Sachin 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.
Sachin State
State in the Surat Political Agency, Bombay. The villages constituting the State are much scattered, some of them being suiiounded by British territory, and others by portions of the Baroda State, Sachm may, howevei, loughly speaking, be said to he within the limits of the British District of Surat.
The Navvab of Sachin is by descent a Habshi or Abyssinian. When his ancestors first came to India is doubtful , but they were long known on the western coast as the Sidis of Danda-Rajpun and Janjlra. They were also the admirals of the fleets of the kings of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur, in the Deccan, while those dynasties lasted, and sub- sequently of the Mughal emperois, being appointed to that office by Aurangzeb about 1660, with an annual assignment of 3 lakhs on the Surat revenues foi their maintenance. On the decline of the Mughal empire the Sidls became notoiious pirates, plundering the ships of all nations, except the British, whose friendship they appear to have early cultivated. The branch of the family who had their head-quarters at the island of Janjira remained chiefs of that place during the wars be- tween Sivajl and the Mughals, and between the Marathas and the British Government, During these wars different members of the family were alternately supported by either party as best suited its own interest.
Towards the end of the eighteenth century Balu Mia Sidl, the heir to the throne of Janjna and to the othei possessions of the Sidls, was expelled from his dominions by a youngei bianch of the family He appealed for aid to the Marathas and the British. The Peshwa being desirous of obtaining Janjlra, an arrangement was come to in 1791 by which Balu Mia ceded to the Peshwa Janjlia in return for Sachm. Balu Mia duly took possession of his new State of Sachm ; but when the Peshwa claimed Janjlra, the Sidls who held it lefused to give it up, and succeeded m maintaining their independence. Sachin lemained in the hands of Balu Mia and his descendants ; while Janjlra is still held by the younger branch of the family who had ousted Balu Mia, the Peshwa nevei having been able to establish his influence. Janjna is reckoned as a maiden foi tress to this day. A full account of the transactions between the British, the Peshwa, and the rival mlers of Janjlra and Sachin, will be found in Aitchison's Treaties, vol. iv, pp. 311 et seq. (1876 ed.).
The chief is entitled to a salute of 9 guns. The family holds a title guaranteeing any succession legitimate according to Muhammadan law, and succession follows the rule of primogeniture.
The State contains 21 villages, and occupies an area of about 42 square miles, with a population in 1901 of 20,530. Hindus number 17,581; Muhammadans, 2,604 > and Parsis, 238.
The soil varies from black to light. The arable land in the State covers 34 square miles, of which 33 square miles were cultivated in 1903-4. The usual cereals are grown, as well as cotton and sugar- cane. Irrigation is carried on from tanks and wells. There are no forests in the State. Cotton yarn and coarse cloth are manufactured* A bieakwater at Dumas, and a causeway at Bhimpur, by keeping back sea-water, have contributed towards the reclamation of a con- siderable area of hitherto uncultivable salt land.
The chief has power to try his own subjects for capital offences. At present the State is in charge of an Administrator, who also disposes of civil suits. There aie two criminal courts, and the police force numbers 60. The State contains a jail. A survey and land settlement were completed In 1883, On the whole, the rates fixed were higher than in neighbouring British villages, but much lower than the ryots had hitherto paid. The gross revenue in 1903-4 amounted to over 2 lakhs, of which i-r lakhs was derived from land revenue and Rs. 36,000 from excise. The expenditure amounted to i^ lakhs. In 1903-4 the State contained 19 schools with 1,501 pupils, and two dispensaries treating annually 7,000 persons.
