CENSUS DETAILS.

1853, 1872, 1881

 THE population of Kolhapur includes six classes Hindus, Musalmans, Christians, Parsis, Jews, and Chinese Buddhists. The Musalmans who form 4.12 per cent of the population partly represent the Upper Indian and foreign Musalman soldiers and others who settled during the period of Musalman rule in the Deccan (1300-1710) and still more local Hindu converts to Islam. Besides 1201 Native converts the Christians include a few European officers. The Parsi for there is only one and the Jews who number only five are latecomers who are not permanently settled in the State. The Chinese Buddhists are temporary residents.

Three numberings of the people are on record in 1853, in 1872, and in 1881. In 1853 the people numbered 546,156 living in 101,708 houses or five to a house. Of the whole number 283,002 or 51.81 per cent were males and 263,154 or 48.18 per cent were females; 522,110 or 95.59 per cent were Hindus and 24,046 or 4.40 per cent wore Musalmans. The 1872 census showed an increase from 546,156 to 804,103 or 47.22 per cent. The increase was evenly spread over all parts of the State and was due to the long term of peace and good government which the State had enjoyed. The 1881 census showed a slight fall of 0.49 per cent the whole number amounting to 800,189 or 284.158 to the square mile.

The following statement gives, for the year 1881, details of the population of each fiscal sub-division of the State according to religion, age, and sex:

Kolhapur Population, Sub-Division Details, 1881.

Kolhapur Population Sub-Division Details, 1881—continued.

Kolhapur Population Sub-Division Details, 1881—continued.

These details show that the proportion of males in the whole population was 51.32 and of females 48.68. Exclusive of Jains, Hindu males numbered 368,031 or 51.17 per cent and Hindu females 351,133 or 48.83 per cent of the Hindu population. Jain males numbered 24,557 or 52.55 per cent and Jain females 22,175 or 47.45 per cent of the Jain population. Musalman males numbered 17,394 or 52.68 per cent and Musalman females 15,628 or 47.32 per cent of the Musalman population. Christian males numbered 652 or 52.04 per cent, and Christian females 601 or 47.96 per cent of the Christian population. Other males numbered 13 or 72.22 per cent, and other females 5 or 27.78 per cent of the other population.

Infirm Persons.

Infirm persons were returned at 3003 (males 1725, females 1278) or thirty-seven in ten thousand. Of these 179 (males 101, females 78) or two in ten thousand were of unsound mind; 578 (males 319, females 259) or seven in ten thousand were deaf and dumb 1444 (males 700, females 744) or eighteen in ten thousand blind, and 802 (males 605, females 197) or ten in ten thousand lepers.

Age.

The following statement gives the number of each religious class according to sex at different ages, with, at each stage, the percentage of the whole population of the same sex and religion. The columns referring to the whole population omit religious distinctions but show the difference of sex:

Kolhapur Population by Age, 1881.

Kolhapur Population by Age, 1881 —continued.

Marriage.

The following table shows the proportion of unmarried, married, and widowed:

Kolhapur Marriage Details, I881.

continued..

	HINDUS EXCLUDING JAINS.
	Twenty to Twenty-four		Twenty-five to Twenty-nine.		Thirty and Over.		Total.
	Males	Females.	Males	Females	Males.	Females	Males.	Females.
Unmarried.	6266	483	3498,	477	3191	1391	154,407	84,370
Married	20,409	27,849	32,531	30,121	113,247	63,420	192,563	192,648
Widowed.	867	2228	1680	4277	16,937	04,208	21,061	74,115
	JAINS.
Unmarried.	310	1	166	--	213	5	9325	4457
Married	1487	1732	2076	1909	8356	4471	13,846	13,067
Widowed	61	117	87	183	1181	4176	1386	4651
	MUSALMANS.
Unmarried.	535	28	308	21	293	118	8280	4675
Married	806	1182	1391	1408	5375	2895	8225	7837
Widowed	37	80	71	150	749	2799	886	3116
	CHRISTIANS.
Unmarried.	16	4	9	4	13	8	341	221
Married	30	49	54	49	179	8 1	288	253
Widowed.	1	7	1	11	10	102	20	127
	CHINESE BUDDHISTS.
Unmarried	--	--	--	--	1	--	3	2
Married	--	--	--	1	5	1	5	2
Widowed	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
	JEWS.
Unmarried.	--	--	---	--	--	--	2	--
Married	--	--	1	--	1	--	2	1
Widowed	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
	PARSIS.
Unmarried.	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Married	--	--	1	--	--	--	1	--
Widowed	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Occupation.

