Samarya
Through the Lanes of History
From 1784 (Sambhar, Rajasthan)
To
America
Lavan, Sambhar (Sanskrit)
Naun (Bundelkhandi), Namak (Hindi), Salt (English)
Lavanya: Sundarta (Hindi), Beauty (English)
Salt has been the prime spice in
this world.
Even beauty is measured as
saltiness.
Another name of beauty in hindi
is “Lavanya” , :the saltiness”.
“mauri aisi nauni hai, kay na
huiye shaadi”
Salt was doled out as salary to
the soldiers in early Europe.
Taking salt from a person was
regarded taking oath of lifelong allegiance to the giver.
Prowess and prestige of a person
was measured with salt.
A person cannot speak lies to a
person after eating his/her salt.
“Huzur ko naun khao hai, jhoot na
bolun.”
Ganga ki kasam was equivalent to
eating salt.
So, the salt was that big source
of power in olden days. It was expensive and not easly affordable as it seems
today. Supply was limited and controlled by rulers and governing classes in the
communities.
It is this salt that was the prime business of Samarya
Family.
Bundelkhandi Words
Kachhwai garden and yard for
growing vegetables
Sambhar salt
Naun salt
Sarafi business
of precious metals
Maika bride mother’s home
Sasural bride father-in-law’s
home
Pankha handy fan made
of date leaves
Gail road
Man
|
Wife
|
Children
|
|
1
|
Nawalshah
1766(1823)- 1826(1883)
|
Unknown
1767(1824)- 1827(1884)
|
Bholanath,
Mukundilal
|
2
|
Mukundilal
1794(1851)- 1851(1908)
|
Unknown
1796(1853)- 1830(1887)
|
Baldev,
Thakurdas, Dangli
|
3
|
Thakurdas Samarya
1819(1876)- 1879(1936)
|
Unknown
1820(1877)- 1875(1932)
|
Jankiprasad,
Kanhaiyalal
|
4
|
Kanhaiyalal Samarya
1844(1901)- 1904(1961)
|
Unknown
1845(1902)- 1900(1957)
|
Sure,
Vrindavan, Mannilal
|
5
|
Mannilal
1869(1926)- 1904(1961)
|
Sukubai (Tori-Fatehpur)
1871(1928)- 1943(1990)
|
Banshidhar,
Halku, Chokhelal, Ramcharan, Lachho (Kotra), Ramkunwar (Mauranipur)
|
6
|
Ramcharan
1899(1956)- 1977(2034)
|
Gendarani (Durkhuru)
1900(1957)- 1971(2028)
|
Sadhuram,
Baburam, Rameshwardayal, Pukkhan (Konch)
|
7
|
Baburam
Oct
19, 1923(1980)-
Oct.
21, 2002(2059)
|
Janak Kishori (Konch)
1925(1982)-
|
Kusum
kumara (Moth), Jaiprakash, Anand prakash, Indira (Shivpuri), Aditya Prakash,
Amit Prakash, Kavita (Bombay)
|
Sadhuram
1917(1974)-1989(2046)
|
Bari Bai (Kotra)
-1954(2013)
|
Krishna
(Tikamgarh)
|
|
Rameshwar Dayal
1928(1985)- 1987(2044)
|
Ram Kunwar (Kulpahar)
-2001(2058)
|
Ashok
(Jhansi), Sudha (Shivpuri), Shobha(), Saroj (Jhansi), Suman (Kanpur)
|
|
8
|
Jaiprakash(Chicago)
Sep
6, 1946(2003)-
|
Vaidehi (Mauranipur)
July
17, 1951(2008)-
|
Sanjay(San
Jose), Vivek(Houston), Kshama (Los Angles)
|
Anand Prakash(Konch)
1952(2009)-
|
Munni (Datia)
-
|
Bharat(San
Jose), Bharti(Kota),Neelam (Jhansi)
|
|
Aditya Prakash(Kanpur)
1956(2013)-
|
Manjula (Bareli)
-
|
Arpit,
Deepika(Regina)
|
|
Amit Prakash(Fremont)
Oct.
2, 1958(2015)-
|
Neeta (Orai)
|
Madhav,
Ashish
|
|
9
|
Sanjay (San
Jose)
July
25, 1970(2027)-
|
Anupama (Kanpur)
Nov.
6, 1976(2031)-
|
Arjun,
Aakash, Aayush
|
Vivek (Houston)
January
4, 1976(2033)-
|
Alison(Culver)
Feb
4, 1973(2030)-
|
Krishna,
Ram, Surya
|
|
10
|
Arjun(San
Jose)
June
12, 2001(2058)-
|
||
Aakash(San
Jose)
Jan
5, 2005(2062)-
|
|||
Aayush(San
Jose)
Feb
06, 2009(2066)-
|
|||
Krishna(Houston)
June
11, 2007(2064)-
|
|||
Ram(Houston)
May
19, 2009(2066)-
|
|||
Surya(Houston)
Nov
25, 2010(2067)-
|
Red numbers denote (Hindu) Samvat years.
Samarya
probably a short form of Sambharya
or
Sambhar wale
Or
Sambhar Trader
Back to Sambhar Lake
It was a very hot afternoon in 1784
(Samvat 1841). Naval Shah was sitting on the gaddi of his shop, waving a pankha
to ward off the immense heat and sultry mood. The town was Sambhar in eastern
Rajputana (modern day Rajasthan) on the bank of famous lake of Salt water. The
year gone by was very hard on the town of Sambhar. The infamous Chalisa famine
(of Samvat 1840) dried most of the Sambhar Lake. The salt production was
minimal. salt traders went belly up. The countryside was parched. Populace was moving
away eastward leaving unattended animals behind to die. Haiza and malnutrition
related deaths soared up.
[The Chalisa famine of
1783-84 in South Asia followed unusual El Nino events that began in 1780
and caused droughts throughout the region. Chalisa (literally, "of
the fortieth" in Hindustani) refers to the Vikram Samvat
calendar year 1840 (1783).[1]]
Naval Shah was a young man of
approx. 18 years, heir to the premier salt business of his ancestors. His
father Shri Mangat Shah has, however, passed away due to haiza (calra), just
four months ago. His mother Shakumba was a wreck from the untimely demise of
her husband. Naval Shah was the only son, but was part of a big joint family
that included his two uncles, aunts and cousins, living in a moderate haveli in
Sambhar, Rajasthan. Every adult member in the joint family was allotted a shop
to own and conduct business. The family owned two bullock carts. Premier
business was that of salt, which was manufactured close by in the Sambhar Lake,
a very high quality salt that used to be marketed to all four corners of India
and was even exported to East and West world. Salt fetched good money in those
days.
| <![endif]>
Political Lanscape in 1780s
Sambhar town and the lake
lies in the middle of Jaipur and Ajmer. Ajmer was ruled by Chauhans before
it passed to Mughal emperor Akbar in 1559. It
continued to be in the hands of the Mughals, with occasional revolts, till 1770,
when it was ceded to the Marathas.[1]
Sambhar appears to be still in the hands of Rajput Raja of Karauli.
|
Naval’s business was not as
successful as that of his cousins. He was surviving whereas they were thriving.
It was showing up in the family relations. Mother Shakumba, named after the local deity
Shakumbhara Devi, became sick soon after her husband’s death.
Let us go back to the shop in
Sambhar. There was a huge cry, people running helter shelter in the market.
Naval knew it was the storming petrel of Mughal Badshah’s unruly tax
collectors. The traders began hurriedly shuttering the shops. Naval was not so
lucky this time. Haakim Nathe Khan stopped his horse in front of his shop, and
also stopped the party of horsemen and a caravan of tens of bullock carts. Khan
motioned his party to bring Naval Shah to him.
“Where is your dad?” thundered the Khan. “He
has not given his due last time!” “Huzoor, he passed away due to Haiza a short
while ago.” quipped Naval with folded hands and trembling legs.
“Well then you must pay the due
of your father. Give 100 sacks of sambhar.”
“Huzoor, Chalisa ne maar diya. I
am in dire situation. If you give me some time I will send my due.” pleaded Naval.
