History of Idar
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Legends
Idar is first known in tradition as Ilvadurg, the residence in the Dvapara Yuga, or third age according to many myths of Hinduism, of Elvan the Rakshasa, and his brother Vatapi. These demons who harassed and laid waste to the surrounding country were at last destroyed by the seer Agastya. The town is mentioned in Mahabharata and Bhavishottar Puran as 'Ilvadurg'. In the Kali Yuga, or present age, when Yudhishthira was ruling over Hastinapur at the end of the Kurukshetra War of Mahabharata, Veni Vachh Raj ruled in Idar. He owned a magic gold figure which gave him money for building the Idar fortress and reservoirs.[1][2] Veni Vachh Raj's queen was a Nagputri, the daughter of one of the Snake Kings of the under world. After a period of contented coexistence, while seated in an oriental window in Idargadh, a funeral procession passed by, with mourners in tow. Inquiring about the nature of the procession, the Rani was informed that one of the individuals had passed away, prompting her to remark, "Let us depart from a place where lives are lost." Subsequently, both the Rani and the king journeyed to the hill of Taran Mata. They ventured into a crevice in the rock, near the present-day site of goddess worship, disappearing from sight forever. Then the land lay desolate for many years.[3][4]
Early history
The first clear tradition shows Idar in the possession of Bhils. When
The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (640) mentions a place which he calls O-clia-li, the Chinese way of writing Vadali, a village nearby. British General Cunningham identified this place with Idar. He further noted that in the eleventh century Vadali or Vadari was the capital of a family of chiefs claiming descent from Raja Bhara Gupta, whom the General believed to be the same as the above-mentioned Bappa.
Parihar Rajput rule
Some time after, a band of
Rao rule (1257–1300)
Driven south by the Muslims, the
Rao during Muslim rule (1300–1731)
During Delhi Sultanate
During this time Muslim power had spread over Gujarat, and Idar had been forced to acknowledge its supremacy. According to one account Muzaffar, one of Alauddin Khalji's general took Idar, and it seems probable that Idar was unable to avoid sharing in the general submission enforced by Alph Khan in the early years of the fourteenth century (1300–1317). Muhammad bin Tughluq, about forty years later, on entering Gujarat to quell a revolt, first turned his arms against the chiefs of the northeast frontier, and Idar was probably included in the settlement of the province, a work on which he spent the next three years (1347 - 1350). Under the weaker rulers that followed Tughluq, Idar would seem to have been left unmolested.[3]
During Gujarat Sultanate
Near the close of the 13th century, Zafar Khan, later known as
In 1445 Muhammad Shah II, the son and successor of Ahmed Shah, marched against Rao Bhan, the brother and successor of Narandas, who by the Muslims is called Bir or Vir Rai. The Rao appears to have remained quiet during the reign of
During Mughal Empire
Later Ahmedabad fell to Mughal Empire. In 1573, Narandas took part in the revolt against Khan Aziz Koka, the Mughal governor of Gujarat. This revolt was checked by Akbar in person, and, in 1575 and again in 1576, expeditions were sent against Idar. In the last of these the Rao fled, and Idar fell into the Akbar's hands. Following his usual policy, Akbar, asking for no more than an admission of his supremacy, restored the Rao to his state and made him a commander of 2000 infantry and 500 cavalry. Rao Narandas was succeeded by Viramdev, a favourite hero with the bards. Viramdev left no son, and, in supersession of his elder brother Gopaldas, was succeeded by his brother Kalianmal. Going to Delhi, Gopaldas took service with the Emperor in the hope of being helped to regain Idar. At length, advancing at the head of an array, he took possession of Mandva, planning from there an advance on Idar. While at Mandva, Lai Mia, the Muslim landlord of that place, fell on him, and Gopaldas, with fifty-two Rajputs, was slain.[3]
When he went to Delhi, Gopaldas left his family at the hamlet of a cowherd named Valo. On growing up Gopaldas' sons made the hamlet their headquarters, calling it
