Savantvadi 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.
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Savantvadi State
Physical aspects
(or Sawantwari). State in Bombay, lying between 15 38' and 16 14' N. and 73 37' and 74 23' E., with an area of 925 square miles. It is bounded on the north and west by the British District of Ratnagiri; on the east by the Western Ghats; and on the south by the Portuguese territory of Goa. The general aspect of the country is strikingly picturesque. From the sea- Ph si al C aSt t0 the f 0t f the Ghats > a distance varying aspects. fr m 20 to 2 S miles, are densely wooded hills, and, in the valleys, gardens and groves of coco-nut and areca-nut palms. Spurs and isolated peaks rising from 300 to 3,000 feet above the plain form strong natural fastnesses, some of which, like Manohar and Mansantosh, are said to have been fortified many centuries ago. The chief streams are the Karli on the north and the Terekhol on the south, which open out into creeks. Both are navi- gable for small native craftthe Terekhol for about 15 and the Karli for about 14 miles.
The Savantvadi State is composed for the most part of metamorphic rocks, but at the northern part a considerable quantity of trap is found, and on the west a narrow band of laterite. These with the Ghats on the east form physical features which serve as a sort of natural boun- dary to the country. The great metamorphic spurs which run out west from under the mural termination of the Deccan trap at the Ghats extend to varying distances, and either end abruptly or break into clusters of lower hills. The intervening country is low and covered with thicker soil than is usually the case in the Konkan: this renders Savantvadi more open to cultivation than the barren laterite plateau to the west and north. There are a few insignificant outliers of the Kaladgi (Cuddapah) series.
Tigers, leopards, bears, bison, deer, wild hog, wild dogs, jackals, foxes, and hyenas are found. Snakes are common. In the Ghat tracts the State contains good teak; and black-wood, ain, kher, and jdmba are common. Near the sea, jack- wood, mango, bhirand (Gar- tinia indica), coco-nut palms, and cashew-nut are plentiful.
The climate is humid and relaxing, with a heavy rainfall, the average annual fall being 1 50 inches. April is the hottest month in the year ; in May a strong sea-breeze, the precursor of the south-west monsoon, tempers the heat. The temperature rises to 100 in May and falls to 62 in January.
History
Early inscriptions show that from the sixth to the eighth centuries the Chalukyas ruled over Savantvadi. In the tenth century the rulers were Yadavas. In the thirteenth century the Cha- lukyas were again in power. At the close of the four- teenth century Savantvadi was under an officer of the Vijayanagar dynasty. About the middle of the fifteenth century it formed part of a powerful Brahman dynasty. On the establishment of the Bijapur power at the close of the fifteenth century, Savantvadi became part of the territory of these kings. In about 1554 one Mang Savant of the Bhonsla family revolted from Bijapur, and making Hodowra, a small village 9 miles from Vadi, his head-quarters, defeated the troops sent against him, and maintained his independence during his lifetime. After his death his successors again became feudatories of the Bijapur kings.
The chief who finally freed his country from the Muhammadan yoke was Khem Savant Bhonsla, who ruled from 1627 to 1640. He was succeeded by his son Som Savant, who, after ruling for eighteen months, was succeeded by his brother, Lakham Savant. When the power of Sivaji seemed in the ascendant (1650), Lakham Savant tendered him allegiance, and was confirmed as Sar Desai of the whole Southern Konkan. Dying in 1665, Lakham was succeeded by his brother, Phond Savant, who, after ruling for ten years, was succeeded by his son, Khem Savant II.
This chief, by aiding the Mughals in their struggles with Sivajl, and making frequent raids across the Goa frontier, added considerably to his territory ; and sub- sequently, having supported Sivajfs grandson Sahu in his contest with the Raja of Kolhapur, he was confirmed in his possessions. It was during the time of Khem's successor (1709-37) that the Savant- vadi State first entered into relations with the British Government. A treaty was concluded between them against the piratical chieftain, Kanhoji Angria of Kolaba.
The chief, who ruled from 1755 to 1803 under the name of Khem Savant the Great, married in 1763 the daughter of Jayajl Sindhia ; and consequently the title of Raja Bahadur was conferred upon him by the emperor of Delhi. The Raja of Kolhapur, envious of this honour, made a descent on Vadi, and captured several hill fortresses, which were, however, through Sindhia's influence, subsequently restored.
