Broach 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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Broach District
{Bharuch) District in the Northern Division of the Bombay Presidency, lying between 21° 25' and 22° 15' N. and 72° 31' and 73° 10' E., with an area of 1,467 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the river Mahi, which separates it from the territory of Cambay ; on the east and south-east by the Native States of Baroda and Rajpipla ; on the south by the river Kim, dividing it from Surat District. To the west lies the Gulf of Cambay, along the shore of which the District stretches for a distance of 54 miles. The name is derived from Bharukachha, a corruption of Bhrigu Kachha, ' the field of Bhrigu,' the eponymous hero of Broach city.
Physical aspects
The District forms an alluvial plain 54 miles in length, sloping gently westwards to the shores of the Gulf of Cambay, and varying in breadth from 20 to 40 miles. With the exception of a few pysical hillocks of sand-drift along the coast, and some aspects. . " .
mounds in the neighbourhood of Broach city, the level of the plain is unbroken by any rising ground. The Main and Kim — the former a river of 300 miles in length, with a drainage area estimated at from 15,000 to 17,000 square miles, and the latter with a course of 70 miles and a drainage area of about 700 square miles — form respectively the northern and southern boundaries of the District. Between these limits are two other rivers which discharge their waters through the Broach plain into the Gulf of Cambay — the Dhadhar about 20 miles south of the Mahi, and the Narbada between the Dhadhar and the Kim. The Dhadhar passes through the Broach plain for 24 miles, or about one-third of the entire length of its course ; and the Narbada flows for the last 70 miles of its course through the District, gradually widening into an estuary, whose shores when they fall away into the Gulf of Cambay are more than 13 miles apart. The water of these rivers is not made use of for irrigation ; and though each has a tidal estuary extending for several miles inland, none of them, except the Narbada, and for a short distance the Dhadhar, is serviceable for purposes of navigation. Owing to the height of the banks of its rivers, the District is, for drainage purposes, to a great extent dependent on creeks or backwaters running inland, either directly from the coast-line or from the banks of rivers at points in their course below the limit of tidal influence. Of the salt-water creeks or backwaters, the three most important are the Mota, breaking off from the Dhadhar river about 6 miles west of the town of Amod ; the Bhukhi, running inland from the right bank of the Narbada, about 15 miles west of the city of Broach ; and the Wand, an inlet from the shore of the Gulf of Cambay, about 8 miles north of the mouth of the Kim river.
The surface of the plain consists, over almost its entire area, of black cotton soil, highly fertile and well cultivated. This black soil covers deposits of brown clay, containing nodular limestone above and gravel and sand underneath. Within 30 miles of the coast hardly any rocks are to be seen. Farther inland, the gravels and clays of the Nummulitic series begin to appear, and in the south of the District trap crops out. Conglomerate and limestone are also found in this tract, but otherwise the plain of Broach contains no minerals.
Except for a small tract of waste land 161 acres in extent, lately set apart for the growth of babul trees, the District is without forests ; and only in a few villages is the plain well covered with trees. The palmyra palm, the only liquor-yielding tree, is largely found south of the Nar- bada. The fruit trees are the mango, guava, and tamarind. On an island in the Narbada, about 12 miles above Broach, is a famous banyan or vad tree, known as the Kabir vad, because, as the story goes, it sprang from a twig which the sage Kabir once used for cleaning his teeth. About the year 1780 this tree is said to have had 350 large and more than 3,000 small stems, the principal of which enclosed a space nearly 2,000 feet in circumference. During the march of an army this tree had been known to shelter 7,000 men. Nearly fifty years later (April, 1825) Bishop Heber wrote, of it: 'Though a considerable part of the tree has, within the last few years, been washed away, enough remains to make it one of the most notable groves in the world.' Since then it has suffered much from age and floods, and, owing to the dense undergrowth which conceals the ramifications of its stems, it is no longer so notable an object as formerly. Hibiscus, Crotalaria, Indigo- fera, Butea, Cassia, Vicoa, Leucas, and Trichokpis are the chief flowering plants.
