Hill Tippera
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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Hill Tippera
[Tripiira), — Native State in Eastern Bengal and Assam, lying between 22° 56' and 24° 32' N. and 91° 10' and 92° 22' E., with an area of 4,086 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the District of Sylhet ; on the west by Tippera District and Noa- khali ; on the south by Noakhali, Chittagong, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts ; and on the east by the Lushai Hills and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Physical aspects
The He of the country is similar to that of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Six principal ranges of hills, increasing in height towards the east, run north and south, with an average interval of 12 miles. The hills are clothed for the most part ysica
with bamboo jungle, while the low ground is well timbered and covered with cane-brakes and thatching-grass. Along the north-western and southern boundaries of the State lies a narrow strip of low land, differing in no material respect as regards soil, agri- culture, and population from the adjoining portions of Sylhet, Tippera, Noakhali, and Chittagong Districts. Along the western border, for some miles to the north and south of the capital, the country may be described as broken ground, consisting of hillocks alternating with marshy valleys. These hillocks are utilized as sites for homesteads, and the valleys have been converted into rice-fields.
The principal hill ranges, beginning from the east, are the Jampai (highest points, Betling Sib, 3,200 feet, and Jampai, 1,860 feet), Sakhantlang (highest point, Sakhan, 2,578 feet\ Langtarai (highest point, Phengpui, 1,581 feet), and Atharamura (highest points, Jarimura, 1,500 feet, and Atharamura, 1,431 feet). These hills form a watershed from which the drainage pours down north by the Khowai, Dolai, Manu, Juri, and Langai, west into the Meghna by the Gumti, and south-west into the Bay of Bengal by the Fenny and Muhari. All of these rivers are navigable by boats of 4 tons burden during the rains, and by boats of 2 tons burden in the dry season. The Muhari, with its tributary the Selonia, and the Fenny arc tidal rivers. Near the source of the Gumti is a waterfall, known as the Dumbura fall; the scenery in its neighbourhood is exceedingly picturesque.
So far as is known, the rock formation is Upper Tertiary ; the plains are covered by recent alluvial deposits. The hills are clothed, in the south, with a forest very similar in appearance and composition to that of Chittagong; and Lauri//eae, Di/>/erorar/>eae, Ternstroemiaceac, Eup/ior- biaceae, and Legianinosae are well represented. The north is drier and densely covered by bamboo jungle. The thick forests which clothe the hills shelter wild elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, and bears ; pythons are common and are eaten by the Lushais.
The climate is healthy and the tem[)erature moderate. 'i"hc annual rainfall averages 76 inches, of which 5 inches fall in April, 1 1 in May, 15 in June, 12 in July, ir in August, and 10 in ScptenibtT. The earthquake of 1897 destroyed many buildings and shrines in Agartala, and raised the beds of several rivers, notably of the Manu.
History
The origin of the name Tripura is uncertain. A mythical account of the ancient history of the State is contained in the Rajniala, or Chronicles of the Kings, which was commenced in the fifteenth century ; it was written in Bengali verse by Brahman pandits attached to the court. The Raja claims descent from Druhyu, son of Yayati, of the Lunar race. The chief points of interest contained in these chronicles are that the State was ever at feud with its neighbours, and that Siva worship took early root and was associated with the practice of human sacrifice. The ancient kingdom of Tippera at various times extended its rule from the Sundarbans in the west to Burma in the east, and northwards as far as Kamriip. The State was first overrun by the Muhammadans under Tughril in 1279, and was again invaded by Ilyas Shah in the middle of the fourteenth century, and by Nawab Fateh Jang in 1620.
The plains portion (the present District of Tippera) was not, however, annexed to the Mughal empire until 1733. Hill Tippera proper was never assessed to revenue and remained outside the sphere of Muhammadan administration, although influence was usually exercised in the appointment of the Rajas. The military prestige of the Tippera Rajas was at its height during the sixteenth century, when Bijoy Manikhya defeated the Muhammadan troops who defended Chittagong, and occupied parts of Sylhet and Noakhali.
After the East India Company obtained the dnvdni of Bengal in 1765 they placed a Raja on the throne, and since 1808 each successive ruler has received investiture from the Government. In 1838 it was held by the Deputy-Governor of Bengal that, owing to his unchallenged possession from at least 1793, the Raja had obtained a prescriptive right to the territory within the hills. Between 1826 and 1862 the eastern portion of the State was constantly disturbed by Kilki raids, in which villages were burned and plundered, and the peaceful inhabi- tants massacred. An account of the action taken by the British Government to put an end to these raids will be found in the article on the LusHAi Hills. ^
The present chief is Raja Radha Kishore Deb Barman Manikhya, who was invested in 1897. The title of Manikhya, which is still borne by the Rajas, was bestowed first on Raja Ratnapha, by the king of Gaur, about 1279. The Raja receives a salute of 13 guns.
