Sirmur (or Nahan)
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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Sirmur (or Nahan)
Hill State in the Punjab, under the political control of the Commissioner of the Delhi Division, lying amid the Himalayas, between 30° 20" and 31° 5' N. and 77° 5' and 77° 55' E., on the west bank of the Jumna and south of Simla. It has an area of 1,198 square miles; and its greatest length from east to west is 50 miles, and its extreme width from north to south 43 miles. It is bounded on the north by the Jubbal and Balsan States ; on the east by the Dehra Dun District of the United Provinces ; on the south by Ambala District and the Kalsia State of the Punjab ; and on the west by territory of the Patiala State and Keonthal.
Physical aspects
With the exception of the Kiarda Dun or valley which forms its south-eastern part, the whole State is hilly. Its southern border runs along the crest of the Outer Siwaliks. Parallel with these lies the Dharthi range ; and the intervening valley is traversed by the Markanda river which flows west, and by the Bata which flows east. North-east of the Dharthi range lies the valley of the Jalal, a tributary of the Giri, which traverses the State in a winding course from north-west to south-east, dividing it into two natural divisions, the cis-Giri on the south-west and the trans-Giri on the north-east. In the centre of the northern border rises the Chaur peak (11,982 feet), from which radiate several spurs, those on the west and south filling the whole trans-Giri tract with their outliers. These extend far to the south-east, rising to 8,800 feet at Haripur, 8,233 feet at Ciurwana, and 6,691 feet at Guma. on the north-east the Tons, a tributary of the Jumna, forms the boundary, separating Sirmur from Dehra Dun. Thus, the slope of the country is from north to south, the confluence of the Giri with the Jumna being only 1,500 feet above sea-level ; and the whole, with hardly an exception, drains into the latter river.
The greater Part of the State lies On rocks of Tertiary age, with beds belonging to the Carbonaceous system (Krol and Blaini groups) on the north and north east. The Lower Tertiary rocks are particularly well developed ; and the Sirmur series, which includes the Sabathu, Dagshai, and Kasauli groups, takes its name from the State. The Upper Tertiary, or Siwalik series, is largely developed in the neighbour- hood of Nahan, where the lower beds consist of a great mass of sand- stones, the Nahan group ; these are overlain by sandstones and con- glomerates (Middle and Upper Siwnlik) containing a rich mammalian fauna of pliocene age. 1[1Medlicott, ' Geological Structure of the Southern portion of the Himalayas, and Memoirs, Geological Survey of India, vol. iii, pt. ii. ]
The lower valleys of the Jumna, Tons, and Giri liavc a true Siwalik flora, corresponding to that of the Duns and tarai east of the Jumna, The Chaur mountain has a remarkably alpine vegetation at the higher levels — more so, for example, than the ranges intervening between it and the main ridge of the Inner Himalaya in Bashahr.
Tigers are occasionally, and elephants rarely, met with in the Dun. Bears abound in the hills, and sambar chital, hog deer, and musk deer are jjlentiful, but wild dogs have much diminished the game in the Dun and low hills. The fishing in the Giri is famous.
The climate in the Dun is malarious in the rainy season and autumn, but otherwise the country is healthy and the hills enjoy a temperate climate. In the trans-Giri tract snow falls every winter, but it is rarely seen elsewhere. After December it is highly beneficial to the crops, The annual rainfall varies from 59 inches at Paonta to 65 inches at Pachhad, but generally more rain falls trans-Giri than in the west and south.
