Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/172

 Haidargarh-Basoda.

HAIDARGARH is the name of the small State of Basoda under the Bhopal Political Agency, and is one of the guaranteed states under the direct control of the Agent to the Governor-General in Central India. The founder of this small State was Nawab Diler Khan, an Afgan, who came to India in 1713 A.D. and made his fortune by acquiring some territory' from the Rajput princes, who were quarrelling with each other. He died in 1732 A.D*. and was succeeded by his son, Mahammad Izzat Khan, as Nawab of Kurwai, Mahamadgarh, and Basoda. But he did not pull on well with his younger brother, Mahammad Ahsan Ulla Khan, and the territory was divided between the two brothers. Mahammadgarh and Basoda came to the share of Nawab Ahsan Ulla Khan, while Kurwai went into the possession of Nawab Mahammad Izzat Khan. Nawab Ahsan Ulla Khan again distributed his share between his two sons, and Mahammadgarh and Basoda thus became two separate chiefships.

Nawab Ahsan Ulla Khan died in 1790 A.D. and was succeeded by his son, Waka Ulla Khan, who ruled the State for five years, and died in 1795 A.D. He was succeeded by his son, Asud Ali Khan, who was then a minor and the State was managed by his mother. After attaining majority, Nawab Asud Ali Khan took the administration into, his hands and conducted it ably till his death in 1864 A.D.

He was succeeded by his son, Omar Ali Khan, who was a great author and traveller. He visited India, Arabia, Turkey, England, France, Italy, China, Japan, Burma, Africa and America, and wrote the accounts of his travels in the "Urdu language. He generally used to spend 6 months of the year in his State, and 6 months in travelling outside. After a successful career of 32 years, he died on the 7th April 1896 A.D. and was succeeded by his son, Nawab Mahammad Haidar Ali Khan Bahadur, who is the present ruler of Basoda and who has changed the name of the capital to Haidargarh after his own name. The present Nawab has received good education and training from his father, and particularly in state affairs he was taught to be just and independent and not to be led astray by flatterers. He understands Persian, Urdu, Arabic and Hindi and possesses some knowledge of English- He has acquired an insight into the manage- ment of the affairs of his State from his father's time, and is performing his duties efficiently.

The area of the State is about 40 square miles, with a population of 4,897 ; and the income is Rs. 25,427.