Sangli 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.
Sangli State
State under the Political Agent of Kolhapur and the Southern Maratha Jagirs, Bombay, consisting of six separate divisions : a group of villages near the valley of the Kistna ; a second group between Kolhapur territory on the west and Jamkhandi State ; a third group in Sholapur District, near the junction of the Man and Bhima rivers; a fourth in Dharwar District; a fifth jubt north of the town of Belgaum ; and the last to the south of the Mal- prabha river and to the north-east of Kittur in Belgaum. The State contains a total area of 1,112 square miles, of which about 93 square miles are forest. The population in 1901 was 226,128, residing in six towns, of which the chief is SANGLI (population, 16,829), the head- quarters ; and 307 l villages. Hindus number 196,718 ; Muhammadans, 15,940; and Jains, 13,226.
The portion of the State watered by the Kistna is flat and the soil particularly rich. The remaining divisions are plains surrounded by undulating lands and occasionally intersected by ridges of hills. The prevailing soil is black. Irrigation is carried on from rivers, wells, and tanks. The climate is the same as that of the Deccan generally, the air being very dry, especially when east winds prevail. The chief crops are millet, rice, wheat, gram, and cotton; and the manufactures are coarse cotton cloth and native articles of apparel.
The chief of Sangli is a member of the Patvardhan family, whose founder Haribhat, a Konkanasth Brahman, was the family priest of the chief of Ichalkaranji. On the occasion of the marriage of the chiefs son with the daughter of the first Peshwa, Haribhat was brought to the notice of the Peshwa, one of whose successors, Madhav Rao, granted thejd&r to Haribhat's son Govind Rao and two grandsons.
In 1772 the/agfr, which included MIRAJ, descended to Chintaman Rao, grand- son of Govind Rao, the original grantee. Chintaman Rao being a child of six years, the State was managed during his minority by his uncle Gangadhar Rao. When the minor came of age, he quarrelled with his uncle, who attempted to keep him out of his rights. Even- tually the estate was divided between them, the uncle retaining Miraj and Chintaman Rao taking Sangli.
The revenue of Sangli exceeded 6 lakhs and that of Miraj was nearly 5 lakhs, the estates being respec- tively subject to a service of 1,920 and 1,219 horse. Chintaman Rao, the grandfather of the present chief of Sangli, became a feudatory of the British Government on the downfall of the Peshwa in 1818. In 1846 the East India Company presented him with a sword in testi- mony of their respect for his high character, and in acknowledge- ment of his loyalty. Chintaman Rao died in 1851. The chief ol Sangli does not now pay any contribution on account of military service, having ceded lands of the annual value of over ij lakhs in lieu thereof. The family holds a sanad authorizing adoption. The rule of primogeniture is not strictly followed in the matter of succession.
The chief ranks as a first-class Sardar in the Southern Maratha 1 This figure differs from that given in the Census Report ', being based on more recent information, and also by the inclusion of hamlets and unpopulated villages. At the Cenbiis of 1901 there weie 239 towns and inhabited villages. Country, and has power to try capital offences in the case of his own subjects. He enjoys an estimated revenue of 15 lakhs, and maintains a police force of 497 men, of whom 54 are mounted, 323 are unarmed, and 120 are armed. In 1903-4 there were 89 schools, including nine girls' schools, one high school, and three Anglo-vernacular schools; the number of pupils was 3,997. The State contains six munici- palities the largest are SANGLI with an income of Rs. 13,500, and SHAHAPUR with Rs. 12,900. In the one jail and eight lock-ups of the State 208 prisoners were confined in 1903-4. There are seven dispensaries, attended by about 44,000 patients in 1903-4. In the same year about 6,000 persons were vaccinated.
