UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT (1862 – 1947): A STUDY IN COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION AND REGIONAL RESPONSE A Thesis submitted to Goa University for the Award of the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY By Mrs. Bhagyashree H. Naik Research Student Department of History Goa University Research Guide Dr. N. Shyam Bhat Professor and Head, Department of History Goa University. Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa-403 206 December 2014 i DECLARATION I hereby declare that this Ph.D. thesis entitled "UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT (1862-1947): A STUDY IN COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION AND REGIONAL RESPONSE," submitted to Goa University forms an independent work carried out by me in the Department of History, Goa University, under the supervision of Dr. N. Shyam Bhat, Professor and Head, Department of History, Goa University, and this thesis has not previously formed the basis of award of any Degree, Diploma, Associateship, Fellowship or other similar titles of this or any other University. I have duly acknowledged all the sources used by me in the preparation of this thesis. PLACE: Taleigao Plateau, Goa. BHAGYASHREE H. NAIK DATE : 5th December 2014 Countersigned by: Dr. N. Shyam Bhat Research Guide Professor and Head, Department of History, Goa University, Goa-403206 ii CERTIFICATE I certify that this thesis entitled "UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT (1862-1947): A STUDY IN COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION AND REGIONAL RESPONSE" submitted by Bhagyashree H. Naik for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History, Goa University is a record of research work done by her during the period from 2008 to 2014, when she worked under my guidance. The thesis has not previously formed the basis for the award of any Degree, Diploma, Associateship or Fellowship to Bhagyashree H. Naik. I affirm that this thesis submitted by Bhagyashree H. Naik represents the independent research work carried out by her under my supervision. PLACE: Taleigao Plateau, Goa. (Dr. N. Shyam Bhat) DATE : 5th December 2014 Research Guide Professor and Head, Department of History, Goa University, Goa-403206 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I have taken effort in this thesis; however, it would not have been possible without the kind support and help of many individuals and organisations. I would like to express my immense gratitude to all those who have helped me to complete this thesis. First and foremost, I express my immense gratitude to my research guide Dr. N. Shyam Bhat, Professor and Head, Department of History, Goa University, for his valuable guidance and support which enabled me to carry out research on this topic and complete the thesis. I express my gratitude to the subject expert on the Faculty Research Committee, Dr. A. S. Gaur, Marine Archaeology Unit, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, for his kindness and wise comments throughout my research work. I thank all the faculty members of the Department of History, Goa University, for their kind support. I thank Hammanna Mani Nayak Shetgeri, freedom fighter, Parvati Hammanna Nayak Hoskeri and Ganapati Bommayya Nayak Bole, daughter and son respectively of Bole Bommayya Nayak, freedom fighter, and Shantaram Nayak Hichkad, writer, who provided valuable information including useful photographs of freedom fighters, when I met and iv interviewed them on 2nd October 2009, 2nd March 2010 and 13th August 2014. I place on record my sincere gratitude to the officials and staff of Maharashtra State Archives, Mumbai, and Karnataka State Archives, Bangalore, who have immensely helped me to collect the original sources in these repositories. I am also grateful to the Librarian and staff of Goa University Library, Karnatak University Library, Dharwad, and Mythic Society Library, Bangalore, for their support. I am thankful to the authorities of Goa University for all the support extended to me during the course of this research work. The research fellowship awarded to me by the University immensely helped me. I thank the non-teaching staff of the Department of History for their help. I am obliged to all my family members who have always supported me in my studies. I will be failing in my duty if I do not acknowledge the wholehearted support received from my in-laws, parents, brother and sister-in-law in taking care of my daughter throughout this work and also supporting me morally at all times. v My Husband and my little daughter Saanvi, have suffered various degrees of neglect during the process of my research work. It would have been impossible to complete this thesis without their sacrifices and smiles. My parents have borne an equal share of stress and strain that I underwent in the process of writing this thesis. I dedicate this thesis to them. Date: 5th December 2014 (Bhagyashree H. Naik) vi ABBREVIATIONS AARBP : Annual Administration Report of Bombay Presidency AFARBP : Annual Forest Administrative