NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
189
APP. VIII. ]
spread of infection by land.
orders to stop and turn back all intending pilgrims to Ujjain and
direct railways to refuse to carry them. Yesterday the Rajputana-
Malwa Railway are reported to have booked 400 from Rutlam and
1,000 from Barnagar to Ujjain, and Great India Peninsula Railway
on 8th April booked 300 from Burhanpur. It must be understood
that when Sindhia prohibited fair being held, all arrangements for
water-supply, food, sanitary arrangement, etc., were stopped, and it
is now impossible to meet requirements of more than the limited
numbers now at Ujjain. Report follows.
No. 124. 4.
Telegram No. I349-I- A., dated 12th April 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay (Political Depart-
ment) ; the Secretary to the Government of Madras; the Chief
Secretaries to the Governments of Bengal, North-Western Prov-
inces and the Punjab; the Chief Commissioners, Central Pro-
vinces, Assam and Burma; the Residents, Hyderabad and
Mysore; the Agents to the Governor General, Rajputana
and Baluchistan; the Chief Commissioner, Ajmere; the Resi-
dents, Nepal and Kashmir; the Agent to the Governor General,
Baroda.
Following telegram received from Agent to the Governor Gen-
eral, Central India, 10th April :—Begins.
*
Ends. Government of India wish anything possible in order to meet
Maharaja Sindhia's desire to restrict the Mela should be done.
No. 125.
Telegram No. 1348-I. A., dated Simla, the 12th April 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
To—The Agent to the Governor General, Central India.
Your telegram 358o-A., April l0th, has been repeated to all Gov-
ernments and Administrations, stating that Government of India wish
anything possible in order to meet Maharaja Sindhia's desires to restrict
the Mela should be done. Your action in respect to those Sadhus who
have already collected is approved.
No. 126.
Telegram No. 1392-1 A., dated Simla, the 1 4 th April 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department,
To—The Agent to the Governor General, Central India.
My telegram 1348-1. A., April 12th. It is understood from your
3580, April 10th, that the original prohibition by Maharaja Sindhia
of the Singhast Mela was determined on account of scarcity and that
present anxiety to prevent gathering in spite of prohibition arises from
danger of epidemic. Is this accurate and has Maharaja adopted in
190
Measures to prevent the
•[ APP. VIII.
His Highness's territories the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases
Act, or provisions analogous thereto? Is the Mela being controlled
from point of view of epidemic ? It seems desirable that Maharaja
should take action indicated within his dominions before Government
of India are asked to assist by taking action which is perhaps not au-
thorised by ordinary law.
No. 127.
Telegram No. 3744, dated Indore, the I4th April 1897.
N
From—The Agent to the Governor General, Central India,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India,, Foreign Department.
Your telegram No. 1392, April fourteenth. The original prohibi-
tion by Maharaja Sindhiaof the Singhast Mela was determined when
it became clear that scarcity threatened ; but danger of epidemic
breaking out was always contemplated and was included in reasons
for prohibition ; the danger is not limited to Gwalior territory, for
if epidemic disease appears amongst pilgrims at Ujjain, it will be im-
possible to prevent its dissemination to those parts of India from
which the pilgrims come and to which they will return ; this is chief
cause of my anxiety and of my request that Sadhus may not
be allowed to pass through British districts on the way to
Ujjain. Sindhia has adopted in Malwa measures analogous to provi-
sions of Epidemic Diseases Act. The Mela at Ujjain is being con-
trolled from point of view of epidemic; the last Singhast Mela m
1885 resulted in outbreak of cholera when deaths among pilgrims were
estimated at twenty thousand and fourteen thousand deaths occurred
among residents of town of Ujjain.
No. 128.
No. 3636-G., dated Indore Residency, the 12th April 1897.
N
From—LIEUTENANT-COLONEL D. W. K. BARR, C.S.I., Agent to the Gov-
ernor General in Central India,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honour to address you in continuation of my telegram
No. 3580 of the l0th April 1897, regarding the Singhast Mela at
Ujjain.
