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MANUFACTURES |
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Weaving |
By for the most
important of the hand industries of the District is weaving,
especially the weaving of silk bordered cloth, which had has a long
and notable past and may hope for a porsperous future. Nagpur cloth is
known to have been exported to various parts of India under native
rule. Just before 1872, the industry suffered a period of depression
due to the competition of machine-made good, but it has recovered in
the recent years, and it is stated that in 1901, about 90,000lbs. Of
raw silk, valued at 5 to 6 lakhs of rupee, were imported into the
District. In the Industrial Art Exhibition, held in connection with
the coronation Darbăr at Delhi, beautiful specimens of gold and
silver brocading on textile fabrics were sent as exhibits from Nagpur,
each piece being valued at over Rs.150 and some rising as high as
Rs.400 a piece. The majority of the weavers are Koshtěs. In 1872 the
koshtěs population was 31,797 and rose to 44,825 at the census of
1891, an increase of 41 percent in 20 years; in 1901 the Koshtis
numbered 44,020, representing 6 percent of the total population of
this District. In years of bad harvests, Koshtěs are among the first
to feel the scarcity and not doubt the famines of 1897 and 1900
affected their numbers. The introduction of mills and factories has
little effect on their older weavers, who are not disposed to give up
their looms, and would rather submit to earning low wages than seek
employment in them, although they have no objection to sending their
children to work in factories. In this District cloths with silk
borders are manufactured, the yarn used being machine-spun. In Nagpur
city and at Dhăpewără in Nagpur tahsil and Khăpa in Rămtek
tahsil, sărěes or woman’s cloths made of dyed yarn are
woven in great numbers. It takes about a week to weave a sărě,
and the price obtained is from Rs.8 to ---. In Umrer tahsil white dhotěs
or loin-cloths and duppattas or head-cloths with red silks and
sometimes with gold lace borders are woven. The average price of a
pair of dhoti is about Rs.14, and that of a pair of Duppattăs
Rs.10 at Bină and Mondă in Rămtek tahsil some Koshtěs turn out
good cotton cloth. Cotton săris worthabout Rs.4 a piece are
woven at Kalmeshwar. The manufactured cloth is exported in Bombay,
Poona, and various parts of India, besides being sold locally. A koshtě
with his wife earns about Rs.15 per month, and usually follows his
hereditary occupation. The Gărpagăris, whose hereditary profession
was to protect crops from hail, have been obliged through lack of
custom to give up that calling and now earn their livelihood by making
coarse newăr cloths used for bedding. They reside chiefly in
the large towns and at Belă in Umrer tahsil. Some of the Măhars or
Mehrăs, who, forming about 16 percent of the population, follow
various occupations, weave coarse cloth for the poorer classes.
Dhangars prepare ganăs or coarse cotton carpets. Country
blankets worth about Rs.2 each are woven by Dhangars at Bamni, Warůr,
Dhapewara, Kalmeshwar, and its environs. The local supply of these
blankets if however insufficient to cope with the demand and they are
generally imported from Berăr, Khăndesh, Madras and other places.
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Dyeing |
Cotton yarn for
coloured cloth is dyed by Rangăris, but the dying of silk is done by
Patwis (braiders), who also sew silk thread on ornaments. All dyes are
imported from Europe, artificial indigo being mixed with a little of
the natural product. Jăsams (carpets) and rasis
(quilts) are made by Rangăris at Pătansaongi, Saoner, Săwargaon,
Narkher and Bhiwapur. Chhipas also follow the occupation of Rangăris
and make carpets and quilts. Hemp matting is woven at Kamptee, Nagpur,
and Gauri in Ramtek tahsil by Bhamtas, who also make net bags for
holding cotton in the busy season. Ropes made san-hemp (flax)
and thick screen (tarats) are also made by Bhămtas at Nagpur and
Makardhokala. The Momons or Muhammadan weavers make handkerchief, susi
or striped and checked cloth, and the lugris worn by low-caste
woman. Momins are as a class very poor or dirty.
