it remained in the possession of his family, with the exception of the fort of Jaunpur, though the Bangash Nawab of Farrukhabad nominated a governor about 1750, after defeating the Nawab of Oudh. The District was ceded to the British in 1775, with the rest of the Province of Benares.
From that time nothing occurred which calls for notice till the date of the Mutiny. On June 5, 1857, news of the Benares revolt reached Jaunpur. The sepoys of the treasury guard at once mutinied and shot their own officers, as well as the Joint-Magistrate. They then marched off to Lucknow without molesting the other Europeans, who made good their escape to Benares. The District continued in a state of complete anarchy till the arrival of the Gurkha force from Azamgarh on Sep- tember 8. The civil officials then returned to Jaunpur, and the police stations were re-established ; but the north and west of the District remained in rebellion. In November, owing to the active levies made by Mahdi Hasan, who styled himself Nazim of Jaunpur, most of the surrounding country was lost again. But in February, 1858, the rebels of the north and west were defeated and dispersed ; and in May the last smouldering embers of disaffection were stifled by the repulse of the insurgent leader, Jurhl Singh, from Machhllshhahr at the hands of the people themselves.
The magnificent buildings of the Shark! kings at Jaunpur, and the earlier buildings of Zafarabad, were partly constructed from the remains of Hindu temples, none of which has remained intact. A few inscriptions exist in them, and a copperplate grant of Gobind Chand, king of Kanauj, has been found in the District.
Population
Jaunpur contains 7 towns and 3,152 villages. Population has varied. The numbers at the last four enumerations were as follows: (1872) 1,025,961, (1881) 1,209,663, (1891) 1,264,949, and (1901) 1,202,920. The enumeration of 1872 was probably imperfect ; during the last decade the District suffered from a succession of bad seasons. There are five tahsils — Jaunpur, Mariahu, Machhlishahr, Khutahan, and Kirakat — each named from its head-quarters except Khutahan, which has its head-quarters at Shah- ganj. The only municipality is Jaunpur City, the District capital. The table on the next page gives the chief statistics of population in 1901.
Hindus form nearly 91 per cent, of the total, and Musalmans 9 per cent. The density of population is high in all parts of the District About 81 per cent, of the population speak Eastern Hindi and 15 per cent Bihari, the boundary between these languages passing through the north-east of the District. The Hindu castes most largely represented are ChamSrs (leather- workers and labourers), 182,000; Ahirs (graziers and agriculturists), 173,000; Brahmans, 146,000; Rajputs, 101,000; Koiris (cultivators), 49,000; and Kurmis (agriculturists), 46,000. The aboriginal Bhars still number as many as 25,000. Among Musalmans may be men- tioned the Julahas (weavers), 28,000; Shaikhs, 18,000 ; Pathans, 13,000; and Behnas (cotton-carders), 11,000. Agriculture supports as many as 77 per cent, of the total population, and general labour less than 2 per cent Rajputs own more than a third of the land, and Brahmans, Saiyids, Shaikhs, and Banias are also large landholders. High castes also hold as tenants a rather greater proportion than the low castes. The inhabitants of this District supply considerable numbers of emi- grants to Assam, the Eastern Districts of Bengal, and the colonies.
There were only 62 native Christians in the District in 1901. Of these, 47 belonged to the Anglican communion and 8 were Methodists. The Church Missionary Society opened a branch at Jaunpur city in 1833. There has been a Wesleyan Mission at Shahganj since 1879, and a Zanana Mission at Jaunpur since 1890.
Agriculture
The District being permanently settled, accurate details are not available as to the distribution of the various classes of soil. Generally speaking, light sandy soil is found near the banks of . the rivers, especially the Sai and Gumtl. The sand Atnculturt. gradually changes to a very fertile loam which, however, requires con- stant irrigation ; and, lastly, clay is found remote from the rivers. The largest clay tracts in which the best rice can be grown are found in the north and the south-west The District is very highly cultivated, and there are no extensive areas of waste land, except a few iisar plains in the Khutahan tahslL The GumrJ and Sai frequently flood the low- lying land in their beds; but the loss is not serious, and the chief danger to agriculture is the liability of the spring crops to suffer from rust in a wet winter.
