Rewah 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.
Contents |
Physical aspects
(Riwa)A tieaty State in the Baghelkhand Agency, Central India, lying between 22 38' and 25 12' N. and 80 32' and 82 51' E. 5 with an area of about 13,000 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Banda, Allahabad, and Mirzapur Districts of the United Provinces ; on the east by Mirzapur Distiict and the Tributary States of Chota Nagpur ; on the south by the Central Provinces ; and on the west by the States of Maihar, Nagod, Sohawal, and Kothl, in Baghelkhand The State falls into two natural divisions, which are separated by the scarp of the Kaimui range North of the range, surrounding gets the chief town, lies a wide elevated alluvial plain, with an area of 3,778 square miles, to the south the country is traversed by a succession of parallel ridges enclosing deep valleys, the whole being covered with dense forest. The plateau ends on both the north and south in an abrupt scarp, and the scenery near the hilly tract is very fine. Over the northern scarp the Tons falls in a series of magnificent cascades. Near Govindgarh on the southern boundary a similar effect on a smaller scale is produced by streams which pre- cipitate themselves into the valley of the Son river.
The KAIMURS and theii eastern spur, known locally as the Khainjua, the arm of the Panna range (see VINDHYA) called locally the Bmjh Pahar, which curves eastwards from Bundelkhand and forms the northern boundary of the State, and the MAIKALA HILLS on which the sacred AMARKANTAK stands in the south-east, constitute the hill system of this region. The watershed is formed by the Kaimurs, fiom which all streams flow respectively north or south to join the TONS and SON, these two great rivers with their tributaries constituting the drainage of the State.
The geology of Rewah is unusually interesting The type areas of several important series he within its limits, the Rewahs, Kaimurs, Bandairs (Bhanders), and Sirbu shales deriving their designations from local names The elevated plain on which the chief town stands consists of rocks of the lower Bandair series overlaid with alluvium, while on some of the highest hill-tops a covering of latente still appears, showing that the great Deccan trap flow once extended as far east as this region. The jungle-covered tract lying south of the Kaimut range consists of hills of Vindhyan sandstone superimposed on gneiss The Bijawars here exhibit a varied series of slates, sandstones, iron ores, and basic lavas, and in the south abut on the Gondwana rocks, well-known for their coal-bearing property, while at the very southern limit of the State the cretaceous Lam etas and trap appear, the latter reaching as far as Amarkantak.
Almost every formation met with in the State yields products of value. The gneiss contains corundum, while mica and galena also occur in this formation. The Bijawars contain rich iion ores, valuable limestones, some of which would make highly ornamental marbles, and bright-red banded jaspers similar to those which are found near Gwalior and employed by the stone-workeis of Agra. The Lam etas contain ceramic clays of excellent quality The UMARIA coal-mines in the Gondwanas are a source of considerable income to the State, while the Vindhyan sandstones yield building materials of unsurpassed excellence.
The prevalent tiee in the Rewah forests is the sdl(Shorea robusta?), others being the saj (Termmalia tomentosa), tendu (Diospyros tomen- tosa\ and khair (Acacia Catechu}. The brushwood consists mainly of the species Grewia, Zizyphus, Casearia^ Antidesma, Woodfordia^ Fhteggea,) Phyllanthus^ Boswelha^ and Buchanama^ with occasional trees of makud (Bassia latifoha),
The Rewah jungles are well-known for their tigers, while leopards, bears, sambar (Cervis umcolor\ antelope, and chlnkara (Gazella be?i- netti\ and other species common to Peninsular India abound. All the ordinary wild fowl are met with,
The climate is generally healthy, but subject to extremes of heat and cold. The annual rainfall averages 41 inches Great vaiiations are, however, apparent in different parts of the State, the Raghurajnagar tahsil having an average of 45 inches, while in the Sohagpur tahsU it rises to 52.