The rule of Khem Savant, who, not content with wars on land, also took to piracy, was one long contest against Kolhapur, the Peshwa, the Portuguese, and the British, Khem Savant died childless in 1803 ; and the contest for the succession was not decided till 1805, when Khem Savant's widow Lakshml Bai adopted a child, Ramchandra Savant, alias Bhau Sahib. This child lived for three years, and was then strangled in bed. Phond Savant, a minor, was chosen to fill his place. During these years of disorder the ports swarmed with pirates. So severely did British commerce suffer, that in 1812 Phond Savant was forced to enter into a treaty ceding the port of Vengurla to the British, and engaging to give up all his vessels of war. Soon after the conclusion of this treaty, Phond Savant III died, and was succeeded by his son Khem Savant IV, a child of eight.
This chief, when he came of age, proved unable to manage his State, and, after several revolutions and much disturbance, at last in 1838 agreed to make over the administration to the British Government. After this, rebellion twice broke out (in 1839 and 1844), but the disturbances were soon suppressed, and the country has since remained quiet. The State was eventually restored in 1861, on the chief undertaking to defray the cost (54 lakhs) of the last rebellion, to pay a succession fee of one year's revenue, to protect his subjects, and to meet the expense of a British Resident and his establishment.
The chief, a Maratha by caste and styled Sar Desai, is entitled to a salute of 9 guns. His family holds a sanad authorizing adoption, and in point of succession follows the rule of primogeniture.
The population numbered 190,814 in 1872; 174,433 in 1881 ; 192,948 in 1891 ; and 217,732 in 1901. The State contains one town,' Population. VXDI and 226 villa g es ; and the density is 235 persons per square mile. Hindus form 94 per cent, of the total, and there are 5,634 Musalmans and 5,400 Christians Among Hindus the chief castes are Brahmans (14,000), who are of the Karhade, Kudaldeskar, and Shenvi subcastes; Bhandaris, or toddy drawers (25,000); Marathas (117,000), who are largely cultivators; VaniSj or traders (12,000); and Mahars, or low-caste watchmen and labourers (12,000). The Musalmans describe themselves as Shaikhs (4,000). Native Christians are almost entirely Roman Catholics, the only mission in the State being the Portuguese Catholic Mission, They have increased from 2,000 to 5,400 in the last fifty years. The common language is the Konkam dialect of Marathl. The sturdy and docile Marathas of the State are favourite recruits for the Indian army. They also supply much of the immigrant labour in the adjacent British Districts during the cultivating season. Of the total population, 74 per cent, are supported by agriculture.
Agriculture
The soil is chiefly light, and mixed with stone and gravel, and not suitable for the better class of crops. Of the total area of arable land, 594 square miles, 221 square miles were cultivated in 1903-4 ; namely, rice 97 square miles, garden land 10 square miles, and varkas or hill crops 114 square miles. The staple crop is rice ; but the quantity grown is not sufficient for the wants of the people, and a good deal is imported. Excepting rice, none but the coarsest grains and pulses are raised. A species of oilseed, til, sdw-hemp, and black and red pepper, are also grown, but neither cotton nor tobacco. Both soil and climate are against the cultivation of wheat and other superior grains. For these, the people have to look to the country east of the Ghats, whence during the fair season, from October to June, large supplies are received.
Savantvadi, with an area of 54 square miles of forest lands, is rich in valuable teak. Iron ore of fair quality is found in the neighbourhood of the Ram ghat and also near Danoli in the Western Ghats. It is worked on a very small scale, which does not suffice even for the local demand. The Aker stone, a slate-coloured talc-schist, extremely hard, compact, and heavy, is unrivalled for building purposes. Laterite is quarried in many places. Talc of inferior quality is found at Kudawal and in other parts of the State.
Trade and Communication
Salt of an inferior kind was once manufactured, but the salt works have been abolished. The principal industries of the State consist of gold and silver embroidery work on both leather and cloth; fans, baskets, and boxes of khas-khas grass, ornamented with gold thread and beetles' wings; lacquered toys, and playing-cards ; and drawing-room ornaments carved from the horn of the buffalo and bison. A pottery establishment for the manufacture of tiles is now at work in the State, and in 1903-4 a factory was established in the jail for extracting plantain and aloe fibre. Before the construction of the Southern Mahratta Railway a considerable transit trade existed between Belgaum and Vengurla. The trade is now purely local, the imports being valued at ^ lakhs and the exports at Rs. 2,500.
