Benares 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.
Contents |
Benares District(Banaras)
Physical aspects
District in the Division of the same name, United Provinces, lying between 25° 8' and 25° 35' N. and 82° 40 and 83° 33' E., with an area of 1,008 square miles. Benares is bounded by Jaunpur and Ghazipur on the north ; by the Shahabad District of Bengal on the east ; by Mirzapur on the south ; and by Jaunpur and Mirzapur on the west. The District is part of the alluvial valley deposited by the river Ganges, and forms an irregular parallelogram, divided by the sacred stream. On each bank of the river is found a high ridge of coarse gravelly soil, mixed with kankar or nodular limestone, and scored by ravines. East of the Ganges the surface dips rapidly, and a large portion of this tract is under water during the rains, and is generally marshy. On the opposite bank the level is more uniformly maintained.
The Ganges first touches the District on the southern boundary, and after crossing it in a series of bold curves, with a general direction from south-west to north-east, leaves the northern border, at the point where it receives the Gumti, which forms the northern boundary for about 22 miles. Two small streams, the Barna and Nand, drain the area on the left bank of the Ganges. The Karamnasa skirts the south-eastern border ; it becomes a heavy stream after rain, and is subject to sudden floods, but is almost dry during the hot months. The District contains many small marshy lakes or jhils, some of which attain a length of several miles during the rains, but most of them are almost dry in the summer.
Benares lies entirely in the Gangetic alluvium, and kankar is the only stone found. Saline efflorescences called reh are not uncommon, especially in the Chandauli tahsil.
The flora of the District presents no peculiarities. The mango and bamboo are largely planted, and fine groves are numerous. Fruit is also largely grown, and Benares is famous for its mangoes and guavas. There is very little jungle.
Owing to the absence of uncultivated land, the wild animals found here are not important. A few antelope are seen north-east of the Ganges and along the Karamnasa. Wild-fowl congregate in numbers on the rivers and lakes. Fish are caught abundantly in the Ganges.
The climate, except in the cold season, is moist and relaxing, and resembles that of Bengal. Even during the winter months the cold is much less marked than in the Districts farther west. In summer, though the heat is great, the west winds blow intermittently ; but during the rains a fairly constant east wind prevails. The mean monthly tem- perature ranges from about 60° in January to 92° in May and June.
The annual rainfall over the whole District averages nearly 40 inches, varying from 38 in the west to 41 in the east. Fluctuations from year to year are occasionally considerable, but are not so violent as in Districts farther west. In 1876 the fall was only 26 inches, while in 1894 nearly 64 inches were received.
History
Before the Muhammadan invasion Benares City was at times the capital of a kingdom ; but the records of the early period are vague and unreliable. Tradition relates that aboriginal races, such as the Bhars and Koiris, once held the District ; but in the twelfth century they certainly owed allegiance to the Raja of Kanauj. Benares fell into the hands of Muhammad Ghori after the defeat of Jai Chand, and a governor was appointed to dispense justice and repress idolatry. In the fifteenth century the District formed part of the separate kingdom of Jaunpur till its fall ; and in the struggles of the next century between Mughal and Pathan it suffered much. Under Akbar it was included in the Subah of Allahabad, and enjoyed a period of peace until the eighteenth century, when it shared in the troubles that attended the fall of Mughal power. About 1722 the greater part of the present Benares Division was included in the territory governed by Saadat Khan, the first Nawab of Oudh, who sublet it to Mir Rustam Ali. The latter was expelled in 1738 ; and the grant was transferred to his agent, Mansa Ram, an ancestor of the present Maharaja, who had already acquired a fort in Jaunpur.
Mansa Ram died in 1739; but his son, Balwant Singh, in whose name the grant had been made and who had received the title of Raja, successfully followed his father's policy. Through a long course of years he endeavoured to make himself practically independent of the Nawab, his lord-paramount, by building or seizing a line of fortresses on a strong strategical base south of the Ganges. Step by step he acquired new strips of territory, and strengthened each acquisition by fresh military works.
In 1763 the Raja joined the emperor. Shah Alam, and the Nawab, Shuja-ud-daula, in their invasion of Bengal. After the disastrous battle of Buxar, however, he went over to the British camp and prudently sought the protection of the conquerors. By an agreement of 1764, Balwant Singh's estates were transferred from Oudh to the Company ; but the transfer was disapproved by the Court of Directors, and in 1765 the Benares territory was restored to Oudh, the Nawab consenting to guarantee the Raja in the quiet enjoyment of his possessions. Balwant Singh died in 1770, and the Nawab endeavoured to use the opportunity thus afforded him of dispossessing his powerful vassal. The British, however, compelled him to recognize the succession of Chet Singh, an illegitimate son of the late Raja. Five years later, the Nawab ceded the sovereignty of the Benares estate to the British, who confirmed Chet Singh in his holding by sanad, dated April 15, 1776.
