Samipya 2000 Vol 17 Ank 03 04

SR No.: 535817
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhartiben Shelat, R T Savalia
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 84
Language: Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Samipya, & India
File Size: 8 MB

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The East India Company took the advantage of this political situation and forced Peshwas for the treaty of Vasāi in 1802 thereby leading Gujarat towards political suicidal and bringing the Peshwa power to an end in 1818. The British thus became supreme power in Gujarat keeping Princely States under its heel.
With the establishment of new political power in Gujarat there emerged a whirlpool of renaissance. The British contact made an impact on the society, religion, politics, literature and history of Gujarat. Nevertheless, these in turn helped in making the people of Gujarat politically conscious. The forces which helped in arousing the self-consciousness were literature, education and news papers. Through these media new openings were experienced in the field of social reforms and political development.
As noted, British power got established in 1818 in Gujarat and before we got used to the administrative setup and came under their political submission, the people of Gujarat started showing their uneasiness, which forced company government to depute Captain James Outram to study the origin and discontent that prevailed among the people of Gujarat. The report, submitted by Captain Outram to the government on 14-11-1835, noted that the control of the Company Government over Gujarat in general and especially over the Baroda State is decreasing and respect towards Europe is also shrinking. Thus the decision of the company government of deputing Captain Outram for submitting his report on factfinding clearly proved that Gujarat politically was undergoing tremendous change.
The dynamics of which have reflected in the emergence of public awareness for freedom-oriented conscionsness in Gujarat before the birth of the Indian National Congress in 1885. They were : (1) Revolt against Salt-Tax in 1844 by the people of Surat, (2) Resistance to new-weight-system in 1848 again by the people of Surat, (3) Event of 1857 during which some communities such as Koli, Bhil, Thākarda & Nāyakadā got some inspiration of revolting against establishment, (4) Disturbances against Income Tax in 1860 at Surat, (5) Beginning and spread of the message of Swadeshi movement in Ahmadabad in 1876, (6) Revolt against Licence-Tax in 1878 both at Ahmadabad and Surat, (7) Foundation of Gujarat Sabhā' as the precusor of the Mahasabhā in 1884 at Ahmadabad. All these were at political front.
But there were events of social regeneration too. They were : (1) Uprooted the forced-labour-system in 1856, (2) First widow-remarriage took place in 1860, (3) Mahipatrām the social activist, undertook prohibitive action of going on sea-voyage in the same year, (4) Bhāts of Nadiad in Kheda district revolted in 1861, (5) In 1867 poet Narmad presented the idea of Rashtradhwaj having notion of 'Premashaurya' i.e. Chivarly, (6) Narmad, the poet and social reformer, put forth his idea of making
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