Cultivation is too general to allow much scope for wild animals. The hog, wolf, and antelope almost exhaust the list. The only indi- genous game-birds are the grey partridge, the bush-quail, and the grey duck. The District is well supplied with fish — fresh-water, salt-water, and migratory.
The District is as healthy as any part of Gujarat, and the climate is more pleasant than in those parts situated farther from the sea. The hottest months are March and April. In the cold season frost is not unknown, and is sometimes, as in 1835 ^"d 1903, sufficiently severe to destroy the crops. The temperature varies from 46° in December to 112° in May. The annual rainfall over the whole District averages 35 inches, varying from 32 in the Hansot/^Ma to 42 at head-quarters.
History
By tradition Broach District once formed part of the Mauryan empire, the famous ruler of which, Chandragupta, is said to have resided at Suklatirtha. It then passed into the hands of the princes known as the Sahas or Western Ksha- trapas. Gurjar and Rajput rulers followed, subject to the overlordship of the Chalukyas of Kalyan and their successors the Rashtrakutas.
It was subsequently included in the kingdom of Anhilvada until the Musalman conquest in 1298. For nearly five hundred years the District remained subject to the Musalmans, in four periods, the early Musalman governors of Gujarat (1298-1391) being succeeded by the Ahmadabad kings (1391-1572), who were replaced by the Delhi emperors (1572-1736), and finally by independent chiefs (1736-72).
During the third period. Broach was visited by the English merchants Aldworth and Withington, and in 1616 a house was hired for an English factory. A Dutch factory followed about 1620. At the end of the seventeenth century the Marathas twice raided the city of Broach.
But soon after the accession of the British to political power at Surat, certain questions of revenue gave rise to a dispute with the ruler of Broach, and in 1771 a force was sent from Surat against his capital.
This expedition, which was not begun till May, resulted in failure; but during the ensuing rainy season the Nawab of Broach visited Bombay and agreed to pay to the English a sum of 4 lakhs. This, however, he failed to do, and in November, 1772, a second expedition was sent against Broach. The city was taken with little difficulty, though with the loss of General Wedderburn, the commander of the force. The territory acquired by the capture of the city comprised 162 villages. In 1783 the country under Broach, which by treaty and conquest had come to include the lands of Anklesvar, Hansot, Dehejbara, and Amod, was by the Treaty of Salbai handed over to the Marathas — ^the original conquest to Mahadji Sindhia, and the new acquisitions to the Peshwa. For nineteen years these territories remained under Maratha rule, till in 1803, in consequence of the Treaty of Bassein, Sindhia's possessions in Gujarat were invaded by a British force, and the city of Broach was again taken. No further territorial changes took place till 18 18, when, under the terms of the Treaty of Poona, three talukas were added to the District. Since that date the history of Broach has been marked by three events — in 1823 an outbreak of Kohs took place; in 1857 a riot between the Parsls and Musahiians ; and in 1886 a Tataora rising, leading to the murder of the District Superintendent of police.
Jain, Hindu, and Muhammadan buildings of archaeological interest are to be met with in Broach city, the most noteworthy being the Jama Masjid, profusely ornamented and sculptured in the Jain style.
The earliest year for which an estimate of the population is available is 1820, when the number of inhabitants was returned at 229,527, or 17^ to the square mile. In 181; i the number was Population. 290,984, or 200 to the square mile. At the last four enumerations, the population was: (1872) 350,322, (1881) 326,930, (1891) 341,490, and (1901) 291,763. The Census of 1901 shows that the population of the District, after considerable fluctuations between 1872 and that date, is now 199 to the square mile. The decline in iS8r was due to failure of the crops in 1878 and to a severe outbreak of cholera, which reduced the population by 7 per cent. The decrease in 1901 was due to famine and plague. The District includes five fciliikas, with area and population as follows : —
Of the whole population, about 20 per cent, live in towns containing more than 5,000 inhabitants. Originally the towns were walled, and each was provided with its own fort. Within the circuit of the walls lived the richest part of the people, dwelling in well-built houses ; with- out were the poorer classes, lodged chiefly in hovels. Though the fortifications have now been allowed to fall into decay, a marked distinction still remains between the town proper and its suburbs. The villages have in general a thriving appearance, arising from the common use of tiles for the houses instead of thatch ; and the trees with which they are surrounded contribute to give a pleasing effect.
