Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/194

 — BASIM.

184

No

ground, and about 20 feet high.

valuable timber

now

exists.

The

be found between the Piis and the Penganga rivers. The area of reserved forests in 1880-81 was 48 square miles, and of unreserved forests 459 square miles. Several of the forest trees yield gums, dyes, and medicines, and the jungles supply abundant fuel. The mango, the mahud, and other fruit trees are found in all the The two principal village lands except those of the western pargands. rivers are the Pus and the Kata Piirna, mountain streams which rise close to each other at the village of Kata, north of Basim town. The best

is

to

Piis flowing south falls into the

miles.

The Kata

Alhan, after forcing

Penganga

Piirna flowing

after a course of

north enters Akola

way through a deep

its

about 64 near

District

Other insignificant

gorge.

streams are the Adan, the Kuch, the Adol. and the Chandra-Bagha, the last three falling into

the Penganga.

The

old military road between

Jdlna and Nagpur intersects the District from south-west to north-east.

The

larger wild animals are tigers, leopards, bears, wild hog, several

varieties of deer

History.

such as



small

game abounds.

—The only materials

may

for the early history of the District are

possibly be found on further examination of the Jain

and

Buddhist sculptured temples of Sirpur and Pusad, etc. According to historic tradition, the Jains were in power immediately before the

Muhammadan Ellichpur and

invasion its

of

Ala-ud-din,

a.d.

1294,

who subjugated

dependencies, in which Basim was included.

Thence-

forward, though with intervals of partially regained independence, the

country continued subject to

Muhammadan

was ceded to Prince Murad on behalf of Sultana,

regent for her son.

The

rule

till

his father,

condition

1596,

when Berar

Akbar, by Chand

of affairs

calling

for

Akbar’s presence, he personally visited the Deccan in 1599, and consolidated his conquests by making Berar an Imperial governorship, of

which Basim formed a Sarkdr (Division). It does not appear to have been the scene of any remarkable event influencing the fortunes of

its rulers.

The

hills north of the Penganga are inhabited by Hatkars Bargi Dhangars, or the shepherds with the spears.’ These men, in 1600, held sway in the country round Basim, and are described as a refractory and perfidious race. They were, in truth, clans under highland chiefs, who owned little more than nominal allegiance to the lowland rulers, whether Hindu or Muhammadan and thus they continued till the introduction of British rule. After the death of Akbar, the Mughal Emperors maintained their authority with more or less vigour till about 1670, when the Maratha forays became frequent In 1671, Pratap Rao, a general of Sivaji, plundered as far east as Karinja, just beyond the north-east corner 'if Basim District, and first exacted from the village officers a pledge to pay chauth. After the death of Aurangzeb, chauih and sardesh mukhi ‘

‘

’