His son Punja, then a minor, went to Delhi to receive investiture, but failing by the rivalry of the Jaipur king, fled in disguise and joined his mother at Udaipur. Helped by the Rana of Udaipur, Rao Punja, in 1658, won back Idar, where he lived, placing his Ranis and treasure at Sarvan. Poisoned after ruling for about six months, he was succeeded by his brother Arjundas, who while attacking Kanasan was slain by the Rehvars. On Arjundas' death, Rao Jagannath's brother Gopinath began plundering as far as Ahmedabad, and was bought off by Syed Hatho, the Muslim governor, by money payments. Pol Raos still levied from Idar. Syed Hatho was replaced by Kamal Khan, an indolent man whom Rao Gopinath drove out, and, regaining Idar, held it for five years (1664). Garibdas Rehvar, who was at the head of a party in Idar, fearing that Gopinath would take vengeance for Arjundas, brought an army from Ahmedabad to drive him out. The Rao fled to the hills and died for want of opium of which he was accustomed to take a pound and a quarter a day. The affairs of Idar now fell into the hands of Motichand Shah, proprietor of Vadali, and the proprietor of Vasai, Garibdas being the chief minister. In 1679 Karansingh, Gopinath's son, drove out tho Muslim garrison from Idar and regained possession of his capital. Shortly after, Muhammad Amin Khan and Muhammad Bahlol Khan retook Idar, the chief flying to Sarvan where he stayed till his death.[3]
Karansingh had two sons, Chando or Chandrasing, and Madhavsing. Madhavsing took possession of Verabar, which his descendants held it until independence of India. For several years Idar remained in the hands of a Muslim garrison commanded by Muhammad Bahlol Khan. In 1696 Chandrasing began to make raids on the Idar territory, and in 1718 the proprietors of Vasai having driven out the Muslim garrison, brought him back to Idar. His soldiers getting clamorous for their pay he gave Sardarsingh of Valasna as security, and entrusting tho government to him retired to Pol. Putting the ruler a Parihar Rajput to death, he seated himself on the royal cushion and founded the present ruling family of Pol. At Idar, after for a time ruling in Chandrasingh's name, Sardarsingh was raised to the chief ship; but afterwards quarrelling with the Kasbatis he had to retire to Valasna.[citation needed]
Marwar dynasty rule (1731–1948)
Bacha Pandit then ruled in Idar till in 1731 he was driven out by Maharajas Anandsinh and Raisinh, brothers of Maharaja Abhai Singh of Jodhpur. Of the succession of the Jodhpur chiefs of the Rathod clan two stories are told; one that they were called in by the Idar ministers; the other that they had been in revolt against their brother, the Maharaja Abhai Singh, Viceroy of Gujarat, and had been pacified by the grant of Idar.[3]
In 1734 Jawan Mard Khan, one of the leading Gujarat Muslim nobles, marched on Idar. Anandsingh and Raisingh sought the aid of Malhar Rao Holkar and Ranoji Scindia, who were at this time in Malwa. The Maratha chiefs at once marched to their help, and Jawan Mard Khan, who found himself opposed to an overwhelming army, was forced to agree to pay a sum of £17,500 (Rs. 1,75,000). At tho close of the rainy season of 1738, Momin Khan (1738–1743) tho Governor of Gujarat came to Idar and levied tribute from the chiefs of Mohanpur and Ranasan. This tribute Anandsingh and Raisingh claimed as being within tho limits of their own territory. But tho dispute was amicably settled, Raisingh, at Momin Khan's request, remaining with him, and Momin Khan agreeing to pay his men's expenses. In 1741 Rangoji, the Maratha chief, induced Raisingh to leave Momin Khan and join his service, but Momin soon detached Raisingh from this alliance by conferring on him the districts of Modasa, Kankrej, Ahmednagar, Prantij, and Harsol. Next year (1742) the Rehvar Rajputs attacked and took Idar killing the chief Raja Anandsingh. On hearing of this, his brother Raisingh, taking leave from Momin Khan, went to Idar, attacked and drove out the Rehvars, and placing Anandsingh's son, Shivsingh, a boy of six years on the throne, himself acted as minister. Raisingh died in 1750 or 1751 or 1765.