Waving his hands, “Chalo, give 40
sacs now and send the remaining within a month.” Khan asked his party to go
inside the shop and lift the 40 sacs without giving any chance for further
plea. The job was done. It was the time of Mughal Badshah Alamgir II in Delhi
(only 100 kos (200 miles) up north), who was a weak king and the empire was
marred by infights. The Mughal power was shrinking. Mughal wazirs, Nawab
of Awadh and Nizam of Hyderabad now ran almost independent kingdoms. Far east
and south the British East India Company was expanding its tentacles at a reck
neck pace. The local king of Karauli was kind but powerless to stop Mughal tax
collectors. The Mughal treasury depleted after the Nadir Shah’s escapade on
Delhi barely 40 or odd years and fights with Marathas of southwest. The salt
trade was drying up due to 10 fold increase in tax over that in the Great
Mughal Auranzeb’s reign.
Naval went to his gaddi with
hands on his forehead, thinking how would he withstand this addition to his already
existing problems. Days passed by.
It was another hot afternoon when
Goma Bhau came in his shop. Goma was a middle-aged bheel businessman who will
ferry salt from Sambhar lake and sell it in the neighboring cities and towns.
He would go to far places and usually was the source of information of other
markets and riyasats. “Mangat Shah ji was very nice man, beta, how are you
doing?” “Bhau ji, achchha nahi hai (not good).” Naval sighed. “Market is very
week in this area. Mughal empire is in trouble. There is much less problem in
Awadh area and I go there more often now” Goma said while enjoying on Hukkah.
An idea flashed in Naval’s mind, but he kept it to himself. Later when he went
home and was nursing his sick mother, he said, “Bai, I heard that the market is
better beyond Chambal area. Do you think we should go there?” Shakumba was
pained but said, “beta, it is not good to leave your ancestor’s home. Better
days will come. Maata Shakumbhara will take care of us”. The matter ended
there. Both mother and son knew these conversations will be more often now. His
two uncles also heard this talk and said the same, knowing very well the young
mind was restive.
Months passed by. Mother Shakumba
became very frail and sick in spite of best nursing by Naval and wife
Kamalarani, herself a young lady of a tender age of 15. She passed away, one
morning worrying about the future of her only son. Young Naval now felt very
lonely. The future looked gloomy. Naval went to Shakumbari Devi temple in the
Chaitra mela to seek some kind of answer. The temple mahant Babaji said not to
worry, the bad time is bound to pass over soon.
[…shrine dedicated to Shakumbari
Devi is near the famous Sambhar Lake, 90 kilometers west of Jaipur, Rajasthan.[3] This temple is quite ancient and popular estimates put the
age of this temple at 1300 years or more. According to a Hindu
tradition, Shakumbhari Devi - tutelary Goddess of Pundir and Chauhan Rajputs - converted forest to a plain of precious
metals. When people worried and felt it as curse rather than blessing, and
requested her to retract her favor, she converted the silver to salt, now found
in the lake.[1]]
It was Goma Bhau again in the
shop after about four months. This time, Naval asked Bhau if he could help him
to migrate to some good market town. Bhau knew the situation, he suggested the
town of Konch, on the border of Gwalior rajya and Awadh nawabi, which he has
visited and traded in a number of times. In that area, there was no
interference of Mughals. Businessmen aspire for peace and political stability.
“If you want, you can accompany me and my caravan after Diwali, which is full
three months away.” The idea was gathering strength.
Next night, Naval talked to his
great uncle about it. The first response was negative. Naval said that he was
thinking of going there temporarily, if it does not work out he will comeback.
Great Aunt also heard it and she immediately started to dream of control of whole
Haveli and possibly of an additional shop to her family. Her sons were quick to
get the idea and they worked on father to accept the idea of Naval’s migration.
Uncle was coming round to agree but worried about the well-being of his
departed brother’s son. He said to Naval, “Konch is very far away, we do not
have any relatives there”. Naval was now stronger in his pursuit, said, “Tau
ji, I will send message continuously through Goma Bhau. He goes there often.”
It was kind of assuring. Thus, the die was cast. Naval was now planning to sell
the stock of his shop as much as he can. His cousins were ready to take the
remaining stock. His uncles assured him that he can always come back to his
home and the shop. After accumulating his kitty and performing the Diwali Puja
with the joint family, one fine morning Naval with his wife Kamalarani left
with the caravan of salt of Goma Bhau. It was year 1785. Many such migrations
took place in those days of Pre-British India. They take place even now in the
modern India. Kamala bid farewell to her sasural and also maika in the nearby
town of Phulera with folded hands and eyes in the sky.
567 km
(354 miles, 177 kos)
| <![endif]>
South of Yamuna river, area adjacent to
Gwalior was gifted to Marathas by Maharaj Chhatrasal in liu of support he
received against Mughal Badshah Aurangzeb.
|
It took more than two months of
long and arduous journey of 177 kos (354 miles), traveling during the day by
bullock carts, halting in the night at safe places. Moving only when it was
safe from thugs and dacoits, Naval and Kamala reached Konch in the middle of
winter.
Konch
in Bundelkhand[2]Bundelkhand lies between the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the north and the Vindhya Range to the south. It is a gently-sloping upland, distinguished by barren hilly terrain with sparse vegetation, although it was historically forested. The plains of Bundelkhand are intersected by three mountain ranges, the Vindhya, Fauna and Bander chains, the highest elevation not exceeding 600 meters above sea-level. Beyond these ranges the country is further diversified by isolated hills rising abruptly from a common level, and presenting from their steep and nearly inaccessible scarps eligible sites for forts and strongholds of local kings. The general slope of the country is towards the northeast, as indicated by the course of the rivers which traverse or bound the territory, and finally discharge themselves into the Yamuna River.
Location of Bundelkhand
The principal rivers are the Kali Sindh, Betwa, Ken, Bagahin, Tons, Pahuj, Dhasan and Chambal. The Kali Sindh, rising in Malwa,
marks the western frontier of Bundelkhand. Parallel to this river, but further
east, is the course of the Betwa. Still farther to the east flows the Ken,
followed in succession by the Bagahin and Tons. The Yamuna
and the Ken are the only two navigable rivers. Notwithstanding the large number
of streams, the depression of their channels and height of their banks render
them for the most part unsuitable for the purposes of irrigation, which is
conducted by means of ponds and tanks. These artificial lakes are usually formed
by throwing embankments across the lower extremities of valleys, and thus
arresting and impounding the waters flowing through them.The Bundelkhand region came under nominal Mughal rule during the 16th-18th centuries, although the hilly, forested terrain of the sparsely populated region made it difficult to control. Akbar's governors at Kalpi maintained a nominal authority over the surrounding district, and the Bundela chiefs were in a state of chronic revolt, which culminated in the war of independence under Maharaja Chhatrasal. On the outbreak of his rebellion in 1671 he occupied a large province to the south of the Yamuna. Setting out from this base, and assisted by the Marathas, he conquered the whole of Bundelkhand. On his death in 1732 he bequathed one-third of his dominions, including Jalaun and Jhansi, to his Maratha allies, who before long succeeded in controlling the whole of Bundelkhand, with the local rulers as tributaries to the Marathas. Under Maratha rule the country was a prey to constant anarchy and strife. By the end of the 18th century, the Bundelas had freed themselves to some extent from Maratha power. A grandson of the Maratha Peshwa, sought to restore Maratha control of Bundelkhand from his base at Banda. Ali Bahadur warred with the Bundelas from 1790 until 1802, when he died while attempting to capture Kalinjar[2].
Holkars of Malwa (Indore and adjoining area) were one of two important retainers of Peshwa of Maratha empire. Jaswant Rao Holkar was a very efficient ruler, in constant competition with Scindias of Gwalior. He fought a battle at Kunch with British and defeated them. However, in 1805 december, he was defeated by British in Rajpurghat on the bank of Beas river in Punjab and had to relinquish much of Rajputana to British in liu of the areas in the south of Punjab. As per this agreement, his daughter Bhima bai received jagir around Kunch. Bhima Bai was married to Govind Rao Bolia[3b] .
Imperial Imperial Gazetteer_of_india.pdf:
Nawalji in Konch
Nawal Shahji rented a small house
near the small fortress (present day garhi). Presently, this house is near the
house of Ganesh Chaube. Goma Bhau introduced him to local businessmen. Goma
helped him by giving a stock of salt on credit for four months to begin his
business. Naval was quick at work. Slowly, he became the sambhar man Naval Shah
ji in the town of Konch. Kamala established a new house and a new family in
Konch which would continue to thrive 250 years from then.