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Metals |
The gold and silver
workers in this District seem to be steadily increasing. There had
been an increase of about 25 percent from 1872 to 1891, and the
population of 9734 in 1891 rose to 11,171 at the census of 1901,
forming about 1˝ percent of the population. Mr. Craddock writes in
his settlement Report: -‘ The proportion of Sonărs shops to a
village in this District is surprisingly large. In Bori, for instance,
a town of 3400 inhabitants, with no grade trade, there are eight Sonărs
shops. In Narkher, with the population of 8200 people, they are
twenty-five Sonărs shops. This fact affords a good indication of the
wealth of District in which even coolie woman may be seen wearing
gold. Sonărs also find plenty of work and earn on average about Rs.40
per mensem. No casting work is done. The following are some of the
ornaments most of fashion. Gold bangels worn on the wrist are known as
patli and tore and those worn above the elbow as wăki. Karanphul
signifies large ornamental earrings. Kekat or kevara is
an ornament with flowers engraved on it worn on the crown of the head.
Hairpins have heads representing Nag or the image of Vishnu
lying on seven serpents, or mastaraj, consisting of
representation of roses and flowers. Various silver ornaments and
nose-rings, ear-rings and necklaces, set with pearls, are also made by
Sonărs. The Sonărs and Panchăls are the two castes working in the
precious metals; the panchăls are immigrate from Madras and call
themselves Vishvă Brăhmans, but are looked down on by the Sonărs
who regard them as foreigners. The Panohăls are the best workers and
do engraving and inlaying, earnings as much as Rs.50 per month. They
are very intelligent are capable of turning their hands to anything.
Ornaments of German
silver, bell-metal and zinc are worn by the poorer classes. The Kasărs
or brass smiths make the ordinary domestic utensils, the brass being
imported in sheets from Bombay. They earn about Rs.20 a per month.
Dolls and images of gods and goddesses with special designs were
formerly made, but his kind of workmanship is now extinct. Cooking
pots and large vessels for holding water are the only articles made of
copper. Imported vessels of German silver and aluminums are used by
the richer classes. The ironsmith’s work is of a rough and primitive
nature. In villages only agriculture implements and carts-tyres are
made. In Nagpur and Kamptee, buckets, pans, chains, and corn-measures
are manufactured and the few of the best workmen make knives and
hogspears to order. The average income of Lohăr is about Rs.15 a
month.
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Other Industries |
the iron industry is
declining, but the carpenters and prosperous, and wood caving of some
artistic merit is executed. The Punjabi carpenters are better workman
than the indigenous artisans and their earnings amount to Rs.2 a day.
A doorway specially executed for the Delhi exhibition was much
admired, and the get way of the Bhonsla Răjăs residence in the city
and the Rukmini temple contain good specimens of wood-carving.
Baskets, chicks, mats, fans and sieves are made from bamboos by the
Burads in the large towns. Their industry is of some importance in
Kalmeshwar, and their average income is Rs15 a month. Brushes and mats
of date-palm leaves and scale-pans are made by Mangs. There are a
number of potters in each of the towns, but the best earthen vessels
are produced at Ramtek, Părseoni and Korădi and those of Ramtek are
largely purchased by the pilgrims coming to the Ambăla fair. These
consist of small jugs and cups as well as the ordinary earthen
vessels. At Kamptee the Kumhărs make brick and tiles of the Allahăbăd
pattern and do a good trade. Most of the glass bangles worn are
imported, but bangles and rude bottles of glass are made by Muhammadan
kacherăs at Ramtek. Lac bangles are made to kelod, and the Chităris
of Nagpur make ivory bangles and dolls and images of Ganpati and Mahălakshmi
as well as the decorating the walls and ceiling of the houses and
painting devices on the cots and stools. The Mochis of Nagpur and
Kamptee make good boots, shoes and sandals.
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Cotton Mills |
There are two spinning
and weaving mills in the city of Nagpur and the District contains
eighteen pressings and twenty-three ginning factories. The motive
power of all of these is steam except in the Ahurmurzd cotton factory
in Kamptee, which contain a hydraulic press. Most of the factories
have been established during the last decade, but the Empress mills
were opened on the 1st January 1877 by the Central India
Spinning and weaving company under the management of the late Mr. J.
N. Tata, with the capital of Rs.15 lakhs. Under the personal
supervision of Mr. Tata, the mills soon become a profitable concern,
and the present paid-up capital is 47 lakhs. The outturn of yarn has
now risen to about 9˝ million pounds or 112,000 maunds annually,
while that of cloth is nearly 5 million pounds or 60,000 maunds. The
value of the yarn and cloth turned out in 1906 is estimated at
Rs.42.45 and 34.91 lakhs respectively. The total profit in this years
were Rs.20.61 lakhs as against Rs.18.84 lakhs in 1905. The quantity of
the cotton consumed during the year 1905-06 was 19.343 Khandis
of 784lbs. each or 189,561 maunds. The mills now contain 75,000
spindles and nearly 1400 looms and employ about 4300 operatives. The
counts of third spun are from 6’s to 80’s but the most usual are
12’s and 20’s. The small quantity of the cloths manufactured is
sold locally, but the bulk is exported to Bengal, the united
provinces, and other Districts of the Central Provinces. Occasionally
a certain amount of business is carried on with china. Cotton is
usually purchased from the village in the District. Of the Central
Provinces where there are ginning and pressing factories. Only the
small fraction of the cotton consumed being imported from America and
Egypt. The Company supports large Workman’s Provident and Pension
Funds amounting at present Rs.1.78 lakhs and Rs.53, 000 respectively,
and the action is so unusual in India as to deserve special mention.
It also partially insures its own property. The mill premises are
fitted with electric fittings and with automatic five protectors, and
the mechanism is of the newest pattern, some of it being driven by
dynamos. The only point of commercial interest is that in bleaching
operations no lime is used. Common salt solutions are submitted to
electrolysis, and the solution of sodium hypochlorite produce is used
for bleaching purposes. The concern is very profitable and thriving
one. The other mills known as the Central Provinces Swadeshi mills,
were established in 1892 --------------- nominal capital of 15 lakhs.
They contain 16,500 -------------- les and 180 looms. The outturn of
yarn in 1905-06 ---------million pounds. Valued at Rs.10.46 lakhs and
that of cloth were 600,000 lbs. valued at Rs.3.97 lakhs. The paid-up
capital is Rs.14 lakhs. The mills are working at a loss and have
recently been sold to the Bombay Părsi firm of Petit. The average
number of operatives employed daily is about 900. In cleaning cotton
about 10 percent of its weight is lost, but in the sizing process the
gain in weight amounts to 10 to 15 percent, so that the weight of
thread and cloth is nearly equivalent to that of the raw cotton.
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Ginning And Pressing
Factories |
Some of the ginning and
pressing factories are owned by Părsi and English Companies, some by
Baniăs and others by Marwaris. Twenty of the factories are located in
the city of Nagpur, five at Kamptee, six at Saoner, seven at Katol
town, one at Kelod and one at Kondhali in Katol tahsil. Only two of
the ginning factories contain double roller gins, the rest containing
single rollers. Five factories contain more than 50 gins, three
between 40 and 50, and ten below 40. Statistics for five are not
available. The collective capital of all the ginning and pressing
factories is 25 lakhs. The ratio of ginned to seed cotton is 35
percent for jari and 28 percent for bani cotton, which
is of superior quality. The rate charged for ginning cotton various
considerably, especially at the Empress Mills, but it is generally
Rs.4 per bhojăof 345 lbs. --------- of cotton the charge is
Rs.3-8. The average outturn of single roller gin is one bhojă of
345lbs. of ginned cotton per diem, and that of a press is from 200 to
300 bales a day. The total average number of operatives working in the
factories was 2787 in 1906 as against 3303 in the year preceding. The
wages of unskilled labour are 4 annas to 5 annas for man and 3 annas
for woman. The total capital invested in the mills and factories is
about 87 lakhs.
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Weight And Measures |
Grain is measured in
this District by pailis according to the followingscale:- 1 ser
=25 totals
1 adheli=2 sers =50 totals
1 paili=2 adhelis =100 totals or 1Ľ Government seers.
1kuro =8 pailis or 10 seers
1 khandi =20 kuros or 5 maunds
The ser of 25
totals is equivalent to a double handful of grain, which is known as onjal.
Half a ser is single handful, called păsă. The paili is
the measure commonly used and kuro measures are seldom seen. The
unit are weight for cotton seed and uncleaned cotton is the khandi
of 658 lbs. for cleaned cotton the unit is bhoja or double of
345lbs. A commercial bell of cotton is 3˝ cwts. Or 392 lbs., but is
commonly taken as 400 lbs. The counts of thread are calculated as
follows. A hank of 840 yard of No.1 thread weigh one pound avoirdupois,
and two hanks of No.2, Three hanks of No.3, twenty hanks of No.20, and
so on, each weigh as much as one yard No.1. Different sets of weights
are used for most of daily consumption, there by facilitating fraudulent
practices.
Thus for sugar: -
1 paseri =127˝ tolăs
1maund =8 paseris
1 khandi =10 maunds
For ghi: -
1 paseri =1˝ seers =120 totăls
1 maund =12 seers =8 paseris
1 khandi =20 maunds
For gur—
1 paseri =130totals
1maund=8 paseri =13 seers
1 khandi =20maunds
For salt: -
1paseri =150totals =1 7/8seers
1 maund =8 paseris =15seers
A sack contains 6 kachhas
maunds or 90 seers.
For species: -
1 paseri =106Ľ totals
1 maund =8 paseris
Sago, raisins, potatoes
and other articles are solds by the Government seer and maund.
In Nagpur city the unit
of weight for gold is a Katki tola of 12 mashas. It is different
form the rupee, which is weighs only 11 mashas, the descending
scale is: -
1 masha =4 wals
1 wal =2 gunjas (the seed of Abrus precatorius,)
1 gunja =2 gahus (wheat seeds)
1 gahu =2 jondhras (juar seeds)
1 jondhra =2 tandurs (rice seeds)
But outside the city of
Nagpur gold is weighed with rupees and eight, four and two annas pieces.
For silver, copper and brass, government weight and rupees are
invariably used. For oil a pali measure equivalent to 1ľ seers
or 140 totals weight is used. A plough of năgar of two bullocks
is 15 to 20 acres of land, varying according to the nature of the soil.
The seed area of khandi of wheat is from 8 to 10 acres and that
of dhara (8 lbs.) of cotton is about an acre of land seed can be
sown in about 3 acres of land in one day with a tifan or
seed-drill and four bullocks, while with a two bullocks drill more than
an acre cannot be covered. In cotton fields, a daura is used for
weeding operations, and the weeding of 4 acres of land can be done in
one day. Twenty head of cattle make one khandi and a kos
is equivalent to two miles.
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The Saka Calendar |
In Maharashtra District
the Saka era and calendar are used. This era commenced in 78 A. D. and
is believed to have been founded by Scythian King, salivahan, of the
Yuehchi tribe, who reigned in Kathiawar. The year 1905 was 1826-27 of
the Saka era. The Saka calendar differs from the Vikrama calendar in
common used in the in the Central Provinces: in the fact that each month
begins a fortnight later. Thus chitra, the first day of which month
begins the new year, corresponds to the second half of the Vikrama Chait
and one first half of Baisakhi. The Saka months begins with the new
moons and the Vikrama months with the full moon. The 1st of
Chaitra may fall as early as the middle of March, but more commonly
comes in the last week of the March or the first week of the April.
Consequently Chaitra may be taken roughly as corresponding to April. The
names of the Saka months are practically the same as those of the
Vikrama month Kunwar is called Ashvin in the Saka calender and the month
Aghan is called Margashir. Both eras are luni-solar and the year
consists of about 355 days, but is made to correspond very nearly with
the Gregorian year by the interposition of triennial intercalary months.
