Marwar (मारवाड़) is a region of southwestern Rajasthan state in western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. The word Marwar is derived from Sanskrit word 'Maruwat'. English translation of the word is "region of death", reflecting harsh climatic conditions. Other view is that the word 'Marwar' is made up of ‘Mar’ from alternate name of Jaisalmer and last part ‘war’ of Mewar.
Imaginary homeland of Marwaris
Marwar is erstwhile princely state of Jodhpur. Marwar is the mythic place of Marwari origin. There is no part of India called Marwar. Historian James Tod says that the dry area between river Sutlej and sea was called Marwar in the past. But today it is supposed to be between Sindh, Gujarat, Mewar, Ajmer and Jaipur. Marwar is an imaginary homeland of Marwaris. In 1929 a Hindi magazine “Chand Marwari Ank” (November 1929) published a special Marwari issue, on the past and present conditions of Marwar, noted that the place politically known as Rajputana is geographically and socially known as Marwar.
History of Marwar
Present Jodhpur division was called Marwar state before independence. The Jodhpur state was founded in the 13th century by the Rathor clan of Rajputs and was later a vassal of the Mughal empire. The British brought it under their control in 1818, and in 1949 it was merged with the state of Rajasthan. Jodhpur city, capital of the former state and now a district administrative centre, was founded in 1459.
Modern researches have indicated that the land of Marwar was sea in ancient times. The Aravalli hill ranges touched the sea. The sand of the desert is considered to be the coastal sand of the sea. During Jurassic period the desert extended up to Narmada River in the south (Imperial Gazette). There is a myth in the Marwar region that this region was called Hakara Sea. Sugarcane was cultivated on the coast of this sea. The traces of stone oil mill (kolhu) are still found in the area.
Head of the state was Maharaja Jodhpur, assisted by Jagirdars, Jamidars and Thakurs. There were 22 parganas and 4500 villages in Marwar state.
Castes of Marwar
In the Marwar state there was Jagidari system of governance before independence. The right to ownership of land was available to higher castes Rajputs, Mahajans and Brahmans. Rajputs were owner of the land, Mahajans were associated with money landing and Brahmans and Purohits were associated with religious functions. Other castes inhabiting Marwar were Jat, Rajput, Gurjar, Mali, Sirvi, Kalbi, Nai, Darji, Suthar, Meghwal, Chamar, Naik, Bhil, Brahman, Jain, Danchi etc.
Out of these Jat, Gurjar, Mali, Sirvi, Kalbi etc. were engaged in cultivation of land and animal husbandry. Rural population had a majority of Jats.
Farmers of Marwar
The rular areas of Marwar region are dominated by farming communities. The farmers of the Marwar region are considered to be the most simple in the state of Rajasthan. The most dominating farmer community in the rural areas of Marwar is Jat. The Jats are politically and economically very sound. The major land holdings in the present times are with Jats. Then comes the Rajput community who were the Jagirdars before independence. The Brahmins and Harijans also play important role in the area. The farmers of the region have done great struggle to come to the present status.
Though the position of Kisan (farmer) in what was Khalsa (under the direct control of the state) was better in comparison to a Kisan of the Jagir areas, he was only a little above a beast of burden. In Jagir areas of Marwar state before independence all cultivators were really landless. There was no tenancy Law and one could be thrown away from the land one cultivated at the pleasure of Jagirdar, his "malik". In most of the Jagirs a Jagirdar would in the first instance be taking fifty percent of the produce. This would be taken by actual division of the produce on the thrashing floor or by appraisal of the standing crop (kunta). The latter method proved at times more onerous as the appraisal depended on the whims of the Kamdar. Then over and above the share of the produce the farmer had to pay numerous "lags" or cesses. There were 64 kinds of begars (work without pay) prevalent in Marwar. Together with the share of the produce known as "Hasil" these cesses meant that the farmers had to part with more than eighty percent of their produce. The findings of the Sukhdeonarain Committee in the years 1940-42 bear this out. If a farmer had to marry his daughter he had to pay "Chavri Lag" if he held a dinner then a "Kansa Lag"; if members of the family separated then "Dhunwa Lag" and so on. If the Jagirdar had a guest then fodder for his mount had to be supplied. Then there was "begar" that is forced labour, for tilling the personal lands of the Jagirdar. The homestead in which the farmer lived in the Abadi had to be vacated in case he ceased cultivating the land. He could not alienate the plot to anyone. Then the bigger Jagirdars had judicial powers including magisterial powers. Further they had their own police force besides the revenue staff. This enabled them to keep their stronghold on the farmers. Over and above this policy of divide and rule was fully practiced. By offering the temptation of giving better land for cultivation one farmer would be set against another. There were no schools worth the name in rural areas and the masses were steeped in ignorance.
