Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 13.djvu/724

G90 J H A J H E The district of Jhang possesses unusual historical interest from the presence within its borders of the ruins which crown the rocky eminence of Sanglawala Tiba. This site has been identified with the Sakala of the Brahmans, the Sagal of Buddhism, and the San- gala of Alexander s historians. In modern times the history of Jhang centres in the famous family of Sials, who exercised an ex tensive sway over a large tract between Shahpur and Multan, with little dependence on the imperial court at Delhi, until they finally fell before the all-absorbing power of Eanjit. Sinh. The Sials of Jhang are Mahometans of Rajput descent, whose ancestor, llai Sliankar of Daranagar, emigrated early in the 13th century from the Gangctic Doab to Jaunpur. In the beginning of the present century the maharaja Kanji t Sinh invaded Jhang, and captured the Sial chieftain s territories. He recovered a small portion after wards, which he was allowed to retain on payment of a yearly tribute. In 1847, after the establishment of the British agency at Lahore, the district came under the charge of the British Govern ment; and in 1848 Ismail Khan, the Sial leader, rendered important services against the rebel chiefs, for which he received a pension. Daring the mutiny of 1857 the Sial leader again proved his loyalty by serving in person on the British side. His pension was after wards increased, and he obtained the title of Khan Bahadur, with a small jdglr for life. JHAXG, a municipal town in the above district. The sister town of Maghiana, containing the civil station for the district, lies 3 miles south of Jhang, and has a population of 10,525 persons. They form together a single munici pality, and may be regarded as practically one town, situated in 31 16 16" N. lat., and 72 21 45" E. long., about 3J miles to the west of the present bed of the Chenab. Jhang itself lies on the lowland, a little apart from the regular lines of trade, and since the removal of the Government offices to Maghiana, has yielded its commerce and import ance to its younger rival. Founded by Mai Khan, a Sial chieftain, in 1462, it long formed the capital of a native Mahometan state. The population of Jhang proper in 1863 was 9124, comprising 4568 Hindus, 4244 Mahome tans, 129 Sikhs, 12 Christians, and 171 " others." Popula tion of the united towns, 19,649. JHANSI, a British district in the lieutenant-governor ship of the North-Western Provinces, India, between 25 3 45" and 25 48 45" N. lat., and between 78 21 15" and 79 27 30" E. long. It forms the central district in the division 1 of the same name, and is bounded on the N. by the Gwalior and Samtliar states, on the E. by the river Dhasan, on the S. by the district of Lalitpur and the Orchha state, and on the W. by the Datiya, Gwalior, and Khaniya DAna- states. JhAnsi forms a portion of the hill country of Bundelkhancl, sloping down from the outhers of the Vindhyan range on the south to the tributaries of the Jumna on ths north. The extreme south is com posed of parallel rows of long and narrow-ridged hills. Through the intervening valleys the rivers of the district flow down impetuously over ledges of granite or quartz. North of the hilly region, the rocky granite chains gradually bse themselves in clusters of smaller hills. The northern portion consists of the level plain of Bundelkhand, distin guished for its deep black soil, known as mar, and admir ably adapted for the cultivation of cotton. The district is intersected or bounded by three principal rivers the Pahuj, B 3twa, and Dhasan. There are many minor streams, most of which are feeders of the Dhasan. The district is much cat up, and portions of it are insulated by the surrounding native states. The census of 1872, taken over an area of 1567 square miles, re turned a population of 317,826, of whom (exclusive of non-Asiatics) 167,519 were males and 150,216 females. As regards religion, 305,151 were Hindus, while only 12,417 were Mahometans. Five towns have a population exceeding 5000: Mhow, 15,065; Kanipur, 6326 ; Gursar.ii, 5897 ; Barwa Sagar, 5556 ; and financier, 5141. Jhansi, in the nature of its soil, the character of its people, the poor 1 The division of Jhansi is under a commissioner in the North -Western Province*, and comprises the three districts of Jhansi, Jalaun, and Lalitpur, which contain a large portion of the tract known as Buudel- khand. The area in 1872 was 5067 square miles, the population 034,943. means of irrigation, and the want of good communication, is worse off than any other district in the North-Western Provinces, except Lalit