According to occupation the 1881 census returns divide the population into six classes: i. Instate service, learned professions, literature and arts 19,330 or 2.42 per cent; ii. In house service 9414 or 1.17; iii. In trade 3848 or 0.48 per cent; iv. In agriculture 492,957 or 61.61 per cent; v. In crafts and industries 67,417 or 8.42 per cent; and vi. In indefinite and unproductive occupation including children 207,223 or 2590 per cent of the population.

Houses.

According to the 1881 census, of 145,184 houses 129,148 were occupied and 16,036 were empty. The total gave an average of 51.56 houses to the square mile and the 129,148 occupied houses an average of 6.20 inmates to each house. Except tile-roofed mansions owned by rich men in towns and large villages, most Kolhapur houses are thatched in the rainy west and flat-roofed in the dry east. Most houses in the Gadinglaj and. Shirol sub-divisions and in the petty divisions of Katkol and Raybag are flat-roofed and in the Ajra, Bavda, Bhudargad, and Vishalgad sub-divisions which are close to the wet Sahyadris are thatched. Town houses are generally built with burnt brick; most rural houses are built of stone or sun-dried brick and mud, mortar-pointed mud, or mortar. Window and door frames, door panels, and window shutters are generally made of babhul, mango, or jumbhul, sometimes of umbar, and in the houses of the rich of teak. Bamboo and teak rafters are largely used.

Kolhapur houses may be arranged under four classes. Houses of the first class, which are generally two-storeyed or dumajli, are built round quadrangles with stone or burnt brick walls, tiled roofs, and verandas. These houses contain osris or halls used for large dinner parties and office room, three or more sleeping-rooms, rooms for keeping clothes and ornaments, a central store-room, a cook-room, and a god-room. In the rear of the house are a cattle shed and a bathing-room. A privy is attached to a distant corner either in front or behind according to convenience of the building. In the rear yard, where there is a rear yard, are flower and plantain trees with a tulas or holy basil bush in a masonry pillar pot. The houses have room for fifty to eighty retainers, but are close and badly aired. The fronts are ornamented with carved wood, and on the front walls in gaudy colours are drawn pictures of gods, goddesses, heroes, and wild beasts with 'alternate bands of. white and red to scare the cholera spirit. Houses of the second class are generally one-storeyed with burnt or unburnt brick walls and tiled or flat roofs; they contain three or four rooms. In towns the second class houses are roomy and showy and when held by shopkeepers and craftsmen the verandas are made into shops or work rooms. Houses of the third class though smaller than first or second class houses, when occupied by husbandmen are roomy and have large cattle sheds. They are one-storeyed with unburnt brick walls and two rooms. Houses of the fourth class are single-roomed thatched huts with mud or mud wattled reed, millet, or cotton stalk walls, roofed by a bamboo frame covered with grass and palas leaves. Houses of this class are generally owned by labourers.

Villages.

According to the 1881 census five towns, three in Kolhapur and, two in the smaller states, had more than 5000 and one of the five more than 20,000 people. Excluding these live towns, which together numbered 66,023 or 8.25 per cent of the population, the 734,166 inhabitants of Kolhapur were distributed over 1056 villages giving an average of one village for every 2.66 Square miles and of 695 people to each village. Of the 1056 villages 184 had less than 200 people, 382 between 200 and 500, 306 between 500 and 1000, 123 between 1000 and 2000, 34 between 2000 and 3000, and 27 between 3000 and 5000. The Kolhäpur villages are of two classes, walled and open. Some of the village walls are of burnt brick and mud and some are of stone and mud. Some old villages have stately gates and ruined fortifications. Though proud of their old walls and gates, the villagers seldom take any steps to keep them in repair. In most villages houses are not built in rows but are scattered all over the village site. Kunbis or husbandmen, Marathas, Jains, and Lingayats, form the bulk of the village population. Dhangars or shepherds and other herdsmen live with their herds on the hills. In the skirts of the villages are the quarters of the Mhars, Mangs, Chambhars or shoemakers, and Dhors or tanners whom most villagers hold impure.

