Mhow History

CHAPTER: 2 SITE, SITUATION AND GROWTH OF MHOW TOWN

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CHAPTER: 2 SITE, SITUATION AND GROWTH OF MHOW TOWN

2.1

HISTORY OF MHOW TOWN The History of Mhow Cantonment starts with Sir John Malcolm who founded

this cantonment in 1818, in 1817, when the British defeated the Marathas and came to the boundaries of the holkar state the treaty of Mandsaur was signed in 1818. Article VII is very clear that Mhow which was ultimately chosen as a place for deposit of stores by the British was not part of any area ceded to the British, and continued to be Holkar territory.lt remained his headquarters till 1821 while he held general political and military charge in Central India.

Mhow was a suitable place from the point of view of the Britishers hence they acquired this land from Holkars. Mhow was surrounded by many empires like Holkars of Indore, powers of Dhar, Sindhias of Gwalior’s and powars of Badwani this place was strategically important to keep watch on these kings. Hence they decided to shift their cantonment from Mandaleshwar to Mhow.

During this period the Mhow Cantonment mushroomed in a big way and became a strong point and nucleus of British activities in Central India. Mhow is a tribute to the British raj. It has its roots in the raj and the Indian army has gratefully taken over the facilities left back by the British and put them to good use.

The Maratha period of Malwa history forms the subject of Sir John Malcolm’s “Central India’Mt has a rich history, which can be traced even before the establishment of Mhow Cantonment in 1818.Mhow was a part of the territory of the State of Indore and was ruled by the Holkars.

Briefly the Marathas gained a permanent footing in Malwa about 1743 when the Peshwa was made deputy governor of this “Suba”. By decree the whole region fell to the Martha generals i.e. Holkar of Indore, Sindia’s of Gwalior and panwars of Dhar and Dewas. In the middle of 18th century, the British appeared as actors on this scene and Malwa from 1780 onwards, for about a quarter of a century, was a vast battle-, field where Marathas, Mohamedans and Europeans struggled incessantly.

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The British came to Mhow after the third Maratha war where Holkar and his allies were defeated by the British under Sir Thomas Hislop in the battle of Mahidpur in 1817.According to Treaty -Peace being established with the Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar, The Company’s government agree, that it will not permit any state or any freebooter to be unpunished that shall commit any outrage or hostility against the territories of the Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar, the Maharaja agreeing on such occasion to lend his utmost assistance by the employment of his troops, or in any other manner as may be requisite and British Government will, at all times, extend the same protection Ro the territories of Malhar Rao Holkar as to its own.”

The treaty of Mandsaur followed and the Holkars were compelled to shift their capital to Indore from Maheshwar while the British were allowed to set up a garrison at Mhow.

Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar cedes to the British Government all his territories and claims of every description whatever within and south of the Satpura range of hills, including the fort of Sendhwa, with a glacis of two thousand yards. In consideration of the cessions made by this treaty, the British Government binds itself to support a field force to maintain the internal tranquillity of the territories of Malhar Rao Holkar, and to defend them from foreign enemies. This force shall be of such strength as shall be judge adequate to the object.lt shall be stationed where the British Government determines to be best, and the Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar agrees to grant some place of security as a deposit for stores.”

The British Government thereafter determined that Mhow was the best and then started to clear the rich jungles (there has been an instance of, a tiger sitting in a school hall as late as the 1940s) near Mhow Gaon, to set up the cantonment of Mhow in the year 1818.It is also very clear that Mhow is north of the Satpura Hills and was in no way ceded to the British.The cantonments of Jeswant Rao near Mhow extended over nearly the same ground which the British lines now occupy.

The cantonment is now the headquarters of the Mhow division in the Western Command. Mhow was always an important British cantonment and serviced the entire central India. The fifth division of the southern army was stationed at Mhow during the days of the Raj.

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Map No.: 2.1

Location of Mhow in Central India

Source: A Memoir of Central India Malwa And Adjoining Provinces 1823 Major Gen. Sir John Malcolm London John Munay Albemarle Street

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The Treaty of Mandsaur also provided for initiatives by the British forces to take action as deemed appropriated to ensure that there was no strife in the Holkar domain as also to defend it from aggression. Mhow was identified as the ideal location for stationing such forces; in fact Maharaja Yashwant Rao also suggested it because he too had maintained some of his troops at Bargonda, close to Mhow. The cantonment at Mhow thus came to be established; it was done so by Sir John Malcolm. Mhow remained his headquarters till 1821, the period up to which he exercised overall, including military command of Central India.

After establishing their camps with the facilities already available, they gradually started increasing and constructing their own infrastructure in course of time and finally declared Mhow as a cantonment in 1835 about 17 years after they first came to settle in 1818.

The existence of an infrastructure of a private civil population comprising of tradesmen shop-keepers, retail vendors contractors domestics smithies carpenters doctors, veterinarians syces, and providers of amusements etc. to service them .These civilians obviously lived in houses or properties either belonging to them or rented, which indicated the existence of private ownership of property including land.

The Bengal Army was stationed in Mhow in 1835 under the above-referred Treaty. The second crucial thing to note is that even though the Bengal army was posted in Mhow, the Mhow Cantonment fell into the Presidency of Bombay. The Presidency of Bombay included: ‘Barvai, Barwani, Bhopal, Dewas, Dhar, Indore the whole state, excepting the district of Alampur, Jaora’ and so on and on. In the Presidency of Bengal, one sees a long list starting with Ajaigarh and ending with “Holkars district of Alampur”.

Mhow Cantonment has legal status which is different from other Cantonments in the country. At no stages was the area of Mhow ceded to the British. It became part of the rest of India after the accession of the State to the Dominion of India - it became part of Madhya Bharat which later became Madhya Pradesh. This Legal position remains unchanged today. It is therefore put up that these aspects be kept in mind while deciding the future of Mhow Cantonment and its people. (P. Narahari and Pervin Jahangir 2008)

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There is a small Fort, most of it underground, built in 1821 by the British, to control the area then known as Rajjputana and also the Neemuch Road, right up to Bombay.Itwas constructed to house, stores and ammunition in an area of ten acres; the fort still stands. It later served as a base for operations and arsenal under the Ordnance Department, which were subsequently shifted to Khadki on 24th September 1907. The Mhow fort thereafter served as a defence post for the scheme of internal defence.

In the early days of the British rule, even when there were no wars, “big army camps were established at places of strategic importance, which were converted into cantonments in course of time. The transformation from army camps to cantonments was gradual .This is exactly what evidently happened in the case of Mhow, under clause VII of the treaty of Mandsaur, the British chose the site of mow to settle their troops for the following reasons a)

It was strategically important from the geographic point of view, being on the route from the Rajjputana states via jaum (Maheshwar) and along the old route to Bombay.

b)

It also straddled the life-line route between Maheshwar, the former capital and Indore the new capital of the holker’s and the most important city of Malwa.

c)

It was on a height with a salubrious climate almost the whole year through which greatly suited the British.

And last, but not the least it had the facilities of an already established army camps or cantonments which the holker’s troops were using before they arrived and hence, with the minimum of modifications, they had things ready for them. With a 13000 civilian population available to them to provide all the services they required, along with basic facilities for healthy and hygiene.

Mhow was a typical cantonment with a tropical climate infested with malaria,

cholera which took its toll. The Britishers lived in this cantonment against all odds and in the protection of Holkars of Indore. Next forty years were uneventful till the Revolt in 1857.

Colonel John Platt was the Station Commander, Mhow and he was apprised of the mutinous dispositions of the Indian troops. The news of the uprising at Neemuch was able to reach Mhow on 6th June 1857 and provided the Indian troops the 60

necessary impetus. Colonel John Platt along with some other British officers was killed. Siege to the Mhow fort was laid, but reinforcements arrived and the rebellion was curbed.

