Latest revision as of 20:43, 4 May 2024

[edit] In 1908

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.

[edit] Physical aspects

South-eastern District of the Lucknow Divi- sion, United Provinces, lying north-east of the Ganges, between 25 49' and 26 36' N. and 80 41' and 81 34' E., with an area of 1,748 square miles. In shape it resembles a segment of a circle with the Ganges as the chord. It is bounded on the north-west by Unao on the north by Lucknow and Bara Banki \ on the east by Sultanpur and Partabgarh ; and on the south-west by the Ganges, which divides it from Fatehpur. The general aspect of Rae Bareli is that of a beautifully wooded, gently undulating Physical plain. It is markedly fertile and well cultivated. The principal rivers are the Ganges and the Sai, the former skirting the District for 54 miles along its south-western boundary, while the latter runs through the centre m a tortuous course from north-west to south-east. Both of these rivers flow in deep beds, but the Ganges is bordered by a fertile valley of varying width before the upland portion is reached. Between the Ganges and the Sai lies a chain of jhlls or swamps more or less connected with one another, and probably forming an old river-bed. North of the Sai are found many other jhlls ^ but these are ordinary shallow depressions and have not the narrow deep beds of the southern swamps. The Loni flows across the south- west corner of the District to join the Ganges , and there are many smaller streams, generally known as Naiya, which carry off water only in the rains, and drain the jhils to some extent.

The District is entirely composed of Gangetic alluvium, and kankar or nodular limestone is the only stone formation.

The flora presents few peculiarities. Up to the time of the Mutiny the stronghold of -every talukdar was surrounded by dense jungle, and a scrub forest extended for twelve miles on either side of the Sai. Only a few patches of dhdk (Butea frondosa) now remain. The numerous groves are chiefly composed of mango or mahud (Bassia latifolia) and the nlm (Meha Azadirachta). Various kinds of fig, the babul (Acacia arabica), and jdmun (Eugenia Jambolana) are also common.

There are a few wolves, but jackals abound. Nilgai and antelope are scarce. Some cattle still roam wild near the Ganges and Sai. In the cold season water-fowl and snipe are plentiful , other game- birds include quail and a few partridge and sand-grouse. Fish are caught in the jhils, and also in the rivers.

The climate is healthy, and the temperature is not marked by extremes of either heat or cold. Cool nights are experienced well into the hot season.

The annual rainfall averages a little over 37 inches, the east of the District receiving the heaviest fall. As a rule the amount is not less than 24 inches; but in 1877, 1880, and 1896 it was only 13 inches. On the other hand, in 1867 and 1894 the amount was 60 inches.

[edit] History

The District has never played a large part in history, and it contains few places of importance. Tradition relates that the Muhammadan saint, Saiyid Salar, raided it in the eleventh century ; ry ' and from similar sources a few details are obtained regarding the three clans of Rajputs the Bais, the Kanhpurias, and the Amethias who still hold the greater part of the land. The first of these occupied a tract m the south and west, which was afterwards known as Baiswara. The earliest historical events of which reliable accounts have been preserved are, however, connected with the in- corporation of the District in the Shark! kingdom of Jaunpur, early in the fifteenth century. At that time the Bhars, who still held part of the country, were completely crushed. The Rajputs, however, were only partially reduced, and warfare was frequent till Akbar estab- lished a more settled government. Under that monarch Rae Bareli was divided between the two Subdhs of Oudh and Allahabad. After Akbar's death the Rajputs appear to have increased greatly in im- portance and power j and when Oudh became a separate state in the eighteenth century, Nawab Saadat Khan entrusted several of the chiefs with the collection of revenue in their own parganas. As disorders increased, attempts to assert independence became more frequent, and the history of the closing years of Oudh rule is one of constant fighting between chief and chief or between the Rajas and the court officials.

At annexation in 1856 a District of Salon was formed, extending from Purwa in Unao to Allahabad. A year had hardly elapsed when the Mutiny broke out. The sepoys abstained from rebellion longer cent. Eastern Hindi is spoken by almost the entire population, the dialect in use being Awadhl.

The Hindu castes most largely represented are Ahirs (graziers and cultivators), 129,000; Pasis (toddy-drawers and cultivators), 107,000 , Brahmans, 105,000, Chamars (tanners, labourers, and cultivators), 98,000 ; Rajputs or Chhattris, 67,000 ; Lodhas (cultivators), 64,000 , Muraos (market-gardeners), 48,000 ; and Kurmls (agriculturists), 44,000. Among Musalmans are Gujars, 13,000, Shaikhs, 9,000 , Pathans, 9,000 ; and Rajputs, 8,000. Agriculture supports 76 per cent, of the total population. Rajputs or Chhattris hold two-thirds of the District, the Bais and Kanhpuria clans being the largest landholders. Ahirs, Brahmans, and Rajputs or Chhattris are the most numerous cultivators ; but Lodhas, Kurmls, and Muraos are the most skilful.