COMMUNITIES.

As in the Deccan the Kolhäpur villages, besides husbandmen and labourers, have the regular staff of balutedars or hereditary village officers and servants. The balutedars are: the patil or headman, the kulkarni or accountant, the joshi or astrologer, the gurav or temple servant, the sutar or carpenter, the lohar or blacksmith, the kumbhar or potter, the sonar or goldsmith, the nhavi or barber, the parit or washerman, the taral or beadle, the gasti or watchman, the gavasanadis or plain militia and the gadkaris or hill fort garrisons, the mhar or sweeper, the mang or rope-maker, and the chambhar or leather-worker. Besides these some villages have a jangam or Lingayat priest, an upadhya or Jain priest, a kazi or Muhammadan marriage registrar, and a mulla or Musalman priest and batcher. In large villages, in addition to these office bearers and servants, are the shetya or broker, the magdum or Carter, and the chaugula or assistant headman who supplies provisions to travellers. Though they enjoy hereditary lands, the deshmukh or hereditary district revenue Superintendent and the deshpandya or hereditary district accountant have no official duties. The members of the village staff are divided into State servants and village servants. The State members include the patil or headman, the kulkarni or accountant, the taral or beadle, the gasti or watchman, the mhar or sweeper, and either the gavsanadis or village militia, or the gadkaris or fort garrison. Militia and fort garrisons are not found in small villages and some villages have no gastis or watchmen. The patil or headman is occasionally aided by a naik or leader, who in the headman's absence exercises the full powers of a headman.

