Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/166

 Sailana.

SAILANA is one of the mediatised states of the Central India Agency, under the Political Agent in Malwa. The State is called after the capital town which stands at the foot (anana* mouth) of the hills {shaila), whence it derives its name "Shailanana" or modern Sailana. Scattered portions of Sailana touch the Gwalior, Indore, Dhar, Jhabua, Jaora, Banswara and Kushalgarh states, of which the last two are in Rajputana.

The chiefs of Sailana are Rathor Rajputs of the Ratanavat branch, an off' shoot of the Rytlam house, and till 1730 A.D., Sailana formed a part of Rutlam. In that year, Jai Singh, a great grandson of Ratan Singh the founder of Rutlam, started an independent State, of which Raoti was the capital. In 1736 A.D. he built the present capital of Sailana. During the settlement of Malwa in 1819 A.D. Raja Lachhman Singh received, through the mediation of Sir John Malcolm, an agreement on behalf of Daulat Rao Sindhia, by which all interference in the administration of the State by the Gwalior Durbar was prohibited and he was secured in his possessions on payment of a tribute of Rs. 23,000. The payment of this tribute was transferred to the British in 1860 A.D. From 1850 A.D. chief Dule Singh being a minor, the State was administered by the British authorities, but during the disturbances of 1857 A.D. it was entrusted to the late chief's widow, who rendered good service. In 1881 A.D. the State abandoned all transit duties on salt, receiving annually from the British Government one hundred maunds of salt free of all costs. In 1883 A.D., however, this compensation was commuted to an annual cash payment of Rs. 4 1 2-8^0.

The present Chief, Raja Jaswant Singh, succeeded by adoption in 1895 A.D. He has done much to improve the financial condition of the State though the famine of 1899' 1900 A.D. caused fresh embarrassment. He received the gold Kaisar^Hind medal in 1901 A.D. and was made a K.C.I.E. in 1904 A.D. The territory, as is usual in Rajput holdings, has been alienated to a considerable extent, ten of the Jahagirdars being Rathor Rajputs connected with the ruling family. For administrative purposes the State is divided into four sections, the chief town and its environs, and the districts of Bhilpank, Bangrod, and Raoti. The Chief administers the State with the help of a Diwan, and in civil matters has complete control. In criminal cases he exercises the powers of a Sessions Court, but submits for confirmation, to the Agent to the Governor^General, all sentences of trasportation, imprisonment for life or capital punishment. The State forces consist of 162 regular cavalry, who form the Chief's body-guard, 278 irregular infantry, five guns and 15 gunners.

The State has an area of about 450 square miles and a population of 25,731 souls. The normal revenue of the State is about one lac and a half.

His Highness Raja Sir Jaswant Singh K.C.I.E. enjoys a salute of 1 1 guns.