The flames of first War of Independence reached Mhow on the evening of 1st Jul 1857. The troops broke into revolt at Mhow Before the outbreak of the Mutiny, Captain Hungerford Commanding the Horse Battery at Mhow, requested Col John Platt, Commanding the Station, to permit him to dismount and disable the heavy guns in the fort, and to replace the Native Fort Guard with a British Guard. Col John Platt acceded to the former request but not to the latter. Col John Platt (Station Commander Mhow Cantonment) of 23 Regiment Bengal Native Infantry, Lt FW Brodie, Commandant 23 Bengal Native Infantry, Lt CJ Hunt Adjutant of 14 Bengal light Cavalry, Major Harris and Capt Fagan and a few soldiers were killed in the uprising.

The British which managed to escape rushed for refuge in Mhow fort, the last bastion. This included women and children Captain Brooks and Lieutenants Martin and Chapman who were on foot, were pursued by the sepoys with a few hundred yards of the fort, and were “drawn over the walls of the bastions�.

Mhow remained throughout, the only station in the Central India which was never abandoned. Later, the Mhow fort served as a base for operations and an arsenal under the ordnance Department, The Garrison at Mhow rose to be the strongest in Central India.

After restoring law and order in 1857, the British started rebuilding their image and spreading their influence in central India. After World War-I, Mhow ceased to be a headquarter for the British war effort, around which a small township grew in order to cater to the various requirements of the large garrison there.

Gradually, scores of regiments which came to Mhow, contributed to the progress and culture of Mhow. Most of them had a calm innings in the cantonment.

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Table no. 2.1 List of Army Regiments in Mhow (1840-1948) Sr. No.

Year

Unit/Establishment

1

1840

2 Native Cavalry

2

1843

26 Bombay Native Infantry

3

1857

4 Scindhia’s Contingent, 23 Bengal Native Infantry 14 Bombay Native Infantry, The Bengal Artillery, 14 Light Dragoons,25 Native Infantry

4

1858

5 Madras Cavalry

5

1859

19 Bombay Native Infantry, 92 Highlanders

6

1860

17 Bombay Native Infantry, 23 Bombay Native Infantry,Bombay Artillery, Dragoon Guards

7

1861

72 Highlanders, Malwa Division Army, Bombay Rifles, 6 Inniskilling Dragoons

8

1863

6 Dragoons

9

1864-65

45 Foot, 103 Foot, 28 Foot

10

1866

Royal Engineers

11

1867

11 Hussars, 95 Foot

12

1868

Dragoon Guards, 2 Dragoons, 95 Royal Artillery

13

1869

8 King’s Regiment

14

1870

15 Hussars

15

1873

Royal Horse Artillery, 3 King’s Own (Hussars) 49 Royal Artillery

16

1875

68 Light Infantry (Hussars)

17

1876

108 Royal Artillery, 2/17 Royal Artillery

18

1881

5/11 Royal Artillery

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Sr. No.

Year

Unit/Establishment

19

1882

2 Lancashire Fusiliers

20

1883

17 Lancers

21

1884

7 Dragoon Guards

22

1888-89

5 Royal Irish Lancers

23

1890

17 Hussars

24

1892

7 Hussars, 2 Durham Light Infantry, Royal Horse Artillery

25

1895-98

Brecknockshire Battalion, 20 Hussars,The Royal Fusiliers

26

1902

11 Yorkshire Lancers, 10 Royal Hussars

27

1904

104 Bengal Native Infantry, Yorkshire Regiment 6 Dragoons, Royal Horse Artillery

28

1907

2 East Surrey Regiment

29

1911

East Lancashire Regiment, 14 King’s Hussars

30

1913

5 (Northumberland) Fusiliers, HQ 5 Mhow Division

31

1914

125 Napier’s Regiment, 124 Rajputana Regiment The Hampshire Regiment, 14 Kings Hussars

32

1915-19

1 Brecknockshire Battalion, 104 Rajputana Rifles Durham Light Infantry, 102 King Edward’s Own Grenadiers,! South Wales Borderers, 13 Hussars 128 Outram Rifles (4th Rajputana Rifles)

33

1920

3 King’s Royal Rifles, 3/60 Rifles,? Queen’s Own Hussars 107 Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 100 Battery, Royal Field Artillery, South Wales Borderers,3 KK RC

35

1923

3 Prince of Wales, 2 Bedfordshire Battalion, 13 Pack Battery, Battery Royal Artillery

36

1926

2 Battalion West Yorkshire, Regiment

37

1931

1 Bedfordshire Regiment, 16 Field Bengal Artillery

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Unit/Establishment

Sr. No.

Year

38

1933

8 Field Bengal Artillery, 28 Field Artillery

39

1934

1 Battalion Gloucestershire, Regiment, 28 Foot, 6 Bengal Cavalry

40

1936

3/6 Rajputana Rifles, 2 Suffolk Regiment,77 Field Battery

41

1940

3/57 Field Battery Royal Artillery, 52 Light Infantry 25 Field Artillery, Officer’s Training School

42

1941

Signals’ School

43

1944

2/19 Hyderabad Royal Artillery, Detachment of the Intelligence Corps Burma Armed Forces (BAF)

44

1945

1 Northampton shire Regiment Burma Intelligence Corps Royal Indian Army Service Corps, Army Physical Training Corps

45

1946

Infantry School

46

1948

5 Royal Maratha Light Infantry72 Highlanders

Source- Published in Mhow Diary on July 12 2007; Free Press, Indore edition by Dev Kumar Vasudevanwebblog.

1948

-

Onwards the Infantry School.

1971

-

The Infantry School, the College of Combat and Military College of Telecommunications Engineering

The surroundings of Mhow are suitable for training of troops in semi mountainous and jungle warfare. The allied troops were trained in this Cantonment before they were inducted into Burma.

The Vindhayachals presented a replica of terrain in Burma. Out of Mhow along Simrole road, on the left there is a hill, this was the area where “Jungle Traps Training” was imparted to the troops being trained for these operations. Prisoners of war camps were also established tokeep under captivity thousands of Italians and a sprinkling of German prisoners who were taken captive in North Africa and Eritrea in 1941. There were two PW camps. Italian PWs were kept here. During this period, 64

there was an, expansion of Indian Army and the number of living barracks for the troops mushroomed i.e. Malcolm Lines, Durand Lines, Veterinary Hospital (VH) Lines

and

the

living

barracks

seen

around

present

Military

College

of

Telecommunication engineering complex.

Many prominent personalities, including Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill, the Tory Prime Minister of wartime British Empire and Doctor B.R. Ambedkar, one of the main architects of Indian Constitution, have been associated with Mhow. Sir Winston Churchill was here as a Subaltern during the early part of the century. Doctor Ambedkar was bom in Mhow, when his father, a junior Commissioned Officer in the British Indian Army, was posted there.

The period of World War II witnessed considerable expansion of the infrastructure at Mhow, notable being the setting up of the officers ‘Training School in 1940 and the Signals’ School in 1941. While the officers’ Training School functioned till 1946, the Signals’ School continued to expand and has since graduated to become the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering of today.

Consequent to the winding up of the officers’ Training School, seven establishments were amalgamated and on 1st July 1946, the Infantry School came into existence.

After Second World War Cantonment was cluttered with troops which were thrown out of Burma by the Japanese Army and were brought here for rest and intensive training for counter offensive in Burma. Prisoners of war camps were also established in this Cantonment.

Mhow is that special town where the last surviving officers of the erstwhile Holkar Army of the Princely State of Indore live. They are Lt. Colonels K. R. Ponde and Onkar Singh Dikhit. There is no place in Mhow that is not suffused with history and heritage. History of Mhow is still flowing like river water.

