The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c10.271

c10.271

The number of important chiefs or jahgirdárs connected with these districts is small. In the wild west of Khándesh thirteen petty states are under the charge of the Collector as Political Agent. Of these six are known by the name of Mewas and seven by the name of Dángs; the former are situated north of the Tápti about the Sátpuda hills, and the latter south of the Tápti and below the Gháts. The chiefs are the descendants of the Bhíl Náiks who held the western districts when the British power was established: the districts are unhealthy and thinly peopled; the revenue of the chiefs is derived principally from timber dues; they are allowed to settle all petty disputes themselves, and serious cases go before the Collector. One of the principal states in the Sátpudás was the Akráni pargana held by a Rájput. Its early history is unknown. After the decline of Musalmán power, Chaoji, rána of Dharwai, north of the Narbada, established himself in the hilly part of the country. He was succeeded by his son Gaman Singh, who built the Akráni fort; and he in turn by his son Hanmant Singh; his son and successor Gaman Singh died without heirs; and great disturbances ensued till Bháu Singh, rána of Maltwar, a district on the west, annexed the country and built the fort of Roshmal. He was succeeded by his son Bhikáji, who murdered Jangar, the Bhíl Nái k of Chikli, below the hills; and in revenge Jangar's son Deváji surprised Roshmal and killed Bhikáji. On this the Peshwa's troops occupied the country, and when a year later the British forces conquered Khándesh, Akráni submitted to them. The present rána has an inám village, Pratáppur, and an annual allowance in lieu of the Akráni pargana. To the south of the Dángs is the small state of Surgána, which belongs to the deshmukh of the district; it is also under the supervision of the Collector of Khándesh. Further south, and also below the Gháts, the Musalmán state of Peint remained under the care of the Collector of Násik until on the death without heirs of the Begam in 1878 it lapsed and a subdivision of the district of Násik. The most important jágirdár is the Vinchurkar, a Bráhman whose ancestors rose into note under the Peshwás; he holds a number of villages in the Gangthari and lives at the town of Vinchur in the Násik collectorate. The family rose to importance in the middle of the eighteenth century when Vithal Shivdev was at its head; he distinguished himself at the siege of Ahmadábád in 1755, and accompanied the Marátha army in the fatal expedition which ended in the defeat of Pánipat (A.D. 1761), of which he was one of the few survivors. He was raised to high rank by Ragunáth Ráo. The family acquired large possessions in Hindustán, but these were forfeited on account of their adherence to Báji Ráo.