The usual tenures existing in the permanently settled tract of the United Provinces are found, zatrilndari mahah being the commonest. The mahals are, however, frequently complex : that is, a single mahdl, instead of forming a single village (mauza) or part of a mauza, includes several mauzas or parts of tnauzas. There are a few talukdari estates ; but the talukddrs are here known as pcshkashddrs, and the under- proprietors as farotars. Most of these estates were originally grants for the maintenance of the Jaunpur garrison. The main agricultural statistics for 1903-4 are shown below, in square miles : —
The staple food-crops are barley, covering 303 square miles, or 28 per cent, of the net cultivated area, rice (251), peas and masur (137), and maize (124). The Jaunpur variety of maize is especially noted throughout the Provinces. Gram, wheat, arhar, jowdr, and the smaller millets are also largely grown. Sugar-cane is an extremely valuable crop, and was grown on 53 square miles in 1903-4, while hemp (san) covered 14 square miles. Oilseeds, indigo, poppy, and tobacco cover smaller areas.
When the District was first acquired in 1775 there were large areas of waste. Mr. Duncan, who carried out the permanent settlement, gave special facilities for breaking up waste, and also encouraged the growth of sugar-cane and introduced indigo, poppy, and potatoes. The result was a speedy increase in the cultivated area. During the last sixty years, however, the area under cultivation has increased by only 4 per cent., and the chief change recently has been the rise in the area double cropped. Indigo is declining rapidly, as in most parts of the Provinces ; and the area sown is now only 5 square miles, or less than a quarter of what it was twenty years ago. Maize and rice are more largely grown than formerly in the autumn, and wheat in the spring harvest. In adverse seasons loans under the Agriculturists' Loans Act are taken, but advances under the Land Improvement Act are very rare. The total of loans from 1891 to 1900 amounted to only a lakh, of which Rs. 30,000 was advanced in 1896-7. Very small advances have been made since.
The cattle of the District are inferior, and the best animals are imported. A Government bull was once kept, and its services were eagerly sought for. The ponies are also of a poor stamp, but are largely used as pack animals. Sheep and goats are of the ordinary type.
Out of 571 square miles irrigated in 1903-4, wells supplied 442 square miles, tanks or jfals 126, and other sources 3. The area irrigated from tanks ox jfals is probably understated, as every pond is used for irrigating the late rice. Water is raised from wells in a leathern bucket by bullocks or men, except in the extreme north, where the spring-level is so high that a lever can be used. Excellent wells can be made without brick linings, which will last from one to ten years. The tanks are sometimes artificial, but are all of small size ; the swing- basket worked by four or eight persons is usually employed to raise water from tanks and jkils.
Trade and communication
Kankar or calcareous limestone is found in all the upland parts of the District, and is used for metalling roads and for making lime. Sugar-refining is the most important industry in the District. A little coarse cotton cloth is made in many places for local use. The manu- facture of indigo still continues, but on a very small scale since the introduction of synthetic indigo. Jaunpur city is celebrated for the manufacture of scents, and also produces a little papier-mache work.
The District being almost entirely devoted to agriculture, its trade is confined to raw materials and food-stuffs. Sugar, food-grains, scents, and oilseeds form the chief exports ; and salt, piece-goods, metals, and spices are imported. Jaunpur city, Shahganj, and Mungra Badshahpur are the chief trade centres.
The loop-line of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway from Benares through Fyzabad to Lucknow traverses the District from south to north, while the main line of the same railway crosses the south- west corner. A branch from Zafarabad to Phaphamau on the Ganges is now under construction, which wiH give access to Allahabad. Shahganj is connected with Azamgarh, and Jaunpur city with Ghazfpur, by branches of the Bengal and North-Western Railway.
The District is well supplied with roads, the length of which is 586 miles. Of the total, 186 miles are metalled and are maintained by the Public Works department, but the cost of all but 45 miles is met from Local funds. An excellent system of metalled roads radiates from Jaunpur city to Allahabad, Fyzabad, Azamgarh, Benares, and Mirzapur. Avenues of trees are maintained on 229 miles.
Famine
Jaunpur has usually escaped from famine, owing to the rarity of complete failure of the rains. No details are available for the famines of 1770 and 1783, but the pressure of high prices was felt in 1803-4. The disastrous seasons of 1837-8 and 1 860-1 hardly affected this District, and even in 1868 the threatened famine was averted by heavy rain in September. The famines of 1873-4 and 1877-8 also pressed very lightly. In 1896-7, however, the District suffered severely. Heavy rain had damaged the crops in 1894, and in the two following years the rainfall was deficient, so that the important late rice crop failed. Relief works were opened and advances were given for the construction of wells 5 but the first fall of rain in June, 1897, ended the famine.
