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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [106r] (216/502)
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
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39
SCHEDULE No. II.—
Complaints of Baroda Subjects.
Remarks.
Case of Parvatibai and Gungabai^ widows
of the late Bhow Scindhia.
Himmetlall Kaleedass^ the Mooneem of
Gopalrao Myral, and the present Head
of the firm^ Yeshvantroa Gopal^ will be
able to state what has become of this
money.
Gaekwar and was possessed of considerable property amount
ing to about Rs. 3,54,000, including immoveable property
and one Inam village. All this property was amassed
during the reign of Gunputrao and Khunderao Gaekwars.
My husband was arrested in connection with an alleged at
tempt to burn down the Havelee. When my husband was
imprisoned an attachment was placed on the house, and I was
not allowed to leave it. A fortnight after I was imprisoned,
all my property was taken away^ and I was left utterly desti
tute. About four months after my husband had been thrown
into prison^ I received notice from a
sepoy
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.
that my husband
had died at Eaopara Chabutra. I went there with about
25 relations to take away my husbands'body. I noticed that
the colour of the body was changed in an unnatural way. I
have no reasonable doubt from the appearance of the body
that my husband did not die from natural causes. I and
my relations took away my husband's body : we were accom
panied by
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.
. I am utterly destitute, and I pray that
justice may be done to me, and that my husband's property be
restored to jne. My house valued at Rs. 15^000 has been
given to one Sekhjee, a favorite of the present Maharajah.
My garden, valued at Rs. 75,000, has been given to Bal-
vuntrao Eshvant, Fouzdar, and is now in his possession.
The case of these petitioners appears from the statement made
by Parvati Bai:—" Shortly after the death of the late Maha
rajah Khunderao, my husband, Bhow Scindia, was arrested
and placed in confinement; an attachment was placed on his
house ; and all my jewels and personal property were attached
at the same time. I and Gungabai were kept in strict con
finement ; first at our own house, and then at Omkareshwur
Temple; a guard was placed at the door, and no one but my
own people were allowed to approach me, nor was I allowed
to speak with any one else. I and Gungabai were kept in
confinement in this way for 21 months, viz., from November
1870 to August 1872.
My personal property or stridhun which I received from my
late husband and from Maharajah Khunderao exceeded 2
lacs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
of
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
. The whole of my stridhun has been taken away
from me, together with my late husband's effects. The same
thing has happened to Gungabai. I have committed no fault
whatever that I should thus suffer forfeiture. With the
exception of our inam village, Devurganr, in Nasik^ every
thing that I had has been taken from me. A suit has been
filed against me in the Nasik Civil Court by Haree Bhugtee for
this remaining property. I remember coming up to the Resi
dent in the month of August 1872. I was accompanied to
the
Residency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
by a Government Karkoon. At the
Residency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
I met Balvuntrao Eshvant, Fouzdar; the Fouzdar told us what
to say when the Saheb should question us. The Fouzdar
said unless I said this I should get into trouble. I was
afraid from what the Fouzdar said. I therefore concealed
from the Saheb the imprisoment and hardship to which I
have been subjected with Gungabai. After seeing the Saheb
we were allowed to depart; and I and Gungabai went by rail
to Bombay. In Bombay I asked Gopalrao Myral's Bombay
Manager regarding a sum of
Rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
one
lac
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
which have been
deposited in my name by Bhow Scindia in Gopalrao Myral's
banking house in Bombay. I was verbally informed by
Gopalrao Myral's Mooneem in Bombay that I could not get a
pie of this money.
M
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
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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