!['Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎39r] (82/502)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0082.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎39r] (82/502)")
'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [39r] (82/502)
The record is made up of 1 volume (249 folios). It was created in 1 Nov 1873-14 Feb 1874. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
3
2% In 1867 the deponent's village was rated at Rs. 400, on account of theNaza-
rana levied on Bhao Sindia's nomination as Minister, and on his and others refusing
to pay the same, as being contrary to the 10 years' settlement, he and 7 other Va-
re W|, tandars were imprisoned for 15 days by the Vahivatdar, to whom on their release,
Hcji;" on payment of the Nazarana, they paid Rs. 800, for himself. In 1868 deponent
yoccj, witnessed the ill-treatment of No. 8 as described by him. In 1872, on their re
fusal to pay the " Accession Nazarana," deponent and some 50 other villagers
were made to stand in the sun touching their toes, while pieces of wood were placed
on their backs. They then paid the Nazarana. On this occasion 15 cultivators
left the village. Deponent and others petitioned the Maharaja, but could get no
redress.
No. 10, states that in April 1870, the "Accession Nazarana" not being paid
by his village, 5 villagers were selected by the Mahal Karkun and made to touch
rone If; their toes, while prickly-pear leaves were put on their backs, and stones on them,
ion theThe money was then collected and paid through fear. Four families left the vil-
on iiii'; lage. Deponent saw the above. A complaint was made, but there was no redress.
azaraia' No. 11 states that in 1864, he and others demurred to the proposed 10 years'
settlement, when some of them were imprisoned, and one man was sent to sweep
the public road, as already described. They then agreed to it. He then refers
to the attack on the Bhats and Brahmins in 1865 as already recorded, and
states that owing to ill-treatment in connexion with the levy of the Inam Com
mittee Tax, some 200 or 250 families of Kolis left the village, and have since sub
sisted by robbery. In 1867 deponent was imprisoned for 15 days with others
for refusing to pay his share of the Nazarana levied by Bhao Sindia, and had to
give Rs. 800 to the Yahivatdar, besides the Nazarana, for ultimately releasing
them. In 1868 deponent witnessed the ill-treatment of No. 8 as described by
him in connection with the increased assessment of 2 annas in the rupee. In 1872,
in consequence of their refusal to pay the Inam Committee Tax, some 50 villagers,
' including deponent, were made to stand in a row touching their toes till they
rigonelln agreed to pay up. In 1872 deponent and his brother-in-law were made to pay
Rs. 300 to the Thanadar of Bhavanta and Es. 550 to the Yahivatdar of Pitlad and
his son after being detained in custody 8 or 10 days, in connection with their
bringing a woman from Yisrampur whom his brother wanted to marry. The
woman ran away, and they only succeeded in getting back Rs. 375 of the sums
so paid by them on complaint to the Sir Subah.
The foregoing evidence has been given by men all belonging to the Pitlad
pargana. Many more are in attendance, but the Commission deems it unnecessary
to take their depositions separately.
No. 12, a Yatandar of a village in the Sinor pargana, states that in January
1873, the Yahivatdar came to his village, and demanded Rs. 8,500 on account
of Accession Nazarana, The villagers declared they could not pay, whereupon
he seized the whole of them. The hands of 25 men were then tied together, and
they were made to stoop, while three beams of wood were put on their backs.
Four men fell down, and were beaten by the
sepoys
Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank.
, when the rest agreed to
pay up the amount demanded. The Yahivatdar at the same time took a chit foi^
Rs. 2,800 on account of a tax of his own; Till 1872 such was not the mode of
levying the revenue or taxes. Similar oppression has been practised in other
villages. The amount was made up by the sale of the reserve grain of the
village. The villagers petitioned the Maharaja, but got no redress.