During the Maratha and Mughal struggles which ended in the Maratha capture of Ahmedabad in 1757, Shivsing would seem to have sided with tho Mughals, and to have been, as a punishment, forced to give up Prantij, Bijapur, and his halves of Modasa, Bayad, and Harsol. About the year 1766 the Gaekwad army under Appa Saheb came to Idar and demanded from Shivsingh half of the territory of Idar as belonging to his uncle Raisingh who had died without heir. Shivsingh tried to avoid compliance, but was in the end compelled to write over a half share of the revenues of tho state. In 1778 the Peshwa's deputy at Ahmedabad, with the help of the brother of Surajmal, one of the Idar proprietors who had been put to death by the eldest son of Shivsingh, levied a tax in the Idar districts named ghanim ghoda vero or the robbers' cess. Thirteen years later Shivsingh died (1791) leaving five sons, Bhavanisingh, Sagramsingh, Zalimsingh, Amirsingh, and Indrasingh. His eldest son Bhavanising succeeded him, but dying after twelve days was succeeded by his son Gambhirsingh, then thirteen years old. Shortly after Gambhirsing's accession his uncles conspired to murder him, but the plot was found out and they were ordered to leave Idar. Sagramsingh retired to Ahmednagar, and Zalimsingh and Amirsingh for whom no provision had been made by their father took possession of the Bayad and Modasa sub-divisions. In 1795 the three brothers made a joint foray into the Idar districts, and Gambhirsingh, meeting them and being worsted, had to enter into agreements very disadvantageous to him. The brothers were allowed to keep not only tho two sub-divisions they had seized, but several other tracts including Davar, Arora, Viravada, Senol, Gabat, and the Sabarkantha tribute. These lands were taken possession of by Zalimsingh, on who so death his childless widow adopted a younger son of the Ahmednagar family. In 1801 the Koli chiefs of Gadvada were attacked and defeated by a Muslim force from
In 1823, Amirsingh of Bayad died leaving two daughters. Both Idar and Ahmednagar laid claim to his estates. In 1827 by the help of British Lieutenant-Colonel Ballantyne, an agreement was framed, by which Idar renounced all claim to Modasa and received two-thirds of Bayad, the remaining third going to Ahmednagar. This agreement was never carried out. One of the daughters died, and later Amirsingh's widow wrote over the estate to Gambhirsingh on condition of his effecting the marriage of her surviving daughter. The terms were not fulfilled and the daughter fled to Ahmednagar, in who so favour a precisely similar document had been executed by the mother. The daughter declined matrimony and with the help of the Ahmednagar chief continued to manage her estate. Gambhirsingh died in the midst of these discussions (1833) and the matter dropped. A few months before his death, Gambhirsing took advantage of British agent Erskine's being at Idar to make over his son to the care of the British Government. And a few years later (1837) the continued mismanagement of the Idar state and the helpless condition of the young prince induced the queen to demand help of the British Government. British Government agreed and shortly after, the Modasa and Bayad disputes were re-opened and referred by the Rani to Captain Outram. Meanwhile, the death of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, and the adoption of Takhtsing of Ahmednagar, put a stop to any further proceedings, as the Idar house claimed as the head of the family the whole of the Ahmednagar possessions. This claim the Maharaja of Jodhpur attempted to set aside. But it was finally decided by the Government of India on 14 April 1848, that Ahmednagar and its dependencies should revert to the elder or Idar branch, and that the two estates should, as they had before 1784, form one state under the Raja of Idar. It became part of Mahi Kantha Agency.
Of Gambhirsingh's two sons Umedsingh and Javansingh, the first died in his father's lifetime. Ghambhirsing was succeeded by Javansing. In 1861 Javansing entered into an agreement binding himself to prevent the smuggling of salt through his territory. Later he gained seat in Bombay Legislative Council and the reign was, in 1868, cut short by his death at the early age of thirty-eight. He was succeeded by his son Keshrisingh, during whose minority the affairs of the state are managed by the British Political Agent.[4] Kesrisingh ruled until his death in 1901.
1901–1948
After
1948 – Present
In 1949, erstwhile Idar State was dissolved and split between
References
- ^ P. A. Inamdar (1936). Some Archaeological Finds in the Idar State. Department of Archaeology, Idar State. p. 9.
- ^ Man Singh (Maharaja of Jaipur) (1967). A history of the Indian state forces. Orient Longmans.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Cutch, Pálanpur, and Mahi Kántha. Government Central Press. 1880. pp. 400–403. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Cutch, Pálanpur, and Mahi Kántha. Government Central Press. 1880. pp. 434–435. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ISBN 978-81-7648-118-2.
- ISBN 978-81-206-1965-4.
- ^ uqconnect.net/~zzhsoszy/ips/i/idar.html
- ^ Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer, p. 824
- ^ "Modi's poll knife carves out Aravali". The Times of India. 18 September 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ^ "Seven new districts to be formed in Gujarat". Daily Bhaskar. Ahmedabad. DNA. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.