Khaniadhana
Khaniadhana, 1908
Small sanad State in the Central India Agency, under the Resident at Gwalior. It has an area of about 68 square miles, lying round the town of the same name. It is bounded on the east by Jhansi District of the United Provinces, and on all other sides by Gwalior State. Although the State is situated politically in the Gwalior Residency, it lies geographically in Bundelkhand, and until 1888 was included in the Political Charge of that name. Khaniadhana was originally a part of Orchha ; but in 1724 it was granted by Maharaja Udot Singh of Orchha to his son Arnar Singh, together with the villages of Mohangarh and Ahar. On the dis- memberment of the Orchha State by the Marathas a sanad was granted to Amar Singh by the Peshwa in 1751, confirming him in his grant. The question of suzerainty was, from this time onward, always a subject of contention between the chiefs of Orchha and of the Maratha State of Jhansi. On the lapse of the latter State in 1854, the Khaniadhana chief, Pirthlpal Bahadur Ju Deo, claimed absolute independence. It was, however, ruled that he was dependent on the British Government as successor to all the rights previously exercised by the Peshwa ; and a sanad was accordingly granted in 1862 confirming him in his posses- sion, a sa?iad of adoption being granted at the same time. The chiefs of Khaniadhana are Bundela Rajputs of the Orchha house, and bear the title of Jaglrdar. The present chief, Chitra Singh, who succeeded in 1869, obtained the title of Raja as a personal distinction in 1877.
The population has been: (1881) 13,494, (1891) 14,871, and (1901) 15,528. Hindus number 13,548, or 87 per cent. ; and Animists, 1,208, or 8 per cent., chiefly Saharias. The population has increased by 4 per cent, since 1891, and its density is 243 persons per square mile. The chief dialect is Bundelkhandl. Only one per cent, of the inhabitants are literate. The principal castes are Thakurs (Bundela) and other Raj- puts, and the population is almost entirely supported by agriculture. The State contains 49 villages.
The country is rocky, belonging to the Bundelkhand gneiss area. In the valleys, where intrusive dikes of trap are met with, good soil is produced by its disintegration, bearing fair crops of all the ordinary grains. Of the total area, 21 square miles, or 32 per cent., are under cultivation, of which 13 are irrigated. About 27 square miles are capable of cultivation, the rest being rocky and irreclaimable. The chief exercises full powers in all general administrative matters. In criminal cases he is required to report all heinous crimes to the Resident at Gwalior. The total revenue is Rs. 22,000, of which Rs. 18,000 is derived from the land. The British rupee was made legal tender in 1886. There are two schools in the State and one dispensary.
The chief place is Khaniadhana, situated in 25 2' N. and 78 8' E. Population (1901), 2,192. It contains a small fort in which the chief lives, and also a school and a dispensary.
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.