History
The early history of Sirmur is almost a blank. Tradition says that its ancient capital was Sirmur, now a mere hamlet surrounded by extensive ruins, in the Kiarda Dun, whose king was of Surajbansi or Solar race. Once, the legend runs, a woman boasted to the Raja of her acrobatic skill, and he challenged her to cross and recross the Giri river on a rope, promising her half his kingdom if she succeeded. The woman crossed in safety ; but as she was returning, a courtier, to save the kingdom from dismember- ment, cut the rope, and the woman perished in the stream. For this act of treachery a flood swept away Sirmur, and the Raja perished with all his kin, leaving the realm without a ruler. But by chance a prince of Jaisalmer shortly after visited Hardwar as a pilgrim, and was there invited by one of the minstrels of the kingdom to assume its sovereignty. lie accordingly sent a force under his son, the Rawal or prince Sobha, who put down the disorders which had arisen in the State, and became the first Raja of Sirmur, under tin; title of Subhans Parkash, a title which the Rajas have ever since retained. Rajban became the capital of the new king in 1095. The eighth Raja concjuered Ratesh, now a part of the Keonthal State, about 1150 ; and his successor subdued Jubbal, Balsan, Kumharsain, Ghond, Kot, and Theog, thus extending his dominions almost to the Sutlej. For many years these territories remained feudatories of the State ; but its capital was at Kalsi, in Dehra Dun, and the Rajas' hold over their northern fiefs appears to have been weak until in the fourteenth century Bir Parkash fortified Hath-Koti, on the confines of Jubbal, Rilwain, and Sahri, the last of which became the capital of the State for a time. Eventually in 1621 Karm Parkash founded Nahan, the modern capital. His successor, Mandhata, was called upon to aid Khalil-ullah, the general of the emperor Shah Jahan, in his invasion of Garhwal, and his successor, Sobhag Parkash, received a grant of Kotaha in reward for this service. Under Aurangzeb this Raja again joined in operations against Garhwal. His administration was marked by a great develop- ment of the agricultural resources of the Slate, and the tract of Kola- garh was also entrusted to him by the emperor. Budh Parkash, the next ruler, recovered Pinjaur for Aurangzeb's foster-brother. Raja Mit Parkash gave an asylum to the Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, per- mitting him to fortify Paonta in the Kiarda 13un ; and it was at Bhangani in the Dun that the Guru defeated the Rajas of Kahlur and Garhwal in 1688. But in 1750 Kirat Parkash, after defeating the Raja of Garhwal, captured Naraingarh, Morni, Pinjaur, and other territories from the Siklis, and concluded an alliance with Amar Singh, Raja of patiala, whom he aided in suppressing his rebellious wazir ; and he also fought in alliance with the Raja of Kahlur when Ghulam Kadir Khan, Rohilla, invaded that State. Pie supported the Raja of Garhwal in his resistance to the Gurkha invasion, and, though deserted by his ally, was able to compel the Gurkhas to agree to the Ganges as the boundary of their dominions. His son, Dharm Parkash, repulsed the encroachments of the chief of Nalagarh and an invasion by the Raja of Garhwal, only to fall fighting in single combat with Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra, who had invaded Kahlur, in 1793. He was succeeded by his brother, Karm Parkash, a weak ruler, whose misconduct caused a serious revolt. To suppress this he rashly invoked the aid of the (iurkhas, who promi)tly seized their opportunity and invaded Sirmur, expelled Rain Parkash, whom the rebels had placed on the throne, and then refused to restore Karm Parkash. Fortunately his queen, a princess of Goler and a lady of courage and resource, took matters into her own hands and invoked British aid. Her appeal coincided with the declaration of war against Nepal, and a force was sent to expel the Gurkhas from Sirmur. On the conclusion of the Gurkha War the British Government placed Fateh Parkash, the minor son of Karm Parkash, on the throne, annexing all the territories east of the Jumna with Kotaha and the Kiarda Dun. The Dun was, however, restored to the State in 1833 on payment of Rs. 50,000. During the first Afghan war the Raja aided Government with a loan, and in the first Sikh War a Sirmur contingent fought at Hari-ka-pattan. Under Raja Sir Shamsher Parkash, G.C.S.I. (1856-98), the State progressed rapidly. Begar (forced labour) was abolished, roads were made, revenue and forest settlements carried out, a foundry, dis- pensaries, post and telegraph offices established. In 1857 the Raja rendered valuable services, and in 1880 during the second Afghan War he sent a contingent to the north-west frontier. The Sirmur Sappers and Miners under his second son. Major Bir Bikram Singh, C.I.E., accompanied the Tirah expedition in 1897. The present Raja (Sir Surindar Bikram Parkash, K.C.S.I.) has remodelled the courts of the State. He has been a Member of the Legislative Council of the Gov- ernor-General. The Raja of Sirmur is entitled to a salute of 11 guns.
Population
The only town is Nahan, the capital. There are 973 villages, or groups of hamlets, and the population of the State at the three enu- merations was : (1881) 112,371,(1891) 124,134, and (1901) 135,626. It rose by 9-3 per cent, during the last decade, the rate of increase being greatest in the Paonta tahs'il. Anciently divided into bhojs which were grouped into twelve waziris, it is now divided into four tahsils : Nahan, Rainka, Paonta, and Pachhad. More than 95 per cent, of the people are Hindus. By far the most numerous caste is that of the agricultural Kanets, who form more than 30 per cent, of the total. Western Paharl is the language of 78 per cent, of the population.
In 1895 the American Presbyterian Mission of Ludhiana sent evangelists to commence mission work in the State, ordained mission- aries being also posted to Nahan from time to time. In 1902 mission work was, with the Raja's assent, made over to the Scandinavian Alliance Mission Society, which now has two missionaries posted at Nahan. The only Christians in the State are immigrants.
