Nagod State, 1908
Nagod 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.
(or Unchahra).— A sanad vState in Central India, under the Political Agent in Baghelkhand, lying between 24° 12' and 24° 39" N. and 80 degree 28' and 80° 53' E., with an area of about 501 square miles. Until the eighteenth century the State was known as Unchalira, from the name of its original capital. It is cut up into two sections, the isolated pargana of Dhanwahl, which lies east of Maihar, having been granted in 1859 in recognition of good services rendered during the Mutiny. The greater part of the territory is situated in the high- level plain to the east of the Panna range, but a small portion falls within the hilly tract. Nagod is watered by the Satna river, a tributary of the Tons, and by several smaller streams, which are not, however, available for irrigation.
Geologically, Nagod presents several features of interest. The greater part is covered with fine sandstones of the Bandair (Bhander) series and the Sirbu shales. Limestone of a superior quality, known commercially as Nagod limestone, is met with in the form of low hills close to the chief town, supplying the most valuable source of lime known in India. In 1828 Captain Franklin announced the existence of fossil remains in this rock; but subsequent search has failed to substantiate this discovery, which, as giving a clue to the age of the Vindhyans, would have been of the highest scientific importance. The famous Bharhut stupa was constructed of the Bandair sandstone, the excellence of which is proved by the marvellous sharpness of the carving on the fragments discovered.
The chiefs of Nagod are Parihar Rajputs, one of the four Agnikula clans, whose traditional home is on Mount Abu. The history of their migration into Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand is of considerable interest, but exceedingly difficult to unravel. In the seventh century the Gaharwars held Bundelkhand, but were driven out or at least subordinated by an incursion of Parihar Rajputs from the west, who established themselves in the country l}ing between Mahoba and Mau (near Chhatarpur), and rapidly extended their sway over most of this region. In the ninth century they in their turn became subordinate to ilie great Chandel clan ; and, though not exterminated, a large section was obliged to migrate still farther eastwards into Baghelkhand, wliere, according to their annals. Raja Dhara Singh seized the fort of Naro from the Teli Rajas in 1344. In 1478 Raja Bhoja obtained Unchahra, which he made the chief town, and which remained so until 1720, when the capital was moved to Nagod by Raja Chain Singh. Later on the Parihars lost to the Bundelas and Baghelas practically all their possessions, except the limited territory they now hold, and preserved this remnant only by submitting to their adversaries.
When the British became paramount after the 'Preaty of Bassein (1802), Nagod was held to be tributary to Panna, and was included in the sanad granted to that State in 1807. In recognition, however, of the fact that the territory had been in the possession of the family before the establishment of Chhatarsal's power and had continued to be independent throughout the supremacy of the Bundelas and of All Bahadur, a separate sa/uid was granted to Lai Sheoraj Singh in 1809 confirming him in his possessions. He was succeeded in 1818 by his son, Balbhadra Singh, who was deposed in 1831 for murdering his brother. His successor, Raghavendra Singh, who was then a minor, received jjowers in 1838 and obtained a new sanad, succession dues to the value of Rs. 8,000 being paid to the British Government. He involved the State in debt, and it was placed under management in 1844. In the Mutiny the chief behaved most loyally in assisting Europeans, and in recognition of these services received a grant of eleven villages now forming the pargana of Dhanwahl, which had belonged to the confiscated State of Bijeraghogarh. In 1862 he received a sanad of adoption, and in 1865 he again assumed manage- ment till his death in 1874. He was succeeded by his son, the present chief. Raja Jadavendra Singh, who was then nineteen. The Raja began to exercise powers in 1882, but was deprived of them in 1894 for mismanagement, and retired to Benares, where he lived as a recluse for ten years, refusing all inducements to return. In August, 1904, however, he agreed to accept an allowance and to reside at Satna. The chief has the title of Raja and receives a salute of 9 guns.
'Phe antiquities of Nagod are considerable, but have not, as yet, been fully investigated. The old routes from Malwa and Southern India to Kausambhi and Sravasti probably met at or near Bharhut (24° 37' N. and 80° 53' E.), where a magnificent Buddhist stupa formerly stood, the remains of which were discovered by Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1873. Though entirely ruined, a large number of carved stones were recovered and placed in the Calcutta Museum. It must have originally been very similar to the great stupa at Sanchi, though the railing is more ornamental, and possibly of later date. On one (jf the gateways a record’ was discovered referring to its erection during the rule of the Sunga dvnastv, who flourished in the second and first centuries B.C. A mediaeval temple was also exhumed close by. Other places of interest are Lalpahar, a hill near the stupa, where there are a large cave and an inscribed record of the Kalachuri dynasty of 1 1 58: Sankargarh; Khoh, formerly a large city and capital of the Tali Rajas, where several important records dating from a.d. 475 to 554 have been discovered ; Bhumara, Majhgawan, Kari Talai, and Pataini Devi. At the last place is a small but well-preserved temple in the Gupta style of the fourth or fifth century, with some later Jain remains of the tenth and eleventh centuries.
The population of the State has been : (1881) 79,629, (1891) 84,097, and (1901) 67,092. The large decrease of 20 per cent, during the last decade is due to famine. Hindus number 55,989, or 84 per cent. ; Animists, 8,701, mainly Gonds and Kols ; and Musalmans, 2,331. The State contains one town, Unchahra, its old capital ; and 336 villages. Baghelkhandi is the principal language, spoken by 85 per cent, of the population. About 86 per cent, of the inhabitants are supported by agriculture, 12 per cent, by general labour, and 2 per cent, by trade. Of the total area, 223 square miles, or 45 per cent., are cultivated, of which only 343 acres are irrigable. Of the uncultivated area, 87 square miles are cultivable, 167 square miles are under forest, and the rest is waste. Rice and wheat each occupy 43 square miles, or 18 per cent, of the cropped area; kodon, 38 square miles, or 16 per cent.; gram, 37 square miles, or 15 per cent.; barley, 32 square miles, or 9 per cent. ; saman and kakiin, 24 square miles, or 10 per cent. ; and jowdr, 1 1 square miles.
Besides the Panna-Satna high road, metalled roads connect Nagod with Unchahra and Unchahra with Parsmania, 86 miles in all, of which 37 are maintained by the State. British post offices are maintained at Nagod and Unchahra.
The State was in 1905 under superinlendence, being managed by the Political Agent assisted by a d'lwan. The total revenue from all sources is 1-7 lakhs, of which one lakh is derived from land. About Rs. 73,000 is alienated in grants to members of the chief's family and
' A. Cr.nningliani, 'The Hharhut Stupn,' Indian Antiquary, vol. xiv, p. 138; vol. xxi, p. 225. other jagirdars. The principal heads of expenditure are R.s. 70.000 on general administration, including the expenditure of the chief, Rs. 20,000 on public worlcs, and Rs. 12,000 on police. A twelve years' revenue settlement, based on the productiveness of the soil and its position as regards villages and the caste of the holder, was made in 1901. The incidence of the land revenue demand is Rs. 1-8 per acre of cultivated area, and 11 annas per acre of total area. About 159 square miles, or 32 per cent, of the total area, are alienated in grants. .Vbout 3 per cent, of the total population were able to read and write in 1 90 1. The State contains eight schools and two hospitals.