History
The chiefs of Rewah are Baghel Rajputs descended from the Solanki clan which mled over Gujarat from the tenth to the thirteenth century Vyaghra Deo, brother of the ruler of Gujarat, is said to have made his way into Northern India about the middle of the thirteenth century and obtained the fort of Marpha, * y '
1 8 miles north-east of Kalmjar. His son, Karan Deo, married a Kala- chun (Haihaya) princess of Mandla and received in dowry the fort of Bandhogarh, which until its destruction by Akbar m 1597 was the capital of the Baghel possessions. The Rewah family, however, have singularly few historical records , and such histories as have been lately composed confuse persons and dates m a way that makes them absolutely unreliable, so that were it not for the detailed lecords of the Muham- madan historians it would be difficult to give any connected account
In 1298 Karan Deo, the last Baghel i tiler of Gujarat, was driven from his country by Ulugh Khan, acting under the orders of the empeior Ala-ud-din This disaster seems to have caused a considerable migration of Baghels to Bandhogarh Until the fifteenth century the Baghels were engaged in extending their possessions, and were not of sufficient political importance to attract the attention of the Delhi kings. In 1488 the Baghel Raja of Panna 1 assisted Husain Shah of Jaunpur when pursued by Bahlol Lodl. In 1494 Sikandar LodI advanced against Raja Bhaira or Bhira of Panna, who had captured Mubarak Khan, governor of Jaunpur. The Raja was defeated and died during his retreat, while Sikandar proceeded as far as Paphund, 20 miles north of the capital town of Bandhogarh, In 1498-9 Sikan- dar attacked Bhlra's son and successor, Salivahan, for refusing to grant him a daughter in marriage. An attempt to take the fort of Bandho- garh failed, and Sikandar was obliged to content himself with laying waste the country up to Banda. Salivahan was succeeded by Blr Singh Deo, the founder of Blrsmghpur, now in Panna State, and was followed by his son Birbhan, who had lived for some time at Sikandar's court. The next chief was Ram Chandra (1555-92), the contemporary of Akbar, who is constantly mentioned by Muhammadan historians Hearing of the extraordinary skill of Ram Chandra's musician, Tan Sen, Akbar summoned him to Delhi, Tan Sen's songs are still sung, and his name is revered throughout India as that of a singer who has never been equalled. Ram Chandra persistently refused to attend the Delhi court, till at length in 1584, at the suggestion of his own son Birbhadra, then at Delhi, Raja Birbal and a noble, Zain Khan Koka, fetched the old chief, who was received with all honour by Akbar. Ram Chandra died in 1592 and was succeeded by Birbhadra, who, however, fell from his palanquin while travelling to Bandhogarh and died in the following year, Blrbhadra's sudden death and the acces- sion of a minor named Vikramaditya gave rise to disturbances in 1 { Panna ' is here probably a copyist's mistake for ' Bhatti.' Bandhogarh. Akbar intervened and captured and dismantled the fort in 1597, after a siege of eight months and a few days. Anup Singh (1640-60) was driven from Rewah by Pahar Singh Bundela of Orchha. In 1658, however, he went to Delhi and made his submission; and the fort of Bandhu and its dependent territory were restored to him. Aniiudh Singh (1690-1700) was killed by the Sengar Thakurs of Mauganj, leaving an infant son Avdhut Singh (1700-55) The State at this time was invaded by Hirde Sah of Panna, who occupied Rewah, the chief being forced to fly to Partabgarh in Oudh.
In 1803, after the Treaty of Bassem, overtures for an alliance were made to the Rewah chief, who, however, rejected them. In 1812, during the time of Raja Jai Singh (1809-35), a body of Pindans raided Mirzapur from Rewah territory. The chief was believed to have either abetted 01 at least countenanced the laid, and was accordingly called upon to accede to a treaty, in which he acknowledged the protection of the British Government, and agreed to refer all disputes with neigh- bouring chiefs to their arbitration, and to allow British troops to march through or be cantoned in his territories. The last condition was not, however, fulfilled, and a fresh treaty was entered into in 1813. Jai Singh was a scholar, and the author of several works, as well as a great patron of literary men. In 1854 Maharaja Raghuraj Singh succeeded to the gaddL On the outbreak of the Mutiny in 1857, he offered troops for the assistance of the British Government, and 2,000 men were sent to keep peace in the neighbouring tracts. Kimwar Singh, leader of the rebels from Dinapur, attempted to march through the country ; but Lieutenant Osborne, the Political Agent, supported by the country people, beat them off, and also repulsed an attack by the mutineers from Nagod and Jubbulpore, after which Colonel Hinde, commanding the Rewah Contingent, took the offensive and cleared the Deccan road of rebels For his good services, the Sohagpur and Amarkantak parganas, which had been seized by the Marathas in the beginning of the centuiy, were restored to Raghuraj Singh. He died in 1880, and was succeeded by the present chief, Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh, born in 1876. He was cieated a G.C S I. in 1897, in recognition of his successful conduct of famine relief opera- tions. The ruler of the State bears the titles of His Highness and Maharaja, and receives a salute of 1 7 guns.
