Lasur
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.
Lasur
Village in the Chopda Taluka of East Khandesh District, Bombay, situated in 21° 18' N. and 75*^ 15' E., 8 miles north-west of Chopda town. Population (1901), 2,557. Lasur is now nothing but a collection of mud huts and irregularly built houses, but the ruins of a fort, a fine well, and the remains of a mosque attest its former importance. The fort was dismantled by the British, and the Thoke's mansion was burnt down a few years ago. The history of the family illustrates the state of Khandesh in the beginning of the nineteenth century. The Carnatic mercenaries, employed by every pett}' pro- prietor, had made themselves so obnoxious that Gulzar Khan Thoke, the holder of the strong fort of Lasur, enlisted a body of Arabs to oppose them. Unable to control or pay his Arabs, he used to let them loose on the country round, till at last the other proprietors, entering into a league against him, bribed his Arabs to assassinate him at Lasur and his eldest son AlTyar Khan at Chopda.
A second son, Alaf Khan, escaping from Lasur, took refuge with Suraji Rao Nimbal- kar of Yaval. Returning with some Carnatic mercenaries lent him by the Nimbalkar, Alaf Khan, on pretence of paying the Arabs their arrears, entered the fort, and the Carnatic troops seized the Arabs and put them to death. But instead of being in possession of his own fort, Alaf Khan found that his hired force had orders to hold the fort for their master the Nimbalkar. Driven to despair, Alaf Khan allied himself with the Bhils and plundered without mercy. At last the Nim- balkar agreed to give up the fort for a money payment of Rs. 10,000. This sum Captain Briggs advanced to the Thoke family and occupied the fort with British troops. Subsequently a member of the Thoke family was appointed keeper of the hills and of the Bhirram pass, and the family now serve as headmen of the village. The village contains a boys' school with 8 pupils.
