Role of Dharwad in the Socio Economic Reconstruction of North Karnataka 1
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Role of Dharwad in the Socio Economic Reconstruction of North Karnataka 1 CMDR Monograph Series No. - 16 ROLE OF DHARWAD IN THE SOCIO ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION OF NORTH KARNATAKA Dr. ANIL MUDBIDRI Professor & Chairman, Dept. of Sociology, Karnataka University, Dharwad. CENTRE FOR MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH Jubilee Circle, DHARWAD-580001, Karnataka, India Ph : 091-0836-447639, Fax : 447627 E-mail : [email protected] 2 CMDR Monograph Series No. - 16 PREFACE The Centre for Multi-disciplinary period from 1818 onwards was India Development Research (CMDR) is a social revealing that the town where CMDR is r science research institute in a moffusil area located has played during the British a of Karnataka and is sponsored by the Indian significant role in the socio economic Council of Social Science Research reconstruction of North Karnataka. It also (ICSSR), New Delhi. The Centre aims at arouses thinking in the minds of the residents undertaking analytical studies of conceptual of Dharwad as to whether the town is and policy significance on the socio- planning a same role in the present period economic and cultural issues using multi- and can play a more effective role in the disciplinary perspectives and micro level future. In the background of the emphasizes information. on bottom up approach in development, the role of the which micro region in the over all As a part of its publication development of bigger geographical region programme the Centre has initiated a needs to be appreciated. It is in this CMDR Monograph Series and also background that the idea of growth of publications based upon the research Centres, district planning, decentralised studies completed at the Centre. decision making under the geographical We are happy to present the 16th senses also need to be appreciated. The in the monograph series of entitled “The role monograph based upon the text of lecture of Dharwad in the Socio Economic delivered by Dr. Mudbidri in a symposium Reconstruction of North Karnataka : A organised jointly by the Karnataka Historical Historical Perspective”. This monograph Research Society and Centre for Multi- has been written by Dr. Anil G. Mudbidiri. Disciplinary Development Research. We This study brings out clearly the role of one are quite thankful to Dr. Mudbidri for this of the important towns of North Karnataka monograph. The Centre invites comments in the Socio Economic Development of the and suggestions from readers of this Region. It presents an account the monograph. contribution of this town during the British P.R. Panchamukhi, Professor and Director. CMDR. Dharwad Role of Dharwad in the Socio Economic Reconstruction of North Karnataka 3 ROLE OF DHARWAD IN THE SOCIO ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION OF NORTH KARNATAKA Dr. ANIL MUDBIDRI Professor & Chairman, Dept. of Sociology, Karnataka University, Dharwad. Urbanization was one of the major of trade, transport and communication which issues in the programme of consolidation of provided necessary administrative support. the empire during the later British period. It was almost during this time that the British The British were urban oriented and their were themselves experiencing the fruitss of influence could be felt mainly in the urban industrial - urban expansion at home. The context. Their influence in the hinterland was citizen India began to experience vast felt in the region in the proximity of the towns changes in their institutional structure as new and cities. For extending and consolidating values and interests gained ascendency. The their authority in an alient soil and city became the centre of diffusion at western geographical territory, cities were their base ways. The city, according to kingsley Davis of action. In India the British centred their is where social change began in India.2 It influence first on the coastal cities and later was in the urban areas that one could find moved to the hinterland for maintaining and specialisation, talent and organisation integrating their authority and administrative necessary for executing new ideas. The city structure and also for securing economic became the home for the emergence of bases for their power. The colonial cities powerful mercantile class. The colonial became the focii for the European powers towns and cities left a definite impress on to develop their economy and power and the hinterland. maintain a ‘head link’ with their mother The British arrived in Dharwad in country. This was so in all colonial countries. 