2.2

SITE, SITUATION AND CHANGES IN ITS IMPORTANCE WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME Mhow in the territory of Indore is a British cantonment situated 15 miles

South-west of the town of Indore. It has altogether the appearance of a European town, having a church with steeple on an eminence, a spacious lecture-room, and 65

library well furnished with books, and a theatre. Old British era building still exists in Mhow .The cantonments are occupied by a considerable force, and the officers are sufficiently numerous to be enabled to form a society independent of external intercourse. Mhow was and continues to remain a mosaic of gardens and greens.

Broad avenues, punctuated with large bungalows with well manicured lawns, are its hallmark.

The British government established their supremacy in Malwa in 1818. They adopted the policy of maintaining permanent military stations at strategical points.

This was because they wanted to terminate the political and military control of the Marathas over the states. The selected places were suitable from the view point of strategy communication and climate these places were like Mhow, Sardarpur, Neemuch, Mahidpur, Guna and Mandaleshwar.

Etymology There is total lack of unanimity on how Mhow got its name. One possible sourceof the name might be the Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) tree, which grows inprofusion in the forests around Mhow. Some articles in popular literature statethat MHOW stands for Military Headquarters of War.Sir John Malcolm spelt the name of thistown as MOW in his writings. The 1918 edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica also mentions 'MAU'.

Geographical Background of the study Area Mhow Cantonment is amidst the undulating Malwa plateau of the Vindhya ranges it is located approximately 22 kilometres from Indore, on the Agra-Mumbai Highway, which is also known as the National Highway -3 (NH-3). The town of Mhow is surrounded by Gambhir River, on an eminence one and a half mile north­ west of the cantonment. Elevation of cantonment above sea level is 572 m.It is on the southern comer of Malwa plateau at 22° 33’ North and 75° 46’ East.

The cantonment town Mhow is surrounded by many villages and rivers.Shahda village forms the northern boundary, Gambhir river western, Sater river eastern and kodaria village located at south of the town. Besides this, in south Bargonda, east Gujarkheda and Sutarkhedi and on west Telikheda, Dhamaka, Dongergaon etc. After few years it will complete two century of its establishment.

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67

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3 . 5 2 .3

3

3

Vlndhyon Range

In d o rt P to lto u

C hom bol B o tin

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RAILWAY LINE WITH STATION,METRE GAUGE RIVER. T A N K , RE SERVED FOREST WITH B O U N O A R Y ^ r-T ^ , M—*

RAILWAY LINE WITH STATION, BROAD GAUGE. ..

M ETALLED ROAD ...........................................................

STATE HIGHWAY ...............................................................

NATIONAL HIGHWAY ..................................................

TAHSIL ................................................

A R E A ............................................................

» URBAN

BOUNDARY, DISTRICT.............................................

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DISTRICT INDORE

Map No.; 2.2

Total Cantonment area was re-shuffled from time to time for creating new wards. Mhow cantonment now comprises of eight wards with total area of 4200 acres, and 261 acres as civil and bazar area under its management. It is now one of the largest and important cantonments of India.

Relief Malwa is a table land with small conical table crowned hills and low ridges, watered numerous rivers and small streams. Vindhyans also form the water shed from where several rivers flow to water the plateau region. The drainage pattern of the area is not well planned.

Mhow was a British cantonment in Indore State, Central India Agency. It stands on a somewhat narrow ridge of trap rock. 580 metres contour line passes from Mhow. Mhow is surrounded by Vindhayachals ranges. The ridge which falls away abruptly on the south and east, slopes away gradually on the west forming a broad plain used as a brigade parade ground. Mhow is bordered by two rivers, the Gambhir on its west and Sater to its east.

Climate The Climate in general is tropical monsoon type. Climate on the whole is healthy and elevated plateau is notable for its cool nights in the hot season. The climate is moderately hot from April to June and Maximum temperature varies from 37째 C to 40째 C. Monsoon conditions prevail from June to September. The rainfall during the period is approximately 60 centimetres out of a total rain fall of 65 centimetres in the whole year.

Winter lasts from November to February and the minimum temperature varies from 11째 C to 8째 C. The Cantonment shares in the temperate climate of the plateau, having an average rainfall of 30 inches. The station is a healthy one, and till the visitation of plague of 1903, which carried off 20 percent of the population, chiefly natives had been free from all epidemics of a serious character since 1869, when a severe epidemic of cholera took place. Mhow has a salubrious climate.

Soil The soil in the town is generally black which is rich and occupies almost the whole area. It varies in depth and is usually loamy to clayey in texture.

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Map No.: 2.3

MHOW CANTONMENT Index Map 800m Shaida

Mhow Gaon

Cs 1'

.Indore

North

To Richabardi

To Gauli Palasiya

V High way 5, Metalled Road UnmetalledRoad ■ RIVER S RAILWAY LINE ■ FORT ■ Fireing Range ■ Nala

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Drainage The town of Mhow is situated on the east bank of Gambhir River, on an eminence one and a half miles north-west of the cantonments. Gambhir and Sater drain the town from east and west. Water is not found in these rivers as they flow in plateau area. In rainy season they have sufficient water but in month of May they flow in the form of nalla.These rivers are not used for drinking and irrigation purposes.

Near Mhow there is Bercha Lake which provides water to Mhow throughout the year.

But due to its limited capacity people face shortage of water during summer. Hence Narmada river water is brought to Mhow.

Accessibility Mhow is centrally located and well connected by air, road and rail from the rest of India. With its proximity to the State highway one and the construction of the Mhow bypass road, and the Mhow - Ghatabillod road, and Mhow-Simrole road the connectivity has only increased. It is also on the Agra-Bombay road, and the road to Neemuch and Ajmer. Mhow railway station was established in 1875. The Western Railway came into existence in 1951.Mhow town is on western railways Ajmerkhandwa metre gauge line.Thus Mhow cantonment is well connected by rail and road to all states and national highways. Air-port and broad gauge facility available at Indore at a distance of 22 kms.

2.3

IMPORTANCE OF ITS LOCATION WITH RESPECT TO INDORE AND PITHAMPUR

Impact of Indore on Mhow town •

As the city grows in size, the surrounding area becomes urbanized, and the peripheries that were once completely rural in character are brought into the city fold to be recognized as suburbs and rural urban fringe. Such a change is visible with respect to Mhow cantonment and Indore city.

•

Indore is the largest city in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of the River Khan and Sarawati. At an altitude of 553 m above sea level on the Malwa Plateau, this city is nearly the heart of the nation. With growing population, the city is expanding rapidly.

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Map No. 2.4 Topo Sheet No.:46N 14

ro ro

RELIEF AND CONTOUR MAP R.F. 1:50,000

35'

DharNaka Dhar 51 Km

Berchha 5 Km

to

ro

eOOKm

o. rio— 71

•

Indore is the economic and commercial centre of the Malwa region and the central state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the largest city in Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of the Indore District and Indore Division. As Madhya Pradesh geographically represents the heart of India, Indore is in all senses the heart of Madhya Pradesh.

•

Indore is the commercial capital of the state and a hub for all major business activities in the western part of Madhya Pradesh. The region consists of seven districts viz. Indore, Dewas, Ujjain, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Dhar and Jhabua. The region is relatively more urbanized and industrialized as compared to other regions of the state. Out of seven districts, the three urban center i.e. Indore, Dewas and Ujjain, which are located in a triangular manner in close proximity to each other, are more urbanized.

•

The city of Indore is having direct linkages with the Mumbai, Bhopal, and Delhi etc. Indore is located midway on the 1000 km long Mumbai Agra National Highway - NH-3. Also it is connected by rail to all Metros. Mhow town depend on Indore for medical services.