Abolition of Jagirs
The oppression of the public by traditional Samants (chiefs) and Jagirdars (feudatories) of Marwar state made their life difficult, which led to a class war. In urban areas, Jaynarayan Vyas started agitation against oppression, under the banner of "Marwar Lok Parishad" founded on 16th May 1938. This movement was supported by National Congress. The persons who played important role in "Marwar Lok Parishad" were: Shiv Dayal Dave and Jorawar Singh Oswal of Nagaur, Kishanlal Sahu, Manak Chand Konari and Sari Mal of Kuchaman, Tulsiram of Didwana, Srikishan Pandit of Kolia and Sukhdev Dipankar of Ladnu.
Rural masses of Marwar were united by Kisan Kesari-Baldev Ram Mirdha under the banner of "Marwar Kisan Sabha" founded in 1940. After the formation of Rajasthan, Baldev Ram Mirdha who had by then retired from Government service formed the "Rajathan Kisan Sabha" and unified the Kisans of Rajasthan under its banner. He was its first president. Since the broad objectives of the Kisan Sabha and the congress were identical the congress leaders approached Baldev Ram Mirdha to unite the Rajasthan Kisan Sabha with the Congress. Baldev Ram Mirdha was a visionary and he realized that the two could not and should not remain separate. Therefore, he just made one demand from the national leaders that the Jagirs be abolished forthwith in Rajasthan. This was agreed to by the Congress high command with the result that the Jagirs were soon abolished. A tenancy law was passed and the cultivating farmers were made the owners of the land.
Imaginary homeland of Marwaris
Marwar is erstwhile princely state of Jodhpur. Marwar is the mythic place of Marwari origin. There is no part of India called Marwar. Historian James Tod says that the dry area between river Sutlej and sea was called Marwar in the past. But today it is supposed to be between Sindh, Gujarat, Mewar, Ajmer and Jaipur. Marwar is an imaginary homeland of Marwaris. In 1929 a Hindi magazine “Chand Marwari Ank” (November 1929) published a special Marwari issue, on the past and present conditions of Marwar, noted that the place politically known as Rajputana is geographically and socially known as Marwar.
History of Marwar
Present Jodhpur division was called Marwar state before independence. The Jodhpur state was founded in the 13th century by the Rathor clan of Rajputs and was later a vassal of the Mughal empire. The British brought it under their control in 1818, and in 1949 it was merged with the state of Rajasthan. Jodhpur city, capital of the former state and now a district administrative centre, was founded in 1459.
Modern researches have indicated that the land of Marwar was sea in ancient times. The Aravalli hill ranges touched the sea. The sand of the desert is considered to be the coastal sand of the sea. During Jurassic period the desert extended up to Narmada River in the south (Imperial Gazette). There is a myth in the Marwar region that this region was called Hakara Sea. Sugarcane was cultivated on the coast of this sea. The traces of stone oil mill (kolhu) are still found in the area.
Head of the state was Maharaja Jodhpur, assisted by Jagirdars, Jamidars and Thakurs. There were 22 parganas and 4500 villages in Marwar state.
Castes of Marwar
In the Marwar state there was Jagidari system of governance before independence. The right to ownership of land was available to higher castes Rajputs, Mahajans and Brahmans. Rajputs were owner of the land, Mahajans were associated with money landing and Brahmans and Purohits were associated with religious functions. Other castes inhabiting Marwar were Jat, Rajput, Gurjar, Mali, Sirvi, Kalbi, Nai, Darji, Suthar, Meghwal, Chamar, Naik, Bhil, Brahman, Jain, Danchi etc.