In 1778 a contribution of 5 lakhs was levied upon Chet Singh for the maintenance of a battalion of sepoys ; similar demands were made in 1779 and 1780. In the latter year, British power in India being then threatened with a simultaneous attack on the part of Haidar All, the Nizam, and the Marathas, the Governor-General, Warren Hastings, called upon the Raja to furnish a cavalry contingent of 1,500 men. The Raja returned evasive answers, but did not send a single trooper. For this conduct Hastings determined to inflict upon him a fine of 50 lakhs. In August, 1 78 1, he arrived in person at Benares, and finding Chet Singh still insubordinate, gave orders that he should be arrested in his own house. A riot occurred, the little body of British troops was attacked and easily overcome, the Raja fled to one of his strongholds, and a general rising took place in the city. Hastings, shut up with his slender retinue in Benares, found himself in a most critical position, from which he extricated himself by flight to Chunar. The Raja remained in open rebellion till the end of September, when the British troops dispersed- his followers. The Governor-General then returned to Benares, deposed Chet Singh, and recognized his nephew, Mahip Narayan, as Raja. Chet Singh retired to Gwalior, where he died in 1810. The criminal administration of the whole estate and the civil and criminal administration of the city were taken from the Raja and assumed by the Company. For the later history of the family, see Benares Estate. When Wazir Ali, Nawab of Oudh, was deposed by the British in 1798, he received orders to live at Benares. In January, 1799, he attacked Mr. Cherry, the Governor-General's Agent, and mur- dered him with two other ofiicers. The Magistrate, whom he proceeded to assail, defended himself in his house till the cavalry arrived from Bitabar and rescued him. Wazir Ali escaped at the time, but was subsequently given up and confined for life in Calcutta'.
From this period British rule was never seriously disturbed till the Mutiny of 1857. News of the outbreak at Meerut reached Benares on May 15. The 37th Native Infantry at once became disorderly, and it was determined to disarm them on June i. They replied to the order with a volley ; but when it was returned they shortly dispersed. The Sikhs and the Irregular Cavalry joined the mutineers. The civil officers, however, held the mint and the treasury, and the rebellion went
1 Vizier Ali Khan, or the Massacre of Benares (1844 ; reprinted at Benares). farther. Parties of Europeans passing up from Calcutta to the north- west sufficed to keep the city quiet, though in the District some distur- bances took place. Early in June the Rajputs of Jaunpur marched to attack Benares, but on June 17 they were cut to pieces by a British force. Next day the erection of the fort at Rajghat was commenced on a site which commands the whole city, and no breach of the peace afterwards occurred.
Ancient remains are found in many places, the oldest being the group of Buddhist ruins at Sarnath. The famous temples of Benares City are not conspicuous for architectural beauty or for antiquity ; and the finest, together with the magnificent line of stone bathing ghats along the Ganges, date principally from the eighteenth century.
Population
The District contains 4 towns and 1,972 villages. Its population in- creased between 1872 and 1891, and then decreased owing to a series of bad seasons. The numbers at the last four enumera- tions were as follows : (1872) 794,039,(1881)892,684, (1891) 921,943, and (1901) 882,084. It is probable that the Census of 1872 understated the population. There are three tahsils — Benares, Gangapur, and Chandauli — each named from its head-quarters. Benares City is the administrative capital, and Ramnagar, the residence of the Maharaja, is the only other town of importance. The following table gives the chief statistics of population in 1901 : —
The density of population is extremely high, being nearly double that of the United Provinces as a whole. Hindus form more than 89 per cent, of the total, and Musalmans more than 10 per cent. The language in common use is Biharl, which is spoken by 90 per cent, of the popula- tion, while Western Hindi (chiefly Hindustani) is spoken by 7 per cent. Owing to its religious reputation, there are large numbers of persons speaking Bengali, MarathI, and GujaratI in Benares city.
The most numerous Hindu castes are : Brahmans, 98,000 ; Chamars (leather-workers and cultivators), 97,000; Kurmls (agriculturists), 83,000; Ahars (agriculturists), 81,000; Rajputs, 53,000; and Koiris (cultivators), 42,000. Among the castes found chiefly in the cast of the United Provinces are the high-caste Bhuinhars, who claim to be Brahmans, 18,000 ; Rhars (an aboriginal tribe), 38,000 ; Lunias (labour- ers), 15,000 ; and Gonds (corresponding to Kahars elsewhere), 12,000. Among Muhammadans the castes and tribes chiefly represented are the Julahas (weavers), 28,000 ; Shaikhs, 26,000 ; and Pathans, 10,000. The principal landholders are Brahmans, Bhuinhars, Rajputs, various money-lending castes, and Kayasths. Agriculture supports 57 per cent, of the total population, and general labour 6 per cent.