2. In the early part of 1896, very elaborate arrangements were
made for the management of the large crowd that always attends this
festival.
In October 1896, however, in consequence of the impending famine
and the increased danger to health which such a gathering would entail
in these -circumstances, the Maharaja Sindia, at my suggestion,
definitely decided to prohibit this Mela.
Notices announcing this decision were accordingly issued by the
Gwalior Darbar in English, Hindi,Urdu and Marathi, and distributed
191
APP. VIII. ]
spread of infection by land.
by me to all the Railway Administrations concerned, viz., the Indian
Midland Railway, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the Bombay,
Baroda and Central India Railway, and the East Indian Railway, to
all the neighbouring States and Thakurates, and to the Governments
O
of the North-Western Provinces, the Punjab and Bombay. The
notice was as follows : —
" Notice is hereby given that owing to the want of sufficient rain-
fall and consequent failure of crops and great scarcity, the Singhast
Fair, which was to be held in 1897 at Ujjain, has been stopped.
u Should any pilgrims, in spite of this prohibition, arrive at Ujjain,
they will not be allowed to stop there under any circumstances."
3. On the 2nd March 1897 a case of bubonic plague was discovered
at the Ujjain Railway station, and thereupon I issued the accom-
panying notice to the Railway Administrations
Enclosure A.
.
above mentioned, to all the Political Agents in
Central India for the issue of suitable instructions to the States in
their political charge, to the States that are directly under my own
political charge, viz., Indore, the Dewas States, and Bagli, to all
Cantonment Magistrates and Officers Commanding Local Corps in
Central India, to the Agent to the Governor-General in Rajputana for
such action as he might consider necessary, and to all Railway Station
Masters between Khandwa and Ujjain, between Ujjain and Rutlam,
between Ujjain and Bhopal, between Rutlam and Neemuch. Of the
Indore Darbar I requested to be informed at a very early date what
measures they had decided to take in the matter, and I suggested
that they should take steps to turn back at the limits of Indore
territory mendicants and pilgrims travelling along the Khandwa-
Indore and Agra-Bombay roads. The Indore Darbar has, however,
never replied to, nor taken any notice of, my requests and sug-
gestions, until a few days ago when the evil had assumed dimensions
which were and are beyond control, as will appear from what follows.
The Agents of the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway, of
the East Indian Railway, and the Great Indian Peninsula Railway
assured me that the necessary instructions had been issued along
those lines.
4. The Sar Subah of Ujjain had, on the 6th March last, arranged
to have all arrivals at Ujjain turned out as they came in. He also
informed me that the Subahs of the different districts had been
instructed to turn back all large assemblages of Bairagis and Gosains
on their way to Ujjain. At the same time he told me that several
thousand Sadhus and the like had assembled at Indore with the
express object of making a simultaneous rush on Ujjain when the time
came.
192
Measures to prevent
the
[ APP. VIII.
Both the Dewas States cordially assisted me and took effective
measures to prevent the influx of pilgrims to Ujjain. Beyond this I
have had no response to the endeavours I have made to prevent &
gathering of Sadhus and others at Ujjain.
5. The information about the collection of Sadhus at Indore was
quite correct, and, on the 23rd March last, having made several verbal
communications on the subject to the Indore Minister and the Indore
Enclosure B.
Vakil, I sent a copy of the accompanying kaifiat
from the Gwalior Vakil to the Indore Darbar
and formally requested to be informed what measures the Indore
Darbar had taken or intended to take to prevent a sudden influx of
mendicants, pilgrims and others into Ujjain. Receiving no answer
but hearing that the Maharaja Holkar was entertaining and feasting
Enclosure C.
these Sadhus, I addressed, on the 25th March
last, the accompanying letter to the Indore
Vakil.
On the 26th March, I sent the accompanying telegram to the
Enclosure D.
Chief Commissioner,
Central Provinces, to
which I have not yet received any reply. On the
29th March, I heard from the Indore Vakil that orders had been received
from the Maharaja Holkar " to disperse by force, if necessary the
whole assemblage of Sadhus and mendicants here, with the exception
of one superior order of Sadhus who, however, do not number many."
