Punjab States Gazetteers Volume VIII : Simla Hill States

· 1911 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1Prior to the Gurkha invasion the history of the Hill States for

2many generations appears to have been one of continuous petty

3warfare between two or three of the larger States, with the suzer-

4sinty over the smaller States one of the prizes of victory.

5Biléspur was constantly at war with Nélagarh and Kéngra,

6Bashahr with Keonthal and Kulu, Keonthal with Sirmir, Sirmir

7with Garhwél. Neither the States nor their bickerings had any

8influence on the history of Northern India as a whole. There are

9practically no authentic records as to events previous to the

10commencement of the nineteenth century. It is said that the

11Gurkhas destroyed the archives of many States. When war was

12declared between the British Government aud Nepal in 1814, most

13of the Hill Statessassisted the British forces to the best of their

14abilities in driving the Gurkhas from the Simla hills. At the close of

15the war the Hill States of to-day were formed in accordance with

16Government’s decision to restore, as far as possible, the position of

17affairs existing at the beginning of the Gurkha occupation, with the

18reservation that the States were to be independent of one another

19and subject to the British Government. Garhwél is now attached as

20a dependencey to the United Provinces. Sirmir was separated from

21the Simls Hill States politically in 1890, The following twenty-

22eight States constitute the Simla Hill States, and are placed in the

23succeeding pages in the order, in which their chiefs sit in durbér :—

24Biléspur (Kablur), Bashahr with feudatories Delath and Khaneti,

25Nélagarh (Hindur), Keonthal with five zailddrs Koti, Theog,

26Madhén, Ghund, and Ratesh, Béghal, Baghét, Jubbal, Kumhérsain

27Bhaji, Mahlog, Balsan, Dhimi, Kuthar, Kunhiér, Mangal, Beja,

28Darkoti, Tarhoch, Sdngri, Rawin, Dhédi.

29The following note on the dialects of the Simla Hill States

30has been specially written for the present work by the Rev. T.

31Grahame Bailey, Wazirabad :—

32THE DIALEOTS OF THE SIMLA STATES.

33These dialects are so numérous that we cannot do more than indicate

34their geneval lines of resemblance. It will be convenient to work from

35West to East. Of the 22 dialeota enumerated 18 are Aryan, the last four

36being Tibeto-Himalayan. The names ia brackets show the districts ‘in

37which the dialects are spoken.

38History of the

39Hill States.

40Language.