There are no railways ; but an excellent trunk road from the seaport of Vengurla passes through the State, leading by an easy gradient over the Western Ghats to Belgaum. The other chief lines of communica- tion with the Deccan are the Ram ghat, the Talkat ghat, and the Phonda,^^. In 1904 a branch road to Malewad was constructed to facilitate the sea-borne trade via Araonda.
In 1791 the rain failed shortly after the country had been plundered by the Raja of TColhapur, and scarcity ensued. In 1821 excessive rain destroyed the crops. The State is liable to local floods caused by the rapid falling and overflowing of its mountain streams. In 1883-4 some damage to the crops was done by locusts, and again in 1902-3 and 1903-4.
Administration
For administrative purposes the area of the State is divided into the three subdivisions of Vadi, Banda, and Kudal Under the super- vision of the Political Agent, who is aided by an
Administration. Assistant p ]i t i c al Agent, the revenue and magisterial charge of each of these fiscal subdivisions is placed in the hands of an officer styled Kamavisdar. Appeals in revenue matters lie from the Political Agent to the Commissioner, Southern Division. Land is divided into four classes : namely, State, alienated, rented, and ryotwari. State lands are either crown lands or private lands, the latter being the personal property of the chief. Both classes are managed by the revenue officials, and are let to the highest bidder for a fixed term of years. Alienated lands are classed as mam, held free either in per- petuity or during the lifetime of the holder; dastibad, which are rare and are liable only to the payment of certain cesses ; and devsu^ or religious lands, the produce of which is devoted to temples. Rented or khoti lands are tilled or sublet to others by the Mot, who pays a certain fixed sum to the State, and in turn receives a certain share of the produce from his sub-tenants. Ryotwari or peasant-held lands pay a fixed assessment, as in British territory. The State has been surveyed and a regular settlement introduced since 1877. By its completion in 1895-6, the land revenue was increased from r -8 to 2-7 lakhs. The rates per acre vary from i anna to 6 annas for 'dry' land, Rs. 5 to Rs. 14 for garden land, and Rs. 4 to Rs. 7 for rice land.
There are 5 civil courts exercising original jurisdiction, of which 3 are permanent and 2 are temporary. The Desai of Parma presides over an honorary court of Small Causes ; the fifth court is that of the Registrar of the Small Cause Court. The Chief Judge has appellate jurisdiction, and the Political Agent exercises the powers of a High Court. There are nine criminal courts, the Political Agent having the powers of a Sessions Judge.
The revenue of the State in 1903-4 was about 4-3 lakhs, chiefly derived from land (about 2-7 lakhs), abkari and sayer (nearly Rs. 60,000), forests (Rs. 35,060), and stamps (over Rs. 33,000) The expenditure was nearly 4-8 lakhs, of which about i-| lakhs is spent as darbar and pdga (stud and cattle-breeding) grants, and fixed assign- ments amounting to Rs. 50,000. The State spends about Rs. 50,000 annually on public works, and contributed Rs. 28,000 in 1903-4 towards the salaries of the Political Agent and his establishment. Up to 1839 the plrkhani rupee, first struck by the Bijapur minister, was the standard coin. Since then it has been replaced by the British rupee.
The Savantvadi State maintains a local corps, consisting in 1904 of 327 men of all ranks under a European officer, which is to be reduced to 250; and an unarmed police force of 137, of whom 126 belonged to the permanent force and the rest were detailed from the local corps. The State has one jail, with a daily average of 43 prisoners in 1903-4. In that year the State contained 155 schools with 6,389 pupils. Of these, one is an English school with 261 pupils. Of the total population, 6*6 per cent. (12-8 males and 0-8 females) were returned as literate in 1901. One hospital and 3 dispensaries are maintained, in which 21,000 patients were treated in 1903-4. There is a lunatic asylum with 14 inmates, and a leper asylum with 77 in- mates. In the same year about 6,300 persons were vaccinated.