No. 13, aPatel of the Sinor pargana, states that in 1872-73, the Vahivatdar
summoned him and told him he had to recover the sum of Rs. 20,000 Nazarana,
which he had had to pay to the present Minister, and that his village must make
up Rs. 2,000. Deponent protested that the " Accession Nazarana'' could hardly be
made up, and that this further demand could not be met, but he was imprisoned
About this item
- Content
Report of the Baroda Enquiry Commission on the administration of the government of Malharrao, Gaekwar of Baroda. The Commission comprised Richard John Meade (President), Edward William Ravenscroft, Mumtazul Dowlah Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Faiz Ali Khan, Colonel Alfred Thomas Etheridge and Thomas Duncan Mackenzie (Secretary).
The report comprises a letter from the members of the Baroda Enquiry Commission to the Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department presenting their report on the results of the proceedings and submitting copies of correspondence, reports and statements relative to the enquiry (ff 5-19):
Appendix A, Part I
- Schedules I-III: Complaints and grievances against the Gaekwar's Government from individuals and groups (ff 21-78).
- Appendix B, Schedules I-III: Cases of complaint and grievance which the commission did not look into during the enquiry (ff 79-81).
- Appendix C: Letter from Colonel Richard John Meade, President, Special Commission of Enquiry on Baroda Affairs, to Colonel Robert Phayre, Resident at Baroda, 1 November 1873 (ff 82-83).
- Appendix D: Translation of an amended notice issued by the Resident to complainants desirous of appearing before the Baroda Enquiry Commission (ff 84-85).
- Appendix E: Schedules presented to the Commission along with Colonel Phayre's introductory statement regarding them. (ff 86-131).
- Appendix F: Letter No. 1128 of 1873 from Colonel Phayre to the President, Baroda Commission regarding the cases already submitted to the Commission, the List of undisposed petitions to be attended to by the Resident which could be used as additional cases if required and the statements that he had yet to make on cases under enquiry by the Commission (ff 132-133).
- Appendix G, Schedule I: Statements from witnesses with cross examination statements from the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). on behalf of the Gaekwar and statements from the Resident as to the accuracy of the information provided (ff 134-229).
Appendix Part II (ff 231-245)
- Letter from James Braithwaite Peile, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kattywar [Kathiawar] to T D Mackenzie, Secretary, Baroda Commission, 13 December 1873 regarding papers requested by the Commission and informing them that the outstanding paper will be forwarded as soon as they are received. Enclosed with the letter are a memorandum from Peile for reconstitution of His Highness the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar, 13 December 1873 and Rule for the guidance of the Officers and Kamdars appointed to the Contingent of Horse of His Highness the Gaekwar, serving in the various Tributary Mahals according to treaty.
- Letter from Peile to Mackenzie, 6 January 1874, forwarding a report and returns received from Colonel Walker, Superintendent to the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar and stating that he does not concur with the Colonel's opinion. Enclosed with this letter is a letter from Colonel Chamberlen William Walker, 30 December 1873, providing the information on the Contingent requested by the Commission and enclosing an extract of the Contingents annual report for 1871 and a statement of the men within the Contingent on duty under officials paid by Talukdars etc, 06 March 1872.
- Letters from John Whaley Watson, Acting Political Superintendent Pahlanpur [Palanpur], Captain Henry Nicholas Reeves, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Rewa Kanta [Rewa Kantha] and Major Philip Harrison Le Geyt, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Mahi Kanta [Mahi Kantha] to the secretary of the Baroda Commission 19 December 1873 to 9 January 1874 reporting on the Gaekwar's contingents serving within their districts and commenting on numbers of men, pay and conditions. The letters all refer to enclosed returns, but only the return for Mahi Kanta is included in the report.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (249 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main sequence of foliation consists of a small pencil number in the top front right hand corner of each folio enclosed in a circle.
There is also an original sequence of foliation which consists of larger pencil numbers also in the top front right hand corner of folios, however the sequence is not consistent and some of the numbers may be filing references rather than foliation numbers.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [39r] (82/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000053> [accessed 3 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000053
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000053">'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎39r] (82/502)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000053"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0082.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/78
- Title
- 'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:248v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence