Report on the Province of Malwa, and adjoining districts

Front matter

REPORT ON THE PROVINCE OF MALWA, AND ADJOINING DISTRICTS. SUBMITTED TO THE SUPREME GOVERNMENT OF BRITISH INDIA, BY Major-General Sir John Malcolm, G.C.B. fy K.L.&. AGENT OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. Calrittta : PRINTED AT THK GOVERNMENT GAZETTE PRESS, BT A. G. BALFOUR, NO. 1, MISSION' ROW. To The Most Noblb THE MARQUESS OF HASTINGS, K. G. Governor General in Council, Sec. $c, My Lord, 1. I send accompanying the Report of Malwa and adjoining Countries, which I trust will be found worthy of your Lordship's attention. The causes which have prevented its earlier transmission, are noticed in the Prefatory Observations ; in which I have also mentioned the aid I have received, during the progress of this labor, from different public officers. 2. The first part of the Report will, in all that relates to the geography and soil of Malwa, be illustrated by the Map of that and adjoining countries, which has been transmitted, and by the letters and documents which accompany that work.

The index of towns and villages, which will be soon forwarded, will complete the informa tion upon that branch of the subject. The importance of this part of my task was early impressed upon my mind, and I literally had commenced upon it before I entered Malwa. It was, in fact, associated with my duties, and I felt it then as necessary to obtain, as I subsequently deemed it useful to impart, a full knowledge of the topogra phy of this quarter of India, which was almost a blank in our best maps, and had been seldom visited by any intelligent travellers. I am confident, the value of this part of the labor will be appreciated by your Lordship. L 3. It 3. It may perhaps be thought, that the second part of the Report (viewing it merely as an official document) might have been omitted, or at all events much abridged; but the prejudices and feelings of the inhabitants are interwoven with their earliest periods of history ; many of the tenures, and almost all the established forms and institutions of this country, are derived from its antient government.

The establish. ment ofthe power of the Mogul Empire over Malwa, was completed by Akbar, and his wisdom appears to have trusted for the preservation of that Province, to the conciliation of those feelings, which his unwise successors outraged. Instruments of rule, and those dependant on the Government, were necessary to subdue that spirit of opposition and revolt which must always be looked for in a conquered country ; but we discover, in his employment ofthe most faithful of his Hindu leaders, and his rewarding their service by grants -in this country, principles of toleration and good policy, which appear in strong contrast to the conduct of some of his successors ; but, above all, to that ofthe bigotted Aurungzebe, who, though he died a few years before the event occurred, may be said to have accelerated, by the offence he gave £o the religious prejudices of its inhabitants, the loss of Malwa to the Mogul Empire.