The respect- able inhabitants have their houses together in courts or ' closes,' with a single entrance for each ' close,' which is shut at night for the protec- tion of cattle. Formerly, many of the villages were surrounded by walls of mud or burnt brick as a shelter against the attacks of freebooters. The towns are Broach, the head-quarters, Amod, Anklesvar, Hansot, and Jambusar. Hindus number 195,922, or 67 per cent, of the total ; Musalmans, 63,408, or 22 per cent. ; Animists, 25,294, or 8 per cent. ; Jains, 3,254 ; and Parsis, 3,127. Gujarat! is spoken by 93 per cent, of the people.
The chief Hindu castes are : Kolls (62,000), Kunbls (19,000), Dhers (15,000), Rajputs (13,000), and Brahmans (12,000). Bhils, returned partly as Hindus and partly as Animists at the Census, number 35,000. The Musalmans who claim a foreign origin comprise four classes — Saiyid, Mughal, Pathan, and Shaikh. Of those whose origin is traced to Hindu converts, the most important are the Bohras, who include two main classes, distinct from each other in occupation and in .sect : one engaged in trade, who are mostly Ismaili Shiahs ; the other employed almost entirely in tilling the fields, belonging to the .Sunni sect, and forming nearly half of the entire Musalman population of the District. The latter do not marry with other Musalmans. The total number of Bohras is 31,000. The other classes of converted Hindus are Molesalams (formerly Rajputs), Maliks, Momnas, and Shaikhs. The Shaikhs number altogether 12,000, With the excep- tion of the Bohras, who are a well-to-do body, the Broach Musal- mans are for the most part in a depressed condition. There is also a peculiar Musalman community called Nagoris, who have long been settled in the District. They are said to derive their name from their former home, Nagor, a town in Malwa, and are now carters and labourers.
The chief agricultural classes of Broach District are Patidars (also called Kunbls), Girasias, Kachhias, Malls, and Kolls ; the trading classes are Vaishnava Banias, as well as Shrawaks or Jains, Bohras of the Shiah sect, and ParsTs. The Patidars, as peaceable as they are industrious, form the most respectable part of the rural population ; they are well acquainted with the qualities and powers of all varieties of the soil. The Girasias afford an instance of a complete change from the fierceness and turbulence of a martial class to the quietness, obedience, and industry of tillers of the soil. The Kachhias are skilful market-gardeners. The Kolis, who stand lower in the social scale than the Kunbls, formerly bore a bad reputation as plunderers, but they are now a reformed race. In many villages they are as steady and hard- working cultivators as any in the District. A few Parsis are engaged in agriculture, and are said to be active and skilful husbandmen. Most of the members of this class deal in merchandise, and together with the Shrawaks form the two most wealthy sections of the trading community- Agriculture supports 60 per cent, of the population, 16 per cent, are supported by industries, and 2 per cent, by commerce.
The number of Christians has increased during the last decade from 128 to 719. Of these, 685 are native Christians. The Christian popu- lation is found mainly in Broach city and taluka. Two missions are at work in the District : the Irish Presbyterian at Broach, which supports a hospital, two dispensaries, an industrial school, two orphanages, and two primary schools ; and the German Baptist Mission at Anklesvar, which supports an orphanage and an agricultural settlement.
Agriculture
The soil is chiefly black, but there are also tracts of brown soil in Anklesvar, Amod, and Jambusar. Both kinds are rich, the chief black- soil crops being co\Xon, jotvar, sesamum, tur, wheat, and rice ; while bajra, Jo7vdr, and pulse are grown in the lighter soils. Tobacco is raised on the alluvial lands of the Narbada. The early crops are sown in June, and, except cotton, which is seldom ready for picking before February, are harvested in October and Nov- ember. The late crops are sown in October and reaped in February. A field of black soil requires only one ploughing, and is seldom manured. Light soils, on the other hand, are ploughed three or four times, and are generally manured. The entire set of implements used on a farm may be valued at from Rs. 15 to Rs. 20.
