Sialkot District, 1908
Contents |
Sialkot District
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.
Physical aspects
District in the Lahore Division of the Punjab, lying between 31 43' and 32 51' N. and 74 n' and 75 i' E., with an area of 1,991 square miles. It is an oblong tract of country, occu- pying the submontane portion of the Rechna or Ravi-Chenab Doab, with a length from north-west to south-east of a little over 50 miles, and an average breadth of 44 miles, stretching from the valley of the Ravi on the south-east to that of the Chenab on the north-western border. On the north-east the District is bounded by the Jammu province of Kashmir; on the east by Gurdaspur; and on the west by Lahore and Gujranwala. Along the bank of both great boundary rivers, a narrow fringe of alluvial lowland marks
The central depression in which they run; while above them rise the high banks that form the limits of their wider beds. Paiallel to the Ravi, another stream, the Degh, which rises in the' Jammu hills, traverses the centre of the District. A torrent in the rains, at other times the Degh dwindles to the merest trickle ; like the greater rivers it is fringed on either side by a strip of alluvial soil, but in the upper part of its course through the Zafarwal tahsil the shifting of its bed has covered a large area with barren sand. Several other minor streams, of which the Aik is the most important, traverse the District. Midway between the Ravi and the Chenab is a raised dorsal tract, which forms a slightly elevated plateau stretching from beyond the Jammu border far into the heart of the dodb. The upper portion of the District near the hills wears an aspect of remark- able greenness and fertility. The dorsal ridge, however, is dry and sandy ; and between the Degh and the Ravi the wild and unproductive upland grows more and more impregnated with saltpetre as it recedes from the hills, till near the Lahore border it merges into a tangled jungle of brushwood and reeds. The District also comprises a small tract of low hills, called the Bajwat, on the north of the Chenab, a country of green grass and flowing streams, which presents an agreeable change from the arid plains of the Punjab.
There is nothing of geological interest in Sialkot, which is situated entirely on the alluvium. Cultivation is close, leaving little room for an indigenous flora of perennial plants. Towards the Jammu border, especially in the north-west of the District, plants of the Outer Himalayan fringe appear. Trees are rare, except where planted about wells, by roadsides, and in gardens.
A few wolves are the only representatives of the carnivora, while even hares and deer find little cover in so highly cultivated a tract. A few wild hog and nilgai are found, but no antelope have been shot in recent years. In the cold season wild geese, ducks, and other water-fowl abound in the marshes and on the river banks and islands ; quail are plentiful in spring, but partridges are scarce.
The climate in summer is, for the plains, good ; and, though there are generally a few days of most intense heat, the neighbourhood of the hills prevents any long-continued spell. The cold season resem- bles that in the Punjab generally, but begins early and ends late. The low hills are cool but very malarious, as is also the waterlogged valley of the Degh, while other parts are decidedly healthy. Pneumonia is common in the winter and fever in the autumn.
Owing to its submontane position the District has an abundant rain- fall, but this diminishes rapidly in amount as the distance from the hills increases. The average rainfall varies from 22 inches at Raya to 35 at Sialkot; at the latter place 28 inches fall in the summer months, and 7 in the winter. The heaviest rainfall recorded during the twenty years ending 1901 was 64 inches at Sialkot in 1881-2, and the lowest 10 inches at Daska in 1891-2.
History
The legendary history of the District is connected with Raja Sali- vahan, the reputed founder of the town of Sialkot, and his famous son Rasalu, and is described under SIALKOT TOWN, PASRUR is also an ancient place. At an early date the District fell to the Rajas of Jammu, and under the Mughals formed the Rechna Doab sarkar of the Subah of Lahore. Under Shah Jahan the sarkar was entrusted to All Mardan Khan, the famous engi- neer, who dug a canal through it to bring water from the Chenab to the imperial gardens at Lahore. On the decline of the Mughal empire Ran jit Singh Deo, Rajput, a hill chief, extended his sway over the low- lands, owning a nominal allegiance to Delhi, In 1 748 he transferred his allegiance to Ahmad Shah Durrani, who added Zafarwal and two other parganas to his fief. Before his death in 1773 Ranjit Deo had secured possession of the whole District, except Sialkot town and its dependencies, which were held by a Pathan family. After his death the Bhangi confederacy of the Sikhs took Sialkot from the Pathans, and eventually overran the whole country up to the foot of the Jammu hills, dividing it among a score of leaders. These petty States were, however, attached by Ranjit Singh in 1791 ; and his annexation of Pasrur in 1807 gave him control of the tract, after his general, Dlwan Mohkam Chand, had defeated the Sardars of Sialkot at Atari.