The country possessed by the Rewah chief is coveied with old re- mams, almost every village having in it or near it some signs of former habitation \ but these have not yet been fully examined Madho- garh, Rampur, Kundalpur, Amarpatan, Majholi, and Kakonsiha may be especially noted. At Kevati Kund the Mahanadi river drops down a sheer fall of 331 feet, forming a deep pool which is held to be very sacred ; near it is an inscription in characters of about 200 B.C. Gurgi Masaun, 1 2 miles east of Rewah town, is strewn with remains showing that it was formerly a place of great importance, and it has been suggested as the site of the ancient city of Kausambhi. A fine fort here, called Rehuta, which is attributed to Kama Deo Chedi (1040-70), has a circuit of 2-| miles, with walls n feet thick and originally 20 feet high, surrounded by a moat 50 feet broad and 5 feet deep.
The temples are mostly Brahmamcal, though some Digambaia Jam figures are lying near. At Baijnath are the remains of five or six temples. One of them is dedicated to Siva as Vaidyanath, and the sanctuary door of this is magnificently carved. Chanarehi, a mile east from the bank of the Son, was once a very large place and contains a fine temple and an old monastery. The temple is peculiar in being constructed on a cucular plan, and is assigned to the thirteenth or fourteenth century.
The monastery also belongs to about the same penod, and is mteiest- ing as an example of domestic aichitecture. It is built in the form of a square, with a pillared courtyaid inside and chambers round it The ceilings of the rooms are elegantly ornamented. At Mara, the Muri of the maps, are three groups of caves called the Buradan, Chhewar, and Ravan. They date from the fourth to the ninth century, and some of them are ornamented with rough sculptures
Population
The population at the last three enumerations was * (1881) 1,305,124, (1891) 1,508,943, and (1901) 1,327,385. The decrease of 14 per cent, duimg the last decade is chiefly due to the famines of 1897 and 1899. The density of population is 102 persons per squaie mile, but the two natural divisions show a marked variation, the density in the northern section rising to 176 per square mile, while in the hilly tract it is only 72,
The State contains four towns, REWAH (population, 24,608), SATNA (7,471), UMARIA (5,381), and GOVINDGARH (5,022) , and 5,565 villages,
The following table gives the chief statistics of population and land revenue .
Hindus number 1,013,350, or 76 per cent, of the total , Ammists, 280,502, or 21 per cent. ; and Musalmans, 32,918, 01 2 per cent. The Animists are proportionately most numerous m the hilly tract, though the Gonds ordinarily return themselves as Hindus. The question of female infanticide was raised in Rewah. in 1893, when a great de- ficiency of girls was found to exist among the Karchuli (Kalachun), Parihar, and Somvansi Rajputs. Measures weie introduced for the surveillance of certain villages, but the census returns of 1901 gave no indication of any prevalence of the practice.
The chief Hindu castes are Biahmans (228,000, or 17 per cent), Kunbis (79,000), Chamars (78,000), and Tehs (36,000) The Telis weie in early days the holders of much of the country, Teh chiefs ruling in Noithern Baghelkhand up to the fifteenth century. Of the jungle tribes, the most important are the Kols (136,500) and Gonds (127,300) Brahmans and Rajputs or Thakurs are the principal landholders, Ahirs and Kunbis being the chief cultivators The prevailing language is Baghelkhandi, spoken by 94 per cent, of the population About 64 per cent, of the inhabitants are supported by agriculture, and 8 per cent, by general labour.
There are no Christian missions in Rewah, and in 1901 only 61 Christians were recorded in the State, of whom 21 were on the staff of the colliery at Umana.
Agriculture
The soil falls into two natural divisions, agreeing with the lie of the country. On the section north of the Kaimurs, with its deep alluvial . covering, the soil is fertile and bears excellent crops, while in the hilly tract cultivation is productive only in the valleys, where detritus has collected. Land is classified locally by crop-bearing qualities, natural formation, and proximity to villages. The best class is called mar, a form of black soil, especially adapted to wheat and other spring crops, sigon is a lighter yellow-coloured soil, growing rice especially; dumat is a mixtuie of the two former, and bhatta is a stony soil of low productive power. The principal crops are rice, sdmdn, maize, kdkun, bajra, and kodon in the autumn , and wheat, gram, and barley m the spring, with sub- sidiary crops of til and linseed. In the low-level tract of the Teonthar tahsil poppy is cultivated to some extent
The main agiicultural statistics for 1902-3 are given in the table on the next page, in square miles.