•

Many international level hospitals are located in Indore. Approximately 75 percent residents of Mhow get treatment from these hospitals.

•

Home to a range of colleges and schools, Indore has a large number of educational centres. Most primary and secondary schools in Indore are affiliated with the CBSE, however, a number of schools have affiliation with ICSE board, NIOS board and the state level M.P. Board. Devi Ahilya Vishvavidyalaya (DAVY) is the major and oldest university of Indore, offering courses in more than 20 fields ranging from law to pharmacy to management at both graduate and postgraduate level

•

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, one of the oldest medical colleges in country offers varied range of courses in medical sciences. Having both Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Indore makes it the only city in the country to have both of these institutions. About twenty five percent students come to attend schools and colleges of Indore.

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i

Indore serves Mhow from many ways. It provides ample opportunity for growth and development of the person. There is abundant scope for employment opportunity. There is an availability of international repute colleges and university. Students of Mhow get admission to these colleges. A modem medical facility also benefits the nearby towns and cities. Due to proximity to this city people of Mhow a avail facilities provided by the city

•

Before 1950 Mhow was a small village under the administration of Mhow tahsil. It was totally a rural type of area having forest domination and some agriculture land. The rapid growth of population and development of urban activities during the last 2 decades is quite significant. Today it has emerged as dormitory suburbs of the city of Indore.

•

Mhow has come up as the satellite town of Indore city. By satellite town we mean a settlement close to a larger urban centre. This type of town is strongly influenced by the larger city’s economy, i.e., economically it is an integral part of a large body although it is physically separate from it.

•

Abhivyakti Centre of Fine Arts and Performing Arts, Deolalikar Kala Vithika are also similar centers for arts and theatre.There are also various cultural clubs like Ras Bharati and Kala Abhivyakti, Who invite performers from around the globe to perform in Indore.Many artists from Mhow also perform here regularly. Yashwant Club and Sayaji Club also sponsor and invite talents from across world. Mhow people visit for enjoying dance, drama and various cultural programme.There was a time when Indorian use to come to Mhow for entertainment.

•

Indore is called the “mini Mumbai “of India and it is also town that has seen rapid growth in the last 10 years. It is an important business and industrial centre. Apart from its industrial importance Indore is the gateway to Ujjain and Omkareshwar, both have ancient Hindu temples.

•

In recent years as the state has advanced, the city of Indore has grown many folds and has more business potential to offer than any other city of similar stature in the country. Major corporate and business houses including foreign investors have already invested huge sums of money in concurrent projects going on in and around Indore. Major initiatives are being taken for attracting 73

investors to enjoy the privileges of a developing centre.

•

First cotton mill in Indore established ini 871. Slowly Indore became hub of cotton textile industry. But due to lack of capital and obsolete machinery many cotton textile mills were forced to shut down. First factory to be closed down was hope textile mill in 1986. Later on kalyan mill, swadeshi mill, Indore Malwa mill, Rajkumar mill and lastly in 1991 Hukumchand mill shut down.

Indore is also Madhya Pradesh biggest transhipment centre. Many small and large production units are engaged. They consist of mainly oil mill, goods manufacturing, parts of machineries, electrical equipment, goods of asbestos, RCC pipe making, pharmaceutical, readymade garments and jewellery. More than thousand pharmaceutical factories are there in Indore.

•

Some of the notable Factories in Indore are Ace Engineering’s and Chemicals Pvt. Ltd Industry, Aero Soft Corp Industry Courier, Logistics, Packaging, Transport, Ajmeri Industries Industry, Consumer Durables, Home Appliances, Armour Software Technologies Pvt. Ltd Industry.

•

A central power city, Indore exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance,

media,

art,

fashion,

research,

technology,

education,

and

entertainment and has been described as the commercial capital of the state.

Indore's financial district, anchored by central Indore, functions as the financial capital of the Madhya Pradesh and is home to the Madhya Pradesh Stock Exchange, India's third oldest stock exchange. Indore's real estate market is among the most expensive in the state. Numerous colleges and universities are located in Indore, including IIM Indore and IIT Indore. Major portion of town population depends on Indore for employment.Nearly 50 percent inhabitants of Mhow daily up down for work in various factories of Indore.Due to proximity to Indore Mhow is developing rapidly in all respect.

Importance of Mhow with respect to Pithampur •

Pithampur Asia’s biggest industrial estate is a town in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Pithampur is located at a distance of about 22 km from Indore via Rau and is 8 kilometres from Mhow, which is another suburb of Indore. Pithampur; referred to as Detroit of India due to heavy concentration of Automobile Industry.

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•

Pithampur has an average elevation of about 1550 feet above mean sea level.

Pithampur has a typical sub-tropical climate. As of 2011 India census, Pithampur had a population of 1, 26,099. Pithampur is located on NH79, and NH59 connecting Indore with Ahmadabad touches its fringes. There is a road from Rau to Pithampur which connects it to Indore. It is also connected to Agra-Mumbai 4 lane road which is also referred to as NH3 and also with a new route to Bombay. There are regular scheduled Mini Bus/City Bus/Private Bus services between Indore and Pithampur passing through Mhow throughout the day with a very good frequency. Also there are regular services to District Headquarter Dhar and beyond to Ratlam. Nearest airport is Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport at Indore which is about 19 km or 40 minutes drive from Pithampur.

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The nearest railway stations are Mhow (8 km) and Indore. Mhow is only meter gauge railway stations with limited connectivity to nearby areas whereas Indore is a broad gauge Terminus and has good connectivity and daily connections to all metros and all major towns of country and the state. The new proposed and sanctioned railway line between Indore and Dahod will traverse the Pithampur area and will connect the region directly to Indore and Godhra-Dahod-Vadodara in Gujarat, boosting industrial development. Also Pithampur is well-known historical city in Madhya Pradesh.

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Pithampur is a hub for the automobile manufacturing industry and in addition to major units like Kinetic Honda, Hindustan Motors and Bajaj Tempo Ltd. it has many ancillary units. Pithampur in Mhow is India’s biggest industrial area with more than 600 factories and lakhs of people from all parts of country and heavy industrial goods arrives here regularly. It is a town and a nagar Panchayat in Dhar district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is an industrial estate and a suburb of Indore.

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Pithampur attracts a lot of migrant workers (both skilled and non skilled) from across the country. The entire industrial area is divided into 3 sectors and has areas marked for various utilities and services.

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76

ijiIwjiu Ja'way

a ** 9

*.

GawhPalasia

Conectivity of Indore and Pithampur

Map No.: 2.5

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Initially Pithampur was a small village. But due to Madhya Pradesh government initiative towards industrial growth in 1977 it started taking shape of a well-developed industrial area. It was establish in 1982 by including nearby villages. It has both large and small scale industries. A large number of national and international reputed companies are functioning in Pithampur. It is divided mainly in three sectors; sector-I, II and sector III. Pithampur has an industrial Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Majority of the vehicle-producing companies of India have their factories in Pithampur.

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Pithampur is considered as a hub for the automobile manufacturing industry.

Some of the major companies that have industrial units in Pithampur are Flexi tuff International Limited- Kiran Shashtri- Manager, L & T CASE Equipment, Eicher Motors, Mahindra 2 Wheelers, Caparo, Bajaj Tempo Ltd., Man Force Mahindra 2 Wheelers, Mahle Engine Components (I) Pvt. Limited, Anant Steel P. Ltd.lt has plants of Kinetic Honda, Bajaj Tempo, Eicher Motors, Hindustan Motors, Larson and Tubro etc. It has also steel plant of Pratap Steel, Kusam, Prestige and Chirag Ingots. Electronics consumer goods plants of Crompton Greaves, Kores India, Onida Saka etc. are also located here.

