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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [&lrm;140r] (284/502)

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎140r] (284/502)

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874'

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Ref: Mss Eur F126/78

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. .

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l>K>
"'Si,
(d.) That Natliuva Tisla entered the temple in question in disguise.
(h.)That the Yahivatdar of Atarsumba states that Nathuva Tisla confessed
isliUfj that he had entered the temple.
(c.) Subjects of the Mahikanta and Rcwakanta (Mulukgiri limits), if caught
' ' v.; committing offences within Baroda limits are punishable by Baroda laws, and
■:; tbe 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. of the District to be informed after the expiration of the term
'1 ew of punishment.
(fi.) But Nathuva Tisla was apprehended in the act of committing this crime,
* 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). states that the crime committed was punish- was tlied, convicted, and
able by death. Consequently it was not bailable. Yet Na- Sentenced according to law
thuva Tisla was allowed by the Vahivatdar to return to the nothing unjust* Or
- Mahikanta after the bribe was paid. He stayed there 1^ committed,
tenu months, after which he was illegally arrested, not through Rpdrlpnt'q varl 1
the 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. . Thus the whole proceeding was unjust \ ' ,i - tk i ^
; and informal. Jf 7 Ay should 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). have concealed from desired the JJurbar to release
the Commission the fact of the bail and the return of the the prisoner. This wasanovel
an , prisoner to his home in the Mahikanta ? proceeding.
(/.) Resident's yad No. 1704 was received, and to avoid discussion, the
prisoner was released by order 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). .
(g.) With regard to the bribes, the complainants have not appeared before
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). , therefore the question has not been gone into.
4. With regard to a, h, c, d, and of the above allegations on the part 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 deposition of Nathuva Tisla himself, corroborated by other
evidence, throws a very different light on the matter. The Vahivatdar of Atar
sumba, named Desaibhai, being the person who released the petitioner on his
father's paying the sum of Rs. 200, is not worthy of credit in what he states
r regarding the petitioner's confession.
|0St otil
odnmlifj,
(1.) Deposition of Nathuva Tisla on 8th August 1873, before the Resident.
" Nathuva Tisla, 30 years of age, inhabitant of Punadra, in the Mahikanta,
chamar and cultivator, Hindu,
States on solemn affirmation.
o act, ail
About the end of last February, I went to the temple of Mahadev near Atar
sumba, where I was summoned by the Sirkar to bring grass for the^ sowars of the
Gaekwar Grovernment. I had deposited the grass and was returning home, and
had occasion to pass near the temple. After going a few paces I was followed by
ten or fifteen 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. of Atarsumba, who accused me of having defiled the temple
by s-oino- near it. They beat me with leather thongs, and took me to the Foujdar,
who had me boun l and taken to Atarsumba. 1 was ,there fettered and thrown
into prison. I remained thus for 15 days. During this time 2 or 3 persons
visited me, and said that if I would pay a fine, I should be released. I said that
I could not pay it, but that perhaps my father would. A few days after this i
was discharged. My father knows about the bail, &c. I then returned home,
where I remained for about 2 months. After its expiration the man who went
bail for me named Washramia, came and said that I must come with him to
Atarsumba in Gaekwar's territory, as a Razmama had to ^be taken from me.
When I arrived in Atarsumba I was taken to the Foujdar s Karkun, Krishna
Dev, who said that mv statement had to be taken in Baroda, and that _ l must go
there on that account! The Vahivatdar, Desaibhai, was at that time sitting near.
I was sent to Baroda and taken to the Foujdari. I was then taken to Chabutra
for 3 days. On the 4th day I was called to the Foujdari. ISo questions whatever
were asked ; no evidence was taken ; there was no
This accords with the evi- j wag ] <e pt, at a distance and was informed by
dence in nearly every case. tw0 "karkuns that I was sentenced to 7i years' im-
d iritliJ 5

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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

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎140r] (284/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442807.0x000055> [accessed 5 August 2026]

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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