Former princely State of Haryana and Zamindaries | HPSC Preparation: All subjects - HPSC (Haryana) PDF Download

Royal States in India during British Rule

• In India, the former princely states were also known as local states. These were states within the former British Indian empire where Indian rulers held power on behalf of the British and were legally under the British realm. 
• Although a princely state was a free entity, it was subject to some degree of British control. There were a total of 565 princely states in India during the British rule. Among the fundamental royal states in Haryana during the British era were Lohru and Kalsia.

Loharu

• The ruling dynasty of the region has its roots in an ancient group of khwajas who originally hailed from Bokhara, a city in Central Asia. They migrated to India during the mid-18th century and gained prominence under the Mughal Empire. They eventually became one of the leading nobles of the Delhi court but sided with the British after the Marathas captured the capital.
• Nawab Ahmad Baksh Khan established the state in 1803 by acquiring Loharu from the leader of Alwar and Ferozepur Jhirka from Lord Lake as a reward for his services during the Maratha Wars. However, after his son and successor Nawab Shams ud-din Ahmad Khan was removed and executed for the murder of the British Resident, Simon Fraser, in 1835, most of the lands granted to the family were confiscated. As a result, their holdings were limited to Loharu and some property in Delhi.
• Although the family lost their territories, they still maintained a significant role in public affairs during the British rule and even beyond. The family also produced several renowned literary and cultural figures in the Urdu language, including Dagh Dehlvi who was the son of Nawab Shams ud-Din, and Mirza Ghalib and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, who were both related to the family through marriage.
• Nawab Sir Amir ud-Daula Ahmad Khan, the grandson of Nawab Ahmad Bakhsh Khan, played a significant role in Indian politics despite his small state. The British authorities frequently consulted him on matters concerning the Muslim community, not only in India but also abroad. 
• He served as a member of the Punjab and Central Legislatures, the Council of State, and as Manager of the Malerkotla estate. He also worked in the Political Department in Iraq. After retiring in 1920, he came back to serve as a regent for his young son upon his death in 1926. He finally retired for good in 1931 after serving in public office for fifty years.
• Nawab Amin ud-din Ahmad Khan, who was the grandson of Sir Amir ud-din, was also a notable figure in his family. Unlike many of his relatives, he chose to stay in India after the partition in 1947 and served his country throughout his life. 
• He briefly served in the army during the conquest of Portuguese India before becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Rajasthan for a significant period of time. Later on, he served as a highly respected Governor of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab for several years. He donated his family's prestigious library to the Raza Library in Rampur. His eldest surviving son, Nawab Alaud-din Ahmad Khan, succeeded him as the head of the family in 1983.

Kalsia State

• While traveling through various towns in this region of India, it's easy to overlook the fact that we are in a place with a rich history, where kingdoms were established and fell due to various reasons like incompetence, deceit or the passage of time.
• Not too long ago, the region we reside in was made up of distinct kingdoms ruled by leaders of varying power and capability. These leaders were often related in some manner, they would quarrel with one another, sometimes cooperate, and collectively contributed to the many legends associated with the Maharajas of India.
• Some Maharajas, such as the Maharaja of Patiala, enjoyed a dominant reputation, while others did not receive as much public attention. This was largely due to the relative wealth and personality of Maharaja Bhupindra Singh, as well as the fact that his son, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala, was appointed as the Rajpramukh of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) after India gained independence, which existed as a state between 1948 and 1956, encompassing the princely states of Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kalsia, Malerkotla, and Nalagarh. In 1966, Haryana was established, and the state's territory was divided between Punjab and Haryana.

Zamindaries of Haryana

• During the time of the Mughal Empire, zamindaris were owned by the nobility and often played an important role in the local histories of the Indian subcontinent. One notable example is the confederation formed by 12 zamindars in the Bhati region in the sixteenth century. 
• According to Jesuits and Ralph Fitch, they were known for repulsing Mughal invasions through naval battles. The confederation was led by Isa Khan, a zamindar-lord, and included both Muslims and Hindus such as Pratapaditya. The zamindars were also patrons of the arts. The Tagore family produced India's first Nobel laureate in literature in 1913, Rabindranath Tagore, who often resided at their home. The zamindars also promoted neoclassical and Indo-Saracenic architecture.
• Pelkha is a town located in the district of Shamli in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is situated in the ancient land of Kuru, which is now part of western Uttar Pradesh. Kuru is known for being one of the most fertile and agriculturally advanced regions in India, along with Punjab and Haryana. Pelkha is located in the upper Doab region, which is the area between the two major rivers, Ganges and Jamuna.
• In 1793, the East India Company established the system of "perpetual settlement" with landowners to increase the company's revenue. This settlement granted full ownership of large areas of land to the landowners, who were tasked with collecting rent from the farmers and received a commission for doing so. Over time, these landowners became intermediaries between the farmers and the State.
• The Zamindari System had numerous flaws, as it gave unlimited power to the Zamindars to take as much rent as they wanted. They were also entitled to share the produce without taking part in the productive process. As a result, the actual cultivator had no surplus to invest in better tools, and there was no additional incentive for him to increase agricultural production and efficiency.
• Before the partition of India in 1947, there were 565 princely states. In most states, the Zamindari System was mostly abolished in India. The first amendment was made to the Indian Constitution, which amended the Right to Property Act.