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AUGUST, 1915)
GAZETTEER GLEANINGS.
181
GAZETTEER GLEANINGS. BY MAJOR C. ECKFORD LUARD M. A. (Oxon.)
THE LAY OF PRINCE CHAIN SINGH. This ballad is sung all over Malwa but especially in the Bhopal Agenoy in Central India. It is a very good example of the popular method of recording history and contemporary events, which is to this day the ordinary way of disseminating a knowledge of important public matters. That these versions hold their own against our mode of acourate but scarcely as attractive accounts is not surprising.
The fact on which this is founded occurred in 1824. Chain Singh was the eldest son and heir of Raja Subhag Singh of the Narsinghgarh State in the Bhopal political Charge or Agency of Central India. Succeeding in 1795 Subhâng Singh became mentally unhinged in 1819, the administration being entrusted to Chain Singh, his father retiring from public life. Tod notes how he once met Subhâg Singh at Jodhpur. Chain Singh, who was a man of violent temper, in 1824 murdered his own minister, Rûp Râm Bohra, and Mr. Wellesley, then Resident at Indore, was instructed to remove him from the control of the State. Chain Singh, however, refused to submit when Mr. Maddock, the Political Agent, endeavoured to carry out the orders, and finally he had to make an attack on Chain Singh who had come to Sehore with a large following to protest. Chain Singh was killed in the fight and his cenotaph still stands within the limits of Sehore on the spot where he fell Subhậg Singh, who had recovered somewhat, then returned to Narsinghgarh, dying three years later, If less circumstantial, the ballad is undoubtedly far more stimulating than the official account. The free translation endeavours to give something of the swing of the original. OF PRINCE CHAIN SINGH, THE HEIR OF KUNWAR CHAIN SINH NARSINHGADH K.
NARSINGHGARH. Auspicious were the day and hour on which Jis din paida hûà Chain Sinh ghadi nek Chain Sinh was born,
din ki, When all the Brâhmans of the town were Nagar bullâowa diya Biraman bulao mahal to the palace hailed,
seti: And with one voice declared the youth born Mîn Râs ka janam Kunwar' kahta sabi seti.
under Pisces sign. An elephant and pålki sent his suzerain Malhar Rao-ne hâthi palki dini Kunwar Malhar Rao. 1
seti. I sing the lay of Prince Chain Sinh, of Pargana likho Chain Sinh kâ, Betâ he SauSubhag Sinh the son.
bhag Sinh kå, His grandad Hanwant Sinh, his uncle Achal Potâ Hanwant Sinh kâ, Bhatiya Chauhan | Sinh Chauhân,
Achal Sinh kâ, A Rângda chief of Narsinghgarh and lord Rangda thâ Narsinbgadh ka, sârma haigâ of Kothdia State,
Kothdi ka, A mighty swordsman, one who ne'er had Khůb karî talwar, khet nâhî chhocâ mardonshewn his back in fight,
ka, As Sabah Chain Sinh served his lord, the Jaswant Rao Hulkar kâ sûbah ayant, Ráo kt Hollar Jashvant Rào.3
karî châkri, Kunwar Chain Sinbre. He bravely fought at Holkar's side on Mahatpur ki ûpar Kunwar-ne bajâyi talware :
Mehidpur'st lost field, And Mâlhar Rao an elephant and pålki Malhar Raone h&thi, palki baksh dîye gave in thanks. (lit. "publicly.")
chaude.
1 Malhar Rao: There is some confusion here, as there was no chief of this name in 1784, which is about the date of Chain Sinh's birth. It may refer to Malhar Rao, an illegitimate son of Tukoji Rao, who was killed about 1797.
2 Xoide: A jagir in the Narsinggarh Stato. 3 Janwant Rao: The Indore chief of that name 1798-1811. • Mehidpur: Battle fought on Dec. 19, 1817 by Sir T. Hislop against Holkar. 5 Malhar, Rao (Holkar) Fler of Indore 1811-1833.