There were 669 native Christians in 1901, of whom 380 belonged to the Anglican communion. The Church Missionary Society commenced work here in 18 18, and the London Missionary Society two years later. The Baptist and Wesleyan Societies also have branches.
Agriculture
The characteristic features of the portion of the District east of the Ganges are the absence of drainage and the clay soil in the centre. Rice cultivation is thus more important here than in the tract west of the river, and in ordinary years the spring crops are largely grown without irrigation. In the extreme east the soil turns to mar, the black soil of Bundelkhand. West of the Ganges the soil is lighter, and not so liable to waterlogging. The whole District is very closely cultivated. In the cold season the spring crops are often liable to attacks of rust.
In the portion of the District outside the Benares Estate the ordinary tenures are found, Zamindari mahals numbering 2,688, and pattidari 1,972. Some of the mahdls are of the variety known as complex, which comprise portions of a number of separate villages. There are also tenants at fixed rates, who have a transferable as well as a heritable right, and under-proprietors called mukarraridars, who hold permanent leases. The main agricultural statistics for 1903-4 are given below, in square miles : —
Rice and barley are the chief food-crops, covering 162 and 152 square miles respectively, or 25 and 23 per cent, of the net area cropped. Gram (77 square miles) and wheat (60) come next in importance; jowar, maize, bajra, and sawan are also grown. Maize is a favourite crop in the neighbourhood of the city and near village sites. Sugar-cane was grown on 21 square miles, hemp (san) on 17, and the District also produces poppy and oilseeds.
Between 1840 and 1880 the total cultivated area (excluding the Gangapur tahsil) increased by only about 4 per cent. The principal change in this period was the replacement of sugar by rice and hemp (san) and there have been no striking alterations since. As a rule, few or no advances are made under the Loans Acts, but in 1896-7 Rs. 7,400 was lent.
The cattle of the District are very poor, and when better animals are required they are imported. The ponies are also inferior, and there is no peculiar breed of sheep or goats.
In 1903-4, 187 square miles were irrigated from wells and 59 from tanks. The tanks are chiefly natural depressions or Jhils, and are used in October and November for rice cultivation, and later for the spring crops and for sugar-cane if the water is not exhausted. Wells can be made in most parts of the District, and are chiefly worked by bullocks. The rivers are hardly used at all for irrigation, as the lowlands in their beds do not require it, and the expense of raising water to a higher level would be prohibitive.
Kankar, or calcareous limestone, is the only mineral product, and is used for metalling roads and for making lime.
Trade and Communications
Excluding the city of Benares, there are few manufactures, and these are confined to the preparation of a few classes of articles for local use, the weaving of coarse cotton cloth being the most important. The city is, however, celebrated for gold and silver jewellery, ornamental brass-work, embroi- dery, and silk-weaving. It also contains three ice factories, several printing presses, two chemical works, and two brick-making concerns.
There is little surplus agricultural produce in the District, and oil- seeds are perhaps the most important export. The manufactures of the city are, however, largely prepared for outside markets. The imports include piece-goods, salt, and metals. Benares city is the only trade centre, and absorbs a large part of the produce of the District, while it is the chief place for the distribution of imported goods. Railways have now taken the place of roads as trade-routes, and there is little trafiic on the river except the carriage of stone and fuel from Mirzapur.
The District is exceptionally well served by railways and roads. The main line of the East Indian Railway traverses the eastern portion, and at Mughal Sarai gives off a branch to Gaya in Bengal. Mughal Sarai is also the terminus of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway, which crosses the Ganges by a magnificent bridge, and then divides into two branches at Benares, and serves the western half of the District. Benares is the terminus of a branch of the Bengal and North- Western Railway which runs north. There are 577 miles of road, of which 127 are metalled. The latter are maintained by the Public Works department, but the cost of all but 51 miles is charged to Local funds. The main lines are : the grand trunk road, which traverses the south of the District, crossing the Ganges at Benares; and a series of roads radiating from Benares city to Jaunpur, Azamgarh, and Ghazipur. Avenues of trees are maintained on 262 miles.
Famine
Benares District suffers like its neighbours from drought, and from its natural consequence, famine; but it is less severely affected than the regions south or west of it. In 1770 Benares was visited by the famine which devastated Bihar and Northern Bengal. In 1783, though the dearth was more marked in the western Districts, Hastings described the country from Buxar to Benares as devastated, and serious riots took place. There was little distress in 1803-4, though bounties were given to encourage the import of grain from Bengal. The famines of 1837-8 and 1860-1 were also not felt here severely. High prices caused distress in i86g, in 1874, and in 1877-9, but to a much smaller degree than elsewhere. The monsoon of 1896 ceased prematurely, and the important rice crop yielded only one-eighth of the normal. Prices rose very high ; but the distress was mainly confined to artisans and those who were unable to labour, and the numbers on the relief works opened did not reach 4,000, though 12,000 persons were in receipt of gratuitous relief.
