Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/235

202 THE IMPERIAL DURBAR ALBUM. much ruined. The eastern portion of the rampart was destroyed in 1858 A.D. by order of the British Government. Besides a large mansion built within the town by the late Hindu Rao, after the model of the famous palace of Deeg, and several good houses belonging to the relations of the Ghatge family, a large mansion or wada stands at a small distance of the town built by the late chief of Kagal, Jai Singh Rao Abasaheb, at a cost of about Rs. 1,00,000.

The present Chief of Kagal, Piraji Rao alias Bapusaheb, is the son of Jai Singh Rao Abasaheb, the late chief of Kagal and Regent of Kolhapur. He took his education at the Rajkumar College, Rajkot, till 1889 A.D. After that he resided at Dharwar till 1893 A.D. and then went out touring through India. While at Dharwar. he studied the theory of law and political economy and often attended the District Judge and other Courts to become familiar with the procedure in law courts. He was invested with powers of administration over his Estate in 1894 A.D. by His Highness Maharaja Shahu Chhatrapati of Kolhapur, • and Piraji Rao Bapusaheb Ghatge Sarje Rao Vajarat Ma-ab C.I.E., C.S.I, has been since then managing his Estate.

The area of Kagal is 1 1 1 square miles comprising 40 villages and a population of 44,290 souls. Its gross revenue during a normal year is about 5,50,000 Rupees.

2. Junior Branch.

THIS jahagir consists of 6 villages and a Deshmukhi watan yielding an annual 1 income of Rs. 75,000. Its area is nearly 18 square miles and the population is about 6,500 souls.

Dattaji Rao alias Balasaheb Ghatge, the present Jahagirdar, is descended from the elder branch of the same family, to which the Chief of Kagal (Senior) belongs. Balasaheb lost both his parents before he was barely eight years of age and was left to the care of his step-brother, Shrimant Jai Singh Rao Abasaheb, the late distinguished Regent of Kolhapur. He was brought up and educated with his nephews, H. H. Shahu Chhatrapati of Kolhapur and Shrimant Piraji Rao Bapusaheb till 1 882 A.D. Unlike Piraji Rao he is of a quiet and retiring nature given more to books and to a tendency to indoor life.