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Hindustan Motors also has their power plant unit here. The construction of Asia's largest auto testing track is also sanctioned by Govt, of India. Apart from automobile industries, Pithampur is home to various other industries like food processing, chemical processing, distilleries, manufacturing, and textile industries.

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Pithampur has a Dry Port (ICD) facility from Container Corporation India limited. This facilitates direct exports of finished goods to foreign countries with all paperwork done at Pithampur facility.

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Industrial town, Pithampur situated near to Mhow is an emerging growth centre. With an area of more than 2000 hectares, Pithampur has 127 large and more than 600 small-scale industries. The area has been successful in attracting an investment of over Rs 73,000 million. Majority of the automotive industry have their presence in the area. The region has been lagging behind in rail connectivity.

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Many ongoing and proposed railway projects have been developing. The hub 77

will provide facilities and services for collection, distribution, storage and transportation of goods meant for exports and imports at competitive cost and fast turnaround times. The significant presence of large, medium and small industries in the region and increasing use of containers, in international and domestic trade, make significant potential demand for such facilities and services.

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The distance between Mhow and Pithampur has reduced as more than three thousand person both male and female commutes for Pithampur from Mhow.

The importance of the town is rising by every passing year as more companies are attracted to invest in many projects which are going to benefit surrounding region.

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Pithampur population come to Mhow for shopping and avails medical facilities. More than 20,000 workers commute daily to work in factories of Pithampur. There are direct bus services between Pithampur and khargone.

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Mhow has become crowded as the employees of factories seek residence at Mhow. They select Mhow for their home as all basic amenities are easily accessible to them. This has led to rising land value in Mhow. Many tenants have boosted the house rent in Mhow.

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The pithampur industrial area has exerted more influence on the rising land value at Mhow.Most of the growth of Mhow cantonment is influenced by the existence of Pithampur industrial area.

2.4

GROWTH OF TOWN The growth of town depends on the availability of resources, technology, and

diversified economic base, socio-cultural values of residents and overall management of the system. Several factors, individually and jointly, are responsible for the growth and decline of small towns. Physical, locational, demographic, economic and socio­ cultural factors affect the growth of the town. Many small towns have a strong agricultural resource base. Their growth and sustainability depends on diversification of the economy. Lack of these forces results in decline of small towns.

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In 2018, Mhow will be two centuries old. The time period from 1818 to 1918 marks the first hundred years of this cantonment, while that from 1918 to 2018 will complete the second century.

The growth of the Mhow town has been studied in two contexts one is historical and other one geographical.First of all the historical growth of the town has been seen from old records and documents.

1817

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Mow is a small village in the Maratha Holkar kingdom. Since a few years it has been noted that on the ridge to its east, there exists a military camp of the Holkar Army that is busy keeping out foreign invaders from this region.

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On 21st December, the historic Battle of Mahidpur takes place between the armies of Holkar and the British East India Company. It is a fierce battle, which by 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the British win.

1818

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On 6th January the Treaty of Mandsaur is signed. It has seventeen articles, the seventh of which gives the East India Company a place to keep its troops for the protection of Holkar. By February, the British Armies enter Malwa.

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In April, the Brigadier General Sir John Malcolm comes for the first time to the ridge of Mow from Indore (via Harsola) A large force comprising 4000 troops is already present in Mhow.

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It is known as the Mhow or Malwa field force. The 1st Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Regt. Bombay light Cavalry are among the first Regiments to be stationed at this new Cantonment.

1819

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This year British troops are uprooted from a district in Gujarat called Kheda and shifted to Mow Gaon in the Holkar State. This year a library and reading room is also established and is called the ‘Mhow Military Library’.

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Sir John Malcolm had been keen to start an institution like this. This year the deadly thieves known as Pindaris who roam this area, are completely destroyed and their terror finally ends.

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In the 1880s when there was an acute shortage of water, this pond called 79

‘Hathi kaKund’ found mention.

1820 •

This cantonment has become one of the main camps in the western chain of British Stations. By now the layout of the Cantonment seems to be fairly good.

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There is a racecourse too. The Mhow racecourse is not just any racecourse, it is said to be one of the finest in India.

1821 •

There were three Native Infantry Battalions. There were the Cavalry Lines opposite which were the Stables.

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There was a Burying Ground now known as the Old Cemetery, Parade Ground, Race Course, the Sadar or Main Bazar, and the Commissariat or surplus stores of the Cantonment.

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They are making it to secure the ammunition, gunpowder, and similar valuable stores.

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Besides the Fort, there is an Artillery Hospital a little ahead of the Artillery.

There are three Native Infantry Battalions.

1822 •

There were a significant number of people in Mhow already by 1822. Other than troops, the cantonment had a population of 13000, Sir John Malcolm wrote

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By 1822 there were hundreds of people in the bazaar. It is believed that the Parsis came from Gujarat with the Gujarat Field Force Some Bohras may have come in a similar manner, and also from Ujjain where they were in great numbers.

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Many Mohammedans are also believed to have come here at this time in different services.

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There would have been a variety of people of different trades, cultures, and languages. Some of the professions of those old times were; Bania,Teli, Mochi,Bansphore, Kalal, Sarwan, Halwai. Money - lender or Shroff, and the contractor.

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Some of the areas in the Sadar bazaar where these communities settled down 80

would come to be known in time by their names like — Teli Gali, Kirwani Mohalla, Sarwan Mohalla, and Bhoi Mohalla.

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There must have been a great number of the Lunias because a huge area in time began to be known, and still is, as Luniyapura.

1823 •

In the Sadar bazaar of cantonment in those days, where people would go to shop for grain and cloth, they were those who saw to the law and order there, and were known as ‘chaprasis of the Sadar bazaar’

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John Malcolm had been compiling this book in Mhow. In February 1821 he sent his ‘Report on Malwa and Adjoining Countries’ to the Governor General from Mhow.

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It was published in 1822 as ‘Report of the province of Malwa and Adjoining Districts’, and later as ‘A Memoir of Central India; Including Malwa and adjoining provinces’ in 1823.

1824 •

It was a church - the Anglican Church of England. It was Mhow’s first church, and was perhaps the first church that was made in Malwa.

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It is Mhow’s First church, being built on the road which will be known as the Mall Road. The Races continue to be an important sport in this cantonment.

1825 •

It happened this year when the Indore pargana (administrative unit) of the Holkar Kingdom was divided into three parganas; Indore, Mow and Hasalpur.

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The village of Mow became the headquarters of the Mow pargana comprising many village including Palasia, and kodaria that surrounded Mhow.

1826 •

The East India Company wanted to consolidate the elusive trade of the famous ‘Malwa Opium’ which was cheaper yet had a distinct flavour.

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This year Indore, Dhar, and dewas agree to let the British Government have an exclusive right of purchasing all opium grown in their territories. A Roman Catholic Chapel is erected in Mhow.

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1827 •

John Malcolm returns to India as the governor of Bombay.

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On the 27th day of March it hails so much in simrole ghat region -that officers from the cantonment who are there at the time, fill tubes with these hail stones to cool their wines.

1828 •

Mhow, as a military station, is of great importance, as the troops stationed, and the eastern frontier of Gujarat. The cantonment is supplied by stores from Bharuch in Gujarat.

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The Mhow Races are still a famous thing. Horses from all over the world come to Mhow to participate in them.

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A new race stand at that course is nearly finished. It is forty feet long, and stands high on a mound which is about nine feet above the level of the course.

1829 •

The market place had shops that sold an array of necessities of those bygone days.

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The Asiatic journal mentions three Parsi merchants in the Mhow bazar who are partners of a firm: jeewanji, Dadabhoy and Rustomji. They are probably from the Appoo and Masalawala families, among the first that have come to this British Cantonment.