Naval Shah ji continued to send
and receive messages through Goma Bhau. He went to visit Sambhar town on the
death of his great uncle. Konch was now his home. Kamala never complained, far away
from her parents and siblings, she quietly raised the family of two sons,
Bholanath and Mukundilal, named them according to local trend and soon the
family adopted Konch as their home. Naval ji purchased the house he rented . In
home, Naval Shah ji was affectionately called Dau ji.
Naval and Kamala both lived a
decent life. Dauji was honored by his descendants in the form of a special
annual offering (savaiyya) on the front of his original rented/purchased house
in Konch until as recently as 1930s. It was stopped only when the new owners of
the property objected.
Bholanath was born in 1790 (Samvat
1847) and Mukundilal in 1794 (Samvat 1851).
| <![endif]>
In
the Neighboring Lucknow
<![if !mso]>[1] Asaf-ud-daula was made Nawab of Awadh on Mar 4, 1775 AD. He was under great pressure from British, the Company. Benaras, Jaunpur and Ghazipur districts were taken out from Awadh during his reign. Almost every officer in Awadh Sultanat have become opportunist, turned well-wishers of the Company for their own benefit. Well-wishers of Nawab were harassed and punished. Nawab had no control over the officers and army. He died on Sep 21, 1797. Sadat Ali Khan, the cunning brother of Asaf-ud-Daula, became the Nawab of Awadh (Lucknow) on Jan 21, 1798 AD. He was to sign another treaty by which the annual amount to be paid to the Company was increased by 20 lakhs to 76 lakhs. On Nov 10, 1801 AD Company took half of the Awadh with his signature. Company got the area of Ruhelkhand, Farukhabad, Mainpuri, Itawa, Kanpur, Fatahgarh, Allahabad, Azamgarh, Basti and Gorakhpur, from where Awadh was getting an income of Rs. 3 crores. Thus, the area to the north of Yamuna river above Jalaun district went into British hands. Sadat Ali Khan died on Jul 11, 1814 AD[1]. |
| <![endif]>
Political
Panorma at the time:
Tipu Sultan was raising the
Indian Flag in the far south in Mysore. The mughul empire was crumbling at
a faster rate. British were gobbling Kings and Nawabs at a faster pace.
British were in Patna and looking over Awadh with snarling eyes. British had annexed much of the kingdom under
the treaty of 1801 with Marathas.
This is the time when Konch came under direct Company Raj. When in Company
raj, the trade in salt and salpatre (gun powder material) was severely
affected. The Company taxed superior Indian salt heavily to sell inferior
English salt in the market.
|
Dauji promoted his eldest son
Bholanath into Sarafi (business of precious metals). He continued to run his
business in salt and provisions along with the younger son Mukundilal. The whole
family earned a lot of wealth and were regarded a noble seth. Bholanath
purchased a bagh in the east of the town where his descendents made a big
haveli and still live and do Sarafi business.
Seth Mukundilal, as he was known
later, was married to Jamuna, from nearby Samthar town. He continued to do salt
business and maintained business relations with Sambhar merchants. He purchased
a bullock cart for ferrying groceries and salt to far distant towns like
Samthar, Kotra, Khakshih, Lahar etc.
Nawal Shah ji died at the age of
67 in 1826 (Samvat 1883).
Dauji and Bholanath both were
doing good business. Soon they purchased large parts of land to the east of
main town, which were basically used to grow vegetables (Kachhwai). Konch at
that time had many gardens and groves. Dauji built a Haveli for Bholanath in the
east of a creek, which is now the residence of his descendants till today. This
creek flows past Bhuteshwar temple today, into Malanga nullah. There was Chand
kuan (well), built by Poet Chand in the darbar of Raja Priviraj Chauhan, the
king of Delhi well before Moghuls in 1200 ADs. The Chand Kuan is a landmark in
Konch till today. It supplied water to the neighborhood. Around 1960s, the well
dried. It was covered by a cemented roof and now has a statue of Rani Lakshmi
Bai of Jhansi on her horse with her son Damodar on her back. It is still the
great landmark in Konch. The area around Bhuteshvar temple was the old place
for last rites (shamshaan Ghat). Later on it was shifted to near Mata mandir,
the present spot.
Dauji later built another Haveli
for Mukundilal a short distance away to the east of the Haveli for Bholanath on
the same side of the creek. This residence was a two-story house with a drinkable
(sweet) water well on its north west corner. This well still holds and has been
the source of drinkable water to the whole neighborhood till today. This house
was part of a courtyard which had several houses on its perimeter and a big
well in the center. Both Havelis
had good size adjoining area for future
use. Dauji also built small shops as the
annexes to both Havelis . Mukundilal shop was built in 1801 (Samvat 1858) and
registered as building number 57, Mohalla Sagarvat (Konch).
Both brothers remained in the
parents’ original home until Dauji and Kamala ma were alive.
There was a tumultuous time in
Dauji’s life.
It was the June of 1804 when
besides the summer heat, the atmosphere in Konch became very hot and
tense. The East India Company
established a foothold in the Doab area between the Ganga and Yamuna, to keep
its hold on Delhi and prevent Gwalior Scindia to be friends with the Nawab of
Awadh. This area is sandwiched between the Gwalior Scindia to the west of
Yamuna and Awadh Nawab to the east of Ganga, an ideal area to keep watch and
control. Indore’s Holkar Raja
Yashwantrao was trying to talk to Gwalior’s Scindia Raja to join him in
attacking East India Company (Company Raj) from the North and Central India.
Gwalior Raja
| <![endif]>
[1a]Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar
defeated the British army, led by Colonel Fawcett, at Kunch, in Budhlekand. On
8 June 1804, the Governor General, in a letter to Lord Lake, wrote that the
defeat caused a great insult to the British
prestige in India.
[2]The Marathas ceded
parts of Bundelkhand, which were later called British Bundelkhand,
to the British in the 1802 Treaty
of Bassein.
After 1802, many of the local rulers were granted sanads (leases) by
the British, which entitled them to the lands they controlled at the death
of Ali Bahadur(of Banda), in return for the rulers signing a written bond
of allegiance (ikrarnama) to the British. A political officer
attached to the British forces in Bundelkhand supervised British relations
with the sanad states.
[3]In 1806 Kalpi was made over
to the British… Kalpi was a part of Bundelkhand Agency,
formed in 1811, and also housed its headquarters from 1818 to 1824. During
this period the political agent to Governor General of India was
appointed and headquartered in Kalpi[3].
|
was fearful of Holkar’s growing prowess.
Holkar, in the while, did not wait for Scindia and tried to push north and
drive the Company from the central area. Gwalior Scindia considered it an act
of Holkars design on its kingdom. Holkar, however, was intent, come what may,
on increasing pressure on (East India) Company in the central India. Kalpi-Konch
and the area to the south of Yamuna river soon became the theater of action. Colonel
Fawcett of the Company faced Holkar Raja’s army, led by Pindari Amir Khan, at
Konch on June 8, 2004.
June 8th was very very hot. Holkar Raja’s army
moved north of Jhansi. Colonel Fawcett of Company crossed Yamuna from the
Gopalpur ghat to meet him. Holkar Raja decided to fight him at Konch. Konch and
Kalpi were two important towns in the south of Yamuna. Kalpi was best protected
by deep Yamuna ravines and a strong fort. Konch was in planes but it was
strategically placed between Gwalior and Kalpi, the two political centers. During those days, the Konch area was being
visited by the diwani (tax) and nizami (political) officials of both the
Scindia and Holkar states. The businessmen of Konch were being exploited and
there was uncertain political authority in the Konch area. The company agents
were doing the advance work of spreading the rumors of the impending takeover
by the company raj and subsequent tranquility. Zamindars and influential
persons started taking positions. The zamindar of Salaiya (referred as Malaya
by British account), about 5 miles from Konch, was a strong retainer of
Holkars. Samthar Raja, being an old state, did not take any side but would have
betted for Scindia.
Visitors and travelling businessmen were bringing in the town,
daily information about the troop movements of all three players, Holkars,
Scindia and the Company. Scindia was became quiet when they noticed the
movement of The Company. Konch and the adjoining area was very apprehensive.