In the Mutiny of 1857 the station was denuded of British troops; and the Native regiments which were left behind rose, and, after sacking the jail, treasury, and courthouse, and massacring several of the Euro- pean inhabitants, marched off towards Delhi, only to be destroyed by Nicholson at Trimmu Ghat. The rest of the Europeans took refuge in the fort, and on the morning after the departure of the mutineers order was restored, The only events of interest in the subsequent history of the District are the plague riots which occurred at the villages of Shahzada and Sankhatra in 1901.
Numerous mounds are scattered about the District, which mark the sites of ancient villages and towns. None of them, except that on which the Sialkot fort stood, has been excavated, but silver and copper utensils and coins have been dug up from time to time by villagers. Most of the coins are those of Indo-Bactrian kings. The excavations in Sialkot revealed the existence of some old baths, with hot-water pipes of solid masonry. The fort itself, of which very little now remains, is not more than 1,000 years old, and is said to have been rebuilt by Shahab-ud-dm Ghori at the end of the twelfth century. For further information, reference should be made to the articles on SIALKOT TOWN and PASRUR TOWN.
Population
The District contains 7 towns and 2,348 villages. The population at the last four enumerations was : (1868) 1,004,695, (1881) 1,012,148, (1891) 1,119,847, and (1901) 1,083,909. It decreased by 3-2 per cent. during the last decade, the decrease being greatest in the Raya tahsll and least in Daska, The Chenab Colony is responsible for this fall in population, no less than 103,000 persons having left to take land in the newly irrigated tracts, The District is divided into five tahslls SIALKOT, PASRUR, ZAFARWAL, RAVA, and DASKA the head-quarters of each being at the place from which it is named. The chief towns are the municipalities of SIALKOT, the administrative head-quarters of the District, DASKA, JAMKI, PASRUR, KILA SOBHA SINGH, ZAFARWAL, and NAROWAL.
Muhammadans number 716,953, or over 66 per cent, of the total; Hindus, 302,012, or 28 per cent. \ and Sikhs, 50,982, or less than 5 per cent, Sialkot town contains the famous shrine of Baba Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. The density of the population is high. The language of the people is Punjabi, but the dialect known as Dogri is largely spoken by Hindus on the Jammu border.
The Jats are in greater numerical strength in Sialkot than in any other District in the Province, numbering 258,000, or 24 per cent, of the total. Other agricultural tribes include the Arains (67,000), Rajputs (60,000), Awans (24,000), and Gujars (10,000). The com- mercial classes are Khattris (19,000), Aroras (19,000), and Pahari Mahajans (n,ooo). The Bhatias (6,000) are stronger in Sialkot than anywhere else. Brahmans number 35,000 and Saiyids 15,000. Of the artisan classes, the most important are the Tarkhans (carpenters, 44,000), Kumhars (potters, 32,000), Julahas (weavers, 28,000), Lohars (blacksmiths, 21,000), Mochls (shoemakers and leather-workers, 17,000), Telis (oil-pressers, 14,000), and Sonars (goldsmiths, 10,000). Kash- miris number 32,000. Of the menial classes, the Chuhras (sweepers, 64,000) are the most numerous ; other large menial castes are Jhlnwars. (water-carriers, 23,000), Nais (barbers, 22,000), Chhimbas and Dhobia (washermen, 17,000), Machhis (fishermen and 'water-carriers, 15,000), Meghs (weavers, 34,000), Barwalas and Batwals (village watchmen, 34,000), Mlrasis (village minstrels, 12,000), and Changars (labourers, 6,060). There are 22,000 Fakirs. About 46 per cent, of the popula- tion are supported by agriculture,
The American United Presbyterian Mission, which was established at Sialkot in 1855, supports a theological seminary, a Christian training institute, a female hospital, and an Anglo-vernacular high school. The Established Church of Scotland maintains two European missionaries at Sialkot (branch established in 1857) and one in Daska, and also has a separate female mission, mainly occupied with work in zananas. The Church of England Mission at Narowal-was founded in 1859, and the Zanana Mission at that place in 1884. The Roman Catholics, who entered the field in 1889, have now three stations. Sialkot has the largest number of native Christians in the Punjab, amounting to 10,662, or i per cent, of the population, in 1901.
Agriculture
The soil consists chiefly of loam, but clay is found in depressions, and the waste lands mostly consist of sandy or salt-impregnated soil. Owing to the abundant rainfall, and the very large proportion of the cultivated area which is served by wells, the Dibtrict is secure against any serious failure of crops.
The District is held almost entirely on the bhaiyachara and pattidari tenures, zamindari lands covering only about 30,000 acres.
Wheat is the chief crop of the spring harvest, covering 60 1 square miles in 1903-4; barley and gram occupied 120 and 64 square miles respectively. Sugar is the most valuable crop of the autumn harvest, and the area planted (50 square miles) is surpassed only in Gurdaspur. Rice, maize, and great millet (jowdr) are the chief autumn food-grains.