Report Bombay Presidency BG : Bombay Gazette BHR : Bombay High Court Report DCC : District Congress Committee FS : Forest Settlement FRS : First Revision Settlement HD : Home Department KPCC : Karnataka Provincial Congress Committee GO : Government Order GRN : Government Resolution Number JD : Judicial Department KSA : Karnataka State Archives MSA : Maharashtra State Archives OSS : Original Survey Settlement RD : Revenue Department RS : Revision of Settlement SD : Southern Division SRS : Second Revision Settlement SMR : Southern Maratha Railway SRBG (NS) : Selection from the Record of the Bombay Government (New Series) vii GLOSSARY abkari the revenue derived from the monopoly of the sale of spirituous and fermented liquor ain munaf total profit anna unit of currency, 16 anna = 1 (British) Rupee alemane sugarcane mill ardeli share cropping system on 50-50 basis between landlord and tenant balaghat areas above the ghat (in this study, it includes the taluks of Sirsi, Siddapur, Yellapur, Mundgod, and Haliyal) bagayat land land where garden crops are cultivated with artificial irrigation facilities bayalu rice field in a flat area betta land or plot adjoining to spice garden and used to collect green leaf manure for cultivation bundis bullock carts candy a denomination of weight. One candy is equal to 20 maunds or 260 Kilograms chavtayi one-fourth chataka 5 tola = 60 grams chappara temporary or permanent flat structure above the ground constructed with wood on which crops were dried or constructed for shade chawdi village revenue office chalagenidar tenant- at-will dalal intermediary or agent fusly a revenue year or financial year. Add 590 to convert a fusly into a Christian era. e.g. fusly 1229 (1819-1820) gazni lands located in the salt tracts close to the coast or along the coast geni rent paid by the tenant to the landlord geni –kolaga a unit of measurement used to measure the rent paid by the tenants to the landlords in Uttara Kannada goonta a unit of measurement of land, equal to ¼ of an acre hartal strike, picketing hullubanni pasture levy or people gathering to collect grass (hullu means grass in Kannada, and hullubanni satyagraha was a campaign to oppose the tax levied by the colonial government for grazing cattle in the state forest) jama aggregate revenue payable by a cultivator or estate viii jamabandi the annual revenue settlement or government assessment on lands of a village or of a district or of an individual farmer kara tax or revenue kan the village forest reserved and protected by the villagers since time immemorial or sacred grove kartika a month in hindu calendar kagga variety of rice grown in the gazni land kar rice field near to small streams, river and other water bodies kasba a small town or large village, the chief or market town of the district kacheri Office karkun a village accountant koleroga fungal disease which affects arecanut katteroga fungal disease which affects cardamom crops kunbi genetic term for a member of the agricultural class khatedar landowner kuski dry-crop land in Konkan region lati stick, usually bamboo used by the police for beating makki gadde high level land especially on the hill sides mahal a subdivision of taluk placed in the hands of mahalkari mahalkari an officer in charge of mahal mitagar land used for producing salt or salt pan mulagenidar a hereditary permanent tenant moray 1 moray = 1.2224 bushels patel headman of the village payanghat areas below the ghat (in this study it consists of the taluks of Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar and Bhatkal peta) patta title deed peta sub-division of taluk pulan rice land reclaimed from the sandy areas of the coast ryots cultivators, peasants, Persian term from riya meaning subjects of the ruler satyagraha holding on to truth. Total self-giving integral to Mahatma Gandhi’s whole concept of victory achieved through non-violence. satyagrahi participant in satyagraha sawkar any rich person, rich ryot, moneylender, landlord or contractor. Seer a unit of measurement for grain shanbhogue village accountant suggi Harvest supari Arecanut tagavi/taccavi a loan given by the state to the ryot for agricultural purpose ix LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS PHOTOGRAPH DESCRIPTION PAGES No. 1 District Collector’s Office, Karwar . 324 2 District Court of Karwar. 324 3&4 Poojageri village, from where sea water was 325 collected for Salt Satyagraha. 5 Organisation of Salt Satyagraha, 1930. 326 6 Kalasha temple at Surve, where the peasants of 326 Ankola taluk decided to participate in no-tax campaign. 7 Uluvare Tare where ferry boat of the government 327 was burnt during the Quit India Movement. 8 Gandhi Maidan, Ankola where the ryots used to 327 meet in Ankola taluk for their political movements. 9 Pictures of Freedom Fighters. 328 x LIST OF MAPS MAP No. DESCRIPTION PAGES 1 Location of the District in India. 329 2 Map of Uttara Kannada 1883. 330 3 Epicentres of Freedom Movement. 331 4 Ankola taluk in the Freedom Movement. 332 5 Map of Sanikatta salt pan raided by local 333 inhabitants during the Salt Satyagraha in 1930.