People tried to go into villages than be in the town. Nawalshah Dauji and his
elder son Bholanath ji were the only two adults in the house. Mukundilal was an
young boy of 10 years. Dauji and Bholanath decided to stay in Konch, but sent
younger son Mukundilal and bahu to her maika in the village of Basob. Kamla ma
refused and instead stayed by Dauji. Every house in those days had a hiding
place in the basement. Dauji got his house locked from outside with a big lock
in the darkness of the night, while the three of them hid in the basement for
five days. No cooking, They ate khurma (salty biscuits) and ladoos. They will
get out in the night and try to gather the knowledge of the surroundings.
Holkar Raja’s man Amir Khan brought his army up to Salaiya.
The Zamindar Anant (Amant in British account, the village of Malaya) of Salaiya
welcomed his men, provided bullock carts and 500 young men to fight. Several of
these bullock carts were taken from Konch, before the Company troops moved in
there. About half of the army was moved quietly in the night to the nearby Khaksis
jungles and on to Nadigaon village.
The British Company army was coming from the north side.
Unaware of the presence of the enemy on its right flank, it moved straight to
the Konch theater on June 7th. They annexed at least 100 bullock
carts from the Bazaria mohalla of Konch for logistics purposes, one of which
belonged to Dauji. Almost none left in the Bazaria.
The company troops attacked the small fort of Salaiya on the
next day. Holkar army was waiting outside of Salaiya for them. Pindari Amir ordered
his flank army to move behind the Company forces but kept a distance. Company
started off with cannon fire in the morning of June 8th at around 9
a.m. Amir Khan did not reply, asked his forces to retreat slowly towards Salaiya
town and allowed the enemy foot soldiers to move up. He waited for about two
hours so that the hot sun comes directly on the head, which would have surely
made Company army unbearable to operate. He ordered his front army to continue
moving forward. In the meanwhile, he ordered his flank army to close in and open
cannon fire from the right flank. The Company army was pitch forked. Lost a
good number of his men and three cannons. Confounded Fawcett ordered retreat towards
Konch.
On the second day afternoon, Amir attacked the small fort at
Konch using the same cannons and his horsemen. Colonel Fawcett’s men could not
stand the battle and moved out north-east towards Kalpi where they had a reasonable
presence. Raja ordered his Konch-front army to chase and finish. The Colonel
Fawcett’s army was defeated completely and suffered heavy causality. It managed
somehow to cross Yamuna close to Kalpi. The Company resident at Kalpi abandoned
fort along with Colonel Fawcett. Holkar Raja’s men easily moved on Kalpi.
Company officers regarded the defeat at Konch a major loss.
Dauji and his family was relieved. Slowly the normalcy
returned and the business became as usual. Mukundilal was growing up, just 10
years old.
Holkar later lost to British, the Konch and the surrounding
area was retained in the Holkar family up to 1806.
The Company kept planning and politicking. In next two years
they were able to finally wean Gwalior Scindia away from Holkars. In liu of
support, Scindia gave The Bundelkhand area to British which included the Konch,
Jalaun, Orai and Kalpi..
Bholanath and Mukundilal both inherited good businessman ship
from their father. They increased business by adding more items in addition to
salt.
In 1806 British protection was promised to the Maratha ruler
of Jhansi.
****(Oct. 17, 2010)
| <![endif]>
In 1806
British protection was promised to the Maratha ruler of Jhansi, and in 1817
the British recognized his hereditary rights to Jhansi state.
<![if !mso]>In 1818 the Peshwa in Pune ceded all his rights over Bundelkhand to the British at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Maratha War. The sanad states were organized into the Bundelkhand Agency in 1811, when a political agent to the Governor-General of India was appointed and headquartered at Banda. In 1818 the headquarters were moved to Kalpi, in 1824 to Hamirpur, and in 1832 back to Banda. The political agent was placed under the authority of the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces, headquartered in Agra, in 1835. In 1849 authority over the Bundelkhand Agency was placed briefly under the Commissioner for the Saugor and Nerbudda Territories, who appointed a political assistant based at Jhansi. Shortly thereafter, authority over Bundelkhand was placed under the Resident at Gwalior, and the headquarters of the political assistant was moved to Nowgong, which remained until 1947. In 1853 the Raja of Jhansi died childless, and his territory was annexed to British Bundelkhand. The Jhansi state and the Jalaun and Chanderi districts were then formed into a superintendency. In 1854 Bundelkhand Agency was placed under the authority of the newly-created Central India Agency, headquartered at Indore. |
| <![endif]>
The widow of
the Raja of Jhansi, Rani
Lakshmi Bai,
protested the annexation because she was not allowed to adopt an heir, and
because the slaughter of cattle was permitted in the Jhansi territory. The Revolt of 1857 found Jhansi ripe for
rebellion. In June a few men of the 12th native infantry seized the fort
containing the treasure and magazine, and massacred the European officers
of the garrison. The Rani put herself at the head of the rebels, and they
captured several of the neighboring British districts and princely states
allied to the British. She died bravely in battle in Gwalior in 1858. It was not
till November 1858 that Jhansi was brought under British control.
<![if !mso]>After the revolt, Jhansi was given to the Maharaja of Gwalior, but came under British rule in 1886 when it was swapped for Gwalior fort. In 1865 the political assistant was replaced with a political agent. The eastern portion of the Agency was detached to form Bagelkhand agency in 1871. The state of Khaniadhana was transferred to the authority of the Gwalior Resident in 1888, and in 1896 Baraunda, Jaso, and the Chaube jagirs were transferred to Bagelkhand. In 1901 there were 9 states, 13 estates, and the pargana of Alampur belonging to Indore state, with a total area of 9851 sq. mi. and a total population of 1,308,326 in 1901. The most important of the states were Orchha, Panna, Samthar, Charkhari, Chhatarpur, Datia, Bijawar and Ajaigarh. Deforestation accelerated during British rule. The population of the agency decreased 13% between 1891 and 1901 due to the effects of famine. In 1931 Bagelkhand Agency, with the exception of the state of Rewa, was merged into Bundelkhand[2]. |
[4]Salt is a commodity which had been taxed in India ever since the time of the Mauryas. Taxes on salt have been prevalent even during the time of Chandragupta Maurya. The Arthashastra which describes the different duties of the people says that a special officer called lavananadhyaksa was appointed to collect salt tax. Taxes were also imposed on imported salt. However, they accounted for 25 percent of the total value of the salt.
In Bengal, there was a salt tax in vogue during the time of the Mughals, which was 5% for Hindus and 2.5% for Muslims.[4]
In 1759, two years after its victory at the Battle of Plassey, the British East India Company came in possession of land near Calcutta where there were salt works.[3] Utilizing this opportunity to make money, they doubled the land rent and imposed transit charges on the transportation of salt.
In 1764, following the victory at the Battle of Buxar, the British began to control all the revenues of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Robert Clive, who returned as Governor-General in 1765 made the sale of tobacco, betel nut, and salt apart from other accessories and essential spices and condiments, the monopoly of the senior officers of the British East India Company. Contracts were given to deliver salt to depots. Merchants then had to buy all their requirements from these depots.[3]
Outrage
was expressed by the authorities in England who declared:
“We consider it too
disgraceful, and below the dignity of the present situation, to allow of such a
monopoly”. Clive responded by offering the Company 12,00,000 per annum from the
profits made. However, the authorities in England were stubborn and due to the
pressure exerted by them, monopoly of tobacco and betel nut was stopped on
September 1, 1767. This was followed by the annulment of the monopoly of salt
on October 7, 1768.
In 1772, the then Governor-General
Warren
Hastings brought salt
trade once again under the Company's control. However, the salt works were
leased out to farmers who agreed to deliver salt at a fixed rate to the Company.
The Company sold the leases to the highest bidders. However, corruption dealt a
severe blow to the Company that the revenue from salt trade had fallen to
80,000 rupees by 1780. This along with the exploitation of the malangis
or salt workers by their landlords forced Hastings to introduce a new system in
1780.In 1780, Warren Hastings brought salt trade once again under Government control. The salt works were divided into Agencies each under an Agent. These Agencies were governed by a Controller. This system persisted with minor modifications till India's independence in 1947. According to this new system, the malangis sold the salt to the agents at a particular price. Initially, this price was fixed at 2 rupees a maund (40 seers) with a tax of 1.1 to 1.5 rupees a maund. This new system was a success. In 1781-82, the salt revenue was 2,960,130 rupees. The Company received revenue of 6,257,750 rupees from salt in 1784-85.