The Vakil added that " the Darbar now hopes to clear the town
of these immigrants without delay." Finding that these orders were
not only not carried out but that the number of Sadhus was steadily
Enclosure E
increasing, on the 5 th April I addressed the
Indore Vakil m a demi-official letter No. 3363.
Meanwhile I continued to make urgent verbal representations to the
Minister and the Vakil of Indore, and on the 7th April, finding that
nothing had been done, I again wrote an urgent reminder to the
Vakil.
6. As the matter was becoming very urgent, I telegraphed to the
Sar Subah of Ujjain to come to Indore and sent for the leading
Mohants among the Sadhus, and on the night of the 9th instant at a
personal interview, arranged with them the conditions specified in the
accompanying telegram to the Resident at Gwalior. To these
Enclosure F.
arrangements the Maharaja Sindia has given
his consent and has issued the necessary in-
structions to the Sar Subah of Ujjain. The Mohants have given
assurances in writing that they will abide by these conditions, and
trust that no harm may result from their presence at Ujjain.
193
APP. VIII. ]
spread of infection by land.
7. I found it impossible to insist on the Sadhus not going to
Ujjain, because they had become very numerous, were intensely
fanatical and determined to go to Ujjain at all hazards, and because
300 armed Sadhus had lately arrived from Burhanpore in the Central
Provinces and others equally armed had left Rotlam for Ujjain. In
these circumstances I thought the compromise I have made with the
concurrence of the Maharaja Sindia was the most advisable in the
circumstances, and I trust the Government of India will agree with
me,
8. I am constrained to call attention to the apparent disregard of
all the notices and warnings I have issued by those to whom they
were addressed with the exception of the Officers and States in
Central India. The Government of India are aware of the highly
religious and even superstitious character of the Maharaja Holkar, and
judged by his owe standards, it would hardly be reasonable to blame
him for hesitating to encounter the terrors of ex-communication or the
odium of the religions bodies who still have so much power in India.
Enclosure A.
Notice issued by the Agent to the Governor General in Central
India on the 3rd March 1897.
A fakir was found yesterday (2nd March 1897) at the Ujjain
Railway station suffering from the plague (bubonic fever) ; he had
corne from Onkarnath on the Narbudda.
It is probable that many mendicants and others will be coming to
Ujjain from Bombay and other plague-stricken places ; you are there-
fore reminded that the Singhast Mela at Ujjain has been absolutely
prohibited this year by the Maharaja Sindia, who has given strict
orders that should any pilgrim, in spite of this prohibition, arrive at
Ujjain, they will not be allowed to stop there under any circum-
stances.
I am directed to ask you to do all in your power to prevent such
pilgrims coming to Ujjain and to co-operate to the best of your ability
with the local authorities in their endeavours to stop any such influx
into Ujjain.
Enclosure B.
Abstract translation of a kaifiat, No. 83, dated the 13th March 1897, from the
Gwalior Darbar Vakil to the address of the First Assistant to the Agent to
the Governor-General in Central India.
I have received a khat dated the 9th March 1897, from the Subah
of Ujjain which is to the following effect,
c 25
194
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. VIII.
The Singhast fair has been stopped this year. Strict orders have
been issued to the police not to allow the Sadhus to enter Ujjain. The
approaches to Ujjain and the halting places and the assemblage
grounds are very strictly guarded. The Lambardars, Patwaris, and
Chaukidars of all villages have been warned not to allow Sadhus to
stop in their villages or proceed towards Ujjain, but to persuade them
to return. Orders have also been issued to turn out any Sadhus who
might have come secretly by other routes than recognised thorough-
fares. A Sub-Inspector has been posted at the Ujjain station to see
that the Sadhus and Fakirs who come by rail are made to go back,
The result oí all these precautions is seen in the fact that no Sadhu
who has come from Maffassil to join in the fair can be seen at Ujjain.