There were 97 native Christians in 1901, of whom 68 were Metho- dists and 10 belonged to the Anglican communion. A branch of the American Methodist Mission was opened in 1864 and closed in 1901 ; but native catechists are still employed at a few places.

The low land m the valley of the Ganges, called kachhdr^ varies in width from two miles to a few yards. The lowest portion is flooded during the rains, but generally bears good crops in the spring the higher stretches are very fertile, and occasionally autumn crops can be sown in them. The uplands vary according to the class of soil. In the south it is a rich firm loam, producing wheat and poppy in the spring and millets in the autumn. As the /Mr are approached, the soil becomes heavier, and rice is the prevailing crop, which is followed in spring by gram and linseed. Large patches of barren fisar are common here. The valley of the Sai and its tributaries resembles that of the Ganges, but is inferior in quality. North of the Sai is another large area of rice land, producing also inferior spring crops.

The tenures by which land is held are those common to the Province of OUDH. About two-thirds of the District is included in talukdari estates, and 5 per cent, of the total area is sub-settled. Under- proprietors also hold about 5 per cent. The mam agricultural statistics for 1903-4 are shown below, in square miles :

is the crop most largely grown, covering 268 square miles, or 28 per cent, of the net cultivated area. Wheat (176), gram (170), barley (139), pulses (gg\jowdr (95), arhar (81), and kodon and small millets (64), are also important food-crops. The District is one of the largest poppy-growing areas in the United Provinces. In 1903-4 the area under poppy was 48 square miles, and the price paid to the cultivators for their opium has sometimes exceeded the land revenue demand on the whole District.

Immediately after the Mutiny there was a great extension of cultiva- tion. The series of bad seasons commencing in 1891 checked the rise which had continued since the first settlement; but after 1897 another increase took place, and the net cultivated area is now about 7 per cent, higher than it was forty years ago, This increase in the area under the plough has also been accompanied by an extension of the system of double-cropping, and by an increase in the area sown on the banks of jhlls with small millet and rice to ripen in the hot season. The most important increase has been in the area under poppy, and the general tendency has been to cultivate the more valuable crops in place of" inferior staples. There has been a little reclamation of land by throw- ing dams across ravines to prevent erosion and to collect silt. Advances are freely taken, especially under the Agriculturists' Loans Act. The total lent by Government during the ten years ending 1900 was 3-8 lakhs, of which 2-4 lakhs was advanced in the famine year 1896-7. In the next four years loans averaged only Rs. 4,000. A few small agricultural banks have been started.

Pasture land is scarce, and the breed of cattle is poor, the best animals being all imported. Ponies are still largely used as pack- animals , but the breed is very inferior. A stallion is now maintained in the District, to introduce a better strain. Sheep and goats are kept in large numbers, to provide wool, meat, milk, and manure.

[edit] Famine

Rae Bareli is well provided with means of irrigation. In 1903-4 the irrigated area was 469 square miles, of which 300 were supplied from wells, 164 from tanks or jhlh> and 5 from other sources. The number and importance of wells is increasing, and the safety of the crops is thereby enhanced, z&jtiih fail in dry years, when most needed. The larger wells are worked by bullocks t but where the water-level is higher, the dhenkll or lever and the pot and pulley worked by hand are used. Water is raised from jhils in the swing-basket. "There -are very few artificial tanks, and those which exist are 1 ascribed to the Bhars. The larger streams are little used for irrigation, as their -beds lie deep below the surface of the country.

Kankar or calcareous limestone is found in both block and nodular formations in most parts and is used for making lime and metalling roads. Saline efflorescences called reh are collected for making coarse glass and for other purposes.

[edit] Trade and communication

The only manufacture of any importance is that of coarse cotton cloth, which is made in many parts of the District. Finer materials are produced at JAIS and RAE BARELI ; but the and industry is dying out, as there is little demand for them. Glass bangles and small phials are made in a few places. Apart from these industries little is produced in the District.

Under native government the transit dues extorted by the land- holders prevented any trade of importance, and as late as 1866 the District consumed most of its own produce and hence imported little. The improvement of communications and the freedom from imposts have caused a great advance in this respect; and the District now exports grain, opium, poppy-seeds, hides, bones, oilseeds, and a little tobacco and raw sugar, and imports piece-goods, metals, salt, sugai, and spices. Rae Barell is the chief trading centre ; but Lalganj, Maharajganj, and Bamtl are rising in importance. Much of the trade of the south is with Kalakankai in Partabgarh District ; and the trade of Dalmau, which was formerly of some consequence, is declining, though it is still the site of a large religious fair.

The main line of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway enters the north-west of the District and turns east from Rae Bareli town, thus passing through the centre. Communications by road are fairly good, and have been much improved in recent years. There are 60 1 miles of roads, of which 115 are metalled. The whole of the roads are main- tained at the cost of Local funds, though the metalled roads and some of the unmetalled are in charge of the Public Works department. Avenues of trees are maintained on 69 miles. The chief routes are the roads from Rae Bareli town to Lucknow, Sultanpur, and Fatehpur. An old road from Delhi to Benares, north of the Ganges, passes through the south of the District.

