Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/251

 Mansa.

THIS small principality is situated in the Mahi-Kantha Agency in the Bombay Presidency. Mulraj, the first Solanki King of Gujrath. having killed Samat Singhii, the last of the Chawada dynasty, and his heirs, ascended the throne in 942 A.D. From this general destruction one infant son of Samat Singh — Ahipata — aged only one year, was saved by his mother, who conveyed him to her paternal home at Jaisalmer There he grew up to manhood and when he was able to wield the sword he went out against Mulraj Solanki, defeated him, and, seizing 900 villages of Cutch made Morgarh his capital.

Punjaji, the fifteenth in descent "from Ahipat, was deprived of Morgarh, and he removed his seat of government to Dharapun ( a village now under Palanpur ) and established a new principality consisting of 84 villages. AlIa-ud-Din Khilji, the Emperor of Delhi, conquered Dharapun; but, pleased with the conduct of the chief he conferred upon him Ambasan with about 250 villages, and Punjaji made Ambasan his capital. Five princes occupied the gadi after him, of whom the fifth, Jaya Singhji, had three sons — Itar Singhji, Surajmalji, and Samat Singhji. They distributed the hereditary estate among themselves each obtaining a share of 84 villages. Itar Singhji got Ambod, Surajmalji got Varsoda, while Samat Singhji received Ambasan and each of them carried on his affairs separately. Sur Singh, the third in succession from Samat Singh, removed his seat of government from Ambasan to Mansa and the principality began to be known by that name.

Thakor Takhat Singhji, the thirteenth in descent from Sur Singh, inherited the paternal estate when he was a minor, on the death of his father Raj Singh, in the year 1889 A.D.

The area of the State is 27 square miles with a population of 14,926 inhabitants, and an average revenue of 55,350 rupees per annum.

The Chief, who is styled Thakor, is ranked among the third class chiefs in the Mahi-Kantha Agency, and as such, has the power of passing sentence of rigorous imprisonment for two years and a fine up to Rs. 1,000 in criminal cases; while in civil matters his jurisdiction extends to hearing and disposing of suits to the value of Rs. 5,000