Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924024153987).pdf/551

 — FYZ

A

473

proprietor of a single or of several villages found it better to enter into feudal relations with the chief of Dera, to hold from hito, instead of direct from the chakladar or revenue officer ; these proprietors thus become und'erproprietors. They retained the same steady authority and continuous control over their properties the taluqdar only received a percentage, often merely nominal.

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At annexation, as there was no longer a motive for the interference of the taluqdar between the Government and the proprietor, this system ceased in many villages. have seen that very many villages, which had been included in the estate between 1828 and 1847, were restored to their proprietors but it is not fair to say that in this matter the taluqdar " suffered severely under the revenue policy of that day, " and " lost most of his

We



villages."*

The taluqdar was deprived of villages over which his control was that of a mere suzerain, which his family had acquired within the memory of thousands living, and to which he could no longer afford the services and benefits for whose sake the proprietors had acquiesced in his suzerainty. The villages were restored to a powerful and warlike class, whom it would have been dangerous to treat with injustice. After annexation sub-settlements were made in 84 out of the 198 villages in this estate in other words, the taluqdar receives merely a fixed rent charge in the portion of his

property.

The

prosperity of the Dera family during this time was not wholly

unchequered. The Dera widow, Dariao Kunwar, the widow of Madho Singh, managed the estate for many years. Her husband's nephew twice removed was the next heir but it was supposed that she wished to supersede him and adopt another successor. He tried to storm the fort, but was defeated and He set spies upon the thakurain, who his father killed in the attempt. wiclow, The Dera Danao Kunwar.

watched

all

her movements.

She was an extraordinary woman. She was regular in her payments of revenue, regular in paying her Servants, in giving them their rations, and in paying her devotions at the different shrines in the vicinity.

Her movements were Sah.

Mr.

Camegy

all

watched, and regularly reported to Eustam

writes as follows



" The thaturain determined to pay one of her secret unattended visits to the Ajodhyafair for the purpose of bathing. She was followed by the spies, who immediately communicated with their master. She was soon traced by rode up to her litter, the babu to the Surajkund tank, when he suddenly and by a confidenher, carried who men five the by and found her attended She at once asked who the horseman was, and was tial retainer or two. answered—' I am he whom you are searching for, and who has long been She invited him to dismount, which he did, and sat looking for you She then addressed him, begging him to remember that beside her Utter. befallen the house of Dera ; none had ever been lepers, ever no disgrace had to look to it that he maintained one-eyed, or otherwise contemptible, and '

.


 * See Aldemau,