1830 •

Since many years now the force at Mhow consists of one Cavalry Regiment, one troop of a brigade of Horse Artillery, and three Native Infantry Regiments.

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This year, William Henry Sleeman’s Operations have put an end to the dangerous gangs of thugs that have been roaming these areas.

1831 •

Letters that are delivered by Dak carriers who run through the jungles carrying the mail.

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At Mhow, the Major of the Brigade is also the post master. Big changes in the military line are about to take place.

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1832 •

Several renovations were done to buildings in the Cantonment including the Artillery Hospital, Artillery Barracks, and the Bell of Arms, the Gun shed, the Commissariat buildings, and Cavalry Stables.

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The month of April was marked by a great epidemic of influenza prevailing in upper India. Diseases were one of the biggest problems of those times.

1833 •

It has been noted, and is quite a matter of pride, that except for Mhow, no cantonment in this Presidency has a Library which is a necessity for the young cadets who are sent from school to fill up vacancies of the Indian Army.

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The king of Indore, Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar III, dies. This very year, Sir John Malcolm dies in England. Coincidentally, both of the deceased had been at opposite sides at the Battle of Mahidpur in 1818.

1834 •

Cholera had been prevailing for some time over the country and causing great mortality.

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At the cantonment of Neemuch on 21st May, the day following Muharram, it attacked about sixty people in the Sadar bazaar of the station.

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The Muslim population chiefly suffered, perhaps from the previous exposure to the weather during the Muharram.

1835 •

This is the first known accident at the ‘Great Waterfall near Mhow’ (present day patal pani).

1836 •

This year the chinch on the mall was named ‘CHRIST CHURCH’.

1837 •

At Mhow the sight of neat gardens with lines of European bungalows is quite reviving to the traveller who has come hundreds of miles from Agra and has seen too much of jungle.

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Here in the heart of India is a pretty little Cantonment. They say Mhow is very much like Sagar as compared to any other Cantonment in India.

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1838 •

As the station of sitapur is being abolished, the regiment from there has been sent to Mhow.

1839 •

The post- Office, which till now was attached to the office of Major of Brigade, is separated.

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An abundance of rain is noted at the Cantonments of Mhow and Neemuch this year.

1840 •

Mhow is the only Station in the Bombay Army where Bengal Troops are serving. But the Station is being commanded by an officer of the Bombay Army Major General Brooks.

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As the land around the Cantonment is part of Mhow pargana of the Holkar kingdom, it is gifted to the Parsis of Mhow by the Holkar Durbar for the purpose of the Tower of Silence.

1841 •

In the present distribution of the Indian Army there were no Queen’s Troops at this station, but regiments of the company’s Troops stationed here were; the 2nd Light Cavalry, the 3rd Native Infantry, the 7th Native Infantry, and 17thNative Infantry. They belonged to the Bombay Army.

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Mhow was part of the Northern Division of the Army, the other Stations in the Division being Ahmadabad, Deesa, Baroda, Surat, Rajkot, Kutch, and Satara.

1842 •

This year, two groups of traders the Maheshwari and Marwadi Agarwal’s come together to establish a temple in the main Street. It is called ‘Gopal Mandir’.

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It is possible that their Panchayat was established in 1839, and Gopal Mandir was built by, or in, 1842.

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Today’s “Main Street” of the Mhow bazaar was actually the “main street” of the bazaar. In the 1940s it got divided into two - the Main Street and Sanghi Street.

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However, earlier than that, and perhaps by the 1880s, it also incorporated stretches known as Bombay Bazaar, Dalia Bazaar, Bada Bazaar, and Gopal Mandir.

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Some records going back to thel870s show in a subtle manner that the strip from Gopal Mandir towards the end of present day Sanghi Street could have been known as ‘the Grand Bazaar’.

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This is even more interesting when we link it to present day Raja Gali which branches off from some where there. It used to be known as ‘Raja ka Bazaar’ or the king’s market in the early 1900s and before.

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The Namolis seem to have come to the Cantonment in the 1860s if not earlier.

It is not sure when the Hindonias and the Madhopuriyas settled in the Cantonment.

1843 •

These days, people go from Mhow to Bombay in palanquins which are also known as doolies. The other way, is to walk all the baggage on ponies.

1844 •

Tukoji Rao Holkar II is the king of Indore. His reign will see a lot of development in the Holkar Kingdom that lies all around Mhow.

1845 •

The Bombay- Agra road, that is being made, has not reached Mhow as yet.

1846 •

There are not many Parsis in this cantonment at this time. The Fire Temple had been made with the contributions of many Parsis.

1847 •

The Agra - Bombay Road which had started being made in 1834, has reached Indore.

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This year the Holkar Darbar has metalled the road from Indore to Rau -the village halfway to this Cantonment, but the Road is yet to touch Mhow.

1848 •

The three western field forces; Mhow, Neemuch and Nasirabad, are to form a Command called the “Mhow Division”.

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1849 •

The Madras Army is now going to be in this Cantonment.

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The first Hindi and Urdu weekly ‘Malwa Akhbar’ is published at Indore and gives news of the area including Mhow.

1850 •

Somewhere around this year, huge baori has been built by a multi -millionaire

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This baori at Mhowgaon will facilitate people to drink water when they come from all the surrounding villages in the Mhow pargana to attend the holker revenue court.

1851 •

The age of the Railway in India is about to start, but it is going to take several years for the railway to reach Mhow.

1852 •

Till the railway comes, travelling by road is the only way to move around.

From Mhow to Rau, the road is very bad and ill drained, passing mostly over black soil. But from Rau to Indore, the road is very good.

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On the other side too, that is from Mhow to Manpur, the road is not good. One of the several nallahs is so deep, that when it is filled with water, the daks are delayed.

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There are ferries (called mails) to take one across the nallahs that surround Mhow.

1853 •

The well known American author Bayard Taylor passes Through Mhow on his way to Indore. He is visiting India, China, and Japan. He mentions is his travelogue that “Mhow is a handsome station.

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The officers’ bungalows are surrounded by small gardens. It is considered a very healthy place of residence.”

1854 •

The post of AGG (Agent to the Governor General) has been created, and that of the Resident is merged into this post.

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This is because the different Agencies in Central India have now been combined into the ‘Central India Agency’ under the Agent to the Governor General in Central India.

1855 •

This year has been significant for the Roman Catholics in Mhow who number 448.

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Till now, they did not have a resident priest to see to their spiritual needs, but this year, they have formed a parish, and they have got their first resident priest called Fr.S. Evaristus.

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A Roman Catholic Chapel has also been built on simrole Road.

1856 •

12 June- Both postal and telegraphic communication between Agra and Bombay has been stopped for three days near Mhow.

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The Madras Presidency will no longer be able to supply this station with madras troops, which is why Bengal troops will soon occupy Mhow.

1857 •

This delightful station enjoys quite a European climate, and English fruits greet the eye side by side with oranges, lemons, citrons, mangoes, lecquoits, and guavas.

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It has altogether the appearance of an English town, having a church with a steeple, on an eminence, a public library, theatre, and assembly - Rooms.

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The cantonment at Mhow is occupied by a considerable force. The Station has lines for 7000 men.

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It is an eventful year in India. It is the year of the 1st War of Independence, and its flames reach Mhow on the 1st of July at night.

1858 •

The Cantonment becomes a massive base for the campaign to quell the mutiny in Central India. The authority of the east India Company in India is replaced by the British Crown.

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The opium sale that forms the most lucrative branch of Malwa trade is shifted from Indore to Mhow. A Masonic Lodge called ‘Lodge St. Paul’ starts in this cantonment.

