Agar, Shajapur

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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, units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts.Many units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.

Agar

Town and British military station in the Shajapur district of the Gwalior State, Central India, situated in 23 degree 43' N. and 76 degree 1' E., 1,765 feet above sea-level, 41 miles by metalled road from Ujjain. Population (1901), 10,442, ol whom 3,990 persons reside in the military station. The town is picturesquely placed between two large lakes, and is surrounded by a battlemented wall built in the eighteenth century.

Agar takes its name from one Agra Bhil, who founded a settlement on this site in the tenth century. It was seized almost immediately by the Jhala Rajputs, who continued in possession until the eighteenth century, when it fell to Jaswant Rao Ponwar of Dhar. In 1801 the district was overrun by Bapuji Sindhia, who devastated the town, but it was restored by Daulat Rao Sindhia a few years later. Until 1904 Agar was the head-quarters of a district of the same name.

A considerable traffic in grain and cotton is carried on, and two ginning factories are at work. In the Madhoganj quarter, outside the town, are situated the public offices, the kamasdar court, a school, a State post office, and a hospital.

The military station lies to the north of the native town, from which it is separated by the Rataria Talao (or lake), being picturesquely situated beside the lake and surrounded by fine trees. It was first occupied in 1844 as a cantonment for the local corps. In 1857 it was held by the 3rd Regiment of Infantry, Gwalior Contingent, and some guns from the Mehidpur Contingent. On July 4 the troops mutinied, killing some of their officers ; but a party of six men, four women, and three children escaped, and, after many hardships, finally reached British territory south of the Narbada 1 .

Since 1858 Agar has been garrisoned by the Central India Horse, one of the new local corps raised in place ol those which had mutinied. From 1860 to 1895 Agar was also the head-quarters of the Western Malwa Agency, the commandant of the regiment holding collateral political charge. On the creation of the present Malwa Agency, certain minor jurisdictional powers were assigned to the commandant, who exercises the powers of a second-class Magistrate within the station limits.