From 1788 onwards, the Company took to selling salt to wholesalers by auction. Due to this move by the British East India Company, the tax increased to 3.25 rupees a maund. The wholesale price of salt increased from 1.25 rupees to about 4 rupees a maund. This was an exorbitant rate and few could afford the privilege of having their food with salt.
On 1 November 1804, the British monopolized salt in newly conquered Orissa. In return, they advanced money to the malangis against further salt production. As a result, the malangis eventually became debtors of the British and were virtually brought down to the level of slaves. The Orissa Zamindars who earlier controlled salt trade were alarmed at the monopolization which resulted in a sudden loss of income and tried to bear upon the malangi not to work for the British but to no avail.[5]
Rest later.
Samarya
Seth Mukundilal was blessed with
three sons: Baldev, Thakurdas and Dangli. Baldev was born in 1817(Samvat 1874),
thakurdas in 1819 (Samvat 1876) and
Dangali in 1824(Samvat 1881). All three sons inherited strong nature of mother
Jamuna and business acumen from father. The youngest was interested in kushti
and dangal. Thakurdas was not much different, daring, fearless, interested in
mauj and masti and slightly careless. Baldev Bhai was the sincere one and was
well supported by his wife Lila of Khakshish. Lila was from a rich family and
brought lot of jewelry. Sasu Jamuna also gave her a lot of jewelry. She was
childless. She was totally devoted to her husband and the whole family. Sasu
Jamuna did not live very long. Lila filled her spot very well and essentially
was the mother to the whole family.
Fig. 1a) Mukundilal Residence (Year 1790)
The front door and
the second floor in the North front of the Mukundilal’s House in 2011
Fig. 1b) Mukundilal Residence (Year 1801)
Thakurdas was married to
Phoolwati from Mihona from a medium family, but she was very beautiful and Thakurdas
was in seven skys. Dangli married late with a local girl, Meera. He was a pakka
bhakta of Hanuman ji and did not take much interest in family business.
[5]In the early 19th century, to make the salt
tax more profitable and stopped the smuggling, the East India Company
established customs check points throughout Bengal. One Mr. G.H.Smith
established a "Customs Line". This was the boundary across which
transportation of salt involved payment of high customs duties. In the 1840s, a
thorn fence was erected along with western frontiers of Bengal province to
prevent smuggling of salt, see Great
Hedge of India[5].
It was a not-so-hot morning of
March 14, 1835. Like most residents of Konch, Thakurdas went for morning chores
in the garden on the other side of Malanga, a nallah. He noticed a big caravan
of salt-bearing donkeys. Hanumat Bhau, owner of the caravan was sighing on his
hukkah on a chaarpai with his caravan mates, “ Bahut naam suno tho Konch ko.
Ihann to kau ki himmat na pari lakh-badia sambhar ki. Let us go to Gwalior. ( I
heard a lot about Konch, but no one dared to buy the salt stock of 100,000
sacs.).” Thakurdas heard it and rash as he was, “ ho gaya sauda, dheel do
lashkar. Aao, Dauji ki gaddi par aaj duphariya mein.” The Bhau was delighted on
these sweet and famous words. He knew who Dauji was.
Sambhar from Rajsthan was the
best in the world at that time. British were controlling a large part of
central India territory by then. Konch and the area to the south of Kalpi was
annexed from Marathas (Gwalior) in around 1803 and the area became a British
territory since then, lying as it was between the Gwalior Scindias to the west,
Delhi Mugals in the north and Awadh (Lucknow) on the east and Datia, Jhansi and
Orchha principalities in the south. Konch was situated at the best location as
far as the trade was concerned. British taxed sambhar from Rajputana (Rajsthan
of present day) and erected a great hedge from Multan to Madras, passing close
to Konch. No salt trade was allowed to pass through this hedge without paying
tax to British. British brought salt from England, an inferior quality, and
were dumping it in the Indian market. This is the salt Hanumat Bhau purchased
from British and was trying to sell.
Thakurdas knew that he took a
gamble and now wondering how to manage the deal. He turned to his mother-like bhaujai
(bhabhi) Lila. Came and sat soundless in front of her, while she was making
Chhachh (buttermilk). Lila asked, “ ka hua lalla, kaun si musibat aa gai. (What
happened? What is the difficulty?) She was familiar with this style of his
favourite devar. Thakurdas took off his pagri (head gear) and put on her feet,
“ aaj mou se bahut bare bol nikal gaye, ab kaa karen”. He continued and
described how he met Bhau and committed to buy Lakh-Badia sambhar”. Lila
thought for a while, then said, “to kaa bhai, hamaye gahne kahe ke liye hain,
jao sauda pakka karo”. These words electrified Thakurdas and sounded bigul for
the arrival of a new era in Dauji’s family.
Emboldened Thakurdas went to
Gaddi and told his father Mukundi Lal and elder brother Baldev. Shocked they
were, but relaxed when Thakur told that Bhaujai Lila would help him. Impromptu discussion
took place and now it was a matter of family pride. Hanumat Bhau came to the
gaddi after mid-day. The gaddi was infact a big room in the residence building
in the kachhvai near Chand Kuan. Dukan and store were in the main town in
Bajaria. The deal was struck that Bhau will take 40% cash of the total value
and rest after a period of four months. The sambhar was unloaded in the next
two days. There were no rooms to keep all that much salt, so it was put on the
road in front of the shop. The whole road from Sagartala to Chand kuan was
nothing but salt.
Mukundilal and sons were quick to
work. Salt was traded to all villages and towns around Konch and neighboring
areas. Hanumat Bhau got his money in four months as promised and after that it
was success all the way. Sons of Mukundilal were known as Samarya (Dealer in
Sambhar) from then on and thus started the Samarya family in Konch. Thakurdas
built a big shop complex Samarya Bhandar just adjacent to their house in the
kachhvai near Chand Kuan in 1801 (Samvat 1858). This shop complex later on
became the abode of Samarya Family.
Samarya Bhandar (Then House)
This Samarya Bhandar was a
fortified building with a very large rectangular courtyard, surrounded by rooms
on the ground and verandah all around. The second floor had verandah all around
on the top of the rooms on the first floor. The ground floor is also regarded
as the first floor in India. Verandah on the first floor was topped with an
open balcony. There were two gates, one at the front and other on the side
towards Chand Kuan. The shop had an internal entrance to the residential
portion. The complex was on a high ground, approximately 6 feet above ground
level. The front of the shop was three storied with a highly decorated arch and
solid wooden door. The main entrance was approximately 6 feet above the street
level. It had six steps leading upto the arched door. The main entrance opened
into a long room (called Paur). About twenty steps to the left after entering
through the main entrance, there was an opening (called Machkauria) into the
great all-around verandah and then the open courtyard. On the top of Paur,
there is a 5-door verandah (named Pachdwari) on the second floor. This place
was used for entertainment (song and dances). Pachdwari had a closed balcony
directly above the main entrance. There was a third half-floor on the top of
Pachdwari with beautiful top Kangoores (hut shaped verandah with all sides
open). This shop later on was to become the main residence of the family until as
late as 1989, a span of 156 years.
Fig. 2 Main Door on
the North side of Samarya Bhandar
Fig. 2 A
reconstructed picture of the Main Door on the North side of Samarya Bhandar
(not actual)
Fig. 2 A possible reconstructed
picture of the Main Door on the North side of Samarya Bhandar (not actual). The
door was more ornate than shown here.