The chief statistics of cultivation are as shown below, in square miles : —
- The difference between these figures and those shown on p. 21 is due
to the fact that since the Census certain villages have been transferred from Broach to Anklesvar. The area for which statistics are not available is 29 square miles.
A considerable area of salt land has been taken up by private indivi- duals for reclamation. The lands have been leased by Government on special conditions, rent-free for the first ten years, and for the following twenty years at rents varying from 4 to 8 annas per acre, to be subject to the usual assessment after thirty years. The tenure of the District is mainly ryotwari, indm and Jdgir lands covering only about 2 per cent. The holders of unalienated land belong to two classes — proprietors of large estates or fhdkurs, and peasant proprietors or ryots. Of the total assessed area, 60,760 acres, or about 10 per cent., are in the possession of men belonging to the landlord class, who are the heirs of old Rajput families. A peasant proprietor is either a member of a cultivating com- munity, or an independent holder with an individual interest in the land he tills. Of the whole number of villages in the District, the lands of 244, or 59-5 per cent., were in 1862 held by corporations of share- holders, and the remaining 166 villages, or 40-5 per cent., by individual cultivators. In 1903-4, 209 were held under the former conditions, and 197 by individuals. Cotton andywrnr are extensively sown in the District, occupying 365 and 180 square miles respectively. Wheat (ri8) is also largely grown, especially in the Vagra and Jambusar talukas. Next in importance come sesamum (31), rice (23), and bdjra (16). Tobacco is one of the important crops in the Broach toluka, and Imig {Lathyrus sativus) is also largely grown (66 square miles).
Since 181 2 attempts have been made from time to time to improve the cultivation and preparation of cotton. So far the result has been to show that foreign varieties will not thrive in the District. In the matter of ginning, considerable improvements have been made. By the intro- duction of the Platt-Macarthy roller-gin in 1864, the old native hand- gin {charkha) has been entirely supplanted. During the decade ending 1903-4, 24 lakhs was advanced to the ryots under the Land Improve- ment and Agriculturists' Loans Acts, of which 1 1 lakhs was lent in 1900-r and 8-6 lakhs in 1899-1900.
The domestic animals are cows, buffaloes, oxen, horses, asses, sheep, and goats. The cattle are of two breeds : the small indigenous bullock, and the large bullock of Northern Gujarat. The smaller breed of bullocks, generally driven in riding carts, are worth from Rs. 80 to Rs. 120 each. Prosperous cultivators pay much attention to the appearance and condition of their cattle.
Only an infinitesimal portion of the District (533 acres in 1903-4) is irrigated. The chief sources of supply are 39 Government ' minor ' works, 1,153 ^vells, and 100 tanks. Nine drainage channels were recently excavated by famine labour in the District at a cost of Rs. 42,000.
There are no forests in the District; but a tract of about 10,000 acres in extent has recently been set apart for the rearing of babul and other trees.
With the exception of a conglomerate stone and limestone in the Anklesvar td/uka, the plain of Broach is destitute of mineral resources.
Trade and communication
The English and the Dutch were tempted to establish factories at Broach, owing to its reputation for the manufacture of fine silk and cotton goods. Competition with the machine-made reduced the number of weavers of hand-made fabrics that, at the Census of 1901, the weavers employed in the local mills were twice as numerous as the hand-workers. There are four cotton-spinning and weaving-mills at Broach, with 62,000 spindles and 859 looms, giving employment to 2,212 operatives, and producing annually 5,000,000 pounds of yarn and 3,000,000 pounds of cloth. Some roughly finished hardware, mainly knives and tools, is made at Amod.
The trade guilds of Broach include the leading capitalists of the city, the bankers and money-changers, cotton-dealers, agents, and those engaged in the business of insurance ; other unions represent the smaller trades, and are conducted on the panchdyat system common in some parts of India. Details of the constitution and objects of these associations are given in the article on Ahmadabad District, where the system is more fully developed than in Broach. One of the main sources of revenue of the chief guild of Broach city is a tax of from 4 to 8 annas per bale of cotton.
