Arni Jagir

WHERE IS ARNI JAGIR
The Arni Jagir (also referred to as Jaghire of Arnee) existed for over three hundred and fifty years beginning from the days of Shahjee, the great Mahratta warrior. The Jagir came into existence during the decline and disintegration of the Mughal Empire but some pockets still existed. Arni Jagir is situated in North Arcot District in the Presidency of Madras (Chennai) in South India. The extent of the Jagir was 180 square miles as per the District Manual compiled by Arthur F. Fox, Collector and Magistrate of North. The city of Arni (or Arnee or Aarni) is about 20 miles from Vellore. Sathyavijayanagaran was the capital of the Arni Jagir. There were two palaces situated 3 miles from Arni .There were also Palatial residences for the Jagirdar of Arni in Poosamalikuppam (a forest resort very close to Arni town), in Chennai (Arnee House) and in Bangalore (formerly Jai Mahal Palace).
The SYSTEM OF JAGIRS and ZAMINDARI
The Jagir and Zamindari systems were more or less similar to the Feudal system of England and had been in existence in India from early 13th century. They were military and political institutions, based on land tenure, and the land being divided into fiefs and held on condition that certain military and other duties were performed in default of which the land reverted to the Lord. However the Jaghir system in India was a form of land tenancy developed during the time of Muslim rule in which the collection of the revenue of a Jagir or Zamindari and the power of governing was vested with them but they were not the absolute rulers.
HISTORY -GIFT from SHAHJEE for Military Serviced rendered
The Arni Jagir dates back to 1640 when Vedaji Bhaskar Pant, a Maratha Madhwa Brahmin was gifted the Arni Jagir from the great Mahratta leader Shahjee ( father of Shivaji ) for services in war rendered in his military campaign to the South of India ( then known as the Carnatic). Shahjee had a pact with the Raja of Bejapoor for division of Military gains on an expedition to the Carnatic .Shahjee was presented with extensive Jagirs belonging to the Beejapur sovereign and this included Arnee. This was in the year 1638 when the tide of Mahratta invaded the Carnatic In 1640 Vedaji Bhaskar Punt was awarded the Jagir of Arnee and he became the commander of Arnee Fort, town and Jagir. Shahjee died in 1664.A permanent sunnad (Official stamped Bequest) was given to Vedaji Bhaskar Punt for the long and faithful military services by the Rajah of Bejapoor.
HISTORY - Gift Reconfirmed by SHIVAJI for services rendered
Again in early 1677 Sivajee (the son of Shahjee) and his military forces moved towards Golcondah (now in Andhra State). He, Kootab Shah and Bejapoor and drew up a pact for a division of his victories in the Carnatic. Sivajee embarked in March 1677 for his invasions. He conquered many properties that had belonged to his father. Vellore surrendered immediately and then the three other forts .Vedaji Bhaskar Punt who was in charge of Arnee since the time of Shahjee, brought the keys of the Fort and tendered his services to Sivajee. Sivajee thereby confirmed the award of the Jagir of Arnee to him.
Hereditarily Rights reconfirmed by the BRITISH
There were four generations of peace; then several skirmishes including small wars took place in the Carnatic involving the Anaverdy Khan, Chandu Saheb, Nawab of Arcot, Rajah of Tanjore, Mohamed Ali including a Brahmin rebellion with Nawab of Arcot and Disputes of who Arnee belonged to. (In 1781 Hyder Ali captured Arnee and converted it into his chief depot in the Southern Provinces. It was in his possession till 1783 when it was restored to the Nawab of Arcot on the conclusion of a treaty between Tipu Sultan and the East India Company. The matter remained in dispute until 1789 when finally the Nawab was forced to abide by the Court ruling, declaring “that neither the Nabob nor the Rajah had a right to withhold the Jaghire of Arnee from the descendants of Thirumal Rao and it should revert immediately to it by the stipulations of the Treaty of 1762." (Ref: Minutes by The President in Council of Fort St. George dated 24/11/1795 and also the Court Orders signed by "HOBART")
The British through East India Company ruled Jagirs were hereditary and Arni Jagir continued to be enjoyed by the male heirs of Veda Bhaskar Punt. The common names of the Jagirdars were A.Thirumala Rao Sahib, A.Srinivasa Rao Sahib, A.Venkata Rao Sahib and A.Ramchandra Rao Sahib. The hereditary rights of the Jaghirdars were fully recognized and guaranteed later by the stipulation of the Treaty 1762 and Sunnads issued by the British Government since 1789.A.Srinivasa Rao Sahib was the 12th and last Jagirdar till the it was abolished in 1951. The annual revenue for the Jagir was then approximately 2 to 3 lakhs of Rupees.
ABOLITION of ARNI JAGIR
The Constitution of India drawn up after Indian Independence originally provided for the right to Property under Articles 19 and 31. Article 19 guaranteed to all citizens the right to acquire, hold and dispose off property. However, Article 31 had given rise to unanticipated difficulties in the implementation of important measures of agrarian reform passed by the State Legislatures and had been held up due to litigation. This resulted in the First Amendment to the Indian Constitution the main objects of the Act were accordingly, to amend Article 19 for the purpose indicated above and to insert provisions fully securing the constitutional validity of Zamindari abolition laws in general. The Madras Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 (Madras Act XXVI of 1948). was implemented by the Madras Government The Jagir of Arni was abolished by the Government on 3/1/1951 with a meager compensation; and now all that remains is the Municipality of Arni and tattered palaces.
SOURCES
1. Ormes History of Hindustan (also vide page 198, volume 11 page 603 )
2. Marshman’s History of India (also vide pages 152 and 159 )
3. History of the Mahrattas by James Grant Duff -1863 edition in 3 volumes - pages 186,204 in Vol 1 and pages 7,10,17 vol 11.
4. Extracts from www.arnijagir.com (
Please note that the contributor of this article and the author of the latter website are the SAME
)
5. Letter from the Collector of North Arcot to the Board of Revenue dated December 1871, No 586.
6. G.O. No 828, Revenue department, 1906 approving the decision of the Board of Revenue for several settlements in the Arnee Jaghire.
7. Extracts from Fort St George’s Gazette, Madras (especially vide order dated 20th June 1789.
8. Thesis accepted for Masters Degree in History, University of Madras by Mr. A. Balaji in December 1981
9. Arthur F. Fox in the North Arcot District Manual
10. Revenue Records. Photos and documents (some with the Jagirdars family, which includes this author of this article)
.

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