Fig. 3 South Face of Samarya Bhandar
Fig. 3 Floor plan of
Samarya Bhandar (Year 1837)
Thakurdas was in seven skies for
quite a while at least up to 1950. His father Mukundi Lal ji had passed away in
1842. Mother Jamuna Bai did not wait that long, she went to haven about four
years earlier. All but Dangli Samarya lived in the residence next to the
Samarya Bhandar. Bhai Baldev, bhabhi Lila and Thakurdas and Jamuna all lived and
enjoyed together the riches due to Sambhar. Baldev and Lila did not have any
children. Thakurdas and Mihonawali Phoolwati wre blessed with two sons, Janaki
Prasad (in 1840) and Kanhaiyya Lal (in 1844). The salt business did not last
more than fifteen years. Main reasons of falling business were heavy taxation
on salt and systematic destruction of businesses in general by British in the
British territories. Children in the family were raised in abject richness. The
good days did not last. Baldev Samarya passed away in 1845, soon followed by
Lila, the great loving person. Thakurdas and his wife Phoolwati missed her
presence immensely. Children of Thakurdas were not very entreprenurial and did
not diversify the business. Slowly a time came when Samarya family sold their
residence and shifted in the Samarya Bhandar. Thakurdas also started keeping
bad health and was now a titular head of the family. Janki Prasad was married to Raja bai of Datia
and Kanhaiyya Lal to Kunwarbai of Seonvda. The kind of sweet relations Baldev
and Thakurdas had, was not to be seen among his children and least of all among
the bahus (Raja bai and Kunwar bai). However,
Everyone trudged along. The revenues had fallen. Thakurdas sold the west half
of the Samarya Bhandar complex to shri Chiman, a nephew. Chiman was living in
the old haveli, where the space became premium. Chiman’s family still lives in
this part of the Samarya house.
Thakurdas and family continued to
live in the eastern half. The big bakhri (inner courtyard) was divided in two.
The main gate of Samarya Bhandar fell in Thakurdas side. Later Thakurdas’s
elder son Janki Prasad moved out of the house and bought another house in Konch.
Thakurdas continued to live with Kanhaiyya lal and lived in the eastern wing. Seth
Thakurdas continued to do business from his Gaddi in the eastern part. Salt
business has gone down considerably. Chiman’s family went in other businesses,
one of them was sarafi (jewelry business).
(Year 1860)
Second floor of the Samarya ka kamra which was sold to
Thathere family by Kanhaiyalal Samarya
(Year 1875)
The steps leading to the main
entrance on the north side were in dilapidated condition and were demolished in
around 1940s and changed into a cemented chabutara by Ramcharan Samarya. The
third floor Kangoores over the northside over the main entrance became
dilapidated over time due to no maintenance and were dismantled in 1930 bY
Ramcharan Samarya. The next demolition happened in 1989. The KanhaiyaLal’s
portion of the quadrangle was physically divided in three parts: the east side,
the west side and the north side. The north side part was the half of the
complex, inherited by the great grandson of Bansidhar and Halkuram Samarya, Mr.
DamruLal and his children. This part also contained the north side main
entrance and paur. The east side was inherited by Ashok Samarya, the grandson
of Ramcharan Samarya. The west side was inherited by Govinddas Samarya, the
grandson of Chokhelal Samarya. The east side was later sold by Ashok to Ved
Samarya, son of Damrulal. Ashok left Konch and settled in Jhansi in 2000. The
north side was further divided among four parts among the children of Damrulal.
The main entrance and the wooden door were demolished by Munna, son of
Damraulal, to make his residence. Both east and west sides were remodeled
significantly and now the trace of Samarya abode as it was known and its past
grandeur, is not traceable from outside. Inside, though, you can see the
remnants of this abode in several places.
(Year 1900)
(Year 1935)
(Year 1956)
Fig. A corner in the inner courtyard of the Samaraya House in
2011
Fig. The inner courtyard in front of the Machkoria of the
Samaraya House in 2011
Fig. The second floor in the front face of the Samarya House
in 2011
Fig. Temple in the baithak of Rameswar’s portion in the
Samaraya House in 2011
Fig. Rameshwar Dayal’s Tijori on the left, Ramcharan’s Tijori
on the right in the Samaraya House in 2011
Battle at Konch (1858): British vs. Tatya Tope / Laxmi Bai
The battle of Jhansi took place
in 1858, followed by chase of Rani Laxmi Bai upto Konch by British forces, battle
in Konch on May 6, 1858 and then the big battle at Kalpi.
[6]A rebel force under Tatya Tope went to Koonch where
General Rose, after a delay of 3 weeks to re-supply, went on to meet and defeat
them on 6th May. Rose then advanced on Kalpi.[6]
[7]The battle of Jhansi was followed
by the battle of Kunch. This battle was more of a series of outflanking
manoeuvres by Hugh Rose which threatened Tantia's position at Kunch in such a
way that Tantia had to withdraw without much fight. The British losses in this
battle fought on 7th May 1858 were just 9 killed and 47 wounded [7].
Konch was very much in the midst
of the first war of independence in 1857-58 (samvat 1914-15).
Seth Thakurdas Samarya was 41
year old when there was Gadar (gadar padar, meaning mayhem) in India, which is
how the first war of independence in 1857 was known in the public. The Gadar
started on May 11, 1857, but the news reached Konch on June 16. Seth Thakurdas
was sitting on his gaddi. Sons Janki Prasad and Kanhaiyya Lal by his side and
munimji in one corner. Bhanu came in and saluted Samarya, “Ram Ram Samaryaji”.
“Ram Ram, come come. Where were you? Bahut din ho gaye, yanha ki rasta bhool gaye
ka (so many days passed ! Did you forget the ways to Konch?) Bhanu used to
bring salt in caravans from far distances. He generally used to buy salt in big
quantities from Phirangiis in Allahabad area and bring them to local mandis
like konch. He used to travel through Banda, Mauranipur and Eiruch doing
business in these mandis before entering Konch. He was a regular visitor to
Samarya Bhandar.
Bhanu took a glass of water and
started, “ka batayen sethji, the roads out of Allahabad have become very risky.
Gadar machi hai (mayhem everywhere) . firangiyon se ladai ho rahi hai. (fights
are going on between British and Raja and Nawabs in the area) Desi paltan ke
sipahi are killing firangi sahebs. Firangi fauz also chasing the desi sipahis
and Rajas. Everywhere there is loot and no body buying anything.” Samarya ji
was aware of local infighting among Rajas in the riyasat and rajbades
(non-British territories). New thing this time was the fight with British and
desi Rajas. Bhanu also told that Desi paltan which in revolt came to Jhansi and
tried to ask Rani Sahib to lead them and give them help. Rani sahib helped them
but did not took lead. Raja of Orchha, Datia and of-course Gwalior did not
support revolutionary paltan. Bithoor and Kanpur took the lead. Nana Saheb
Peshva and Tatya Tope were the heros of great Gadar. There were massacres of
firangis in Jokhan bagh in Jhansi and Bibighar in Kanpur. British forces took
fierce revenge manifolds while advancing from Allahabd to Kanpur. Another
British force began advance from Mhow
(Indore). Its first conquest was in Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), the southernmost
part of Bundelkhand. In the meanwhile,
Rani Laxmi Bai took control of Jhansi in her hands. British made the killing at
Jokhan Bagh a ruse to punish Rani of Jhansi. General Rose began his advance
from Sagar onto Banda. Nawab of Banda Mir Ali Bahadur gave a very good fight, but
was defeated. Jhansi was now exposed to British assault. Orchha and Datia did
not come forth to help Rani Jhansi even on invitation. Perhaps, it was because,
the Datia and Orchha rajas were of local Bundeli descent and Jhansi was the
only Maratha ruled principality in this region. Selfishness and regionalism
galore and existed in all ages.
Rani started preparing for the
future fight. She fortified Jhansi fort and the citiwall in Jhansi. She
contacted Tatya Tope, and Rao Saheb Peshwa, her boyhood friends in Bithoor.
Nana Saheb Peshwa was by then defeated and had left Kanpur towards east in
wilderness. Bithoor was razed to
ground.
Thakurdas Samarya realized that
the harder times were ahead. Bhanu kept coming to Konch and Samarya bhandar but
sparsely. Konchmen were getting information about fightings all around them and
were somewhat apprehensive but inert. After the defeat of Bithoor, Kalpi was
captured by Rao sahib Peshwa, the younger brother of Nana Saheb Peshwa, and
Tatya Tope. They promised all help to Rani Laxmi Bai.
There was a visitor to Mahantji
in Konch in the dead of night of April 1, 1858. Mahantji was an influencial
temple priest of Konch. The visitor brought the message from an opponent of
Rani in her royal family, that the Rani will be ultimately defeated and
Gangadhar Rao’s cousin will become king of Jhansi. If Mahantji gets Rani handed
over to English Forces, he will be made the zamindar of Konch. Mahantji told to
give reply the next day. After the emissary left, Mahantji called for Shah ji,
an influential Muslim Leader and few more confidantes for discussion. He
presented to the meeting all details except the proposal of Zamindari. The
congregate expressed that the Britishers can not be trusted. They had already
experienced insults at their hands and their cunningness in the administration.