Except in the case of cotton bills, there is also a charge of one anna on every bill of exchange negotiated. The receipts from these taxes are applied to objects of charity and religion. The chief institution maintained is the hospital {panjrdpol) for old and sick animals, supported at a yearly cost of about Rs. 5,300. In addition to fees and fines levied upon members for breaches of trade rules, some of the guilds adopt special means for collecting funds. Money-changers, grain-dealers, grocers, and tobacco merchants make the observance of their trade holidays — the 2nd, the nth, and the last day of each fortnight — a source of revenue to the general body. On the occasion of these holidays, only one shop is allowed to remain open in each market. The right to open this shop is put up to auction, and the amount bid is kept for caste purposes. Similarly, the bankers, cotton-dealers, insurers, and brick- layers have, for trade purposes, imposed a tax on the members of their craft or calling. In the case of other classes, the necessary sums are collected by subscription among the members of the caste.
Formerly the Gujarat and Malwa trade passed through the ports of Broach and Tankari ; but since the opening of the railway, trade to the sea-coast has greatly diminished. Eighteen hundred years ago Broach was one of the chief seats of trade between India and Western Asia. Gold and silver, slaves, pearls, Italian and Persian wines, and dates were largely imported ; and rice, ghi, cotton, oil, and sugar were exported, besides sandal-wood, ebony, and muslins. This trade con- tinued until the seventeenth century, when it began to centre in Surat, and subsequently moved to Bombay. Only a small coasting trade now remains. Cotton, wheat, and piece-goods are the chief exports, while yarn, metals, sugar, piece-goods, and timber are imported. In 1903-4 the port of Broach had an import trade of 18 lakhs and an export trade of 13 lakhs, while Tankari on the Dhadhar river had a total import and export trade combined of 5 lakhs.
External communication is now effected by the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway, which passes through the Anklesvar and Broach talukas, crossing the Xarbada by a fine bridge of 25 spans. A branch of the RajpTpla State Railway connects Anklesvar with Nan- dod. The former traverses the District for 27 miles and the latter for 6i miles. Passengers from Kathiawar can also arrive by sea. The District possesses 37 miles of metalled roads and 138 miles of un- metalled roads. About 28 miles of the former class are maintained by the Public Works department. Avenues of trees are planted along 52 miles. The estuaries of the rivers Narbada and Dhadhar afford shelter to coasting vessels during the stormy months of the monsoon. There were in 1820 five seaports, of which only two, Broach and Tankari, are still seats of trade.
Famine
The years 1630, 1631, and 1755 are said to have been seasons of scarcity, in which, owing to the failure of crops, remissions of revenue , were granted. In 1 760-1, 1773, and 1786-7 portions of the District verged so closely upon famine that the revenue had to be very largely remitted. The great famine of 1790 was caused by the entire failure of the monsoon. The year 1819 was marked by excessive rainfall, and 1838. 1840, and 1868 by total or partial failure of rain. In 181 2 the District suffered from the ravages of locusts, and in 1835 from frost. Years of partial drought have also been numerous. In 1878 the autumnal crops failed in two of the western talukas, on account of excessive rainfall ; all the fields sown after a certain period were attacked by swarms of grubs. Between 1899 and 1902 the District suffered from severe famine due to insulificient rain. Relief works, opened in September, 1899, were continued till October, 1902. The highest daily average on works was 106,215 in February, 1900, and on gratuitous relief 72,473 in August, 1900. The mortality rose to 87 per 1,000. Nearly 30 lakhs of revenue was remitted and over 22 lakhs' was advanced to cultivators.
For administrative purposes the District is divided into five talukas : namely, Amod, Broach, Anklesvar, Jambusar, and V.\gra, the petty subdivision ipetha) of Hansot being included in Administration. Anklesvar. The admmistration m revenue matters is entrusted to a Collector and two Assistants, of whom one is a Covenanted Civilian.