pur. Out of a total area of 1,002,734 acres, only 428,348 acres were under cultivation. The principal crops are joiir, Ixijrci, cotton, tlU or oilseed, koclon (a kind of pulse), wheat, gram, and barley. The most important product is the al dye, procured from the root of the Morinda citrifolia, which is only dug lip every third year. The destructive kilns grass has proved as great a pest here as elsewhere in Bundelkhand. Jhansi is specially exposed to blights, droughts, floods, hailstorms, epidemics, and their natural consequence famine. It is considered that famine may be feared on an average every five years. The district imports grain, and in return exports the al dye and cotton. The 110 schools in 1870 taught 2235 pupils at a cost of 1247. The climate is hot and very dry, but not unhealthy. The mean annual temperature for 1871 was 81 7 Fahr. The average rainfall for the ten years ending 1870 was 31 inches. The population are habitually underfed, and consequently succumb readily to slight diseases. Nothing is known with certainty as to the history of this district before the period of Chandel rule, about the llth century of our era. To this epoch must be referred the artificial reservoirs and architec tural remains of the hilly region. The Chandels were succeeded by their servants the Khangars, who built the fort of Kart vr, lying just outside the British lines. About the 14th century the Bundelas poured down upon the plains, and gradually spread themselves over the whole region which now bears their name. The Mahometan subahddrs were constantly making irruptions into the Bundela country; and in 1732 Chhatarsal, the Bundela chieftain, called in the aid of the Marhattas. They came to his assistance with their accustomed promptitude, and were rewarded, on the raja s death in 1734, by cne-third of his dominions. Their general founded the city of Jhansi, and peopled it with inhabitants from Orchha state. In 1806 the British protection was promised to the Marhatta viceroy, and in 1814 the peshwa ceded to the East India Company his rights over Bundelkhand. In 1853 Can- gadhar Eao died childless, and his territories lapsed to the British. The Jhansi state and the Jalaun and Chanderi districts were then formed into a superintendency. The widow of the late raja con sidered herself aggrieved because she was not allowed to adopt an heir, and because the slaughter of cattle was permitted in the Jhansi territory. Reports were spread which excited the religious prejudices of "the Hindus. The events of 1857 accordingly found Jhansi ripe for mutiny. In June a few men of the 12th native infantry seized the fort containing the treasure and maga zine, and massacred the European officers of the garrison. Every where the usual anarchic quarrels rose among the rebels, and the country was plundered mercilessly. The lani put herself at the head of the rebels, and died bravely in battle. It was not till November 1858, after a series of sharp contests with various guerilla leaders, that the work of reorganization was fairly set en foot. Since that time Jhansi has remained a British district, and famines and floods alone have disturbed the prosperous course of civil administration. JHANSI, a city and fort in Gwalior state, North- Western Provinces, India, in 25 27 30" N. lat. and 78 37 E. long. A stone fort crowns a neighbouring rock, and commands the town, as well as the British outpost, Jhansi NaoAbAd, which adjoins the city. It lapsed to the British in 1853, and during the mutiny was the scene of insurrection and massacre. In 1861 the town, fort, and surrounding territory beyond the Pahuj were handed over to Gwalior state. The administrative headquarters of JhAnsi district is Jhansi NaoAbAd, which had a population in 1872 of 536 persons. The estimated population of Jlu insi proper is 30,000. JHELUM, or JHI LAM, a district in the lieutenant- governorship of the Punjab, India, between 32 26 and 33 15 N. lat, and between 71 51 and 73 50 E, long., bounded on the N. by Rawal Pindi district, E, by the Jhelum river, S. by Shahpur district, and ^y. by Bannu district. It forms the south-eastern portion of a rugged Himalayan spur, extending between the Indus and Jhelum to the borders of the Sind SAgar Doab. Its scenery is very picturesque, although not of so wild a character as the mountain region of RAwal Pindi to the north, and is lighted up in places by smiling patches of cultivated valley. The backbone of the district is formed by the Salt Range, a treble line of parallel hills running in three long forks from cast to west throughout its whole breadth. The range rises in bold and striking precipices, broken by gorges,