Indur Districts, 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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Indur Districts
Physical aspects
District in the Bidar Division of Hyderabad State, lying between the Districts of Sirpur Tandur on the north, Elgandal on the east, Medak on the south, and Bidar and Nander on the west, and between 18"^ 5' and 19° 30' N. and 77° 40' and 79° o' E. It has an area of 4,822 square miles, including jdglr and paigdh lands, the area of the khdlsa lands being 3,574 square miles. A range of hills runs through the north between Nander and Elgandal. There are also minor ranges asoects
in the west and east. The largest river is the Go- davari, which enters from the adjoining District of Nander on the west, and, after traversing the northern portion for about 70 miles, passes into Elgandal District. The Manjra, the chief tributary of the Go- davari, crosses the District from the s(juth-west and joins the Godavari near Kandkurti in the Bodhan taluk, after a course of 62 miles. The Penganga forms the boundarj- between the Narsapur taluk in the north and the Pusad taluk of Berar. Smaller rivers are the Siddha in the Narsapur taluk, the I'hulang in the Indiir and Armiir taluks, and the Siiran, which passes through Narsapur and Nirmal. All these
The District ceased to exist in 1905. Sec section on I'opulalion and the article on NiZAMABAU UlsiRicT, wliicli lias taken its place. are tributaries of llic Godavari. The Yedlakatta Vagu is a small perennial stream in Kaniareddipet.
The rocks belong to the Archaean and the Deccan trap formations, the former occupying the larger area. The Deccan trap occurs prin- cipally along the northern frontier.
The chief trees arc teak, black-wood, ebony. naHd)iiaddi (Terminalia /omentosa), eppa i^Hardwickia bin at a), bijdsdl {Pterocarpus Marsupiiim), and tarvar {Cassia auricu/ata).
All the taluks except Mudhol arc largely overgrown with jungle, giving cover to tigers, bears, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, wild hog, sdiiibar, spotted deer, and nilgai.
From February to the end of May the climate is dry and healthy, l)ut during the monsoons and the cold season it is damp and malarious, giving rise to fever and ague. The temperature ranges between 40° in December and 110° in May. In the Nirmal tdli/k the water is bad, and dropsy and malarial fevers are common. The annual rainfall for the twenty years ending T901 averaged 42 inches.
History
The District was conquered by Ala-ud-din Khilji in 131 1. Later it formed part of the Bahmani, and subsequently of the Kutb Shahi kingdoms ; and on the fall of the latter was annexed by Aurangzeb to the Mughal empire, from which it was separated on the foundation of the Hyderabad State, early in the eighteenth century.
Chief among the archaeological and historical remains of the District may be mentioned the fort of Nirmal. The surrounding country is literallv dotted with hills, the majority of which still bear signs of former fortifications. The main defences which surround Nirmal are of European design and construction, having been built by French officers in the Nizam's service. South-west of the town of Nizamabad are the remains of a great fortified temple known as the fort of Indur, which has now been converted into a Central jail. 'Fhere are two old and richly carved temples at the village of Yellareddipet, with an abun- dance of figure scul|)ture adorning both. Ten miles south of Nizam- ,abad, at the small village of Gaursamudram, are the tombs of three Armenians, dating from the latter part of the seventeenth century.
Population
The number of towns and villages in the District is 1,159. The population at each Census during the last twenty years was: (1881) Population 577,264, (i«90 639,598, and (1901) 634,588. The famine of 1 899-1900 accounts for the decline of population in the last decade. The chief towns are Nizamabad, ArMUK, NlR.MA]., BODHAN, MUDHOL, KONDALWADI, and BaLKONDA, the last two being in a paigdh and a jdgir respectively. Indur is the District head-quarters. More than 91 per cent, of the population are Hindus, and nearly all the rest Musalmans. About 78 per cent, of the population speak Telugu. The following table gives the chief statistics of population in 1901 : —
In 1905 the taluks of Nirmal and Narsapur were transferred to the new District of Adilabad, and Mudhol and part of Banswada to Nander. The rest of Banswada was divided between Bodhan and Vellareddipet, while Bimgal was merged in Armur. Other changes were made in Vellareddipet and Kamareddipet, and the District in its new shape is known as Nizamabad.
The purely agricultural castes number 175,600, or about 28 per cent, of the population, the most important being Kapus (83,000), Munnurs (40,000), and Kolis (30,000). Next come the Dhangars or shep- herds (36,000), and the Banias or trading castes, consisting mainly of Komatis (13,800) and Vanis (17,000). There are 11,500 Brah- mans. The weaver castes comprise Salas (12,000), Julahas (13,600), and Koshtis (5,100). The Bestas or /a//«-bearers number 17,000 There are also 12,000 Lammanis or grain-carriers. Among the low castes are Malas or Dhers (64,000), and Mangs or Chamars who are leather-workers (32,000). These last also work as field-labourers. The Kalals or toddy-drawers number about 12,000. More than 51 per cent of the population are dependent on the land.