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Markets |
A number of weekly market
are held in various towns and villages of the District. In the city of
Nagpur, there are seven weekly markets, named after and held on each
week day. The itwari bazar is the largest attended by 10,000 persons,
and the next in importance is the Budhwari. The articles sold are the
daily requisites of life. The other principle weekly market of the
Nagpur tahsil are those of Kamptee, Saoner, Kalmeshwar and Bori; of
Ramtek tahsil, Ramtek, Khapa, Kodhamendhi, Gauri, Hiura and Parseoni; of
Katol tahsil, Katol, Sawargaon, Narkher, Jalalkhera, Kondhali and Mohpa;
and of Umrer tahsil, Umrer, Salwa, Bhiwapur, Bela and Sirsi. The
principle cattle-market is held at Kamptee, Mohpa, Kodhamendhi, Sonegaon
and Umrer. In the municipal town cattle are registered at the option of
the buyer on payment of one piece per rupee. Cotton market is held in
Nagpur city, opposite the railway station, and in Kamptee, Saoner and
Katol. A tax is lived on the sales of cotton at the rate of one anna per
chart-load and the income obtained is about Rs.6000 in Nagpur, Rs1500 in
Katol, and Rs.1000 in Saoner, which would indicates sales aggregating
Rs.1.4 crores in the Three markets. Market dues varying with the price
of the goods exposed for sale are also collected in Saoner, Kalmeshwar,
Katol, and Ramtek. Brokers (dalals) are engaged for the purchase of
cotton and grain. For a cart load containing 1˝ khandis (12
maunds) of cotton, 4 annas are paid as brokerage, but for the purchase
of hundred rupees worth of grain brokers charge one rupee. The taxes
levied are credited to the municipal funds in towns, and the dalals
have to pay the fees of Rs.6 to 12 annually for licenses. In village no
license is required and kotwars can be seen practising as dalals.
Kamptee market is famous for its fruit, especially oranges plums and
guavas and potatoes and other vegetables. Plantains are brought by the
Kunjras of Nagpur, Kamptee and other towns from the market at the
Kodamendhi. Mangos are usually brought to Nagpur from the Saoner tract.
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Fairs |
Altogether ten annual
fairs are held in the District, but with the exception of the Ambala or
Ramtek fair they are only small religious gatherings, attended by the
residence of the surrounding tract. At Dhapewara in Nagpur tahsil two
annual fairs are held on the 11th day of Asarh Sudi and
Kartik Sudi (July and November) respectively. These are fairs of the
Koshtis, who assemble to worship their god Pandharinath. On Magh sudi 5
(February), the Koshtis also come to Dhapewara to worship their saint
Kolhaboa. A small fair is held at Katol in Chaitra in honour of the
goodness Sarswati. In Umrer tahsil two fairs are held at Ambhora on the
Wainganga in the month of Jyeshth (June) and Magh, a fair is also held
at Bela in the month of Aghan (December) to which large numbers of rengis
or country carts are brought for sale. The most important fair of the
District is that of Ambala or Ramtek. It takes place about the first
week in November and lasts for ten for ten days. Pilgrims from various
parts of the Central Provinces and Berar come to the fair, and detailed
arrangements are made for their accommodation. Several hundred temporary
shops are opened and articles of various kinds are sold. The estimate of
the gathering in an average year is 150,000 persons. In 1904 when plague
broke out in Kamptee and efforts were made to dissuade pilgrims from
attending the fair. The attendance was 89,000 persons, the lowest on the
record for several years; but 1905, the gathering was extraordinary
large, amounting to Rs.257, 000 persons, while 43,000 carts, 86,000
bullocks and 14,000 horses are said to have been brought to the fair. A
small tax is lived on the articles exposed for sale, and about 500
rupees, just sufficient to meet the expenditure incurred, are collected
by this means. The principles articles are sold are strings of beads of
lac and rudrakshas or wooden sacred beads and brass and copper
pots from Nagpur to Bhandara. The sales are estimated at a lakh of rupee
and the temples get about Rs.2000. An agriculture exhibition is also
held at this far. There are no cattle fairs.
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