But it has been heard that the Sadhus and Fakirs of Indore and
Dewas and of Indore and Dewas villages which adjoin Ujjain are
awaiting to come to Ujjain to join in the fair. Some of these Sadhus
have come by rail in twos and fours. It would be much better if
steps were taken to stop this (in-coming) through the lllakadars
and the railway officials.
I beg to submit this kaiñat for orders and necessary action.
Enclosure C.
No. 3019,, dated Indore Residency, the 25th March 1897.
Demi-official from—CAPTAIN L. S. NEWMARcH, First Assistant to the
Agent to the Governor General, Central India,
To—The Residency Vakil, Indore.
The Agent to the Governor General has learnt that two deaths
occurred on the 23rd March among the Sadhus collected at Indore. I
am to ask whether any report has been received by the Darbar of
these deaths, and if so, what disease is reported to be the cause of
death.
It appears that, in spite of orders and warnings to the contrary,
over 4,000 of these mendicants are still encamped at or near Indore,
and it is said that these persons intend to visit Ujjain. The Darbar
should clearly understand that the responsibility of allowing these
mendicants to remain at Indore rests entirely upon them and that
they will be held answerable to the Government of India for any out-
break of illness that may occur. The Singhast Mela at Ujjain has
been positively prohibited by His Highness the Maharaja Sindia, and
the entry of any pilgrims will most certainly be prevented (by force
if necessary) into the city. In these circumstances the Agent to the
Governor-General calls upon the Darbar to take immediate and
effective measures for dispersing this assemblage of mendicants, which
is certainly a source of great danger—during the present season and
195
APP. VIII. ]
spread of injection by land.
having regard to the prevalence of plague in various parts of India from
which these mendicants have come—not only to the town of Indore
but to India generally. The matter is most urgent and demands im-
mediate and prompt action on the part of the Darbar authorities.
Enclosure D.
Telegram No. 3051, dated Indore Residency, the 20th April 1897.
From—The Agent to the Governor General in Central India,
To—The Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces.
Maharaja Sindia has, by proclamation issued last September, and
recently repeated, prohibited the Singhast Mela at Ujjain which was
to have taken place at end of April 1897. Notices have been sent to
all States and to Railway authorities. In spite of prohibition large
numbers of Sadhus continue to arrive at Indore from Onkar Mandhata
and other places in Central Provinces. I shall be much obliged if
you will kindly issue orders preventing Sadhus and other classes of
mendicants from leaving Central Provinces for Ujjain. There are at
present four thousand mendicants congregated at Indore, most cf
whom have come from Onkar and four hundred arrived here
yesterday.
Enclosure E.
No. 3363, dated Indore Residency, the 5th April 1897.
Demi-official from—CAPTAIN L. S. NEWMARCH, First Assistant to the
Agent to the Governor General, Central India,
To—The Darbar Vakil, Indore.
I am desired to refer you to the correspondence ending with
Colonel Barr's demi-official letter No. 3135, dated the 29th March
1896, and to ask you to be good enough to report whether the orders
passed by His Highness the Maharaja for the immediate dispersal of
the Sadhus congregated in the Indore City have been carried out, and
also whether these Sadhus have left the city.
I am again to request that you will let these men clearly under-
stand that they will not be permitted on any account to enter the city
of Ujjain or indeed to pass into His Highness the Maharaja Sindhia's
territory.
Enclosure F.
Telegram No. 3550, dated Indore Residency, the 9th April 1897.
From—The Agent to the Governor-General in Central India,
To—The Resident at Gwalior.
In spite of all precautions and prohibitions regarding Singhast
Mela at Ujjain, at least fifteen thousand Sadhus will certainly go to
196
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. VIÍI.
Ujjain to bathe in Sipra. It is quite impossible to prevent this. They
come from all directions, but seven thousand are now at Indore. They
agree to go under control of Gwalior Darbar officials under following
arrangements, namely, to arrive Ujjain on evening of Sunday next,
April 11th, to encamp outside city, and stay there until 18th April, on
which day they bind themselves to leave and to disperse to their
homes. They wish to bathe at the Ghats on 17th April, and after
bathing to go to Angapat and Mahankal, but on distinct promise of
leaving city that evening.