Both as regards its constitution and its relations with the British Government, the State of Hill Tippera differs alike from the large Native States of India, and from those which are classed as tributary. Besides being the ruler of Hill Tippera, the Raja also holds a large landed property called Chakla Roshnabad, situated in the plains of the Districts of Tippera, Noakhali, and Sylhet. This estate covers an area of 570 square miles, and is the most valuable portion of the Raja's possessions ; it yields a larger revenue than the whole of Hill Tippera, and it is held to form with the State an indivisible Raj. Disputes as to the right of succession have occurred on the occasion of almost every vacancy in the Raj, producing in times gone by disturbances and domestic wars, and exposing the inhabitants of the hills to serious disorders and attacks from the Kukis, who were always called in as auxiliaries by one or other of the contending parties.
The principles which govern succession to the State have recently, however, been embodied in a sanad which was drawn up in 1904. This lays down that the chiefship is hereditary in the Deb Barman family, and that the chief may nominate any male member of his family descended through males from him or any of his male ancestors to be his Jubraj or successor. Should the ruling chief die without nominating his successor, his nearest male descendant through males according to the rule of lineal primogeniture is to succeed to the chiefship, and failing such descendant, his nearest male heir de- scended from any male ancestor of his. Finally, every succession to the chiefship requires as heretofore the recognition of the Government of India.
In 1 87 1 an English officer was first appointed as Political Agent to protect British interests and to advise the Raja. In 1878 his post was abolished, and the Magistrate of the adjoining District of Tippera was appointed ex-officio Political Agent of Hill Tippera, a Bengali deputy- magistrate being stationed at Agartala as Assistant Political Agent ; ultimately, in 1890 this latter post was abolished.
Population
The population in 1901 was 173,325, which gives a density of 42 persons to the square mile ; the hills can support only a scanty population. The people live in one town, Agartala, and 1,463 villages. The recorded population in- creased from 35,262 in 1872 to 95,637 in 1881, and to 137,442 in 1891 ; but the first two enumerations were probably inaccurate. The increase of 26 per cent, in 1901 was due mainly to the growing im- migration from the neighbouring Districts, 44,000 immigrants having been enumerated in 1901. The same reason explains the deficiency of females, there being only 874 to every 1,000 males. Of the popu- lation 44 per cent, speak Tippera or Mrung, a dialect of the Bodo family, of which Kacharl and Garo are the other most important repre- sentatives, and 40 per cent. Bengali ; many of the remainder speak languages of the Kiiki-Chin group, such as Manipurl and Hallam. Hindus form 69 per cent, of the inhabitants, Musalmans 26 j)er cent., Buddhists 3 per cent., and Animists less than 2 per cent.
The Tipperas are a Mongolian race, and appear to be identical with the Murungs of Arakan. Outside the .State and Tippera District they are found in large numbers only in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In Hill Tippera they number 76,000, and are divided into Puran or original Tipperas, and Jamatias, the fighting caste. There are two other divisions which are not regarded as true Tipperas : the Nawatias, who are said to have come from Chittagong ; and the Riyangs, who are of Kuki origin and were formerly the /aZ^/-bearers of the Tippera Rajas. Although the religion of the tribe is returned as Hindu, it is a curious mixture of Hinduism and Animism ; the old tribal gods have not yet been ousted, and they are worshipped side by side with those of the Hindus by tribal priests called Ojhas. A list of the deities worshipped will be found on pp. 186 and 187 of the Census Report, 1901. The family gods of the Tippera kings are known as the chaudah devafil, or ' fourteen gods ' ; and they include Tuima, a river goddess, Lampra, the god who rules the sky and ocean, and Burasa, the forest god, the remainder being Hindu deities. Goats and buffaloes are sacrificed at their shrines, and in former times human beings were immolated. The marriage customs of the hill tribes are primitive. When a young man wishes to marry a girl, he serves for one to three years in her father's house. Infant marriage is rare, and divorce and the remarriage of widows are allowed. The dead are cremated. The other castes are immigrant Manipuris, and Kiikis and Chakmas from the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Agriculture supports 91 per cent, of the population and industries 3 per cent.
Agriculture
The nomadic tillage known as jhum cultivation is almost universal, except in the narrow strip of plain which adjoins British territory. The forest on a hill-side is cut, and burnt when it has dried ; and as soon as the rains break, seeds of various crops are sown in holes made for the purpose. No agricultural statistics are available ; but the principal crop and main food staple is rice, both in the plains and in the hills. Other crops grown in the plains are jute, tobacco, sugar-cane, mustard, chillies, and onions; and in the hills cotton, chillies, and sesamum. Attempts have been made of late years to induce the Tipperas to resort to plough culti- vation, and a few agricultural banks have been established by the State ; a model farm has also been started. The breeds of buffaloes are known as Manipuri and Bangar ; the former are the stronger. Pasturage is abundant.
The forest which covers the hills contains sal (S/wrea robitsta), tun {Cedrela Toona), gamhar (Gnielina arborea), j'arul {Lagerstroemia Flos Reghtae), and garjan i^Dipterocarpus turbinatus), and large quantities of bamboos and canes. The timber and other produce are floated down the rivers, and the wood is largely used for boat-building; the export duty on forest produce yields over 2 lakhs annually to the State. An area of 15 square miles of forest has been reserved, in which teak, mahogany, sissu {Dalbergia Sissoo), rubber, and mulberry are being cultivated.