Agriculture
The Kiarda Dun differs greatly from the rest of the State in its agricultural conditions. Formerly a wilderness of swamp and forest, constituting a bulwark against aggression from the plains, it was colonized by the late Raja with culti- vators from the submontane districts, and is now one of the richest tracts in the State. It is a fertile alluvial plain, naturally well watered by numerous streams, and receiving a regular and sufificient rainfall. Its principal products are wheat and gram in the spring, and rice, maize, sugar-cane, ginger, and turmeric in the autumn. The hill tracts generally are less rich agriculturally, though poppy, ginger, tobacco, and turmeric are grown extensively. The forest products are also a source of considerable wealth to the people. The prevalent form of tenure may be described as ryohvdri, village communities like those of the plains being unknown, but the ancient bhoj still exists in name. The area for which particulars are on record is 1,108 square miles; of which 388 square miles, or 35 per cent., are forest, 10 per cent, are not available for cultivation, 42 per cent, are cultivable waste other than fallows, and 4 per cent, are current fallows. The net area cropped in 1904 was 130 square miles. The staple food-grains of the State are wheat, rice, gram, maize, chidai, and mandua. The State is absolutely secure against famine.
As already noted, the main feature in the agricultural development has been the colonization of the Kiarda Dun in the Paonta tahsil, the cultivated area of which rose from 11,253 acres in 1878 to 27,505 acres in 1904. Sugar-cane cultivation was introduced into the Dun by the late Raja, and he also established the well-known Nahan iron foundry.
The cattle, as elsewhere in the hills, are small but hardy. The trans-Giri cows are by far the best. Buffaloes have been imported of recent years, but are only kept by the well-to-do and by the Gujar immigrants from Jammu, who form a separate community and often own large herds. Goats are kept both for food and their hair, which is exported, and sheep for the sake of their wool and for sale, those of the khadu kind being the best and fetching high prices. Ponies are bred only in the Dun, and the State keeps a pony and a donkey stallion at Paonta.
The State contains no irrigation wells or canals, but a scheme for taking a small canal out of the Giri river to irrigate the Dun is in con- templation. Springs and torrents, however, afford ample means of irrigation, especially in the Rainka and Pachhad tahsiis, in which over one-third of the area is irrigated. The streams are diverted into kuhls or watercourses.
Forests
The State forests are valuable. Along the western face of the Chaur range runs a compact belt of forest 20 miles long by 1 to 5 wide, mostly of oak, but also stocked in parts with fir, spruce, birch, and yew. Deodar occurs pure in 12 blocks, and occasionally blue pine. Below this belt oak and pine (P.longi- folia) occur in places. Another narrow belt of oak, 23 miles long, covers the slopes of the Chandpur, Marolani, and Haripur ranges below 7,000 feet. The ridges between the Giri river and the Dharthi range are covered with scrub jungle, interspersed with pine, and, on the lower slopes, are sub-tropical in character. The lower hills, including the Kiarda Dun and the northern face of the Outer Siwaliks, have an area of 176 square miles, of which 104 square miles are stocked with sal, pure or mixed, 67 with tropical species, and 3 with pine. The Forest department is controlled by a Conservator, under whom is a considerable staff of officials, mostly trained foresters. The State is divided into two forest divisions, the Rajgarh or upper and the Nahan or lower, each with five ranges. In the former division the forests are classed as protected, in the latter as ' reserved,' many of those in the Dun being absolutely closed. Nearly all have been demarcated. The forest revenue in 1904 was Rs. 80,000.
Trade and communications
Iron is found in several places, but none of the mines is worked, and iron for the foundry is imported. Lead, copper, alum, and ochre are also known to exist, but only the last is mined at two places. Gold is found in minute quantities in the Run, Bata, and other streams. Slate quarries are worked in the Pachhad and Rainka tahsils.
The only important industry is the foundry at Nahan, which belongs to the State. Started in 1867, magnetic iron, obtained from the Chheta mine in the Rainka tahsll, was at first smelted ; but the wrought iron produced could not compete with English mild steel, and the foundry was accordingly utilized for the manufacture of sugar-cane crushing mills, which found a ready market throughout the Punjab and United Provinces. The foundry employs 600 men, and its capacity is 75 tons per week. Much modern machinery has been erected. Persian carpets, floorcloths, and mats are made in the State jail. The only other industries are the making of wooden vessels, churns, blankets, and c, in the hills, and of coarse cotton cloth. Some cane furniture is also made.
