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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [167v] (339/502)
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.
8
1 ft "Walab Lakshmidas, Patidar of Kamral, in the Khangi Mahal, states:—
T n sn. 1927 j n consequence of the survey being introduced into our village, our
rateT^re so raised that we were not able to pay them. The Mehta of the
villaffe in order to raise the money, caused nearly every one to stand touch,
^n" his'toes, had weights placed on their backs &c., and by these means the
rafes were levied from the ryots. I personally was not so treated. I only
j one t0 ot h e i. r yots. Some 50 families of Kanbis have left our village in
coLenu "uce° and gone to settle in the Panch Mahals, British territory. The
gadinazarana was levied in g| by similar means, by turning our women and
children out of their houses, by making men pull our noses and ears and so
forth. We have made no petition about the various tyrannies practised
upon us.
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 reserves cross -examination.
19 Parbhu Bhaga, Kanbi of Daman, in Telade tappa of Prant Naosari,
states:— If the Government demands are not paid in my village the means
resorted to, to induce payment, are to make us hold our toes, to bury us m hot
sand up to the knees, to put weights on our backs, to forbid us access to wells
and tanks, and so forth. The gadi nazarana was paid 2 years ago m our
village with difficulty by borrowing money from Sahukars, &c. I myself was
made 2 years ago to touch my toes and carry a brick on the back of my neck
to cause me to pay my land assessment. Some 10 families have left our
village in the last 2 years in consequence of similar treatment, and gone to
Walor in the Surat Zillah. I made no petition about my wrongs.
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).
Agents reserve cross -examination.
20. Rudhar Daji, Brahman, Cultivator of Veshma in Naosari, states:—In
19 ?L_ the gadi nazarana was levied"from our village by force. We, Brahmins,
declining to pay, were kept in custody in the chowri for one or two days,
our cattle were tied up, &c. The kanbis suffered more. They were made
to stand touching their toes, with stones on their backs, and so forth, and in
this way the tax was levied from us. We made no petition to the Maharaj
at the time about the zulum practised upon us.
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).
reserve cross-examination.
21. Narayen Kirparam, Brahmin, Cultivator of Wadrasa, Pargana
Deho-am, states:—In the month of January 1873, the Vahivatdar's Karkun,
bv name Wamanrao, came to our village to collect the Inam Committee tax.
My brother Nathuram Kirparam was amongst the number sent for to pay the
levy, and as he could not do so at once, he and others, amounting to 13,
were imprisoned. They were then, in the evening, taken to the river and
made to hold their toes. They remained holding their toes all night, and in
consequence of the exposure and cold, my brother Nathuram died. Upwards
of 50 families from my village have run away and gone to the neighbouring
districts of Ahmedabad. I made a petition to the Gaekwar about the tyranny
which had been used, and he sent a Karkun named Lallubhai Desai to the
village to make enquiries. From enquiries made by Lallubhai, it appeared
that the allegation that my brother died in consequence of the treatment
received was substantiated, and the guilt of the crime having been traced to
Chababhai Desai, he was fined Rs. 1,000 by the Gaekwar and his land was
also attached.
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).
Agents decline to cross-examine.
22. Tulja Hirabhai, Patidar of Gowesar, Khangi Mahal, states-.—About
two years ago, Mehta Jamnadas Bhaiji came to my village to collect the gadi
nazarana cess, and all who were too poor or unable to pay, were compelled to
stand in the sun holding their feet. Stones were placed on their backs and
they were bent down with their weight. I was amongst those who were so
treated ; and under this pressure I paid. Others were placed in the stocks
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