Trade and Communication
The only manufacture is cotton cloth of the coarsest quality made by the Manipuri and Tippera women. The principal exports are cotton, timber, sesamum, bamboos, canes, thatching-grass, and firewood: an export duty is levied on all these iraaeana articles. The miports are salt, kerosene oil, tobacco, and European piece-goods. The chief trade centres are Agartala, Khowai, Kailashahar, Udaipur, Bisalgarh, and Mohanpur ; business is chiefly in the hands of Indian Sahas. At some of these centres annual fairs are held, at which merchants from the neighbouring British Districts assemble and the hill people make their annual purchases.
Traffic is carried on chiefly by water ; in the dry season, when the rivers are not navigable by boats of more than 2 tons burden, rafts and canoes are used. There are 105 miles of road, mainly in the neighbourhood of Agartala j feeder-roads are now under construction to the stations on the Assam-Bengal Railway, which passes outside the western boundary of the State.
Administration
The administration is conducted by the Minister at Agartala, assisted by the dtwdn and other subordinates. The laws are framed by a legislative council, and are modelled on the laws of British India. The State is divided into seven administrative divisions — Agartala, Udaipur, Sonamura, Belonia, Khowai, Dharmanagar, and Kailashahar — each presided over by an officer ordinarily styled Magistrate-Collector, whose duties correspond to those of a District officer in British non-regulation Districts ; he is subordinate to the Minister except in judicial matters. The chief judicial authority is vested in the K/ids appellate court, which is pre- sided over by three Judges and is similar in constitution to a Chief Court in ]3ritish Provinces. Subordinate to the K/ids appellate court is a court, presided over by a Judge, which hears all civil and criminal appeals from the divisional officers and tries Sessions cases. The officials are mainly natives of Bengal, many of them graduates of the Calcutta University ; but certain offices are held exclusively by the Thakurs who are connected with the Raja by marriage or other- wise. Agartala is the only municipality.
The State revenue increased from 2-4 lakhs in 1 881-2 to 4-6 lakhs in 1892-3 and 8-17 lakhs in 1903-4, of which 2-32 lakhs was derived from land revenue. Duties are levied on exports, such as cotton, ///, and forest products, bringing in 2-78 lakhs in 1903-4. The income derived from elephant-catching is decreasing, as these animals are becoming scarce.
The Raja is the proprietor of the soil, and the land is held either direct by cultivators or under taluka grants, which may be either per- petual or temporary. In the hills a family tax is realized from jhum cultivators, and rents are paid only for lands in the plains ; the rates vary from 1 2 annas to Rs. 9-8, the average being Rs. 3 per acre. The State is being cadastrally surveyed and settled.
A military force of 330 officers and men is maintained by the State. The force under the Superintendent of police numbers 8 inspectors, 26 ddrogas, 33 naib-ddrogas, 40 head constables, 49 writer constables, and 308 constables, posted at 22 police stations and 34 outposts. There is a jail at Agartala and a lock-up at each of the divisional head-quarters ; the average daily number of prisoners in 1903-4 was 47.
Education is very backward, and in 1901 only 2-3 per cent, of the population (4-1 males and 0-2 females) could read and write. The number of pupils under instruction increased from 619 in 1881 to 1,059 in 1892-3 and 1,704 in 1900-1, while 3,008 boys and 117 girls were at school in 1903-4. The number of educational insti- tutions in that year was 103, including an Arts college, a secondary school, 99 primary schools, and 2 special schools. Of the primary schools, 88 are in the hills, and special scholarships have been founded for hill boys. An artisan school has recently been started, in which carpentry and brass and ironwork are taught. There are boarding- houses at the college and high school, where accommodation and medical aid are provided free of cost. A special boarding-house has also been established for the Thakur boys, and in connexion with it, a class has been opened for the training of such Thakurs as are willing to enter the civil service of the State ; separate arrangements have also been made for the education of members of the ruling family. The expenditure on education in 1903-4 amounted to Rs. 70,000, which was entirely borne by the State, all education being free.
The State maintains ten charitable dispensaries, under the control and supervision of the State physician. The total number of out- patients in 1903-4 was 35,269, and of in-patients 657 ; 401 operations were performed. The expenditure was Rs. 26,500, entirely borne by the State. Vaccination is not compulsory, but is making progress, and 7,756 persons were vaccinated in 1903-4.
[Sir W. Hunter, Statistical Account of Be/igai, vol. vi ; Sir A. Mackenzie, History of the Relations of the Government ivith the Hill Tribes of the N^orth-East Frotitier of Bengal (Calcutta, 1884); Rev. James Long, * Abstract of the Rajmala,' Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal {1850), vol. xix, p. 533 ; J. G. Gumming, Settlement Report of Chdkla Roshndbad (Galcutta, 1899).]
