Indian Antiquary Vol 04

SR No.: 032496
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 410
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 75

MARCH, 1875.)
NOTES ON THE THAŅÅ COLLECTORATE.
NOTES ON THE CENTRAL TALUKAS OF THE THÂNA COLLECTORATE.
BY W. F. SINCLAIR, Bo. C.S. PROBABLY no capital city in the world is so arrangement on the Raja by which he was 1 closely surrounded by wild and uncivilized allowed to retain territory to the annual value country as Bombay. I have, both in the Thâņa of from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 only."+ It and Kulaba districts, heard the fort guns in would also appear, from ruins and tradition, that places which (for any sign of civilization they the Portuguese possessed at one time much of the showed) might have been in the deepest recesses southern part of Bhivandi, and on at least one of the Såtpůras, and among people as wild, per occasion advanced as far inland as Gunj, in the haps, as any in the Presidency. The difficulties Ware Taluka. Everywhere along the creeks are of provision and transport through most part of the ruins of small Portuguese towers, and somethe North Konkan are what one might expect times wells; and at Ka mbe, a mile N. W. of in the remotest backwoods. For these reasons, Bhivandi, is a small square fort with two basprobably, less than we night expect is known tions at opposite corners, well placed so as to about some places not wanting in interest in the command on the one side the Lakivli Creek, country lying between the Bassein hills, the and on the other that of Bhivandi, which is the N. E. extension of the G. I. P. Railway, and estuary of the Kanwari river. It is said to be the southern boundary of the State of Jawâr, Portugueso; but I had no time to examine it and comprised in the British tâlukâs of Bhi. in search of inscriptions. A hamlet two miles vand i and Ware, to which the following off is called Firangpada. notes chiefly relate.
The Musalmans are numerically very strong Early in the 14th century a freebooting Koli in all this country--a curious circumstance named Jayappa Nayak Mukhne founded considering how little political power they have the kingdom of Jawâr; and so favourable was ever possessed in it. But these are not like the the country then, as now, to predatory enter- Musalmans of the Dekhan, descended mostly prise, that in 1341 the Court of Dehli recognized from military adventurers. By race and habit his son, by the title of Nem Shah, as Raja pacific and industrious, they are thriving traders of a territory extending from the Damanganga and cultivators; and, though many are pâtils, nearly to the Ūlis or Bor Ghat river, and from the temporary service of Government is not much the Sahyadri range to within a few miles of sought after by them as compared with the the sea, and allowed him to exercise in its name Dekhanis, who seem to think it the only labour the Faujdari of Bhivandi.* From that day worthy of them. They seem to have, for Muto this it does not appear that the Emperors ever hammadans, some taste for education, and stand exercised permanent authority in these parts alone among all castes of these talukas in their otherwise than through this mountain robber abstention from drunkenness, the besetting vice and his descendants; nor can I discover that of the Korikanis: the Kings of Ahmadnagar, the nearest of the At Bhivandi they have one or two pretty Dekhani Musalmân states, ever brought the mosques, of modern date; a fine 'Idgah, date Jawar territory into subjection. But with the rise unknown; and a beautiful tomb which enshrines of the Marathả power came a struggle of diamond the remains of a certain Husain Shah. cut diamond. The Angria family pushed so commonly called the Divan Shah, of whom far north, especially in the neighbourhood of they tell that he was Vazir of Bijapur, but rethe fin navigable estuary of Kalyan, that we tired into religious life in this place, and that find lands held under their sanads ten miles after his death the then Shah of Bijapur built N. E. of Bhivandi ; and with the increasing power the tomb. 1 of the Peshwas times got worse and worse for I have not seen the inside of the building, as the Rajas of Jawar; till in or "about the year I could not enter it in boots without offending 1782 Madhavrão Narayan Peshwa imposed an the reverential feelings of the Musalmang, or
• Rough Notes connected with the petty estate of Jawar, Bombay Government Records No. XXVI. New Series. in the Thana Collectorate, by S. Marriott, Esq., Collector p. 16. of the North Konkan. Submitted to Government in 1823: Ibid. This, from the dates, is improbahle.