Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/182

 Amod.

THIS estate is situated in the Broach collectorate. The Thakors of Amod, like those of Kerwada, belong to the Molesalam community which may be said to be half Hindu, half Mahomedan, and chiefly met with in Broach and Rewa-Kantha.

Dula Rana, a scion of the ruling branch at Mewar, was ousted from his dominion by Alla-ud-Din Khilji, whereupon he started on a tour of pilgrimage. During his halt on the banks of the Narmada, Dula Rana fought with the Bhil king of Boova, killed him and established his own rule there in the latter half of the thirteenth century. Dula Rana's son, Pratap Singh, killed Chandrabhan, the Bhil king of Chanchwell, a village now under Wagra Taluka in the year 1275 A.D. Singhji, one of the descendants of Pratap Singh, consolidated his territories and made Amod his seat of government in 1478 A.D. Nag Rana, one of the successors of Singhji, was invited by Mahamad Begada to Ahmedabad, where he embraced Mahomedanism in 1486 A.D. and was bestowed the title of "Khan," and from that day forward his descendants were called Molesalam Garasias. .

Thakor Himat Singh, who ruled about the year 1752 A.D., was the most noteworthy, both for his learning and beneficent administration. He died in 1784 A.D. and was succeeded by his brother, Dip Singh, who was followed by his eldest son, Abhe Singh, in 1791 A.D. He died in 1824 A.D., leaving behind a son named Ajit Singh; but his nephew, Jasawant Singh, forcibly took possession of the gadi. Jit Singh, however, established his claim, and was placed on the ancestral gadi by the Government of Bombay. He died in 1848 A.D. His successors came and went till 1896 A.D., when Ishwar Singh, the heir-apparent, died leaving behind a son named Nar Singhji. His uncle maintained that he was the rightful successor to Fatte Singh, and the dispute lasted for five years, when it was definitely settled that Nar Singhji was the rightful successor of his grandfather, Maharana Fatte Singhji, who handed over the administration of the estate during his own lifetime to his grandson in 1900 A.D. and himself left this world in 1909 A.D.



The early years of the administration of Nar Singhji were years of anxiety and trouble on account of the visitation of famine. He proved himself equal to the situation. He has brought the status of the Thakors in Gujrath to be recognised under the Morley Minto Constitutional Reform scheme. Nar Singhji has been the first Thakor member in the Legislative Council of Bombay.

The area of the estate is 21,214 acres of land, yielding an yearly income of Rs. 80,000.