Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/265

 Muli.

THIS is the only Parmar Rajput State in Kathiawar. The Parmars entered the - peninsula under the leadership of Lagadhirj. between 1470-1475 A.D. They first proceeded from Tharparkar to Than and Chotila, and were afterwards permitted by Visal Deo, the then Waghela chief of Wadhwan, to settle on the banks of the river Bhogao, where they founded a town and named it Muli after a Rabari woman. The Rajputs of the Chabad race, who were closely connected with the chief of Wadhwan, ruled at Sayla. They did not view the settling of the new comers, in their vicinity, with a favourable eye, and on a very paltry pretext went to war with them, but failed in their endeavour to expel them. * The Chabads now tried to gain Visal Deo to their side through his queen, who was their kins-woman. Through her influence, the Parmars were deputed by the Chief of Wadhwan to fight with two Bhils, who were his enemies, and who were looked upon as invincible. The Parmars executed the task most successfully, with the result that they were granted Muli, Than, Chobari, and Chotila parganas. Lagadhirji and his followers were extraordinarily ; brave and chivalrous. They were ever ready to help the weaker in a contest, and showed their in'born bravery, and generosity of heart, on more than one occasion. During the unsettled times, when first the Mahomedan Subhas of Gujrath and then the Mahrattas laid a ruthless hand on Kathiwar, these Parmar chieftains successfully maintained their position against them.

Kalyan Singh I, a direct descendant of Lagadhirji, was on the gadi, when Col. Walker entered Kathiawar and brought about the settlement of the tribute payable by each chief. On the death of Kalyan Singh, his son, Wakhat Singh, succeeded to the gadi. He died without issue and there was some dispute about succession, but his brother, Sarttanji, duly became the Thakor of Muli. He died in 1894 A.D. and was succeeded by his eldest son, Himat Singh. He was a minor when he came to the gadi, and as a consequence, the State was placed under British management, and the young chief was sent to the Rajkumar College at Rajkot. In due course, he was put in charge of his State, but he did not live long, either to enjoy his power or to show to the world how he wielded it. He was succeeded by his son, Harichandraji, who was born in 1899 A.D., and is, therefore, a minor, studying at the Rajkumar College. He is the twentieth in descent from the founder of the State.

The State of Muli is at present under the settled policy in charge of a manager under the supervision of the Assistant Political Agent, Jhalawar State.

Muli is a fourth class State in Kathiawar, and as such, its rulers have limited criminal powers to inflict not more than three years imprisonment and a fine up to Rs. 5,000, and to dispose of civil cases of the value of Rs. 10,000 maximum.

The area of the State is 133 square miles, containing 15,830 inhabitants according to the latent census. Its annual revenue is Rs. 80,000.

The Chief of Muli is officially styled "Thakor."