[edit] Famine

Rae Bareli has suffered from severe scarcity and famine. The great desolation of 1784 was long remembered, and there was scarcity again in 1810. The records of events under native government are, however, meagre. After annexation distress was experienced in 1864, 1869, and 1873, but does not appear to have been acute. In 1877-8 the deficiency in the rainfall was followed by widespread scarcity, causing acute distress for a con- siderable time, while actual famine prevailed for about two months, Relief works were opened both by Government and by the tafakddrs, and large sums were spent by the charitable, In 1881 drought again resulted in scarcity and the collection of revenue was postponed. Excessive and untimely rain in the period 1893-5 caused distress, which necessitated the opening of small relief works. The resources of the people had thus been seriously affected before the failure of the rains in 1896, which caused the worst famine the District has experienced. More than a lakh was advanced for the construction of wells, and the revenue demand was suspended to the extent of 3 lakhs. In February, 1897, more than 90,000 persons were on lelief works; but the liberal advances made enabled a large area of spring crops to be sown and food-grains to be imported, and by the end of July, 1897, the famine was over.

[edit] Administration

The Deputy-Commissioner usually has a staff of four Deputy- Collectors recruited in India, and a tahsildar resides . . . at the head-quarters of each tahsil Three officers Admimstratlon - of the Opium department and an officer of the Salt department are stationed in the District

There are two District Munsifs, four Honorary Munsifs, and a Sub- ordinate Judge for civil work. Sultanpur and Partabgaih Districts are both included in the Civil Judgeship, and Partabgarh in the Sessions Division of Rae Barell. The most common variety of crime is burglary, for which the Pasls are especially notorious. Apart from this, serious offences are rare, and the people are quiet and law-abiding. Infanticide was formerly practised, but is no longer suspected.

At annexation, in 1856, a summary settlement was made, the records of which have perished. The estates of the talnkdars were largely reduced, villages being settled direct with the village proprietors. At the second summary settlement in 1859 a reversion was made to the actual position in 1856, except where estates had been confiscated for rebellion. The first regular settlement, preceded by a survey, began in 1860 and was earned out in different ways in the three Distncts of which portions now make up Rae Bareli. In Rae Bareli itself the assessment was for the first time based entirely on the corrected rent- rolls, with adjustments for land held at privileged rates. The methods adopted in PARTABGARH and SULTANPUR, which will be found m the accounts of those Districts, were based partly on the use of corrected rent-rolls, and partly on the selection of average rates of rent. The result was an enhancement of the revenue fixed in the summary settle- ment from 9-5 to 12-4 lakhs. This settlement was revised between 1892 and 1896, chiefly by the District officer in addition to his own duties. There was no resurvey, and the corrected rent-rolls as usual formed the basis of the assessment. The result was an increase in the demand to 154 lakhs, representing 47 per cent, of the net corrected 'assets.' The incidence of land revenue is about Rs. 1-3 per acre, and varies very slightly in different parts of the District,

Collections on account of land revenue and revenue from all sources are given in the table on the next page, in thousands of rupees.

The District contains only one municipality, RAE BARELI, and one town administered under Act XX of 1856. Local affairs outside of these places are managed by the District board, which in 1903-4 had an income of 1-2 lakhs, chiefly derived from local rates, and an expenditure of 1-3 lakhs, including Rs. 61,000 spent on roads and buildings.

The District Superintendent of police has under him a force of 3 inspectors, 76 subordinate officers, and 304 constables, posted in 13 police stations, besides 41 municipal and town police, and 2,159 rural and road police. The District jail contained a daily average of 448 prisoners in 1903.

The people of Rae Bareli are moderately well educated compared with their neighbours, and 3-2 per cent. (6-2 males and 0-2 females) could read and write in 1901. Public schools increased in number from 126 in 1880-1 to 166 in 1900-1, and the pupils from 5, 170 to 7,4i3, In 1903-4 there were 196 such schools with 8,886 pupils, including 70 girls, and 35 private schools with 464 pupils. Only 1,000 pupils had advanced beyond the primary stage. Three schools are managed by Government and in by the District and municipal boards. The total expenditure on education was Rs. 43,000, of which nearly Rs. 32,000 was provided by Local funds and Rs. 7,000 from fees.

There are eleven hospitals and dispensaries, with accommodation for 70 in-patients, In 1903 the number of cases treated was 61,000, including 878 in-patients, and 2,600 operations were performed. The expenditure in the same year amounted to Rs. 14,000, chiefly met from Local funds.

About 36,000 persons were successfully vaccinated in 1903-4, giving a proportion of 35 per 1,000 of population. Vaccination is compulsory only in the municipality of Rae Bareli.

[W C. Benett, Clans of the Roy Barettty District , S. H, Fremantle, Settlement Report (1898) ; H. R. Nevill, District Gazetteer (1904),]

[edit] See also

Rae Bareli District

Rae Bareli: politics

Rae Bareli Tahsil, 1908

Rae Bareli Town