A Methodist Mission was started at Kanteshwar close to Nizam abad in 1899, which manages two schools and a carpenter's workshop Native Christians numbered 32 in 1901, of whom 2 were Methodists.
Agriculture
In the taluks of Narsapur and Mudhol regar or black cotton soil predominates, while masab, kharab^ and chalka, which are mostly sandy, gravelly, and light-coloured soils, are found in the rest of the District. ' Wet ' cultivation is not practised in these two fdlitks, while the existence of numerous tanks is a marked feature in the others. The soils at the foot of the hills and in valleys are generally very fertile.
The tenure of lands is entirely ryotwari. In 1901, out of 3,574 square miles of khdlsa land, 1,042 were cultivated, 497 were occupied by fallows and cultivable waste, 1,388 by forests, and 647 were not available for cultivation. The staple food-crop is Jowdr, grown on 58 per cent, of the net area cropped. Next in importance is rice, covering 191 square miles. The other food-grains, such as kodro, lachh/ia, and maize, occupy 128 square miles; and cotton 34.
The ordinary breeds of cattle, ponies, sheep, and goats are met with throughout the District. The cattle reared in the hilly portions are more hardy than those of the plains, but both are small. The tdliik of Nirmal was once noted for its fine cattle, supposed to have been introduced from Sirpur Tandur. Two stallions are kept for improving the breed of horses, one at Nizamabad and the other at Kamareddipet.
In 1901, 119 square miles were irrigated. The principal irrigation channels take off from the Phulang and Suran rivers and the Yedla- katta stream, and supply some of the chief tanks. Other canals and channels are supplied from irrigation dams ; and there are 635 large tanks, 837 kimtas or smaller tanks, and 3,112 wells in good working order.
Indur has large tracts of forests. Every tdhtk, except Mudhol, con- tains some forest lands, and the growth in Nirmal and Bimgal is dense. Teak, black-wood {Dalbergia latifolid), ebony (Diospyros melanoxylon), nalldmaddi {Ternmialia tomentosa), eppa {Hardivickia binata), and bijdsdl {Pterocarpus Afarstipiiini) grow well in these two taluks, pro- ducing timber of good scantling. The timber trees elsewhere are inferior, but supply railway sleepers and poles. Fuel is abundant in all the taluks except Mudhol, where the ryots plant babul dwdi mm trees. 'Reserved' forests cover 795 square miles, and unprotected forests 593.
The District possesses good basaltic and granitic building stone. The ironstone found in Bimgal and Armur is excellent, and sword- blades made from the Konasamudram (Armur taluk) steel were once famous for their strength and peculiar damascening.
Trade and Communication
Coarse cotton cloth of every description is made throughout the District. In Armur, the Khatris weave various kinds of silk saris and silk cloth, more than half of which, valued at and Rs. ^e 000 annually, is exported. In Bimgal and Nirmal, palanquins, trays, chairs and tables, toys and native playing-cards, leathern shields, and panels for screens are neatly painted with colours of local manufacture and with embossed patterns. Brass vessels, glass bangles, stone tumblers and cups are exported from these taluks, and also steel knives and other cutting instruments of good finish. In the town of Indur, prayer-cloths and pardas are printed; and scented hair oils and agar hattis^ of a good quality are prepared. A rice-mill has lately been erected, which is capable of husking ii tons of paddy daily, and employs hands. The Mudhol ialuk contains a ginning factory and a cotton-press driven by steam power. The former employs 76 and the latter 46 hands. Leather is tanned in the ordinary way by Chamars for the manufacture of water- buckets.
The principal exports consist of rice, gram, and other food-grains, cotton, oilseeds, oil, chillies, jaggery, tamarinds, cattle, bones and horns, tobacco, leather, tarvar bark for tanning, coarse cloth, silk sdris, and brass vessels. The chief imports are cotton, silk and woollen cloth, salt, salted fish, opium, condiments, gold, silver, copper, brass, iron, kerosene oil, refined sugar, and raw silk. Trade is mainly with the adjoining Districts ; but cotton, leather, tarvar bark, bones, horns, and oilseeds are sent to Bombay and Madras. Nizamabad is the chief centre of general trade, especially for those parts not served by the railway. weekly bazars are held at the several taluk head-quarters, from which merchandise is distributed to distant parts of the District. The Komatis are the chief trading caste.
The Hyderabad-Godavari Valley Railway traverses the District from the north-west to the south for 80 miles, with ten railway stations within its limits.
About 142 miles of road are metalled with morum or gravel. The old Nagpur trunk road from Hyderabad to Nagpur in the Central Provinces crosses the District for 84 miles, and is maintained by the Public Works department. Another road, 39 miles long, runs from Nizamabad to Banswada. There are four railway feeder-roads with an aggregate length of 19 miles, and ordinary country roads connect Nizamabad with the head-quarters of the taluks. The District is on the whole well supplied with communications.
