Inspection of Jagir Order (Sanad) by Trail

Administration of G. W. Trail in Garhwal and Kumaon -10

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -11

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -849

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

             Jagir or land offering by the Kingdom was common in Garhwal Kingdom and Gurkha rule in Garhwal. After British starting correcting the administration, hundreds of people started bringing the proofs (Copper scriptures, orders etc) about their Jagir (land offering from the Kingdom or Gurkha administration for reacceptance by British government.

             There were following types of Jagirs –

1-Offered at the time in War for bravery as in form of Raut

2-For exclusive skill as ‘Mana –Chaunl’, tantrik viadya etc

3- For compensating salary for the government employees as for Prime minister, minister or for army chief etc

4- Gunth for temples that was sued for rituals in temples

  When people showed copper inscriptions to Trail, Trail said that they should mould water containers or brad making ‘tava’ by those copper (Pande).

   Trail is called ‘judge sab’ in old records of Shrinagar about land management. In Shrinagar, Trail appointed Dujpati Dobhal as ‘Kamdar’ (executive) and Shivdatt as ‘Munaduli’ (announcer). Trail clearly instructed them that he would accept on those Jagirs for which the owners would place record or copper inscription those have red stamp from Nepal government or Gurkha administrators.  Dujpati Dobhal and Shivdatt planned for getting benefits of that instruction. Both the British representatives requested Basvanand Bahuguna the son of Lilanand Bahuguna for making drawing of red stamp on slate stone. After getting, the imprint of drawing of stamp on a blank paper through slate stone drawing, they wrote something. Shiv Datt had a friend Bairagi. Shiv Datt handed over the red stamped paper with instructions to Bairagi and sent him to Kumaon. By mistake, Shivdatt gave the blank paper with only stamp and no writing to Bairagi. Bairagi presented the papers to Trail in Almora.  By mistake, the blank paper with only red stamp 9no writing instruction) reached in the hands of Trail. Trail inquired about the facts in details. Dujpati Dobhal and Shiv Datt were found guilty.  Shrinagar administrators sent Dujpati and Shiv Datt with handcuffs to Almora.  Getting opportunity, Shiv Datt ran away from Almora to Lahore and died there (3).

        By that incident, Trail became more cautious and he inspected the ‘Sanad’ or offerings from old regimes very minutely. He refused the ‘Sanad’ offered by Nepal commanders Amar Singh Thapa or his son Ranjor Singh.

     Trail wrote to Gardner on 25^th March 1816 (4)-

   “ In 1811, Nepal court sent Bakhsi Dashrath Khatri and Kaji Bahadur Bhandari to Shrinagar for land management. Both the officers rejected the offerings (Sanad) offered by Garhwal Kings. Both the officers offered Jagir to a few persons. There is signature of either Dashrath or Khatri on the ‘Sanad’. Nepal government declared balance land as land for army men. Therefore, after the declaration and offerings of the both officers we shall not accept other ‘Sanad as authentic ‘Sanad’ except if there is an official noticing from Nepal court  

  The ‘Sanad’ presented by following persons are not accepted by Bakhsi Dashrath Khatri and Kaji Bahadur Bhandari but accepted by Ranjor Singh and Hikmat Singh Subedar whom Nepal court did not authorize for offering Jagir. Therefore, those Jagirs could not be continued (4).

    Amar Singh Thapa offered Jagir to Shiv Datt in Sambat 1869, Vrijpati, Karunanidhi , Kishna Datt and  Ramdatt in Sambat 1870.

   Offering by Ranjorsingh- Jivanand and Kamlapati in Sambat 1871,. In Sambat 1871, Ranjotsingh offered Jashodhar, Shivram, Brijpati and Chiranji those were positioned as ‘daftari’ Clerks or Record keepers).

 Amar Singh Thapa and Ranjor Singh offered ‘sanad’  with stamps to Prakash, Krishna Datt , Manglanand and Dharmadatt in Sambat 1870.  Manglanand was also offred another Jagir by both with duly stamp.

 Subedar Hikmat Singh offered Jagir to Faujram in 1871 Sambat. “ (4)

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 12/7/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -850

*** History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun, (Pauri , Rudraprayag, and Chamoli) Garhwal (1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

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References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page

2-Pandey, Kumaon ka Itihas, page 450

3-Tehri Kingdom archives, register no. 4 page 27

4- English Pre Mutiny Records,Kumaon 1816, Part -2, Vol.8

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;