Tonk

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History

Important dates in the history of Tonk.

1818 AD                                               Tonk state founded.

18 Oct 1817 AD                                     British protectorate.

 

 

Rulers (title Nawab)

1818 – 1834 AD.                                    Amir Khan ibn Hayat Khan

1834 - 18 Jun 1864 AD.                          Wazir ad-Dowla Mohammad Khan

1864 - 14 Nov 1867 AD.                         Mohammad `Ali Khan

20 Dec 1867 - 23 Jun 1930 AD.              Hafez Mohammad Ebrahim `Ali Khan

23 Jun 1930 - 31 May 1947 AD.              Hafez Mohammad Sa`adat `Ali Khan

31 May 1947 - 15 Aug 1947 AD.             Hafez Mohammad Faruq `Ali Khan

 

 

History, including SIRONJ “Pindari State”.

The histories of the State of Tonk and the “Pindari State” of Sironj are inseparable, and are here treated together for clarity.

Tonk State is the only Muslim state in Rajasthan and is of fairly recent origin.  It has an area of over 2500 square miles and lies mostly in southeast Rajasthan (Tonk, Aligarh and Nimbahera parganas), but partly in central India (Chhabra, Sironj and Pirawa parganas).  These parganas are not conjoined into a single compact state, but are spread out over a wide area, being from 20 to 250 miles apart.

The rulers are titled Nawab, and trace their descent from the tribe of Pathan Afghans, and are of the Boner or Buner clan, who originated in the area of Afghanistan adjacent to the Indian border.  During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, many Afghans were attracted to join the Mughals as soldiers, and some were extremely successful, becoming high-ranking nobles at the Mughal courts of all emperors.  Then came the breakdown of the Mughal Empire, after the death of Aurangzeb, in 1707 AD, and many more Pathan tribesmen migrated to India and took up service with their countrymen who had set up large and small independent principalities out of parts of the disintegrating empire.  Among these lattrer was one Taleh Muhammad Khan, who took service with the distinguished Rohilla chief, Ali Muhammad Khan, who held Aonla (Anwala) between ca 1721 and 1748 AD. (AH. 1133 – 1161), independently of Muhammad Shah.  This was as a part of the loose confederation known as Rohilkhand, and lay north and west of Awadh, and south of the Himalayas, which formed its strong northern boundary.

His grandson, Amir Khan, migrated south and took up service with Holkar, commanding a unit of irregular Pathan cavalry, whose main purpose was to follow up after battles, slaughter such of the fleeing enemy as they could catch, and plunder their camps.  They were also employed in raiding the territory of those states marked out by Holkar for take-over, softening them up, either for plunder and tribute, or to be added to his own domain.  They were rarely paid, except out of their own plunder, and in times of low activity could subsist only by plunder on their own account.  Unfortunately, they were never content with plain honest theft.  Their activities were infamous for the rape, torture, murder (including infanticide), wanton destruction of property they could not carry off, and slavery inflicted on the people they predated and destroyed.  Sometimes they were directed by Holkar as to where they may proceed for that purpose, but sometimes they had to find and choose their own victims.  This sometimes meant that they were preying on the territories of Holkar himself.  Obviously the Pindaris preferred to take on weak, small and peaceful states because the risks to their own skins would be less than if they attacked stronger entities.  Central India became an insecure and thoroughly dangerous place for such states, many of which succumbed and were eliminated altogether, the territories of such extinct states being taken over by Holkar.  Innocent traders and travellers were afraid to move except in large well-guarded groups because of them.  In the course of such depredations by these lawless hordes, many people were thrown out of their homes, their employment, or off the land they had been cultivating, and took up the life of predators themselves, as no alternative seemed to be on offer.  There is a mistaken view in some quarters that the Pindaris were related by family, race, or at least by creed.  The forgoing account demonstrates that none of this was true, especially in the later, more violent period of their career.

We can see plainly how the economic base of the area suffered greatly and the number of Pindaris increased over the three decades from about 1770 to 1800 AD.  It was this threat to the security of the whole of upper India that induced the British to abandon their policy of non-interference, and, at last, tackle the enormous and growing menace to their own territory, trade and prosperity, and those of their allies and friends among the native princes.

Amir Khan’s understanding with Holkar was that they should share the fruits of their association, territorial gains and plunder, between them.  There is little evidence that the plunder was ever counted and shared equally, and the territorial gains mostly went to Holkar, who had a settled state and a functioning administration.  However, in 1798 AD some territory did accrue to Amir Khan, when he received from Holkar the district of Sironj as a gift.  This he used as a base and the he taxed the settled population for the support of the band of Pathan irregulars under his direct command, when they were not in the field.

It should be remembered that Amir Khan did not directly command the Pindaris, who were divided between the Holkarshahi Pindaris under sssssssssssKhan and Sindhiashahi Pindaris under ddddddddddddKhan, both independent Pathan chiefs who often came together under Amir Khan’s overall chieftaincy for specific campaigns.  The two groups worked together when it suited their patrons, but separately at other times.  The rivalry between Holkar and Sindhia, who both wanted to rule all India north of the Deccan, and ultimately maybe the lot, meant that occasionally the two Pindari groups would be on opposite sides.  This happy circumstance must have given some grim satisfaction to the other inhabitants of the area, who got a brief respite at such times.

Amir Khan was able to expand his holdings by adding Tonk and Pirawa in 1806 AD, Nimbahera in 1809 AD and Chhabra in 1816 AD.  When the hostilities between the British forces and the Pindaris was over, with Pindari power destroyed forever and the Pindaris dispersed to other Afghan held areas of India with money grants to assist them to start a more settled way of life, Amir Khan was confirmed in possession of all the territories he then held, in 1818 AD.  He moved his administrative capital to Tonk town and Tonk state was born.

During the time that Amir Khan held Sironj, the mint which had previously struck coins for the Mughals, and continued in operation while Sironj was a feudatory of Holkar, continued to produce specie in undiminished quantity (judging by the frequency with which these rupees are met) under Amir Khan.  It is these coins, dated between AH 1215, year 42 of Shah Alam II to AH1233,  with unknown year of Muhammad Akbar II, which have come to be known as coins of the “Sironj Pindari State”.  The series continued , probably in unbroken sequence, after Sironj became part of the new Tonk state, both under Amir Khan and the first of his successors.  A second mint was opened in the town of Tonk.  The Tonk mint outlived the one at Sironj.