Towns and large villages have two headmen one called the mulki for revenue work and the other for police work. Each patilki vatan or headman's hereditary estate is generally shared by two or three persons called sharers or takshimdars the different sharers taking charge of the office in rotation. Village headmen are generally Marathas, Jains, or Lingayats, and in rare cases Brahmans. Musalmans, Berads, and Mhars. Besides a plot of rent-free land each headman when in office receives a fixed yearly cash payment. The office of headman is generally hereditary, and is much sought after. He holds a high, position among the villagers and is greatly respected. As the social head of the village he leads all village festivals and is the first to receive the betel-packet or pansupari at marriages and on all public occasions. On Dasara Day in September-October ho leads the shami Prosopis spicegera worship; on Holi in February-March he is the first to worship the bonfire and orders it to be lighted; at a marriage he is the first to receive the betel-packet and distributes money among balutedars or village servants; no widow-marriage or pat can be performed without his consent; and at a feast he and his wife are given the first seats. Petty squabbles are referred to his arbitration, and his wife takes a most active though indirect part in village affairs. Her word is respected and she has considerable influence in settling family disputes. In many villages the headman lends money to the villagers and has a good name for treating his debtors kindly. Many are known to have for years never sought the aid of the civil Courts or pressed their debtors severely. The village clerk or accountant called kulkarni keeps the village accounts. With a few exceptions the kulkarnis are Brahmans. According to their size and revenue each accountant has a charge of one or of a group of two or three small villages. The office of village accountant is generally hereditary. Where there is no hereditary village clerk, his work is done by a stipendiary clerk. Besides rent-free land they have fixed money stipends. The taral or beadle, who is either a Mhar, Mang, Berad, Koli, or Nhavi sweeps the village office or chavdi, lights its lamp and carries the village account books. He is paid in land. The gasti or watchman is also paid in land. Almost all villages have a Mhar sweeper, who is generally hereditary and who is paid partly in land and partly in cash. Besides as a sweeper, the Mhar acts as a guide to travellers and carries public and private messages and public money. He removes dead cattle, and, besides the skin of the dead animals, receives a grain allowance from the village landholders. The gavsandis or militia and the gadkaris or fort garrisons are paid in land and are village police. The members of the village staff are generally paid by the landholders in grain. The joshi or astrologer, who is not found in some small villages, is a Brahman. He reads the almanac, fixes lucky days for marriages and for ploughing sowing and reaping, calculates eclipses, prepares birth-papers, and conducts marriage death and other ceremonies for all Brahmanic Hindus. Lingayats have their own priests called jangams and Jains have their priests called upadhyas. The temple servant who is almost always a Gurav by caste cleans and lights the temple, takes the offerings made to the gods and supplies water to Government servants. The sutar or carpenter makes and mends field tools and the high marriage-stools called chaurangs, and supplies travellers with tent and cattle pegs. The lohar or blacksmith makes and mends the iron parts of field tools and carts. The kumbhar or potter supplies villagers and travellers with earthen pots. The sonar or goldsmith who is also called potdar or assayer, tests the coins paid into the State, and makes gold and silver ornaments. The nhavi or barber who is also the village surgeon, shaves the villagers, and trims their bullocks' tails. The parit or washerman washes the villagers' clothes, gives them pasodi or rough cloth for crystallising molasses, and at marriage spreads a large white cloth for the bridegroom's kinsfolk to walk on. The mang plays the halgi or tabor, gelds cattle, and makes ropes. The chambhar or leather-worker makes and repairs shoes and the leather work of field tools. Besides husbandmen, labourers, and craftsmen, grain dealers and moneylenders are found in most villages. They are either Gujarat or Marwar Vanis who have come to the State during the last fifty years. The older settlers are considerate to their debtors; but the newcomers are grasping, unscrupulous, and bard. Each villager is free to graze any number of cattle in the village pasture, which in most cases lies near the village. The cattle drink out of the village trough or from the river. When the crops are standing, cattle are grazed by a boy during the day and confined in cowpens at night; at other timesthey are let loose to graze. Except by the depressed classes, who have generally either a well of their own or a cistern filled for them from the village well, the village drinking reservoir or well is used by all classes. If a river or stream runs by the village the depressed classes draw water from it below the village. If they want a new work of local usefulness or want to repair an old work, villagers apply to the State to aid from local funds. Contributions for repairing temples and other works. of religion and charity are levied on holdings and ploughs. Fuel is gathered from common lands about the village and bush lands near the hills. For two generations after they arrive a family of newcomers do not gain the full rights of villagers.

MOVEMENTS.

Except Lamans or carriers who are said to have come within the last 200 years and who wander as carriers all over the State, few people move about or leave the State in search of work. Living is cheap, and the State public works which have been in progress for several years keep up a constant local demand for labour. Of outsiders who have settled in the State, Brahmans have come from the Konkan, Belgaum, and Dharwar and settled as clerks, government servants, and priests; a few Gujarat and Marwar Vanis have come from Gujarat and Marwar as traders and moneylenders; Musalmans have come from Miraj as traders, shopkeepers, and moneylenders; Lonaris or lime-burners have come from Satara and permanently settled as lime-makers; and the few Chinese came as wood and cane-workers, and now take public-works contracts. Besides these a large number of Vadars or stone and earth-workers, carpenters from the Konkan, and Kadiyas or bricklayers from Bombay are employed on State public works.

Kolhapur Hindus belong to three main religious classes, Brahmanical Hindus, Jains, and Lingayats. Before the rise of Basav (1100-1168) the founder of the Lingayat faith, like the rest of the Bombay Karnatak, Kolhapur was under a Jain prince, a feudatory of the Jain Kalachuri Bijjal (1156-1167) who had usurped the throne of Kalyan. After the time of Basav the Lingayat faith spread in Kolhapur and became the popular religion. For descriptive purposes Kolhapur Brahmanical Hindus may be arranged into Brahmans, writers, fighting men, traders, husbandmen, craftsmen, musicians, servants, shepherds, labourers, unsettled tribes, depressed classes, beggars, and miscellaneous classes.