Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/233

 Kagal.

1 . Senior Branch.

THIS is a small native State in the Southern Mahratta Country, feudatory to the Maharaja of Kolhapur. Its capital is situated about twelve miles south-east of Kolhapur, in the valley of the Dudhganga river. The chief is descended from an ancient and illustrious Mahratta family surnamed Ghatge, who acquired great eminence during the palmy days of the Bijapur kingdom.

It is said that the family went from Jaipur to the Deccan towards the close of the fourteenth century to escape from the ferocity of Taimurlang of Persia, who played great havoc throughout Rajputana in 1398 A. D. Kamraja, the first common ancestor of the Ghatge family, is said to have rung a bell suspended from the ceiling of the audience hall in the palace of the king of Bedar by turning a summer- sault. Hence the surname Ghatge signifying "Winner of the bell." Likewise the title "Sarje Rao" was conferred by an Emperor of Bijapur on Bhanaji, one of the chief's ancestors, who defeated and slew Dudha Sarje Rao, a Rajput military leader, sent by Aurangzeb to overthrow the Bijapur dynasty. The Mahratta warrior after slaying his adversary plucked the Surja (head ornament) from the forehead of his horse, and carried it to the Emperor, who was so pleased with the exploit that he not only presented the crest to Bhanaji but gave him the title of " Sarje Rao " besides. ' Vajarat Ma-ab' i.e. possessing the abilities of a Vazir or minister, was a title conferred by Shiwaji III of Kolhapur on Hindu Rao Ghatge, the grandfather of the present Chief, for signal services rendered by him in the war between the state of Kolhapur and the Desai of Nippani.

Hindu Rao Ghatge was the son of Sakharam Sarje Rao Ghatge, who came into prominence during the time of Baji Rao II. He was a powerful figure in the Kolhapur Durbar and had received the grant of the Kagal Estate, though he was the representative of the younger branch of the family, in whose possession it had been more or less continuously for many years. Sarje Rao Ghatge's career is a matter of history. Daulat Rao Sindhia married his daughter, the well-known Baizabai, and his son, who received the title of 'Hindu Rao,' resided entirely at Gwalior and seldom, if ever, visited Kagal. The Estate is now held by Hindu Rao's adoptive grandson. When Sakharam Ghatge received the grant of the Kagal Estate* a smaller appendage was conferred on the representative of the Senior branch of the Ghatge family, which is now held by Dattaji Rao Balasaheb Ghatge. The chief distinction of this branch is their frequent inter-marriages with the royal family of Kolhapur.

Kagal is an ancient place and its oldest mention is found in grants or sanads of the sixteenth century from the Bijapur Kings. No old buildings remained entire but there are ruins of mosques and temples. The old fort of Kagal was destroyed by Yashwant Rao Sindhia, minister of Kolhapur, in 1780 A.D. In its place, about 1813 A.D., the late Hindu Rao Ghatge built a new fort, 307 feet from east to west and 366 feet from north to south. It is enclosed by a ditch and a thick stone-wall now