The cultivated area has increased by 28 per cent, since 1854 and by i per cent, in the ten years ending 1901-2, the increase being due to the steady extension of well-cultivation and the great pressure of population on the soil. Nothing has been done in the way of im- proving the quality of the crops grown. Loans for the construction of wells are extremely popular, over Rs. 60,000 having been advanced during the five years ending 1903-4.
Very few cattle are bred locally. Agricultural stock is purchased at the Amritsar fairs or at the Gulu Shah cattle fair in the Pasrur taksll, and imported from Jhang, Gujranwala, and Gujrat. Horses and ponies are not common, and the indigenous breed is poor; two pony arid five donkey stallions are kept by the District board. Sheep and goats are numerous, and donkeys are largely used as pack animals, but camels are scarce.
Of the total area cultivated in 1903-4, 858 square miles, or 58 per cent., were classed as irrigated. Of this area, 788 square miles were irrigated from wells, 16 from canals, and 54 from streams. In addition, 135 square miles, or 9 per cent, are subject to inundation by the Chenab, Ravi, and minor streams. Irrigation from canals is confined to small private channels taken from the Degh and other streams ; irrigation from streams is either by lift or from the perennial brooks of the Bajwat. Wells are the mainstay of the cultivation, owing to the copious supply of subsoil water, and the fact that they can be con- structed at comparatively small cost. In 1903-4 the District possessed 24,452 masonry wells worked with Persian wheels by cattle, besides 1,450 unbricked wells, lever wells, and water-lifts.
The District contains only one square mile of ' reserved ' forest under the Deputy-Conservator of the Chenab Forest division, 1*4 square miles of military reserve, and 7 of unclassed forest and Government waste under the Deputy-Commissioner. With the exception of one planta- tion these are chiefly grass reserves, and even an ordinary coppice can hardly be found. In 1904 the forest revenue was Rs. 1,500.
Trade and communication
The District contains several beds of kankar or nodular limestone, and saltpetre is prepared to a small extent.
Sialkot town was once famous for its paper, but the industry has much declined of recent years owing to the competition of mill-made paper. It also possesses a recently introduced and flourishing industry in the manufacture of cricket com mralcations. bats, polo and hockey sticks, and the like, which have a wide popularity all over India. Tents, tin boxes, and surgical instruments are made ; and three flour-mills, in one of which cotton- ginning is also carried on, employed 85 hands in 1904. Cotton is woven all over the District, and printed cotton stuffs are made at Pasrur ;- shawls of pashm, the fine wool of the Tibetan goat, are pro^ duced at Kila Sobha Singh. Damascened work on iron is made at the village of Kotli Loharan near Sialkot, and Daska and other places produce vessels of brass and white metal on a considerable scale. In 1869 an undertaking was started at Sialkot under the name of the Belfast Flax Company, to encourage the growth of flax for export to England; but, though an excellent fibre was raised in the District, the difficulty of procuring good seed and the apathy of the peasantry caused the enterprise to prove a failure after some years' trial.
Sialkot town is the only important centre of commerce, and receives such surplus raw produce as the District produces, most of which is consumed in the town and cantonment. The chief exports are rice, sugar, paper, cotton, cloth, and brass vessels ; and the chief imports are grain, rice, tobacco, gfa t timber, and tea, besides the various neces- saries for the British troops in cantonments. There is a branch of the Alliance Bank of Simla at Sialkot.
A branch of what is now the North- Western Railway from Wazirabad to Sialkot, a distance of 27 miles, was opened for traffic in 1880, and its continuation to Jammu in 1890. The principal metalled road runs parallel to the railway from Wazirabad to Jammu. An important metalled road connects Sialkot and Amritsar. The chief unmetalled roads are from Sialkot to Gurdaspur, to Gujranwala, and via Eminabad to Lahore. The total length of metalled roads is 56 miles, and of unmetalled roads 785 miles; of these, 24 miles of metalled and 29 ef unmetalled roads are under the Public Works department, and the rest are maintained by the District board. The Chenab is crossed by nine ferries and the Ravi by five, but there is little traffic on either river.
Famine
The District was visited by famine in 1783, 1812, 1843, an d 1861. Neither in 1870 nor 1878 did it suffer severely, and with the extension of well-irrigation that has taken place in the last twenty years it is believed to have become practically secure. The crops matured in the famine year 1899-1900 amounted to 63 per cent, of the normal.
Administration
The District is in charge of a Deputy- Commissioner, aided by five Assistant or Extra-Assistant Commissioners, of whom one is in charge of the District treasury. The tahsil of Sialkot, Zafarwal, Raya, Daska, and Pasrur are each under a tahsildar and a naib-taksildar. Sialkot is the head- quarters of a Superintending Engineer and two Executive Engineers of the Canal department.