Administration
The Collector is usually assisted by a member of the Indian Civil Service (when available), and by five Deputy-Col- ' lectors recruited in India. A tahsildar is stationed at the head-quarters of each tahsil.
There are two District Munsifs, a Subordinate Judge, and a District Judge for civil work. The Court of Sessions hears the sessions cases of BastI District as well as those of Jaunpur. Owing to the pressure on the soil, disputes about cultivation, proprietary rights, and irrigation are common, and sometimes lead to serious riots ; but the worst kinds of crime, such as murder and dacoity, are not very prevalent. Female infanticide was found by Mr. Duncan to be rife in 1789, and on the passing of an Act for its repression in 1870 a large number of persons were proclaimed ; but all have since been exempted, and the practice is believed to be extinct.
Though a Judge-Magistrate was placed in charge of an area corre- sponding to the present District as early as 1795, the revenue admin- istration was not separated from that of Benares till 18 18. From its acquisition in 1775 the District was in charge of the Raja of Benares till 1788, when Mr. Duncan, the Resident, commenced a settlement which was made permanent in 1795. Default in the payment of revenue, and the turbulence of the population of this part of the huge District of Benares, led to the formation of a Deputy-Collectorate of Jaunpur in 181 8, which soon became a separate District. In 1820 a large tract of what is now Azamgarh District was placed under the Collector of Jaunpur, but part of it was removed in 1823 and the rest in 1830. There have been a few other smaller changes. The revenue demand fixed by Mr. Duncan on the present area amounted to 1 i-i lakhs, rising to 11.3 lakhs. It has since increased to 12-5 lakhs, owing to the inclusion of land not previously assessed. The permanent settlement included no detailed record-of-rights and was not based on a survey ; and maps and records were not prepared till between 1839 and 1 84 1. In 1849 the rent payable by the farotars to the peshkash- ddrs was for the first time determined and recorded. The whole of the records prepared in 1841 were destroyed in the Mutiny of 1857, and when order was restored an attempt was made to prepare them afresh. The new record was completed in 1867, but was soon found to be incorrect and inadequate. A fresh revision was, therefore, made between 1877 and 1886, based on a resurvey. The usual village papers are now prepared annually as in the rest of the Provinces. The incidence of land revenue is Rs. 1-4 per acre, varying from R. 1 to Rs. 2-2 in different parts of the District.
Collections on account of land revenue and revenue from all sources liave been, in thousands of rupees : —
Jaunpur City is the only municipality, but six towns are admin- istered under Act XX of 1856. The District board manages local affairs outside the limits of these, and in 1903-4 had an income expenditure of i»i lakhs, chiefly derived from local rates. The expenditure included Rs. 60,000 on roads and buildings.
There are 17 police stations; and the District Superintendent of police has a force of 3 inspectors, 83 subordinate officers, and 350 con- stables, besides 163 municipal and town police, and 1,954 rural and road police. The District jail contained a daily average of 231 prisoners in 1903.
Jaunpur District takes a low position as regards the literacy of its population, of whom 2*7 per cent. (5*4 males and o*i females) could read and write in 1901. Musalmans are distinctly more advanced in this respect than Hindus, 4*2 per cent, being literate. The number of public schools rose from 148 with 5,546 pupils in 1 880-1 to 164 with 7,320 pupils in 1900-1. In 1903-4 there were 199 such schools with 8,862 pupils, of whom 169 were girls, besides 114 private schools with 1,792 pupils. Only 1,623 pupils were in classes beyond the primary stage. Two of the public schools were managed by Govern- ment, and 138 by the District and municipal boards. Out of a total expenditure on education of Rs. 40,000, Local funds contributed Rs. 30,000 and fees Rs. 8,000.
There are 8 hospitals and dispensaries, with accommodation for 53 in-patients. In 1903 the number of cases treated was 75,000, including 400 in-patients, and 3,000 operations were performed. The total expenditure was Rs. 8,000, which was chiefly met from Local funds.
About 37,000 persons were successfully vaccinated in 1903-4, representing a proportion of 31 per 1,000 of population. Vaccination is compulsory only in the municipality of Jaunpur.
[District Gazetteer (1884, under revision) ; P. C. Wheeler, Report on Revision of Records in Jaunpur (1886) ; A. Fuhrer, The Sharqi Archi- tecture of Jaunpur (1889).]