I have discussed these arrangements with Onraet and the Subah of
Ujjain, and I am of opinion that under the peculiar circumstances of
the case no other or better arrangements can be made.
Please explain this fully to Maharaja and ask him to give his
consent and to issue necessary orders by urgent wire to Sar Subah at
Ujjain.
No. 129.
No. 1309, elated Simla, the 17th April 1897.
NOTIFICATION—By the Government of India, Home Department.
1
Whereas His Highness Maharaja Sir Madho Rao Sindhia Bahadur,
G.C.S.L, Maharaja of Gwalior, has, owing to the danger of an
outbreak of dangerous epidemic disease in his territories, prohibited
the assemblage of persons at Ujjain for the Singhast Mela ;
And whereas the Governor General in Council is satisfied that such
danger as aforesaid exists ;
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 2, sub-section (1),
of the Epidemic Diseases Act (III of 1897), the Governor General in
Council is pleased to direct that no tickets to travel by railway to
Ujjain, or to the station on the railway next on either side of Ujjain,
that is to say, to Fatehabad Junction or to Tajpur or to Aslaoda, shall
be sold from the date of this notification, until the 18th day of May
1897, by any railway administration in British India to any pilgrim
or other person intending, or believed to be intending, to visit the
Singhast Mela,
Papers regarding Precautions on the Frontier.
PROTECTION OF BALUCHISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN.
No. 130,
Telegram No. 19-M., dated Mahableshwar, the 7th April 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, Political Depart-
ment,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
Yours No. 1222-1. Deputy Commissioner, Jacobabacl, wires:—•
Begins. Road traffic with Baluchistan not heavy, brief danger by rail
197
APP. VIII. ]
spread of infection by land.
from Sukkur, also by road vi Shikarpur and Jacobabad. All roads
being watched carefully on Shikarpur border. This district so far
entirely free from plague—Ends. Collector, Karachi, wires :—Begins.
Pages 168 and 169, Sind trade and Navigation Blue Book for
1895-96 give quantity and details of articles exported from Karachi
to Mekran and Sonmiani, Karachi and Shikarpur districts, separate
from Baluchistan by range of barren hills with only one road to
Sonmiani. For some time persons attempting to cross from Karachi
have been prevented by the tribal levies of Las Bela State, only
possible not probable routes for infection in the frontier district—
Ends. I think all Bombay trade for Baluchistan must go vi Karachi,
but have addressed Collector, Bombay, and will wire again on receipt
of his reply if I find it necessary.
Ho. 131.
No. 714, dated Lahore, the 17th April 1897.
From—H. J. MAYNARD, Esq., Junior Secretary to the Government of
the Punjab,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1197-
I.-A. of 26th March 1897, and to communicate the following remarks
on the subject of the proposed measures against the exportation of
plague from the Punjab into Afghanistan.
2. In the first place Mr. Young desires to draw attention to the
fact that, notwithstanding the occasional importation of the disease
by travellers from Bombay and Sind, there have up to the present
time been no local cases of plague in the Punjab, with the exception
of two which took place at Delhi some months ago in the house occu-
pied by a recent arrival from Bombay who was himself infected.
3. The province is protected by a system of inspection at railway
stations, ferries and road posts, of the general character of which the
Government of India are already aware. In addition to the inspection
of travellers alighting from the trains at a large number of
stations which include all district head-quarters and all cantonments
on or near the line of railway and all terminuses for hill stations,
there are special inspections, at which all passengers are examined at
certain points which have been so selected as to enable the work to
be done by daylight. Passengers from Sind are all inspected at
Khanpur or at some neighbouring station, the actual place of inspec-
tion being varied from time to time to provide against the practice of
evading inspection by marching across country. All intermediate
and third class passengers are now detained for 24 hours at Khanpur,
in order to undergo the disinfection of their clothes and personal