Peint
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.
Peint
Formerly a Native State, and now a taluka of Nasik Dis- trict, Bombay, lying between 20 1' and 20 32' N. and 73 15' and 73 39' E., with an area of 432 square miles. There are 227 villages, but no town. The head-quarters are at Peint. The population in 1901 was 53,392, compared with 59,601 in 1891. The density, 124 persons per square mile, is below the District average. The demand for land revenue in 1903-4 was Rs. 37,000, and for cesses Rs. 2,500. In both climate and appearance the taluka resembles the Konkan. A maze of hill and valley, except for some rice-fields and patches of rough hill-side cultivation, Peint is covered over its whole area with timber, brushwood, and grass. Towards the north, a prominent range of hills passing westwards at right angles to the main line of the Western Ghats gives a distinct character to the landscape.
But over the rest of the country ranges of small hills starting up on all sides crowd together in the wildest confusion, with a general south-westerly direction, to within 20 miles of the sea-coast, and divide the valleys of the Daman and Par rivers. The heavy rainfall, which averages 87 inches annually, the thick forest vegetation, great variations of temperature, and a certain heaviness of the atmosphere combine to make the tract unhealthy. The prevailing diseases are fever and ague. The population consists almost entirely of forest and hill tribes, nominally Hindus, poor and ignorant, unsettled in their habits, and much given to the use of intoxicating spirits. Their language is a corrupt Marathi, with a large mixture of Gujarat! words. A large part of Peint is well suited for grazing, and considerable numbers of cattle and sheep are exported. The chief products are timber of various kinds (including bamboos), rice, ndchni, oilseeds, beeswax, honey, stag-horn, and hides.
The ruling family, by descent Rajputs of the Puar tribe, adopted many generations back the family name of Dalvi. A branch of the family embraced Islam in the time of Aurangzeb. During the Maratha supremacy the Peint estates were for a long period placed under attachment by the Peshwas. In reward for services rendered in 1818, the family were reinstated in their former position by the British Government. The last chief, Abdul Momin alias Lakshadir Dalpat Rao III, died in 1837, leaving only a legitimate daughter, Begam Nur Jahan. The State was placed under British management on the death of the last male chief, but the Begam was allowed a life pension of Rs. 6,000 a year, in addition to one- third of the surplus revenues of, the State. On her death in 1878, the State finally lapsed to the British Government. Harsul, the former place of residence of the Begam, is situated in 20 9' N. and 73 30' E.