However, they all agreed that Rani could not win against British, so they
should not take any side. However, if Rani and Tatya come to Konch they would
ask her not to stay thus to spare Konch the destruction. No one wanted to
listen about betraying Rani.
Suddenly, there were many
visitors in Konch and nearby villages. Nawab Banda sent for Kiledar of Eiruch
to sound him for support for Bai Saheb which he agreed and sent his forces to
be stationed in Jhansi fort. General Rose was thinking that if Rani were to
abandon Jhansi fort she will escape along Betwa river to Kalpi through Eiruch
–Kotra –Kadaura. He sent emissaries to Raja of Amra (near Moth) and Kotra to
entice them to handover Bai Saheb to Firangis and get amnesty and continuation
in return. Raja Amra did not reply, but
Kotra Kiledar refused. He stood by Rani.
On April 4th, 1858,
Jhansi fell to British forces. Rani Sahib escaped via Bhandair, Konch and
finally to Kalpi. Rani’s father Moropantji went with a few soldiers towards
Datia and stayed overnight in Pitamber mandir compound. He was to meet Raja of
Datia next morning to ask for his protection. In the wee hours of the morning
of April 24th, Datia Raja captured Moropantji and sent him with his
soldiers to Jhansi in the hope of getting favors. British General Huge ordered
public hanging of Moropantji in Jokhan Bagh and kept him hanging for two days
to spread terror.
Leutinent Stewart was able to
chase Rani, far behind though. He encountered stiff resistance from Eiruch and
Puunch, whereupon he abandoned the chase. But he now knew the escape of Rani
via Konch route.
Rani came to Konch in the late
evening of April 4, 1858 with Mundar, Raghunath singhji and two more vilayati
sepoyees. Rani was tired, visibly downbeat, stayed overnight in the Ram Lala
Mandir. Mahantji and Shah ji came to pay respect to Rani,talked to the priest
of Ram Lala temple and promised full protection to Rani ji. They brought food
and help and deployed twenty people outside the temple strategically for watch
and protection. Next morning, Rani and
the party left hurriedly for Kalpi via Orai to return a month later with a big
force to fight British.
Konch was shell shocked.
Thakurdas and his sons were apprehensive about the safety and security.
Fig. Rani Laxmibai’s
escape from Jhansi to Kalpi via Konch
Rani ji reached Kalpi by the next
evening and was received by Tatya and Rao Sahib. After a few days, Rao sahib
sent Tatya Tope and Rani Laxmi Bai with a sizable force (approx. 10,000) to
engage British forces at Konch.
Tatya Tope, Rani and Nabab Banda
reached Konch with a large force. Rani camped in the small fort atop the only
hill in Konch. Tatya and Nabab Banda stationed in the garden in the south
**
came with a large force
On the evening of May 1st, 1858,
Tatya went in Konch town and held a meeting in the same temple of Ram Lala. It
was the peak of summer and the evenings were cooled by sprinkles of water. The
meeting was called by Mahantji of Konch, a zamindar (landlord), attended by
important people. Samaryaji sent Kanhaiyya Lal to this meeting. People came in
ones and twos, faces covered by Saafi (a cotton towel) and pagris (head scarf)
bound lower on the heads. Tatya saheb arrived on his horse with five of his
escorts also on the horses. Mahantji welcomed him. Tatya alighted from the
horse, after washing feet and hands did darshan of Ram Lala and asked blessings
for the victory of his forces. Later he met Mahantji and the group of the Konch
gentry in the room adjoining mandir deities. Tatya started, “Firangiyone hamara
vyapar barbad kar diya hai, namak par
bhayankar tax lagaya hai. Kanpur, Allahbad aur Dilli mein Nirdosh logon ko
phansi par latka diya, topon se udha diya. Jhansi mein bhayankar loot machai
hai. Mein Peshwa ka sevak hoon aur in firangiyon se ladne aaya hun. Mujhe aapka
ashirvad chahiye” (British people have destroyed our businesses, levied heavy
taxes on salt. Several peaceful people in Kanpur, Allahabad and Delhi were
hanged and blasted after tying them on the mouth of cannons. I am the servant
of Peshwa ji and have come to fight these cruel British forces. I need your
blessings.” One gentleman said, “Yeh to Rajon ki ladai hai. Hum to vyapari hain
aur konch to kampany raj mein hai.” (This is the fight among kings. We are
businessmen and konch is the British territory). Tatya replied, “Firangi jyada
door nahi hain. Jhansi mein unhone kisi ko nahi baksha aur naa hi bakshenge.(The
British are very far from here. They did not leave anybody in Jhansi)”. He
continued, “Mein aap se ladne ke liye nahi kah raha hun. Hum to sirf yeh chahte
hain ki koi firangiyon ki madad na Kare. Kisi ko kuchh pata chale to hamen
turat khabar Karen. Hamari fauj ke liye khana paani me sahyata karen. Hum unhen
Konch mein nahi dhasne denge.(I am not asking you to fight. I want that no one
should help British. If anybody sees anything or comes to know something about
them, let them inform me immediately. I request you to provide food and
essentials for our forces. We will not let British enter Konch)”. (Tatya did
not mean or expect anything more. Konch gentry was assuaged, promised rasad
paani (food and essentials) in return. Tatya went to his tent in the
Markandeswar Bagh.
Fig. Konch battle
ground
Kanhaiyya Lal Samarya, young at 18,
was raving with anger on the attitude of his konch men, returned home and
detailed his father and older brother. Janki Prasad and Kanhaiyya Lal looked
for talvars (swords) in the house. Next day Kanhaiyya Lal went in the town and purchased four swords
and two guptis (big knifes hidden in wooden rods) from a Luhar (ironsmith) in
the town. Janki Prasad went and purchased a lot of groceries for storage in the
Samarya House. He donated a substantial part of the groceries to the chauki on
sagartala where Mahantji was storing rasad (help) to be given to Tatya. Thakurdas
asked ladies in the house to prepare a lot of food, khurmas and Laddos to
survive for many days. Janki Prasad stored this lot of food and water in the
basement below Kitchen. Thakurdas told all female members to be ready to go in
the underground basement room as soon as they are told. Kanhaiyya lal gave two
swords to Bhabhi and two to his wife to be kept in the basement. He also
purchased a gun and some ammunition. The gun was given to Chhote, the 20 year
old servant who hailed from Khakshish village but made Samarya Bhandar as his
home. Kanhaiya gave one gupti to Thakurdas ji and he was asked to stay down in
the ground floor. The two heavy wood entrance doors on the western and southern
side in the Samarya Bhandar, which will now be called the Samarya House, were
bolted with solid wood rods. Kanhaiyya Lal went up the topmost floor with a
sword and a gupti. Janki was stationed in the second floor near the northern
side directly above the kitchen room. Kanhaiyya Lal was to keep watch towards
the Malanga nalla and the Chand kuan sides. Every body was scared. Janki had
kids, Kanhaiyya did not. Kids were to be kept quiet in all situations.
Many families tried to move to
their relatives in the nearby villages, but soon returned back. The hinterland
was also full of rumors that a big phirangi sena was rumored to encircle Konch.
Many Rajas in the hinterland left their small forts to move towards Jalaun and
Kalpi and others in the direction of Gopalpur to eventually land in Gwalior
territory. Some Tallukdars just kept put in their Havelis to watch the turn of
events and ready to join the winner. Public was all left to fend for
themselves.
Tatya made a fortification away
from the main town of Konch on the northern side of Malanga nallah, his tent on
the site opposite to the Markandeswar bagh on the Malanga Nalla. One of the
reasons for the selection of this spot was to keep the retreat route to Kalpi
open. The other was to avoid fighting in the town of Konch.
Rao Saheb, the brother of Nana
Saheb, Nawab of Banda and Tatya planned defenses in front of Konch town, facing
south west. They requested Rani to be in the middle for backup. Rani ji stayed
overnight in the Ramlala mandir compound in Konch with her retinues and kept
herself informed of the battle. This compound and the mandir are still there.
