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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [&lrm;192r] (388/502)

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎192r] (388/502)

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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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yad No. 2029 of 26th of September last, regarding this girl, and the statement
made 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). before the Commission concerning her, cannot be true.
Her case as presented to Government in October is as follows:—
On the 18th of September, notwithstanding all that had taken place
with 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). regarding loundis about a month previously, I received a
petition from Kasi, the mother of Chandra Bhaga, stating that her daughter
had been described to the Maharaj as good looking and fit to be a loundi,
whereupon some Government 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. came to one Ganpatrao's house where
she was at work and forcibly.carried off her daughter to be made a loundi.
I forwarded this petition with yad No. 2211 of the same date, 18th Sep
tember, to His Highness saying, that when I wrote 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). a short time
previously about girls being retained as loundi's against their will, the fact
had been denied 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). , and I requested
trite the girl might be released, and the offenders punished.
No reply having come by the 22nd idem, the old woman Kasi wrote
another petition to the effect that 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). people were trying to pollute
her daughter by giving her food cooked by a low caste woman in order to
unfit her for any other service but that of loundi.
This petition was also referred 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). on the 22nd of September.
On the 25th of September the girl herself appeared 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.
accompanied by her mother, and stated how she had been seized by Govern
ment peons and taken before the Maharaja himself,
Gememan. who gave orders that I should be made a loundi.
" I represented that I was the daughter of a ' Grahasth' and was not willing to
"be made a loundi. Notwithstanding this the Maharaj directed me to go
" to the Rani. I wept bitterly and was sent against my will, &c., &c."
" Next day 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). yad No. 2029 of 26th September was received stating
" that as Kasibae's daughter has expressed her unwillingness to work, she
" has been sent back* to her mother. The statement made in the accompani-
. Not he, husband nor .word " 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. yad of 22nd September that
about him. " they are trying to pollute her daughter is false.'
Thus it is clear that the actual grounds upon which this girl Chandra Bhaga
was seized and released in September according to the evidence just quoted,
are entirely different from those adopted 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). before the Commis
sion, a few days ago, viz., that it was " at the request of her husband " who it
appeared had cast her off 16 or 17 years ago when she was a child. In short
before the Commission 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). flatly deny that she was ever made a
loundi at all!! whereas the yad of September the 26th above quoted admits
the fact and releases her on the plea of unwillingness to serve.
1th Case.— On the 19th of December a respectable woman named Ujan,
the wife of Partap, of the Bharot caste, appeared before the Commission and
stated that in August last she had been seized by
Seizure. Government 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. , one of whom told her that he
had orders from the Maharaj to take her to the palace. They gave no expla
nation whatever as to the reason for seizing her. Amidst the remonstrances
of her parents and many of her caste people, she was taken to the palace,
before entering which 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. were persuaded to let her go on payment
of a bribe of 60 Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . Her father corroborated this evidence.
The following evidence of Saku, wife of Ganpatrao Vithoba Halkara,
(witness No. 2 examined by the Commission in the Loundi case and now in
prison), was offered by the Resident to the Commission, but not taken.
The Resident considers it to be entirely reliable, and therefore of great import
ance as auxiliary to the other evidence recorded.

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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' [‎192r] (388/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442807.0x0000bd> [accessed 14 July 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