Famine
Owing to its large forest area and numerous wells and tanks, Indur has been fairly free from famine. In 18 19, while there was famine in Gulbarga, Lingsugur, Bhir, and Parbhani, only slight distress was experienced here. In the famine of 1833, though the people were not much affected, large numbers of cattle died for want of fodder. The great famine of 1899 -1900, which was most seriously felt in the Aurangabad Division and Osmanabad, affected this District also, the rainfall in 1899 being only 16 inches, or less than two-fifths of the average. But as 1898 had been a good year, the ryots did not suffer acutely, though the loss to the State by remis- sions was great.
Sticks composed of fragrant herbs, frankincense, and musk, which are burnt for their fragrance at religious ceremonials and sacrifices.
Administration
The District is divided into three subdivisions: one, consisting of the taluks of liodhan and yellareddipet, under a Third Talukdar ; the second, comprising the taluks of Kamareddipet and Armur, under a Second Talukdar ; and the third, consisting of the Indur taluk only, under a Third Talukdar. Each taluk is under a tahsildar. The First Talukdar is the head of the District, having a general supervision over the work of all his sub- ordinates.
The District civil court is presided over by a Civil Judge styled the Ndzim-i-Diwani, and the subordinate civil courts are those of the tahsildars. The First Talukdar is the chief magistrate, and the Dis- trict Civil Judge is also a joint-magistrate, exercising powers during the absence of the First Talukdar from head-quarters. The Second Taluk- dar exercises first-class magisterial powers, and the Third Talukdars second-class powers, while the tahsilddrs have third-class powers. There is little serious crime in ordinary times, but bad seasons lead to cattle-thefts and dacoities.
Little is known of the revenue history of the District. Formerly villages were made over to revenue farmers, who were allowed lo per cent, for collections. They levied cash payments on ' dry ' cultivation and sugar-cane, but for ' wet ' crops they obtained a share in kind. In 1866, when the whole State was divided into Districts and taluks, revenue in kind was commuted to cash payments. A survey was com- pleted in 1898, but the periods of settlement vary in the different taluks. Mudhol, Bodhan, Yellareddipet, Kamareddipet, and Bans- wada were settled for fifteen years, Nirmal and Narsapur for ten, and Indur, Armur, and Bimgal for seven years. The system followed resembles that of the Mysore settlement. The settlement caused an increase in the revenue of 5 per cent., while the survey showed that the area in holdings was greater than that recorded in the old accounts by 216 square miles. The average assessment on 'dry' land is Rs. 1-4 (maximum Rs. 2-0, minimum one anna), and on ' wet ' land includ- ing gardens, Rs. 14 (maximum Rs. 24, minimum Rs. 3).
The land revenue and the total revenue of the District in recent years are shown Ijelow, in thousands of rupees : —
Since 1899 a cess of one anna in the rupee has been levied, and local boards established. The First Talukdar is the president of the District board, and the tahsilddrs are chairmen of the subordinate taluk boards. At Nizamabad there is a municipality, and each of the taluk head-quarters has a small conservancy establishment ; the District and taluk boards manage the municipalities as well. The local board expenditure in 1901 was Rs. 71,725. The District Engineer has charge of all the roads and buildings constructed or maintained by the Public Works department. The Irrigation Engineer superintends the repair and construction of irrigation works.
The First Talukdar is the head of the police administration, with the Superintendent {Mohtamim) as his executive deputy. Under him are ro inspectors, 115 subordinate officers, 684 constables, and 25 mounted police, distributed among 45 thanas and 43 outposts, except the mounted police who are at head-quarters.
The fort of Indur has been converted into a Central jail, and receives convicts sentenced to more than six months' imprisonment from the Districts of Medak, Mahbubnagar, Bidar, and Sirpur Tandur. In 1 90 1 there were 496 convicts in the Central jail. Female convicts are sent to the Warangal Central jail, as there is no separate accom- modation here. Shairaf/jls, cotton-tweeds, counterpanes, towels, khaki cloth, c\:c., are manufactured in large quantities. Tailors', carpenters', and blacksmiths' workshops are also at work, besides a printing press. All the cloth required for the convicts is manufactured in the jail, and surplus products are sold.
The District occupies a medium place as regards the literacy of its population, of whom 2-1 per cent. (4-1 males and 0-2 females) were able to read and write in r9or. The total number of pupils under instruction in r88r, 189 r, 1901, and 1903 was 226, 1,496, 1,994, and 2,476 respectively. In 1903 there were 44 i)rimary schools and one middle school, with 103 girls under instruction. The total expenditure on education in 1901 amounted to Rs. 12,278, of which Rs. 10,864 was met by the State and the remainder by local boards. The sum derived from fees was Rs. 780.
The District contained six dispensaries in 1901, with accommodation for 25 in-patients. The cases treated in that year numbered 30,794, of whom 142 were in-patients, and 612 operations were performed. The total expenditure amounted to Rs. 15,086, of which Rs. 13,694 was paid by the State and the balance was met from Local funds. The number of persons successfully vaccinated in 1901 was t,iio, 01 i'75 per 1,000 of the population.