General Rose was moving slowly
from Jhansi towards Konch via Eiruch. His forces saw unexpected resistance from
Kiledars enroute. He reached just before Lohari village, a few miles in the
southwest of Konch. He himself went on recee in the surrounding area. Konch
town was surrounded by a large number of forests cum gardens, bounded by two
creeks running in parallel. He got the intelligence of Tatya’s fortification to
the east of Malanga Nalla. His forces would face him within a distance of 5
miles if he skirts Konch town and kept to the east of Malanga. General Rose
decided to circumvent the town of Konch from the north and a long route in the
night. Rose first occupied Lohari small
fort with very little resistance. Rose sent some units to occupy the Garhi in
Konch town which housed the administrative buildings and was temporarily taken
over by some local rebels. They entered the town from North near the Barakhamba
and did not meet much resistance. These sepoys and firangis later went through
the lanes of Konch in the dead of May 8th noon with wet towels on their heads
towards the Tatya forces. Tatya was waiting for assault from the south east
side but on the morning of May 7, 1858, he was surprised by the presence of a
big British contingent on their back side. He soon realized the Britsh
intention of blocking their escape route to Kalpi. There was no gain in the
engagement, he and Rani then decided to retreat. The retreat was very orderly
with minimal losses. British forces chased for some distances but without
success. The total engagement was worth not more than two hours [7] and [8].
“The battle of Jhansi was
followed by the battle of Kunch. This battle was more of a series of
outflanking manoeuvres by Hugh Rose which threatened Tantia's position at Kunch
in such a way that Tantia had to withdraw without a fight. The British losses
in this battle fought on 7th May 1858 were just 9 killed and 47 wounded. ”
Kanhaiyyalal and Jankiprasad saw
a few troops carrying guns in the lanes but no fighting. All were relieved.
Things soon became normal in a few days.
Kalpi defense was very solid as
it was surrounded from all sides by big ravines except the Yamuna side. General
Rose used the same trick of circumvention in the attack on Kalpi. He detoured
to Gulaoli village and reached Kalpi from the North side on the southern bank
of Yamuna. There was good fight. Rao Sahib, Tatya and Rani used to engage
British after 10 am during the day when most of the Firangi soldiers became
least effective due to burning sun. However, due to better fire power and
soldering techniques, they lost to British. The rebel leaders escaped towards
Gwalior along the southern bank of Yamuna via Jagammanpur and Gopalpur and
Morar. Gwalior maharaja Scindhia was loyal to British but many of his officers
and force was sympathetic to Rani and rebels. Rani decided to attack Gwalior
overcoming a lot of hesitation from Rao sahib. Rani was right. Gwalior forces
sided with Rani and Scindhia raja ran away to Agra under British
protection. British were very afraid by
this development. However, General Hugh Rose persisted in his military
planning, invaded and recaptured Gwalior. Rani Laxmibai died on the battle
field near Kota ki Sarai on the outskirts of Gwalior.
Downfall of Salt Business
The salt business was dying fast.
Travels were cut down due to fighting in all directions. Seth Thakurdas was a
broken man in his sixties. His children were trying hard but the bad times have
fallen. Thakurdas passed away in 1867. His brother Baldev’s family and his own
family shifted to Samarya Bhandar after selling the old residence in the north
side. Baldev did not have a child of their own. Probably, he adopted one of his
wife’s side relative as the son.
Thakurdas and his brother’s
family lived in harmony, specially till Bhaujaiji (Lila) was alive. But that
was not the case among the second generation. A few years after Thakurdas’s
death, Baldev tauji’s family lived in the western part and Kanhaiyyalal’s
family lived on the eastern side the Samarya Bhandar. Janki Prasad moved out of
the residence and lived elsewhere. Baldev Tauji’s family still lives in that
portion but are now called Sarafs. Kanhaiyyalal’s family is the only one called
Samaryas. A temporary partition wall was erected in the middle of the courtyard
of the Samarya Bhandar. There was a door for contact.
Two years after the death of Seth
Thakurdas, in the year 1869, there was a big famine in central India. Konch was
affected too. Janki Prasad and Kanhaiyyalal’s families survived but the
earnings were depleted to a great extent. The salt business was almost
destroyed and they never recovered.
The Rajputana
famine of 1869 (also the Great Rajputana Famine, Bundelkhand and
Upper Hindustan famine, Rajputana famine of 1868-70) affected an
area of 296,000 square miles (770,000 km2) and a
population of 44,500,000, primarily in the princely
states of Rajputana,
India,
and the British territory of Ajmer; other areas affected included Gujarat, the North Deccan
districts, the Jubbalpore
division of the Central Provinces and Berar, the Agra
and Bundelkhand division of the United Provinces, and the Hissar division of
the Punjab.
Seth Kanhaiyyalal and Janki
Prasad separated in business. Janki Prasad went for probably grain business and
moved out of Samaraya Bhandar to live elsewhere in Konch town. Kanhiyyalal was
lazy, went on with his salt business. He continued to sit on his father’s gaddi
and lived on past glories but the family became poor. It was the gritty
Kunwarbai (wife of Kanhaiyyalal) who managed the family affairs.
Kanhiyyalal and Kunwarbai had
three children: Vrindavan (born 1860), Soore (born 1862) and Mannilal (born 1866).
Vrindavan married but his children did not survive. Soore lost his eyes in
early childhood due to illness, not married and basically was supported by the
brothers throughout his life.
Mannilal was married to Sukubai
of Todi Fatehpur (near Mauranipur) in 1888. All of them lived a hard life. Again,
it was Kunwarbai who ran the family. Seth Kanhaiyyalal died in 1895 but his
wife Kunwarbai lived for another 5 years. Mannilal and Sukubai were to carry
the family forward. Kanhaiyyalal’s sons did not even sit on the family gaddi.
Vrindavan Samaraya tried grain business. Mannilal tried the general groceries
shop in Ramganj area of town. All lived in the Samaraya house. The old Gaddi
room was now not used at all. Later on the door to the old Gaddi was sealed by
a wall in the paur. The old Gaddi was now accessible from a small door (khidki)
from the maain ka kamra (room) only.
Mannilal and SukuBai had four
sons and a daughter: Vanshidhar (born 1890), Halkuram (born 1893), Chokhelal
(born 1896), Ramcharan (born 1899) and Punu (born 1901). Suku bai was efficient
house lady and managed family with a lot of alacrity. Mannilal was a simple man
but not very effective. Suku bai was usually bitter due to the poor condition
of the family.
Vanshidhar started to work with
Tau Vrindavan. Vanshidhar was married in 1902 to Ramphool and two children:
Ramgopal (born 1905) and Harnarayan (born 1909). Vanshidhar and Ramphool both
did not keep very good health and died within two years of each in around 1911.
His children were raised by Halkuram.
Halkuram was the vaidya (doctor)
in the family. He learnt medical knowledge from a mentor in the town. He was
married to Putubai in 1904. They did not have children of their own and raised
his elder brother’s children Ramgopal and Harnarayan. Halkuram ji started
selling cloth shop in Sarafa Bazar in the town. He also used to dispense
Ayurvedic medicines from the Paur of the Samaraya House. He built a new Gaddi
for himself in the Paur just outside the old family gaddi room.
SukuBai used to live in the Maain
ka karma. The room next to Talghar was the family kitchen. Vanshidhar and
Ramphool were given the back room next to Dugai. Halkuram and Putu Bai used the
second back room next to Dugai. Younger Chukhar (Chokhelal), Channa (Ramcharan)
and Punnu (Punu Bai), as they were called affectionately by mother Sukubai,
lived with her in the Maain ka karma.
The town of Konch got the first
and the last mill, a sugar mill in 1900, established by Rajasthan Birlas. That
was a big business generator in the area. Tau Vrindavan tried hard to get some
business from the mill but without success.
One year after Halkuram’s marriage,
Seth Mannilal died of poor health in 1905 at the age of 37. This was also the
year the railways came to Konch, an eight mile branch from the main railway
connection from Jhansi to Kanpur. It was mainly to provide supplies and carry
the produce from the sugar mill. Suku Bai was now alone to raise the three
young children, the older two sons were barely managing themselves.
Reference:
[3c]
Imperial Gazetteer_of_india.pdf
[9] http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/57987/10bb7a/
- by mayankmalik, Jhansi
[10] http://www.esamskriti.com/photo-detail/Jhansi-Fort.aspx
- Jhansi Photo
[11] http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/WH/XIX/India-1857/Sepoy-26.html
book by British