Administration
For judicial purposes the District was formerly included within the jurisdiction of the Judge of Surat. It now contains one District Judge with full powers, and 4 Subordinate Judges. Criminal justice is administered by 8 Magistrates. The District is not remarkable for serious offences against property : but among the Bohras and Bhils outbursts of violence are not uncommon.
' This figure is for the whole famine period from Sept. i, 1S99, to Oct. 31, 1902.
At the time of the introduction of British rule (1803), there was in many villages an association of members of the proprietary body, by which the amount of the state demand was distributed according to a fixed proportion among the members. The peculiarities of this joint tenure {bhagdari) have, to some extent, disappeared before the system of collecting the revenue direct from the different shareholders.
At first the land revenue demand was fixed after an inspection of the crops by revenue superintendents or desais. This system led to numerous abuses. In 1811 the territory forming the original Broach District — namely, the tahtkas of Broach, Anklesvar, and Hansot— was surveyed. I^ater, the survey was extended to the remaining talukas received under the Treaty of Poona in 1818. The first settlement in simple Government villages was made with the village headmen, and aimed at ascertaining the value of the crop in each holding. But in 1837 a new settlement was attempted, regulated by the character of the soil and the range of local prices. The year 1848 saw the settlement revised owing to the fall in prices, and in 1 870-1 a fresh settlement on the lines adopted elsewhere in the Presidency was introduced. Under this settlement the realizations were about 19^ lakhs. The revision survey, completed since 1901, shows a decrease in cultivation of over 4,000 acres, and, in assessment, of 4 per cent. The average rates of assessment are : * dry ' land, Rs. 4-0 (maximum Rs. 6-8, minimum Rs. 3-0) ; rice land, Rs. 5-14 (maximum Rs. 5-4, minimum Rs. 3-0) ; and garden land, Rs. 8-11 (maximum Rs. lo-o, minimum Rs. 7-0). Collections of revenue, in thousands of rupees, have been as follows : —
A small aristocracy of Rajput pedigree still occupies a position of some importance in the District ; but being heavily burdened with debt, their estates would have been attached and sold if Government had not interfered and assumed the administration of their property under Act XV of 1871.
The District contains five municipalities : Broach, Anki.esvar, Jam- RUSAR, Hansot, and Amod. The District board and five tdhtka boards, which are in charge of local affairs elsewhere, have an average revenue of more than 2\ lakhs, chiefly derived from the land cess, and spent Rs. 61,000 on roads and buildings in 1903-4.
The police of the District are controlled by a Superintendent, assisted by two inspectors. The total strength of the force is 454 persons, including 7 chief constables, 89 head constables, and 358 men. A body of 6 mounted police under one daffadar is also maintained.
There are 7 police stations. The District contains 6 subsidiary jails and 12 lock-ups, with accommodation for 255 prisoners. The daily average prison population in 1904 was 48, of whom 8 were females.
Broach stands first as regards literacy among the twenty-four Districts of the Presidency, and 15-3 per cent, of the population (28-3 males and I'S females) could read and write in 1901. In 1880-1 there were 218 schools attended by 12,724 pupils, who had increased to 17,276 in 1890-1, and numbered 16,888 in 1901. In 1903-4, 328 public and private schools were attended by 17,424 pupils, including 2,967 girls. Out of 299 public institutions, 252 are managed by local boards, 32 by municipalities, one by Government, 9 are aided and 5 unaided. The public schools include one high school, 5 middle and 293 primary schools. The expenditure in 1903-4 was nearly \\ lakhs, of which Rs. 16,000 was derived from fees, and 83 per cent, was devoted to primary education.
Besides a hospital at Broach city the District contains 8 dispen.saries, with accommodation for 74 in-patients. Including 538 in-patients, 51,500 persons were treated in 1904, and 1,699 operations were performed. The expenditure was Rs. 15,000, of which Rs. 9,000 was met from Local and municipal funds.
The number of persons successfully vaccinated in 1903-4 was 7,186, representing a proportion of 25 per 1,000, which is slightly below the average for the Presidency.
[Sir J. M. Campbell, Bombay Gazetteer, vol. ii, Surat and Broach
(1877)-]