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1859 •

Bazaar master is an old word still used for the CEO of a Cantonment Board, (earlier called the Cantonment Magistrate of the Cantonment Authority).

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The earliest known bazaar - master in Mhow was Captain Lester in the 1860s, after whom “Lester Road” in Mhow gets its name.

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This is the road that goes from the present day traffic signal on the mall down to the bazaar past the Bhaya Mansion to reach Dr. Niqa Singh’s Clinic.

1860 •

A decade of important years of development in the Cantonment began. Mhow was changing now from its older days of raw military camp life under the honourable East India Company to Post Mutiny expansion under the British Government.

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The years to follow were going to see a lot of change in the camp as well as the bazaar. New barracks would be built; the establishment of a Dispensary in the bazaar was going to be planned; and a school in Mhow was going to start soon.

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Stables that were erected for the native cavalry were modified and altered to meet the requirement of the troops.

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Mhow’s first tailoring shop ‘Choteylal Moolchand’ is believed to have been established somewhere around then.

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In time it would earn the title ‘Royal Tailors’ because of its clientele - kings and nobles of the surrounding Princely States who would come to have their garments stitched in this shop in the Mhow bazaar.

1861 •

As the Mutiny has ended, now the British Army is stationed in Central India as a peace-keeping force. 19th Dec: The Inniskilling Dragoons (after seeing the end of the Mutiny) arrive at Mhow after a 17 day march from Ahmednagar. Lt Col.

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Thomas Crawley is their Commanding Officer. The Inniskilling Dragoons cannot occupy the cavalry Barracks because the barracks are not ready.

Therefore the regiment camps on the ground outside for a few days.

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1862 •

The 6th Inniskilling Dragoons are the first to move into the newly built barracks (present day Connaught Barracks in the Infantry School).

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This year the limits of the Mhow bazaar have been increased.

1863 •

In April this year, the Parsi Zoroastrians of Mhow raise a fund to start an English speaking school.

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This is Mhow’s first school (present day St. Mary’s Primary School). It is called the ‘Mhow Zoroastrian School’.

1864 •

The bazaar roads are now having stones laid in them. The Cantonment Authority carries out improvements to Merwanji Rustomji Dharmshala, where a quarter is being made for the use of European and other travellers.

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All the unhygienic wells in the Cantonment are put into a safe state. In April, a road tax is introduced.

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All works in the cantonment are now going to be carried out by ‘contract system’.

1865 •

The ground near the cavalry barracks has been levelled. From mud floors, paved floorings are being made in many buildings. A new Artillery Hospita is to be built.

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The roofs of the cavalry and infantry barracks are ceiled, and verandas are given as a shelter from the heart of the sun.

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Many troops of the Royal Artillery died of Cholera while marching from Mhow to Kirkee in April.

1866 •

The European Infantry Barracks known as Wellesley barracks are built on the highest point of Mhow facing the parade ground on One Tree Hill.

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The 6th Inniskilling Dragoons are leaving the Station. The Cavalry Regiment of the 11th Hussars will replace them.

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1867

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These days, the Cantonment Committee assembles for meetings at the Mess House of the Royal Artillery on the Mall. A DSP is appointed.

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The Cantonment Magistrate is the Deputy Superintendent of Police and the Kotwal has the authority of Inspector over the Police in subordination to the Cantonment Magistrate.

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This year the Inhabitants in the bazaar are 16326. The scarcity of water is felt in Mhow.

1868

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As there are many chabootras (Platforms) in the bazaar that cause an inconvenience to people, the width of a chabootra in wider roads is now limited to 4 feet, and in narrower roads to 3 feet.

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This year the ‘Mhow Zoroastrian School’ which initially had started only for Parsis, becomes a cosmopolitan School.

1869

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A Bridge is made over the nullah in Raj Mohalla where there is a great traffic for foot passengers between infantry and artillery barracks and the Bazaar.

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Drainage is improved by widening bridges and culverts throughout the Cantonment. There is a large influx of people in to Malwa, as the famine has worsened in Rajputana, from where people are running away.

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They are trying out an effective mode of lighting the bazaar, and maybe kerosene burners at the will be used now.

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The population of Mhow was 12640 this year. While there were plans to water the principal roads of the Station from 4 PM to 7 PM daily.

1870

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This year the Maharaja of Indore lends the British Government 1 crores Rupees to make a Railway line form Khandwa via Mhow to his Princely State Indore. This line will be called the ‘Holkar State Railway’.

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The Gokulganj Bridge

is destroyed in the floods of the 21st and 22nd June.

The Gawli Lines and other lines to the north - east of the Bazaar are being removed to the south - west of the cantonment.

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The Police and Chowkidari force in Mhow is reduced from 128 to 100 as it is more than in many Cantonments. This number of police is sufficient for the protection of the place.

1871 •

The roads and drains in the bazaar have to be put in proper order.

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The post of bazar provost is abolished. The railway line is going to going to pass through Mhow.

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A site for the railway station has also been chosen. The map shows that the proposed line does not run through the burial ground but to its side so there is no need to shift the Mohamedans burial ground (present day kabristan).

1872 •

The population of Mhow is 12640. The main drain in the main street is opened and covered with seasoned moveable planks.

1873 •

Plans were on to make a large piece of ground to the East of the bazaar near Lalji’s Busti into a place for the accommodation of poorer inhabitants who were unable to build decent houses in the cantonment. This place came to be known as Garibpura.

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The three places to halt in the Cantonment besides the Dharmshala were Gokulganj, Krishnapura, and kalimata - the area where the Kali Mata temple was.

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A new road 50 feet wide was going to be made straight from the Bazaar Guard (present day Kotwali) to the road leading to the new Railway Station.

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Till then there was no road in the cantonment that was more than 15 feet in breadth. This would be too narrow for the traffic that would arise when work on the Railway Station was finished.

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This road would also be a means of communication from the centre of the Cantonment to the new Railway Station. This road in time was called Montgomery Road after Major General Robert Montgomery who was commanding the Station.

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A new Dak bungalow was going to be constructed, or the present one enlarged 91

and brought up to the requirement of a Divisional Station. The Dak Bungalow at Khandwa was to be taken as a model for Mhow.

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In October it was publicly proclaimed throughout the bazaar that the ground near the Sater River near Gujarkheda was required for the cremation of Hindus and no petitions for gardens on this spot would be allowed.

1874 •

A new system of drainage is being introduced throughout the bazaar.

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All the private wells in the Cantonment are to be thrown open to the general Public.

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“PhoolChowk” had a lot of traffic even then, is an interesting point to know.

Of course that traffic would have been all types of country carts and horse drawn carriages.

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The bazaar roads, except for the Main Street, are all in a bad condition. Owing to the railway taking up so much ground in the cantonment, talks are on about extending the cantonment limits.

1875 •

In January this year a well was being dug near the Gymkhana Ground on the Neemuch Road. It was being made for a special purpose to procure water for watering the roads.

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In those days there were 116 street lamps in Mhow, which were lit every night that there was no moonlight. This was done by contract. The contractor was paid Rs 117 per month for the same.

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A fee of only 2 annas used to be levied on bands of music permitted to play throughout the bazaar.

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The same month of February saw the 3rd Hussars coming all the way from the Cavalry Barracks to the Library well for drawing water.

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Strangely, there was a lot of water in the newly dug well at the Gymkhana Ground.

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A pump had arrived on 19th of February which was hard at work. There were 6 carts working to water the roads.

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In the bazaar, the old building known as Merwanji Rustomji Dharmshala 92

which also had some shops was going to be dismantled.

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Bungalow 48 on the mall, the present day residence of the CEO of the Mhow Cantonment Board, was known in the old days as the Library Bungalow. Its old number was 98.