Administration
The Collector is usually assisted by a member of the Indian Civil Service, and by five Deputy-Collectors recruited in India. A tahsildar is stationed at the head-quarters of each tahsil.
The civil courts of the District are those of the Munsif, Sub-Judge, Small Cause Court Judge, and District Judge ; but these have no jurisdiction within the Benares Domains in cases which are in any way connected with land. The District Judge is also the Sessions Judge. Murders are not uncommon, and agrarian quarrels often lead to riots. Professional dacoity is rare. The Bhars, Musahars, and Doms of this District commit dacoities in Eastern Bengal. Infanticide was formerly suspected, but no villages are now proclaimed under the Act.
After the cession to the British in 1775 the revenue administration was carried on for some years by the Raja, who paid a fixed subsidy to the British Government. In 1787 Mr. Jonathan Duncan, afterwards Governor of Bombay, was appointed Resident at Benares, and was impressed by the mismanagement and extortion which prevailed. Reforms were commenced in the following year, and a settlement was made in which the annual value of each village was ascertained by applying rates calculated on the average produce. The amil's (native collector) fees of 10 per cent, and banker's dues were deducted, and half the balance was taken as revenue. The term then fixed was four years in part of the District and ten years in the remainder. In 1791-2 the Decennial Settlement was extended to the tract where engagements for a shorter period had been taken, and in 1795, with a few revisions, the whole settlement was declared permanent. In 1818 the Districts of Ghazipur (then including Ballia) and Jaunpur were formed, and in 1830 Benares was still further reduced by the formation of Mirzapur District. The permanent settlement had not been based on a survey, and no detailed record-of-rights was prepared, engagements being often taken from a few representatives of large bodies of co-sharers. Between 1833 and 1841 a survey was made, field maps were prepared, and detailed records drawn up. A second formal revision was made between 1882 and 1886, since which time annual papers have been prepared as in the rest of the Provinces. The revenue assessed in 1795 on the two tahsils outside the Benares Domains was 7.9 lakhs, which by 1843 had risen to 8.2 lakhs, owing to the assessment of alluvial land and resumption of revenue-free grants. In 1903-4 the demand was 7.7 lakhs, and the demand in the Gangapur tahsil was 1.2 lakhs.
Collections on account of land revenue and total revenue have been, in thousands of rupees : —
Benares is the only municipality in the District, but there are two towns administered under Act XX of 1856. Outside of these, local affairs are managed by the District board, which had an income of 1.1 lakhs in 1903-4, about one-third of which was derived from local rates. The expenditure on roads and buildings amounted to Rs. 60,000, out of a total expenditure of 1.2 lakhs.
The District Superintendent of police has a force of 4 inspectors, 121 subordinate officers, and 619 men, distributed in 22 police stations, besides 424 municipal and town police, and 1,460 rural and road police. There is a large Central jail with a daily average of 1,292 prisoners in 1903, while the District jail contained 411.
The District of Benares contains a higher proportion of persons able to read and write than any other in the United Provinces, except the Himalayan Districts. In 1901, 4.9 per cent, of the population (11.2 males and o.8 females) were literate. The peculiar conditions of Benares city are largely responsible for this. The number of public institutions fell from 142 with 6,933 pupils in 1880-1 to 92 with 5,274 pupils in 1900- 1. In 1903-4 there were 209 such institutions with 12,006 pupils, of whom 1,165 were girls, besides 130 private institutions with 3,471 pupils, including 879 girls. Three colleges and a collegiate school are maintained in Benares City, but the majority of schools are of the primary class. Four schools and colleges are managed by Government, and 118 by the District and Municipal boards. The total expenditure in 1903-4 was 1.3 lakhs, of which Provincial revenues contributed Rs. 58,000, Local funds Rs. 29,000, and fees Rs. 25,000.
There are 11 hospitals and dispensaries, with accommodation for 330 in-patients. In 1903 the number of cases treated was 124,000, including 3,819 in-patients. The total expenditure was Rs. 27,000, chiefly met from Local funds.
In 1903-4 the number of persons successfully vaccinated was 26,000, representing a proportion of 28 per 1,000 of population. Vaccination is compulsory only in the municipality and cantonment of Benares.
[District Gazetteer (1884, under revision); F. W. Porter, Survey and Revision of Records in Benares District (1887-7) ; A. Shakespear, Selections from the Dimcan Records (Benares, 1873).]