Out of these Jat, Gurjar, Mali, Sirvi, Kalbi etc. were engaged in cultivation of land and animal husbandry. Rural population had a majority of Jats.
Farmers of Marwar
The rular areas of Marwar region are dominated by farming communities. The farmers of the Marwar region are considered to be the most simple in the state of Rajasthan. The most dominating farmer community in the rural areas of Marwar is Jat. The Jats are politically and economically very sound. The major land holdings in the present times are with Jats. Then comes the Rajput community who were the Jagirdars before independence. The Brahmins and Harijans also play important role in the area. The farmers of the region have done great struggle to come to the present status.
Though the position of Kisan (farmer) in what was Khalsa (under the direct control of the state) was better in comparison to a Kisan of the Jagir areas, he was only a little above a beast of burden. In Jagir areas of Marwar state before independence all cultivators were really landless. There was no tenancy Law and one could be thrown away from the land one cultivated at the pleasure of Jagirdar, his "malik". In most of the Jagirs a Jagirdar would in the first instance be taking fifty percent of the produce. This would be taken by actual division of the produce on the thrashing floor or by appraisal of the standing crop (kunta). The latter method proved at times more onerous as the appraisal depended on the whims of the Kamdar. Then over and above the share of the produce the farmer had to pay numerous "lags" or cesses. There were 64 kinds of begars (work without pay) prevalent in Marwar. Together with the share of the produce known as "Hasil" these cesses meant that the farmers had to part with more than eighty percent of their produce. The findings of the Sukhdeonarain Committee in the years 1940-42 bear this out. If a farmer had to marry his daughter he had to pay "Chavri Lag" if he held a dinner then a "Kansa Lag"; if members of the family separated then "Dhunwa Lag" and so on. If the Jagirdar had a guest then fodder for his mount had to be supplied. Then there was "begar" that is forced labour, for tilling the personal lands of the Jagirdar. The homestead in which the farmer lived in the Abadi had to be vacated in case he ceased cultivating the land. He could not alienate the plot to anyone. Then the bigger Jagirdars had judicial powers including magisterial powers. Further they had their own police force besides the revenue staff. This enabled them to keep their stronghold on the farmers. Over and above this policy of divide and rule was fully practiced. By offering the temptation of giving better land for cultivation one farmer would be set against another. There were no schools worth the name in rural areas and the masses were steeped in ignorance.
Abolition of Jagirs
The oppression of the public by traditional Samants (chiefs) and Jagirdars (feudatories) of Marwar state made their life difficult, which led to a class war. In urban areas, Jaynarayan Vyas started agitation against oppression, under the banner of "Marwar Lok Parishad" founded on 16th May 1938. This movement was supported by National Congress. The persons who played important role in "Marwar Lok Parishad" were: Shiv Dayal Dave and Jorawar Singh Oswal of Nagaur, Kishanlal Sahu, Manak Chand Konari and Sari Mal of Kuchaman, Tulsiram of Didwana, Srikishan Pandit of Kolia and Sukhdev Dipankar of Ladnu.
Rural masses of Marwar were united by Kisan Kesari-Baldev Ram Mirdha under the banner of "Marwar Kisan Sabha" founded in 1940. After the formation of Rajasthan, Baldev Ram Mirdha who had by then retired from Government service formed the "Rajathan Kisan Sabha" and unified the Kisans of Rajasthan under its banner. He was its first president. Since the broad objectives of the Kisan Sabha and the congress were identical the congress leaders approached Baldev Ram Mirdha to unite the Rajasthan Kisan Sabha with the Congress. Baldev Ram Mirdha was a visionary and he realized that the two could not and should not remain separate. Therefore, he just made one demand from the national leaders that the Jagirs be abolished forthwith in Rajasthan. This was agreed to by the Congress high command with the result that the Jagirs were soon abolished. A tenancy law was passed and the cultivating farmers were made the owners of the land.