1818 after the Treaty of Poona, which led As Flanagen observes: “The colonial city to the abdication of the Peshwa. The British developed as a centre of commerce and became the masters of a large territory which administration, rather than industrial was once ruled by the Marathas. the area production. It originated as a means in the South came to be designated as the whereby the metropolitan rulers established Southern Maratha Country, or the Dharwad a base for the administration of the Collectorate. It was only later decades of countryside.” the nineteenth century that separate Districts In India, the British could introduce such as Sholapur, Kaladgi (Bijapur), several developmental changes in the sphere Karwar etc were carved out for purposes 4 CMDR Monograph Series No. - 16 of better administration. The most and land assessment. The trade began to importance administrative capital of the show a great improvement. Dharwad Collectorate was the town of Dharwad. Apart from the British The peasants who had migrated to administrative functionaries, the town also other areas due to the uncertain conditions had the representatives of ‘Native’ princes, were encouraged to return back to their such as the Vakils who represented the lands and cultivate them. The currency was Chiefs of Sangi, Miraj, Gajendragad, regularised. These developments boosted Mudhol, etc and also the representative of trade and commerce. Agriculture was the Chatrapati of Kolhapur. From this we stimulated due to several measures that the can surmise the influence Dharwad had on British undertook. With the increase in the region. Thus decisions taken in Dharwad trading activity a class of merchants became had a far reaching effect on the sorrounding the fulcrum of the new trading ventures and territory. The town became the centre of assumed positions of importance in the life the socio economic reconstruction of the and activities of town. region. The British as an alien power had The conditions which prevailed in no direct links with the peasants, and the the region before the arrival of the british relationship between the two was mediated were by no means encouraging. The through a class of landed gentry who were frequent was between the Marathas and the loyal to them and upon they could depend upon as a medium to transmit the innovations internacine quarrels between the various 3 Chiefs had brought about the considerable that they desired to introduce in the region deterioration of economic conditions. One of the first measures Frequent taxes had been collected to raise undertaken by the British was the assessment funds, crops had been destroyed by the last and survey of land. They introduced the days of the Peshwa conditions of raiatwari system. The ryots who had fled uncertainity prevailed. Trade and commerce to the Mysore territory due to oppression had been severely handicapped. and uncertainity were induced to come It was the British who first made back. The commencement of the survey of efforts to improve the infrastructure which land was done in accordance with the authorisation of the court of Directors in was needed to strengthen the economy. Less 4 than a decade after the arrival of the British, 1822. The Collector Thackeray efforts were made to bring about immediately began to get the land near improvement in communication, as sound Dharwad surveyed. system of administration, revenue collection The system of communication, prior Role of Dharwad in the Socio Economic Reconstruction of North Karnataka 5 to the arrival of the British, existed only for conducted his experiments till 1836 and the the transportation of the armies. There were work was later continued by Mr. Shearer, no proper roads until then. Only pack an American planter who tried out a hardy bullocks could be used. However, the American strain quite successfully. Under British improved the roads thereby giving a these circumstances the cotton grown in the fillip to trade. Many of these roads were vicinity of Dharwad was harvested and even constructed on the appeals made by Cpt. exported to Chaina. The Dharwad cotton Wingate.5 by the middle of the ninteenth received praise from the Cantonese century Dharwad was well connected even merchants.6 The Collector Mr. A.N. Shaw upto the western coast and had ten good also took keen interest in cotton cultivation. lanes of traffic. In 1840, Cpt. Bayles of the Madras The improvement in roads and army, who had been sent to America, agriculture was further supported by a long returned with ten planters who were skilled period of peace and stability. Under these in the growth and preparation of cotton. circumstances the British began introduce These American planters were sent to new modes of farming, improved seeds and different areas of the presidency to test the new farming implements. Perhaps one of suitability of the soil.7 Three of these Planters the most important decisions taken for giving were stationed in Bombay to look after the a fillip to the local economy was the experiments in Dharwad and Khandah. introduction of cotton and silk cultivation. Cpt. Bayles brought new seeds, agricultural implements, cotton ginsand presses. One Mr. Randall, an authority on cotton, among these planters, Mr. Mercer found opined that the Southern Maratha Country, after an initial survey that the soil around with its black soil, was ideal for the growth Dharwad was extremely suitably for the of cotton.