Inspection of Sadabrat ‘Sanad’

 Administration of G. W. Trail in Garhwal and Kumaon -14

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -15

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -853

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

                            In Garhwali and Gurkha regimes, the income including foods from seven villages as Khola near Shrinagar was kept for the pilgrims visiting to Badrinath, Badrinath temples. In 1816, Trail calculated the revenue for those villages for Rs.237/- (3).  In 1797, after Gurkha capturing Kumaon, Gurkha King Ranbahadur Shah dedicated ‘Katolo’ Pargana of Kumaon for ‘Sadabrat’ Pargana for food for pilgrims visiting to Badrinath. The food ingredients of that Pargana was brought to the Chantara at Dharmshala built by Rudrashah at Pipalkoti for distributing foods for pilgrims. The revenue for that Pargana was calculated for Rs 1173(4).

              In 1797, the Nepal King Ranbahadur Shah on behalf of his queen Kantimati dedicated Mahruri Pargana revenue for ‘Sadabrat’ for pilgrims of Kedarnath temples.  The food articles of Mahruri Pargana were distributed at Chauntara built by Bamshah at Balpatan Chatti. In 1816, the revenue of Mahruri Pargana was calculated for Rs 1006/-.

        In 1813, Nepal King Rajendravikramshah dedicated the revenue of Dashaula Pargana of Garhwal as ‘Sadabrat’ Pargana for pilgrims of Badrinath temple pilgrims. In 1816, the revenue for Dashaula was calculated for Rs1315/-.

   In 1813, Nepal King Rajendravikramshah dedicated the revenue of Painkhanda , Bamsu and  Maikhanda Pargana for the pilgrims of  Tungnath.  The food articles were distributed at Ahilyabai dharmshala at Chaupat Chatti and at Patogarh Chatti. In 1816, the revenue of those Pargana was calculated for Rs. 1126. The total revenue for those ‘Sadabrat Parganas was for Rs.4620 in 1816.

           Nepal government instructed to tax payers from ‘Sadavrat’ villages for paying revenues to ‘Sadavrat’ managing employees. The ‘Sadavrat’ management used to offer foods to pilgrims at five places. There were rules for ‘Sadavrat’ income. After the expanses at the end of pilgrim season, the balance amount was kept as exigency amount for the season when number of pilgrims is expected more.

  Rawals of Badrinath and Kedarnath were managing Sadavrat for those temples in 1816. The income source were as follows-

1-Income from ‘Sadavrat’ fund

2- Offerings by pilgrims to temples

3- Income and food received from ‘Gunth’ villages

4- The income generated from the belongings of dying pilgrims nearby temples -as the belongings of such pilgrims was kept by the temple authorities

       Trail did not interfere in first three income sources but stopped the 4^th one.  He kept separate accounts for Gunth income and Sadavrat income. It was found that the ‘Sadavrat’ income was much more than the actual expenses at Pipalkoti and Joshimath on pilgrim food distribution. Trail suggested that the extra income from ‘Sadavrat’ should be used for temple building maintenance and roads building of those temples. Due to bad roads, pilgrim used to die on the path. However, government rejected the suggestion of Trail reasoning that government should not interfere in religious works. Government instructed that the temple and Sadavrat managing personnel should not use the income on their personal uses.(3)

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 16/7/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -854

*** 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 138-140

20Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -6, Gorkhyali

3-Atkinson, Himalayan districts Vol.3, page 304-5

4- Atkinson, Himalayan districts Vol.3, page 303

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;