Mudhol State, 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.
Mudhol State
State under the Political Agent of Kolhapur and the Southern Maratha Country, Bombay, lying between i6° 7' and 16° 27' N. and 75° 4' and 75*^ 32' E., with an area of 368 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Jamkhandi State; on the east by the Bagalkot tdluka ; on the south by Belgaum and Bijapur Dis- tricts and the Kolhapur State ; and on the west by the Gokak tdluka of Belgaum District. The population in 190 1 was 63,001, Hindus numbering 57,896, Muhammadans 4,826, and Jains 277. The State contains 3 towns, including Mudhoi, (population, 8,359), the resi- dence of the chief; and 81 villages. The general aspect of the countr)- is flat, with slight undulations. The scenery is monotonous, and, except during the rainy season, presents a parched and barren aspect.
There are no mountains, the small hill ranges not being more than 150 feet high. The greater portion of the soil is black, the remainder being the inferior description of red and stony land known as mdl. The only river passing through the State is the Ghatprabha, which is navigable during the monsoon by boats of less than a ton burden ; but it is never used as a means of communication for travelling or trade. It waters in its course about half the villages of the State, and irrigates by its annual floods a considerable area. Irrigation is also effected by damming up small rivulets, and turning off the water in the direction required ; by drawing water from wells and pools by means of leathern bags ; and where the ele\-ation of the bed of a reservoir is sufficient, by leading channels into the neigh- bouring fields. As in other parts of the Deccan, the climate is very dry, the heat from March to Ma)^ being oppressive. The staple crops are jowdr, wheat, gram, and cotton. Cotton cloth and articles of female apparel are the chief manufactures.
The chief of Mudhol belongs to the Bhonsla family of the Maratha caste or clan, descended, according to tradition, from a common ancestor with Sivaji the Great. This name, however, has been entirely superseded by the second designation of Ghorpade, which is said to have been acquired by one of the family who managed to scale a fort, previously deemed impregnable, by fastening a cord around the body of a ghorpad or iguana. All that is authentically known of the history of the family is that it held a high position at the court of Bijapur, from which it received the lands it still holds. The Mudhol chiefs were the most determined opponents of Sivaji during his early con- cjuests : but on the overthrow of the Muhammadan power they joined the Marathas, and accepted a military command from the Peshwa.
The great-grandfather of the present ruler (who died in 1856) was the first who became a feudatory of the British Government.
The chief administers his estate in person. He enjoys an esti- mated revenue of more than 3 lakhs, and pays a tribute of Rs. 2,672 to the British Government. He officially ranks as a iirst-class Sardar in the Southern Marathil Country. There are two civil courts in the State. An appeal lies to the chief, who has power to try his own subjects for capital offences. The family of the chief holds a title authorizing adoption, and follows the rule of primogeniture in matters of succession. There are 24 schools with 1,123 pupils : and three muni- cipalities, with an income in 1903-4 of Rs. 6,400. The police force numbered 104 in the same year, and the one jail in the State contained a daily average of 17 prisoners. In 1903-4 the State maintained three dispensaries which afforded relief to 26,000 persons, and 1.300 persons were vaccinated.
