Rajasthan: There is no stone in Rajasthan which does not carry in its bosom the untold stories of the trials, tribulations and unending struggles of the people of Rajasthan. There is hardly any speck of dust anywhere in Rajasthan, which is not soaked with the blood of well-meaning simple folk, who shed their blood to keep their heads high. Rajasthan was known as Rajwara or Rajputana before independence. During that period, it had nineteen independent states and three minor states, which functioned under treaties with the British Government. When British left India in 1947, their treaty obligations with the British Government lapsed and all states of Rajputana had the option to declare themselves as independent states or to opt for accession to India or to Pakistan. Consequently, after some political pressure and wranglings, one by one, all states of Rajputana decided to accede to India and they, ultimately became a part of the Union of India. However, administratively, they continued as independent units under their rulers, known as rajas, maharajas, ranas and rawals, who continued to exercise all those powers or privileges, which they had during the British period. Gradually, due to political awakening amongst the masses and the formation of prajamandals in the states, the process of integration and formation of popular governments commenced. Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karoli were the first states to form a union on March 17, 1948 known as Matasya Union, which led to the swearing in of a popular government of the newly formed union. This was followed by the formation of Eastern Rajasthan on March 25, 1948 comprising of Banswara, Bundi, Doongarpur, Jhalawar, Kishangarh, Kota, Pratapgarh, Shahpura and Tonk. The capital of Eastern Rajasthan was Kota. Udaipur joined Eastern Rajasthan on April 18,1948. The union was renamed as United Rajasthan and the capital moved from Kota to Udaipur. Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Jaisalmer joined United Rajasthan on 30 March 1949 and the union was renamed as Greater Rajasthan with capital at Jaipur. Matasya Union joined Greater Rajasthan on 15 May 1949. Sirohi joined Greater Rajasthan on 26 January 1950 and the union was renamed as Rajasthan. Jaipur continued to be the capital of Rajasthan. Ajmer which was a centrally administered area of the British Government, merged with Rajasthan on 1 November 1956, thereby, completing the process of reorganization of Rajasthan.
Administrative Set Up: In the pre-independence period, all states were independent units headed by Rajas, Maharajas, Ranas, Maharanas, Rawals or Maharavals, who functioned under treaty obligations with the British Government. Most of the states had British Residents or Political Agents appointed by the British Government who were responsible to an Agent General of the British Government stationed at Ajmer. When the process of integration of states and formation of popular governments commenced in 1948, the newly formed unions of states were headed by former rulers, who were designated as Rajpramukh or Maharajpramukh. Maharao of Kota was appointed as the Maharajpramukh of the union of Eastern Rajasthan. Later on, Maharana of Udaipur became the Mahrajpramukh of the union of United Rajasthan. Subsequently, Maharaja of Jaipur became the Maharajpramukh of Greater Rajasthan. After the completion of reorganization and formation of Rajasthan, the designations of Rajpramukh and Maharajpramukh were abolished and were replaced by the Governor, who is appointed by the Union Government of India. The governor functions as the head of the state of Rajasthan. He is assisted by a popular government headed by the Chief Minister.
At the time of reorganisation of Rajasthan in 1956, Rajasthan had five divisions headed by commissioners and 26 districts headed by collectors. Presently, after the creation of seven new districts, Rajasthan has 33 districts, divided into seven divisions as follows:
Jaipur Division: Jaipur, Dausa, Sikar, Alwar and Jhunjhunu
Jodhpur Division: Jodhpur, Jalore, Pali, Barmer, Sirohi and Jaisalmer
Bharatpur Division: Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karoli and Sawaimadhopur
Ajmer Division: Bhilwara, Tonk, Nagaur and Ajmer
Kota Division: Kota, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar
Bikaner Division: Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu
Udaipur Division: Udaipur, Rajsamand, Doongarpur, Banswara, Chittorgarh
and Pratapgarh
Physical features: Rajasthan is the biggest state of India with an area of 342240 sq kms. Rajasthan lies on the north-west border of India between latitudes 230 3’ to 300 11’ and longitudes 690 29’ and 780 17’ sharing a 1070 km long international border with Pakistan. Rajasthan has Punjab and Haryana on the north and north east side, Uttar Pradesh on the east side, Madhya Pradesh on the east, south east and south west sides and Gujrat on the south west side Physically, Rajasthan can be divided into four parts:
( 1 ) North west desert: The area covers the great Indian desert, popularly known as the Thar Desert. It includes the districts of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Pali, Jalore, Nagaur, Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Hanumangarh, and Ganganagar. This area is, by and large, very dry with large tracts of sand and sand dunes, with almost no traces of surface water. Initially, Gang Canal built by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner and subsequently, Rajasthan Canal built after independence have transformed the landscape and the border areas of Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner and Jaisalmer are getting waters of rivers Beas and Sutluj through Gang Canal and Rajasthan Canal, for irrigation and for drinking watersupply. Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts have been the main beneficiaries of Gang Canal and Rajasthan Canal and have turned into granneries of the state with large tracts of farmlands and orchards. There are no perennial rivers in the region and therefore most of the north west region of Rajasthan depends on monsoon showers and seasonal rivers like Jawai and Luni or groundwater resources for agriculture and drinking water.
The climate of the area is generally very dry and harsh. The rainfall is scanty with temperatures crossing 400 C to 450 C during summers. Opportunities for agriculture and useful productive work are extremely limited and the common people have always been facing lifelong struggles, in the quest for modest means of subsistence. It is no wonder that most of the people of this region with ambitions and grit, left their homelands for seeking better opportunities for work at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. There was a time, when 65% of the industrial capital of India was generated and owned by people raised in this region.