There is a considerable export of agricultural and forest produce. 'Wheat, maize, and gram are sent from the Kiarda Dun to Dehra Dun and Ambala, the hill produce going mostly to Simla and the neigh- bouring cantonments. Timber is also exported via the Jumna. Cloth, utensils, sugar, suit, drugs, and articles of European and Indian manu- facture are imported. In bad years the Nahan tahsil has to import grain from the plains.
A good road leads from Barara on the North-Western Railway to Nahan, the capital of the State, which is also connected with the Rampur ferry on the Jumna by a good road. There are 82 miles of cart-roads in the State and, lor a hilly country, communications are good.
Administration
The administration is closely modelled on that of the Punjab, the Raja personally exercising administrative control over the departments, divided into administrative, judicial, military, police, accounts, public works, medical, forests (including tea and other estates), jail, and foundry. Most of the principles of British law are observed, and almost all the Indian Acts applicable to the Punjab have been adopted.
The State is divided into four tahsils. These are Nahan, comprising the old Dharthi and Khol waziris ; Pachhad, the ' western ' tract, in which is the Sain range ; Rainka, comprising the hilly country to the east ; and Paonga, which contains the Kiarda Dun. Each tahsil is under a tahsildar.
The highest court is that of the Council, which consists of the Raja as president, and five members nominated by him. The court of the Raja sitting alone is known as the Ijlds-i-Khas. This exercises full jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases, and appeals from it lie to the Council, but sentences of death require the confirmation of the Com- missioner of Delhi. Below it are the courts of the district judge and district magistrate. Subordinate to the former are the Munsif at Nahan (exercising second-class criminal powers) and the tahsildars, who try petty cases up to Rs. 15 in value. The district magistrate is collector and registrar, and the tahsllddrs are subordinate to him in all but their civil judicial functions. There is also an honorary magistrate. Serious offences are rare. Cattle-lifting occurs in the tracts bordering on British territory, and matrimonial offences are common.
The Imperial Service corps of Sirmur Sappers and Miners, 197 strong, raised in 1889, served with distinction under Major Bir Bikram Singh, C.I.E., in the Tirah expedition, 1897. It was also employed in constructing the Khushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway in 1901-2. The State maintains cavalry (31 strong) and a regiment of infantry (235 strong), and possesses two serviceable guns.
Prior to 1813 the revenue was levied in both cash and kind. The area was not measured, but the amount of land which could be sown with a given quantity of seed formed a unit, and each unit paid a rupee in cash or two maunds (local weight) of grain. During the rule of Raja Fateh Parkash, a cash assessment was imposed on all but the fertile khol tracts of HarTpur and Nahan, which continued to pay in kind. The State share was deemed to be a sixth of the gross produce, with an additional cess on each unit. In 1845 the levy of revenue in kind was discontinued in these two tracts. Under Raja Sir Shamsher Parkash the State was regularly surveyed and settled in 1878, in spite of some opposition in the Rainka tahsil, where the people feared that the iron measuring chains would destroy the fertility of the soil. In 1887 a second regular settlement was effected, but the whole area was not resurveyed. It resulted in an enhancement of 50 per cent, in the revenue, due to increased irrigation, the rise in prices, and the coloni- zation of the Dun.
The gross revenue of the State is about Rs. 6,00,000, mainly derived from land revenue, forests, and tea estates. It receives Rs. 13,734 a year from Government as compensation for the abolition of transit dues.
The district board consists of 21 members, of whom 7 are nominated and 14 elected. It had in 1904 an income of Rs. 45,000, mainly derived from a local rate. The town of Nahan is administered by a municipal committee, consisting of 9 members, 6 elected and 3 nominated, and a paid president. It had an income of Rs. 15,247 in 1903, chiefly derived from octroi.
The police, who number 129, are under an assistant district superin- tendent directly responsible to the Raja. The State contains 4 police stations, with 4 outposts. The jail at Nahan has accommodation for 100 prisoners.
Sirmur stands twenty-third among the Districts and States of the Punjab in regard to the literacy of its population, of whom 4.3 per cent. (6.1 males and 0.3 females) could read and write in 1901. Secondary education is confined to Nahan town. The number of pupils under instruction was 280 in 1890-1, 284 in 1900-1, and 381 in 1903-4. In the last year there were one secondary and 4 primary public schools, and 5 elementary private schools, with 35 girl teachers in the public schools.
The State possesses two hospitals at Nahan, and six dispensaries, besides the jail and military dispensaries. These contain accommoda- tion for 76 in-patients. In 1903-4 the number of cases treated was 49,008, of whom 754 were in-patients, and 374 operations were per- formed. The expenditure was Rs. 22,823, the greater part of which was met from State funds. Vaccination in Sirmur is performed by Government vaccinators and by State officials in Nahan town.
[State Gazetteer (in the press).]
