Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/105

 Jhalawar.

THE Rulers of Jhalawar belong to the Jhala clan of Rajputs, which has given its name to the State. The founder of the family was one Bhao Singh, who came to Rajputana from Halwad in Kattiawar. His son, Madho Singh, coming to Kotah in the time of Maharao Bhim Singh, was appointed Faujdar or Commander of the State-troops, and received the estate of Nanta as jahagir. The post and the jahagir became hereditary in the family, and Madho Singh's great-grandson, the famous Zalim Singh, succeeded to both in 1758A.D. when only eighteen years of age. Three years later, he was the means of securing a great victory for the Kotah troops over the Jaipur army at Bhatwara. Subsequently, however, the relations between him and the Maharao Guman Singh of Kotah became strained. Consequently he went away to Udaipur, where he did good service and received from the Maharana, the title of Raj- Rana. Later on he returned to Kotah and was reconciled to the Maharao. In 1771 A.D. when the Maharao was on his death-bed, he sent for Zalim Singh and charged him with the care of his son, Umed Singh, and his State. From this time Raj- Rana Zalim Singh was the real ruler of Kotah, and raised it to a state of high prosperity under his administration, which lasted for more than fifty years. Through his agency & treaty was made with the British Government in 1817 A.D., by which Kotah was taken under British protection: and by a supplementary article added in 1818 A.D. the entire administration of the State was vested in Raj-Rana Zalim Singh and his heirs, in regular succession and perpetuity. Raj-Rana Zalim Singh was a great statesman, and the services he rendered to the Kotah State and the British Government, are matters of history. It was in recognition of these services that when the arrangements made in 1818 A.D. were found unworkable, the British Government made a separate provision for Raj-Rana Zalim Singh's descendants, and made over to his grandson, Madan Singh, and his heirs and successors, seventeen districts taken from Kotah, yielding a revenue of twelve lacs of rupees a year. This was the origin of the State of Jhalawar, which by the treaty of 1838 A.D. was taken under British protection.

The present Raj-Rana, who is a descendant of Madho Singh, the first Jhala Faujdar of Kotah, was born on the 4th of September 1874 A.D. He entered the Mayo College, Ajmer, in 1881 A.D., and left it in 1891 A.D. While there he distinguished himself both in his studies and outdoor sports.

Raj-Rana Bhawani Singh was selected by the British Government to succeed the ex-Raj-Rana Zalim Singh in 1897A.D., and was installed on the gadi in 1899 A.D., being at the same time invested with full powers by Sir Arthur Martindale, the then Agent to the Governor-General for Rajputana.

No sooner had His Highness taken the reins of administration in his hands, than he had to contend with the dire famine of 1899-1900 A.D. He at once opened relief works and poor-houses, which saved the lives of thousands; and at the same time he caused large quantities of food-grains to be imported from the United Provinces and to be sold to the State employees as also to the general public, at prices much below the current rate. Moreover, one of his first acts on his accession to the gadi was the grant of remission of Rs. 3,64,627. in the arrears of rent due to the State.