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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [90r] (184/502)
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.
I
SCHEDULE No. I.— continued.
No.
Complaints of British Subjects.
K emarks.
I
Babajoe Bhedkur is said to be a Mankuri of
the Minister Nana Sahib.
Evidence showiog how young women are
enticed away from their homes in
British villages and made to serve as
lowndees in H. H. the Maharajah'i
household.
The Resident has long since been aware
of the existence of this practice, but
has never before been able to obtain
authenticated instances of it.
In these instances the Minister and the
Maharajah appear to be directly con
cerned.
The enticement, the forced service, the
unjust imprisonment for not giving
false information, their non-trial, the
flogging, and lastly, the accidental
release from prison, are matters that de
mand the fullest possible investigation.
Case of Saloo, wife of Gunoo Savai,
resident of Sakurpa, Purgunna Rajapur,
District Ratnagiri, a British subject.
* These two men and the woman are alleged
to have been in the service of the Minister
Nana Sahib.
a I married my husband Vithoba about 10 years ago. He is a
cultivator and resident of Khanoul_, 4 kos from Bhalval, where
my grandmother resides. I used to live with my husband.
About two years ago I was at my grandmother's, when
a servant of Nana Sahib Khanvelkar, named ^ Babajee
JBedkur, came to me and induced me to accompany
him to Baroda^ saying that I should be in easy cir
cumstances there and should not have to work hard in the
field as at Bhalval, and that I should get ornaments^ cloth
ings &c. I secretly left my mother s house, leaving a son of
one year of age behind. At first I was taken to Kud^ the
native village of Nana Sahib Khanvelker. Tvjo other women
had already heen brought there and two came up two days
subsequently. All five of us were concealed in Nana Sahib's
house. The names of the other four were Muthoo, Sukoo,
Kashee, and another Kashee; three days afterwards we left for
Baroda^ the said Babajee Bedkur accompanying us. We stop
ped in Bombay for three days; a sixth woman, named Door-
gee, joined us at Bombay. All these women were between
20 and 25 years of age. From Bombay we came by rail to
Baroda, and were taken to Nana Sahib's house. I remained in
Nana Sahib's house for about a month; so did the other five.
I was then sent with the others, except Kashee, to the Sirkar
Wada^ and we were made to serve the Ranee Mahasabai as
" lowndees." I remained in the Ranee^s service for four
months when I was sent for by the Maharaja Mulharrao.
Saloo and Tanee, women who were in the Ranee's service, were
also there. The Maharajah asked Saloo and Tanee what
they knew regarding a certain intrigue alleged to have
occurred about that time. They replied in the negative.
I was asked no questions. We were then sent to the Fouz-
daree. This was at midnight. The next day art noon we
were sent to Ravpura Chabutra. One and a half months
subsequently I was sent to jail. There I remained for about
15 months, and was released on the occasion of the last eclipse
of the moon. No trial has ever taken place, nor has my
statement been ever taken down.
r<r I was twice flogged in the jail by Bhoojungrao^ Deputy Jailor,
with a cane on my bare back. It is the common practice to
flog women in the jail. I saw several women beaten in the
jail.
' I have lost my caste and am now utterly destitute. I pray
for justice.^
The petitioner has made the following statement:—
Saloo, wife of Gunoo Savat^ aged 22 years, Maratha, resident of
Sakurpa, Purgunna Rajaupr^ District Ratnagiri, saith on
solemn affirmation:—
cC I married my husband Gunoo when 10 years of age, and lived
with him. He is a cultivator. About 2 years ago I came to
Deola to vist my mother. Gopal Rao Savvey, Bam Bhow, and
8agoonabai y womsm, came to me and told me to go with them to
Baroda, where I should be provided with ornaments^ clothes,
&c., and be in easy circumstances, and thus spared the hard
labour I was put to in my village. I was in this way induced to
accompany them. They took me to the village of Kura and
kept me for three days in Nana Sahib Khanvelkar s house. In
&
About this item
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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
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- 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