Pokaran

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Pokaran, 1908

Head-quarters of a jagir estate of the same name in the Sankra district of the State of Jodhpur, Rajputana, situated in 26degree 55 N. and 71degree 55' E., about 85 miles north-west of Jodhpur city. Population (1901), 7,125. It has a post office, a vernacular school, and a dispensary. The town is on low ground closed in by hills to the north, south, and west, and water is plentiful. The small fort is well built and strong in appearance, but is commanded by the adjacent hills. About 2 miles away are the ruins of Satalmer, a village founded by Satal, the eldest son of Rao Jodha, about the end of the fifteenth century, but dismantled by Rao Maldeo (1532-69) to find material for the Pokaran fort. The site of Satalmer is still marked by a conspicuous Jain temple and the monuments raised to the memory of the deceased members of the Thakur's family. Close to the town of Pokaran is a salt marsh about 4 miles in length and 2 in breadth, where salt was formerly manufactured. The estate of Pokaran consists of 100 villages, yielding a revenue of about a lakh. The Thakurs of Pokaran are the head of the Champawat sept of the Rcathors, and are descended from Champa, a brother of Rao Jodha. They enjoy the privilege of attesting all grants of land or villages made by the Darbar, and are entitled to a seat just behind the Maharaja of Jodhpur on an elephant, from which, on state occasions, they flourish the morchal^ or peacock feather fly- whisk, over their chiefs head. The present Thakur of Pokaran (Mangal Singh), besides being the pradhan or premier noble, is a member of the council and a Rao Bahadur.

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.