Common People of British Garhwal

British Administration in Garhwal   -178

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -198

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1030

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

  

              Before British period, a person established a village and that person put his caste from the village names as Bahuguna from Bugani place, Dabral from Dabar place,  Bartwal from Baret etc.  Till date the caste names of Garhwalis did not change and they had family starting from original village.

     The villagers always established a couple of Harijan families as they were backbone of craft works. Castes as Bhandari (Store keeper), Negi (service), Rawat and Bisht are based on position or awards offered by the kings. Rajput people and many Brahmins used to establish a Brahmin (Purohit) in the village by offering him land.

 Mundit- families used to divide but Mundit did not. Mundit means the family group that mourn commonly.

 There used to be conflicts and fight if aperson used to sell land out of village. British government made rules to bring such case to the court. British also made rule that person could sell land to outsider only when there was no taker in the village. (Becket’s agreement from Stowell, Manuals page 25).

     The rights on land was till harvesting and as soon as harvesting was over, villagers had right on right on such fields for grazing the animals. There was common right of all villager on forests, barren land for fodders and wood and food items.

    In Khas society, there was socialism and there were equal rights from women (Joshi, Khas family Laws). She had right to keep new husband after death of her husband. Division of land was divided as per numbers of wives. British stopped the rule and brought new rules of divding land and assets as per number of sons.

 Government offered some land to padahn (Village chief) as Jithunda for his works. However, when other families used to divide eldest brother used to offer an additional small portion of land as token Jithunda.   

  Cooperation was need of the time in everyday work. People were always help each other without any wage in birth, sanskar, marriage, death and mourning and festivals. People used to help each other in agriculture acts too. People used to offer many articles free to the family where any specific acts is being there as marriage or Terhvain , Barsi etc.

      

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References  

1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 343-456

2- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts Vol.3

 3- Asiatic Researches Vo.l 6

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India,bjkukreti@gmail.com 18/9/201710History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1031

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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

 History of British Garhwal, History of Devalgarh Garhwal; History of Badhan Garhwal; History of Barasyun Garhwal; History of Chandpur Garhwal; History of Chaundkot Garhwal; History of  Gangasalan Garhwal;  History of Mallasalan Garhwal;  History ofTallasaln Garhwal; History of Dashauli Garhwal; History of Nagpur Garhwal; Sociity  in British Garhwal.