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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [166v] (337/502)
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.
6
unable to bear the weight 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.
. Being
alarmed for ourselves, we at last agreed to pay the money, and have done so.
Besides this, the Vahivatdar took a chit from us at that time for Rs. 2,800
on account of a tax of his own which he called " Gungi." I was kept in
custody for 2 days Till such was not the custom of levying taxes or re.
venue. I know that similar oppression has been practised in the villages
adjoining ours. The villagers have told us so.
We made up the sum by the sale of the stock of grain we had reserved
for future sowings and for our own food.
We made a verbal petition to the Maharaj in
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).
, stating what had
been done to us, and our inability to pay the tax, but we were summarily
expelled from his presence 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.
.
Cross-examined by Durbar—If the matter is a private one, it is cus
tomary to petition on 8 annas stamp paper. If it relates to zulum on the
part of the Sarkar, the petition is made on plain paper. I did not make a
written petition, because the Vahivatdar Bhikabhai told me that if I did not
so petition he would get a remission of 2 annas in the rupee for us.
13, Parbhudas Bhukan, 52 years, Revenue Patel of Timbarva, Par-
gana Shinor, states;—In the year the Vahivatdar Vishnu Sudaseo called
me to Shinor, and telling me he had to recover Rs. 20,000, the amount of naza-
rana which he had paid to Sivaji Khanvelkar, demanded Rs. 2,000 as the
share of my village. I represented that the gadi nazarana could scarcely be
paid, and how could we possibly pay this demand. He imprisoned me for 7
days in fetters till I agreed to pay. He accompanied me to the village and
we called the people together. They all declined to pay, whereupon 10 of
them were seized and 2 were flogged. On this the rest consented to pay the
amount demanded.
The village refused to pay the gadi nazarana, whereupon the Vahivatdar
caused some 50 men to stand in the sun touching their toes, till at last they
agreed to pay. The money has mostly been paid now.
I made a written petition to the Maharaj in 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 plain paper
about the oppression exercised on us in the matter of the " Gungi vero," but
my petition was thrown away by the Karkun, into whose hands we gave it,
and I was driven away. We did not petition about the zulum in the second
matter, because no one would hear us.
We had never paid this " Gungi" tax before. It was a tax which was
to be paid, but no mention made of it. The Vahivatdar took it for himself.
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).
Agent defers cross-examination.
14. Vardha Karshan, 22 years, Matadar of Timbarva, Pargana Shinor,
states:—In 1873 Vishnu Sudaseo, the Vahivatdar of Shinor, came to
Timbarva, and calling the Mattadars together, demanded Rs. 2,000 from the
village. He said he had paid Rs. 20,000 himself to the Sarkar as nazarana
and we must pay him back. We said we could not do it, as we had not
the means, whereupon I and Mulji Narayen where seized and flogged with
horsewhips, each receiving 10 cuts on the back. Upon this we agreed to
pay, and Rs. 1,500 where then paid. The Vahivatdar came down to Rs.
1,600 from his original demand of Rs. 2,000, Rs. 100 is still due from me,
and Mohsals are now at this very time placed over me to make me pay it.
I do not know whether the Vahivatdar was going to keep the money for
himself or pay it to 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).
. We made a petition to the Maharaj,
relating how this " Gungi" tax had been levied from us by the Vahivatdar,
and what he had done to us in levying it. We placed the petition in the
hands of the Dewan in open
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).
. It was kept by 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).
, but
no redress has been given to us, or enquiry made in consequence of it.
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