'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [139r] (282/502)
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.
V
SCHEDULE I.
Case No. 5,
Tislo Govmda, Chamar, 40 years, leather seller and cultivator, resident of
I unadra, m the Mahikanta, states :—My son, named Nathuva Tislo, aged 17 years,
is now at home too ill to come up and make any statement. His feet and legs
are a J swollen, and he suffers from fever daily. He is the same person about
whom complaints have been made to the Resident, regarding his havino- been
seized, fined, and punished by the Vahivatdar of Atarsumba. He is so ill that he
cannot be brought here even on a charpoy, and I have no hope that he will ever
get well. Punadra is 50 kos (75 miles) from Baroda, 22 kos (33 miles) from
Ahmedabad, 18 kos (27 miles) from Sadra. He has been thus ill for the last
month. I do not know whether or no they are giving him any medicine at home.
His mother is taking care of him, but I cannot say how he now is, as it is 20
days since I left home.
2. Shankar Laldas, Vania, 50 years, Mukhtiar of Pasunj, Daskrohi Taluka,
Ahmedabad Zilla, states :—About 2 months ago l islo came to me, and informed me
that his son .was imprisoned without cause in Baroda. 1 informed the Political
Agent at Sadra, and by his advice I came here and complained to the Resident,
who procured the release of JSTathuva in 12 . days. He was then very ill, with feet
all swollen, but was able to walk a little. We took him by train to Ahmedabad,
and thence by cart to Punadra. About 1 month ago the Resident sent for us
again, and I went to Punadra where I saw Nathuva. He was then, 25 days ago,
lying In bed, suffering from swollen legs and daily attacks of fever. He was
quite unable to move. He was not in his right senses, being unable to answer
questions put to him. We therefore came away without him. I heard 15 days
ago that he was no better. It is impossible for me to say whether or no he will
recover, but when I saw him he was quite unable to come here by any means of
conveyance.
Statement of 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).
.
The village of Punadra, within the jurisdiction of the Mahi-kanta
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
, be
longs to the G-aekwar's district of Atarsumba. It is the seat of a famous shrine
of Mahadeo, distinguished by the name of " Utamteshvar." It is a place of pil
grimage and fairs. The greatest of these fairs falls on the 14th of Magh Yadya,
when thousands visit the place; and on the last 14th of Magh Yadya, the con
course amounted to thousands.
The religious laws of the Hindus prohibit members of inferior castes, such
as Dheds (low caste), Bhangis (sweepers), Chamars (shoemakers), as well as of
different creeds, such as Musalmans, from entering the temples of Hindu religion.
At any rate the popular feeling becomes offended if any individual of an inferior
caste enters such places. The sensitiveness of the Hindu mind is so great that
they become highly excited, if they happen to discover such an one to have enter
ed a Hindu temple in disguise.
On the day of the last fair, a shoemaker of Punadra, one Nathuva Tisla by
name, had come to the fair. There was nothing wrong so far as coming to the
fair was concerned. He however took a disguise and effected an entrance into the
room where the principal shrine is situated. He was however detected, given
into custody, and kept in confinement.
During the investigation held by the Vahivatdar (manager) of Atarsumba,
he admitted having entered the temple, and the same having been established by
i—5 a
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' [139r] (282/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442807.0x000053> [accessed 7 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442807.0x000053
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_100023442807.0x000053">'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎139r] (282/502)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442807.0x000053"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0282.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
!['Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎139r] (282/502) 'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎139r] (282/502)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0282.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg)