History

Vagueness of Bhil History

Owing to the impossibility of obtaining any authentic records regarding this strange race, the information which I have been able to collect from different sources is necessarily of a very cursory and superficial description; and the very defective communication which I now venture to make is not offered as one to be depended upon, but merely as a rough statement supposed to approach nearly to the truth.

Hunter, W. (1846). Report on Some of the Rights, Privileges, and Usages of the Hill Population in Meywar. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 8, 176-192. Link.

To learn anything of the condition of the Bhils prior to the time when the British Government took them in hand is extremely difficult. They have no literature of any sort, and of their previous history they are absolutely ignorant and unconcerned. Something might be gleaned from the histories of the various surrounding states, but the story would probably be pretty much the same all through, one of oppression on the part of the rulers, and rebellion and a perpetual warring against civilization on that of the Bhils.

Showers, H. L. (1891). The Meywar Bhil Corps. The Journal of the United Service Institution of India, XX (84). 88. Link.

Mewar Bhil Corps

The formation of a corps from this tribe was first projected in 1827 but nothing definite was done till 1841 when Captain Hunter assisted by two other British officers commenced the recruiting of four companies with head quarters at Kherwara.

In 1844 the strength of the Corps was increased to ten companies seven of which were located at Kherwara. The remaining three were raised in the territories of the petty chiefs of Ogna Panarwa and Jura and quartered at Kotra which is in the heart of these states and 57 miles north east from Kherwara. In 1861 the Corps was reduced to its present strength of eight companies six at Kherwara and two permanently at Kotra. There is also a detachment of one company at Udaipur as an escort to the Resident of Meywar.

No Bhil Corps has ever been sent on active service.

Showers, H. L. (1891). The Meywar Bhil Corps. The Journal of the United Service Institution of India, XX (84). 92. Link.

Murder of Thakur of Umria - Sara and Chikhla

It was reported that, in 1885-86, the villages of Surra and Chikla were imposed a fine for "their complicity in the murder of the late Thakur of Umria", which the villages refused to pay. Consequently, the Mewar Darbar "proceeded against them in force and took possession" of the villages.

___ (1886). Report Of The Political Administration Of The Rajputana States For 1885-86. Calcutta: Superintendent of Government Printing, India. p. 22. Link.

Census of 1881

During the 1881 census, there was unrest in the Bhil areas of Mewar, and the Maharana of Udaipur had to issue a proclamation to the Bhils that "they should never suffer by the counting of men and houses."

Kealy, E.H. (1913). Census of India, 1911, Volume XXII: Rajputana and Ajmer-Merwara, Part I - Report. Ajmer: Scottish Mission Industries Company, Limited. p. vii.

Unrest in March-April 1881

"...the turbulent conduct of Mahikanta Bhils, helped to some extent by their brethren of Mewar..."

___, Report of The Political Administration of The Rajputana States for 1881-1882, date unknown, p.2. Link.

Barapal and Paduna are those of the Bhil pals chiefly concerned with the unrest. Bhorai and Nathara are pals which, long after disturbance was over, tried to revive the unrest.

___, Report of The Political Administration of The Rajputana States for 1881-1882, date unknown, p.88. Link.

The unrest started on March 25, 1881, when an official sent to Baduna Pal regarding a land dispute was killed. The Bhils then marched to Bara Pal, burnt the police station and baniya shops, and killed 16 people.

Saxena, K. (1971). The Political Movements and Awakening in Rajasthan. New Delhi: S Chand & Co. (Pvt) Ltd, p. 168. Retreived from link.

The Bhil unrest in the area between Udaipur and Kherwara in February-March 1881 did not immediately affect the Bhils of the Hilly Tracts, but later "passed like a wave northwards through it." First outbreak at Oora (Panarwa) resulted in the sacking of baniya's shops, followed by highway robbery of merchant's goods in Oghna, and robbery of a convoy of goods south-west of Panarwa. Six weeks later, in June 1881, an attack was made on Galora, Idur. July and August witnessed cattle raids into Gujarat, Sirohi and Mewar by Bhils of Jura and Idur.

For the Galora case, a Special Commission consisting of Colonel C R Blair and Major Probyn  was constituted. The Commission ruled that the property be returned and a fine of Rs. 300 (government rupees) was imposed on some perpetrators from Panarwa.

___, Report of The Political Administration of The Rajputana States for 1881-1882, date unknown, p.110-111. Link.

Early Attempts to Subdue the Hilly Tracts
"The relations of the British Indian Government with the Bhils commenced in 1817. In that year the Bhils first came into conflict with the East India Company, owing to a well-meant but rather unwise attempt to prematurely interfere with the rights the Bhils had enjoyed from time immorial, to levy blackmail on all who wished to be safe from"  them. "The attempt of the Rana of Meywar, with the approval of the British Agent, to pus a summary stop to these Bhil impositions, led to a Bhil insurrection which smouldered on for several years. In 1826 they did considerable damage to life and property in the state of Meywar."

Bonarjee, P (1899). A Handbook of the Fighting Races of India. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co. p. 114. Link.

Rakhwali and Bolai

Rakhwali was a tax levied by Bhils on non-Bhil villages in their neighborhood, the payment of which saved the villages from plunder. Bolai was a tax levied by Bhils on merchandise passing through their hills.

Bonarjee, P (1899). A Handbook of the Fighting Races of India. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co. p. 114. Link.

To proceed with any safety [in Bhil territory], it is necessary for a traveller to "square" the Gometis of the different Pals he passes through by paying the two taxes called Bolai and Rakhwalli, the lecying of which the Bhils regard as their undubitable right. The former provides for the safety of the travellers along the route, and the latter for the security of his camp at night.

Showers, H. L. (1891). The Meywar Bhil Corps. The Journal of the United Service Institution of India, XX (84). 90. Link.

1903 Nayawas Disturbance

In 1903, it was reported that there was a "succession of disturbances between Naiawas (Mewar) and Semalia (Mahi Kanta) culminating in an attack on the outpost guard at the Mewar Bhil Corps in Naiawas."

___ (1905). Report on the Political Administration of the Rajputana States and Ajmer-Merwara for 1903-1904. Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing. p. 9. Link.