The area is thus distributed : cultivated, 2,803 square miles, or 22 per cent. ; uncultivated but cultivable, 1,290 squaie miles, or 10 per cent.; forest, 4,632 square miles, or 35 per cent The rest is uncultivable waste Of the cropped area, lice occupies 600 square miles, or 21 per cent, and wheat 290 square miles, or 10 per cent The staple food-grains eaten by the poorei classes are kodon and wmdn in the lains, and jowar and gram at othei times The rich eat nee and wheat. A new class of wheat has lately been introduced, known as muda or safed (' white ') wheat, but it is considered of inferior quality to the ordinary or kathia, wheat. Advances of gram and cash are not made in ordinary years, but are freely given in times of scarcity.
Water is plentiful and the country is full of laige tanks and reservoirs, but these are not as a rule used for irrigation purposes, the only system of ' wet ' cultivation is from small embankments of earth raised at the lower end of sloping fields, so as to retain water for some time after the monsoon has ceased. In land thus moistened seed is sown in October, producing a yield three or four times as great as that obtained from the same area of equally good ' dry ' soil. The method is simple and well suited to the needs of local agriculture. Ordinary well-irrigation is little practised, being confined to the cultivation of pan, poppy, sugar-cane, and garden produce. Pastuiage is ample, but no special breeds of cattle are raised.
Formerly the revenue was paid in kind called bhdg ('share'). This system has been entirely replaced by cash payments in lands directly under the State, but the holders of alienated land, which comprises about 72 pei cent, of the total area, still adhere to the old practice, Wages are paid in kind for agricultural operations, but in cash for other work. Blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons get 4 to 8 annas a day. The staple food-giams, rice, wheat, jowar, and kodon, sold in 1904 at ii, 13, 17, and 14 seers per rupee respectively.
Forests
The forests are very extensive and of considerable commercial value. They cover an area of 4,632 square miles, the most important lying south of the Kaimur range. The greater part of the forest consists of sal (Shorea robust a), tendu (Diospyros tomenfosa), dhawa (Anogeissus latifohd], and species of Termi- nalia, with much bamboo. In the upland area stunted teak, babul (Acacia arabicd)^ and khair {Acacia Catechu} prevail. Dahya (shifting) cultivation was formerly very common, and is still to some extent practised by jungle tribes. Trees are felled and burnt, and the seed sown in the ashes This practice is highly destructive to foiests, and is discouraged in consequence. Till 1875 no proper supervision was exercised over the forests, but between that date and 1902 systematic management has been introduced and some areas are now regularly 1 reserved J and protected. The cutting of certain trees is prohibited ; of these the principal are the mahua (Bassia latifolia\ achdr (Buchan- ania latifoha], kusam (Schleichera trijuga\harra (Termtnalia Chebula), khair (Acacia Catechu\ chhiula (Bassia butyracea), sag or teak (Tectona grandis], and shisham (Dalbergia Stssoo). Grazing is allowed only within village limits. Lac, rdl (resin of Shorea robusta], and other jungle products are leased out to conti actors yearly, the first being an important commercial item. Forest work is done by Gonds, Kols, and other jungle tribes. The forest income amounts to 4-1 lakhs a year, and the expenditure to a lakh.
Minerals
Rewah is rich in mineral products The most paying is coal from UMARIA, of which 193,277 tons, worth 7-5 lakhs, were extracted in 1903. Limestone is quarried by a European firm near Satna, a royalty of 4 annas per cubic foot being paid, which in 1903 yielded Rs. 1,640. A little corundum is also extracted.
Trade and communication
In respect of arts and manufactures Rewah is very backward. Agriculture affords a ready and easy means of livelihood, while the fact that the greater part of the State is covered with jungle has always made communication for ' trade purposes difficult. There aie no arts or industries of any importance. Grain and wood are the chief exports, large numbers of railway sleepers being exported from the stations between Umaria and Pendra Road.
The chief means of communication are the Jubbulpore extension of the East Indian Railway and the Katnl-Bilaspur section of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. The Jubbulpore-Mirzapur, or great Deccan road, from which an unmetalled branch goes to Allahabad, and the Nowgong-Chhatarpur-Panna-Satna road are the chief highways \ but since the opening of railways the former has been little used
In 1864 the State introduced a post carried by runners. In 1884 an arrangement was made with the British Post Office department to open offices in the State There are now twenty-one British post offices, and three telegraph offices, at Rewah, Satna, and Umaria, besides those at railway stations
Famine
Since the beginning of the nineteenth century the State has suffered from three famines. The first was m 1831, when no proper system of relief was instituted and the people suffered so severely that on the fall of any kind of calamity it is now usual to recall it. In 1868 occurred another famine, which is still recollected, The next came in 1897, when for the first time systematic relief was afforded to the people, 18 lakhs being spent. In 1899 the southern districts were again attacked by famine, though not severely.