( 2 ) Aravalli Mountain Ranges: Aravalli mountain ranges run through Rajasthan diagonally from Delhi on the north-east side to Palanpur on the south-west side. Aravalli mountain ranges form the main watershed of the state dividing Rajasthan into two distinct physical and climatic regions. Aravalli mountain ranges serve as a barrier to the south west monsoons. Consequently, the area lying on the north-west side of the ranges is all desert with scanty rainfall and seasonal rivers. Whereas, the area lying on the southeast side gets good rainfall, has perennial rivers and has fertile river basins. Aravalli region includes Sirohi, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Ajmer, Jaipur, Dausa and Alwar. Most of the Aravalli region gets good rainfall and is full of green forests, lakes and tanks. The area is also very rich in minerals.
( 3 ) South Eastern Plains: The region includes the plains of Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur, Sawaimadhopur, Jaipur, Tonk and Bhilwara in the east and plains of Banswara, Doongarpur, Pratapgarh and Chittorgarh in the south. These plains are formed by the basins of rivers Chambal, Banas and Mahi and cover about 25% of the land area of Rajasthan. The area gets good rainfall, has perennial rivers and has good fertile agricultural land. There is a lot of green cover with forests, orchards, agriculture farms and lands for pasture.
( 4 ) South Eastern Plateau: This covers Bundi, Kota, Baran and Jhalawar. The region is known as Hadoti. Main river of the area is Chambal. The other rivers are Kali Sindh, Parvan and Parwati, which are tributaries of river Chambal. The area has hilly mountain ranges, as also flat lands. The region gets good rainfall and is full of forests, fertile agricultural lands and orchards.
Good old days of Rajwara: The princely states of Rajwara were independent in all internal matters. The rulers were known as Rajas, Maharajas, Ranas, Maharanas or Rawals. The subdivisions of the state were known as Jagirs or Thikanas and were headed by Jagirdars or Thikanedars. It was a typically feudal set up, where the ruler of the state, jagirdars, thikanedars and most of the senior functionaries of the state and particularly the senior officers of the security and defence services were related to each other by blood. The ruler exercised absolute powers and every functionary of the state considered it a privilege to function in accordance with the wishes and dictates of the ruler. Most of the states had all the trappings of a formal government set up, represented by the Dewan, Mehakma Khas, revenue officers, magistrates and judges, army and police forces, public works departments, municipalities, schools, colleges, hospitals and other related social services. They were financially self-sufficient and balanced their budgets. They minted their own coins and stamps and had their distinct state emblems. Apart from a few states, the process of growth and development was more or less stagnant.
Roads, Railways, post offices, telephones and telegraphs and other modes of communication were in a very rudimentary state in the country at that time. Naturally, most of the states of Rajwara had limited access to roads, railways and other modes of communication and most of them functioned as islands, cut off from each other. There was very limited interaction, free trade or communication with the neighbouring states or with the outside world. Educational facilities and health services in the states were mostly confined to state capitals and were available free to all people. However, the states provided full support to talented students to pursue higher studies outside the state and even outside the country. There were no caste, creed or religion based conflicts in the states. All sections of people living in the states had very harmonious relations with each other. The rulers, functionaries of the state and all sections of the people, participated in religious festivals and other state functions with great enthusiasm, pomp, show and gaiety. These celebrations provided ample opportunity to everybody to rub shoulders with each other, leading to the development of a sense of common identity and fraternal bonds, that weathered all the storms and lasted for a lifetime.
Some of the princely states had progressive rulers, who codified laws and administrative procedures. They initiated schemes for the economic development and growth of their states and welfare of the people They built excellent hospitals and educational institutions, which could be compared with the best available in the country, at that time. The forts and palaces of Rajasthan constructed during that period, are well known for their majesty and artistic beauty, all over the world. Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner built Gang Canal and brought the waters of Beas and Sutluj to the desert lands of his state, thereby, making the desert bloom. States of Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaipur built and operated their own railway systems known as Bikaner State Railway, Jodhpur Railway and Jaipur State Railway. That was the time, when Indian Railways was not in existence and railways in different parts of the country were built and operated by private companies.
By and large, the life of the common man was peaceful. The normal needs of the people were few. There were no conflicts or hassles. Safety and security was not a problem. As times rolled on, day after day, year after year, centuries after centuries, people found ways and means to lead happy and satisfied lives under all types of scarcity, adversity, trials and tribulations.
Our association with Rajasthan: Our father had worked on building projects and irrigation systems in Bharatpur State from 1910 to 1920. He subsequently worked as Municipal Secretary in Banswara from 1920 to 1930. Thereafter, he worked as state engineer in Bundi from 1930 to 1940. I was born at Banswara in 1925. Thereafter, I spent my early childhood at Bundi. I left Bundi after completing High School in 1939, which was followed by my studies for Intermediate at Kota from 1939 to 1941. Subsequently, we left for UP, but I returned to Rajasthan in 1958 for service under the government of Rajasthan as Principal, Ajmer Polytechnic from 1958 to 1961, as Principal Jodhpur Polytechnic from 1961 to 1975 and as Director of Technical Education of the state of Rajasthan from 1975 to 1980. All our children grew up in Rajasthan and had their academic and professional education in Rajasthan.