The Deputy-Commissioner as District Magistrate is responsible for criminal justice, and civil judicial work is under a District Judge. Both officers are supervised by the Divisional Judge of the Sialkot Civil Division, who is also Sessions Judge. The District Judge has one Subordinate Judge and five Munsifs under him, one at head- quarters and one at each outlying tahsil. A cantonment magistrate is posted to Sialkot cantonment. The District is singularly free from serious crime, despite the large number of Sansls and other criminal tribes domiciled in it.
The revenue history in pre-annexation times presents no special features. A summary settlement was made in 1847 by the European Political officers under the Regency. The kind rents of the Sikhs were appraised and a reduction of 10 per cent, made, while all extra cesses were abolished. This assessment worked well until the fall in prices which followed annexation. Bad seasons and bad management aggra- vated the distress, and even large remissions failed to prevent the people from abandoning their holdings. In 1850 the Rechna Doab settlement began, including the present Districts of Sialkot and Gujran- wala, and the tahslh of Shakargarh and Shahdara. The demand of the summary settlement was reduced from 15 lakhs to 13. Cesses were also reimposed at the rate of 16 per cent, on the demand. The settlement was revised in 1863-6, and a general reduction made, one- sixth of the gross produce being assumed as the equivalent of half the net 'assets.' The initial demand was slightly over 12 lakhs, and the ultimate demand 12^ lakhs. The sanctioned theoretical rates at the next revision (1888-93) indicated a revenue of i8| lakhs, but the actual demand was 1 5 lakhs, an increase of 2 1 per cent. The average assess- ment on 'dry' land is Rs. 1-4-6 (maximum Rs. 1-14, minimum R. o-n), and on 'wet' land Rs. 2-0-6 (maximum Rs. 3, minimum Rs. i-i). The demand in 1903-4, including cesses, was over 17-3 lakhs. The average size of a proprietary holding is 7-6 acres.
The District contains seven municipalities, SIALKOT, DASKA-^///-Kot Daska, JAMKI, PASRUR, KILA SOBHA SINGH, ZAFARWAL, and NARO WALJ and nine 'notified areas.' Outside these, local affairs are managed by the District board, whose income, mainly derived from a local rate, amounted in 1903-4 to i8 lakhs. The expenditure was also 1-8 lakhs, hospitals, schools, and public works forming the chief items. Sialkot is one of the few Districts in the Punjab in which local boards have answered expectations.
The regular police force consists of 576 of all ranks, including 59 cantonment and 146 municipal police, in charge of a Superinten- dent, who usually has 6 inspectors under him. The village watchmen number 2,149. There are 17 police stations. The District jail at Sialkot town has accommodation for 482 prisoners.
Sialkot stands twenty-third among the twenty-eight Districts of the Punjab in rebpect of the literacy of its population, la 1901 the proportion of literate persons was 2-8 per cent, (5-2 males and 0.3 females). The number of pupils under instruction was 5,266 in 1880-1, 13,300 in 1890-1, 13,745 in ip 00 " 1 * and W 80 in 1903-4. In the last year there were one Arts college, 21 secondary, and 183 pri- mary (public) schools, besides 9 advanced and 228 elementary (private) schools, with 1,415 girls in the public and 278 in the private schools. The principal educational institutions are the Sialkot Arts college and 5 high schools. The total expenditure on education in 1903-4 was 1-2 lakhs, of which Rs. 24,497 was contributed by municipalities, Rs. 42,000 came from fees, Rs. 7,000 from Government grants, and Rs. 35,000 from Local funds.
Besides the civil hospital and a branch dispensary at head-quarters, local bodies maintain 7 outlying dispensaries. At these institutions in 1904 a total of 139,968 out-patients and 1,872 in-patients were treated, and 7,562 operations were performed, A leper asylum and four Kot dispensaries, for the inmates of the ' Kot 5 or reformatory for criminal tribes, are also maintained in the District, The Kot dispensaries treat a large number of out-patients. The expenditure in 1904 was Rs, 23,000, of which Rs. 11,000 was contributed by Local and Rs. 12,000 by municipal funds. The District also has four mission dispensaries, aided from Local and municipal funds, one for males and three for women and children ; and in Sialkot town a charitable dispensary is maintained by the representative of an old family of hakims or native physicians.
The number of successful vaccinations in 1903-4 was 34,609, ic- presenting 32-3 per 1,000 of population.
[J. R. Dunlop-Smith, District Gazetteer (1894-5) ; Settlement Report (1895) j and Ciistomary Law of the Mam Tribes in the Sialkot District (1895)-]