Administration
Up to the nineteenth century the administration of the State, though it lay nominally with the chief, was almost entirely in the hands of the Kayasth community, then practically ... the only educated persons connected with the ministration. government. A dlivdn or minister had nominal superior control, but all reports, accounts, and administrative work passed through the hands of the Kayasth khdskalams or writers. The districts were in charge of kanndas (managers), who, however, were again dependent on their district khaskalam for all information. The district khaskalam prepared abstracts of the reports he received from the village officials, which were again abstracted by the chief khaskalam at head-quarters and submitted to the diwdn. The system naturally gave immense opening for peculation to the permanent Kayasth staff.
For administrative purposes the State is now divided into seven tahsils, four lying north of the Kaimur range the Huzur, Raghuraj- nagar (Satna), Teonthar, and Mauganj ; and three south Bardi, Ramnagar, and Sohagpur. Each tahstl is in charge of a tahsilddr^ who is the revenue collector and magistrate of his charge, and is assisted by a staff consisting of a thdnaddr (police inspector), a forest officer, a hospital assistant, and a district schoolmaster. Villages are as a rule let to farmers who are responsible for the revenue, receiving a commission of 5 to 10 per cent, on the gross rental.
The chief of Rewah has first-class powers, including that of life and death over his subjects, and is the final authority of appeal in all matters. He is assisted by two commissioners, one for revenue matters and one for judicial. The departments of administration are the revenue and general executive, judicial, customs and excise, police, public works, medical (which is supervised by the Agency Surgeon at Satna), education, and forests. The courts of the State are modelled on those in British India, the British codes being followed in the cuminal and civil courts with necessary adaptations to suit local usage.
Land falls into two classes : kothdr^ or land directly owned by the State ; and pawaiya^ or land alienated mjdgtrs and other grants. The lattei class comprises 72 per cent, of the total area. The principal forms of grant are muamla^ a maintenance grant made to membeis of the chiefs family and sarddrs, under which the land is not trans- ferable, but full revenue rights lie with the holdei ; paipakhar (' washing of feet'), a form of religious grant made to Brahmans, in which a certain percentage of the revenue is at times taken from the holders ; s, or service grants, under which the holder maintains a certain quota of men and horses , and vritya, rent or tribute-free grant A revenue survey was made in 1879.
The land revenue and total revenue of the State for a series of years are shown below, in thousands of rupees :
7 lakhs, forests 4-1 lakhs, customs 2-5 lakhs, and excise Rs. 78,000 , while Rs, 82,000 was paid by holders of alienated land, whose aggre- gate normal income from land levenue and other sources amounted to 20 lakhs. The chief heads of expenditure were . chief's establishment, 3-7 lakhs ; army, 4-3 lakhs ; public works, 3 lakhs , collection of land revenue, i 4 lakhs ; forests, i lakh , and colliery, 3-7 lakhs.
Silver has never been coined 3 but early m the nineteenth century a copper coin known as the Bagga shahi was struck in Rewah, of which 56 went to one British rupee.
The State forces consist of 1,140 infantry and 574 cavalry, with 13 guns A regular police force of 622 men is maintained, village watch and ward being performed by men of the Kotwar caste, who receive a small land giant and gram dues at each harvest. The Central jail is at Rewah, and the manufacture of cotton cloth and ice has been started in it.
The Rewah chiefs have long been noted as scholars and supporters of Hindi and Sanskrit learning. In 1869 Sir Dmkar Rao, the famous minister of Gwalior, who for a short time assisted in the admmistiation of the State, attempted, but without success, to start an English- teaching school. During the minority of the piesent chief many schools were opened Of the total population, 2-7 pei cent (4-6 males and 0-8 females) could read and write in 1901. The State now contains two high schools, affiliated to the Allahabad University, and 51 village schools, as well as two girls' schools, with a total of 2,740 pupils. The expenditure on education is Rs. 27,000 a year.
There are 17 hospitals, costing Rs. 49,000 a year In 1903-4 the number of persons successfully vaccinated was 33,580, representing 25 per 1,000 of the population.