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This year it seems, the Charitable Dispensary that had started in 1870, has been officially established as ‘Dorabji Pestonji’s Charitable Dispensary’

1876 •

The month of August was even more exciting because on the 13th, the first train went from Mhow to Indore.

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Licences were granted to carriages, Tongas, and bullock carts plying for hire within the cantonment especially from and to the Rail Station. The rate of hire was also fixed. The Railway was changing everything in Mhow.

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With the opening of the Railways a large number of people employed in the Railway started coming here. Some of them were Maharashtrians who would in time get transferred to the District Office and Loco Shed.

1877 •

A fence was made around. And all the graves repaired in the old cemetery in Sarwan Mohalla.

1878 •

On the 1st of January this year the railway line finally opened from choral to Mhow. Now that this line was opened, the entire Holkar State Railway going from Khandwa past choral and then to Mhow and Indore, was ready.

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The line from Choral to Mhow was the most difficult to make, especially the Mhow - Kalakund to Patalpani.

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On this track, Tunnel 2 (the third when going from Mhow to Kalakund was perhaps the most problematic.

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From Choral, the train would stop at the station of Kalakund, where an extra engine would be attached to it to push it up the ghat to Patalpani passing the forest. The making of this track was definitely a historic achievement.

1879 •

In February, many garden owners of the cantonment entertained the hope of 93

finally being allowed to grow opium and rice in their gardens, along with Indian com and sugar cane which were the only crops allowed under the existing rules.

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In March, talks just continued on about the project for water supply to Mhow.

A new road was going to be made from the New Artillery Barracks to the Amalgamated European Infantry and Royal Artillery Hospital (perhaps the present day Army School).

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In the Bazaar the Secretary of the Native Library wanted to occupy a house on Bakery Road (present day Adhakuan Road) for a Library.

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Today’s Adhakuan road which goes from the main street to Manak Chowk passing a well that is only half in dimension, was the actual Bakery Road as old records show.

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The bakeries on the road going from the post Office to Rajeshwar Vidyalaya came up much later after which that road, known also as Malcolm Road, Became the Bakery Road.

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The Halwai gully too, where the halwais (Indian sweet - makers) probably were, was being repaired.

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Centre Street is being drained, repaired and metalled. Besides this, all roads in the sadar bazaar are being repaired.

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This year the post of the Bazaar Choudhary is abolished, and service of a detective is secured to trace and recover stolen property because there have been many robberies at night.

1880 •

It is decided that all carts on the Mall must have a bell or light especially on dark nights.

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The Police have been ordered to detain any cart attempting to pass the Mall without sufficient light.

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The Holkar Durbar vakeel has to inform all the adjoining villages about this.

Furthermore this year an experiment is taken out to see if the lighting on the Mall can be improved by ‘tin reflectors’.

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1881 •

Now all the shops in the Main and Centre streets have to have boards showing names and trades

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From now on, a standard Plan of houses has to be adopted by all persons who want to build in the Main Street of the Mhow bazaar.

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The Sarogi (Jain) Community rebuilds its temple in the Main Street from the small house - like structure it had been to a beautiful design.

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The Bada Masjid in the Bazaar is elevated.

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This year it is decided to make a Police Line in the Cantonment so that all the policemen will be in one place and can easily be called on duty especially in emergencies. Till this year the Cantonment Police had no regular lines to live in. They were scattered all over the bazaar, and in the surrounding villages.

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The Roman Catholic community in Mhow built its church known as ‘Sacred Heart Church’ in 1884.

1882

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This year Mahidpur, the Place where the famous battle was fought on the 21st of December 1817, as a result of which Mhow was established, ceased to exist as a Military Cantonment.

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A round this time, the Rajjputana - Malwa Railway came into existence; and the Holkar State Railway passing through Mhow got connected with this larger line going right up to Ajmer. The beginning of everything was in a railway - train upon the road to Mhow.

1883

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The absolute necessity for improving the water supply which had been the crying wants of Mhow for years.

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The 1st Grenadiers was one of the first regiments that came to Mhow way back in 1818 when this cantonment was established. The regiment was here again in 1882. The third time it would come, in 1906, it would be the 101st Grenadiers as a result of Lord Kitchener’s renumbering scheme that would take place in the early 1900s. The 1st Grenadiers are now re - designated as the 2nd battalion of the Guards Regiment.

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1884 »

On the 28th day of February the Honorary magistrate’s Court was established in Mhow. Khan Bahadur Eduliji Pestonji’s Birdi was the first honorary Magistrate.

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A new church is being built. It has been designed by an Italian priest by the name of pious de Benevento. He dedicates this church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus which is why this new church is called ‘Sacred Heart Church’.

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This Parsi Philanthropist had also built Mhow’s first school as well as the Charitable Dispensary. He died this year. In his memory a plaque was erected at the Dispensary now known as the Cantonment hospital.

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When the high School was established in Mhow around 1928, this school was named KEEP Memorial High School in Memory of this esteemed promoter of Education in Mhow.

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The mosque (now known as Gokulganj Masjid) is built

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This year there are 3482 houses in the bazaar and bustis of Mhow.

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There are just 115 policemen. There is an insufficient Police force.

1885 •

A Club (which later became the club of Central India, and is now known as the DSOI) is formed in the Cantonment.

1886 •

At one time it was thought that the Cavalry and Artillery might have to be sent to the Narmada River, 36 miles off.

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In June, Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II died, and his son Shivaji Rao Holkar assumed reign of the Holkar Court at Indore.

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The Gambhir rose to the south - west of Mhow near the Janapav Hill.

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Janapav, one of the peaks of the Vindhya Range, with an elevation of3979 feet formed the apex of an amphitheatre of hills.

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There is a severe drought in Mhow.

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The wells in the bazaar and nearly all those in the Cantonment are going dry.

The cavalry horses have to go four kilometres north of Mhow to the village of Kooti to drink water.

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In November, the Project of making Bercha Dam has commenced. The dam is going to be 40 feet high and 3022 feet long. It should finish before the monsoon next year.

1887 •

Meanwhile, the houses in the village of Bercha were to be dismantled and removed to some place below the dam (present day Bercha village).

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A Small temporary bungalow was to be built on the hill for the Engineer in immediate charge of the head works. Dispensary under the charge of a native doctor and dresser.

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Gustadji Dotiwala was an efficient Contractor. He even employed the services of some policemen to maintain law and order in this little world away from Mhow busy in making a dam.

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Till now the cantonment had got all its water from wells and rivers. Now pipes and taps were coming which would change the lifestyle in Mhow.

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In the monsoon Bercha Lake gets filled with water for the first time.

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There are 21877 People in Mhow, out of which, 14799 are bazaar residents, and 7178 are troops and camp - followers.

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The lifestyle in Mhow will change. By the end of November water is brought to the Cantonment by Gravitational Method. A reservoir has been built on the highest point of Mhow where the European Infantry Barracks are (Present day MCTE Barracks).

1888 •

This year the first Girls School of Mhow was established. It was called ‘Bai Bhikaji K B Khory’s Girls School’.

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By November itself, the whole of the pipe laying for Government buildings and the bazaar with the fitting up of taps was completed.

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Now distribution of water in the Cantonment would begin.

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Finally piped water was going to be available in a regular water supply to the Cantonment. This had been wanted since so many years, now the time had finally come.

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The portion of the New Cemetery (that came up around 1870 on present day 97

Station Road), where roman Catholics are being buried soon going to be full.

Another place needs to be selected for the burials of Roman Catholics who die in this Cantonment.

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This year the Mhow Division became Mhow District.

1889

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Four vernacular branches are to be established in Mhow Zoroastrian high school.

1890

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In Mhow this year there existed horse and pony Tongas and the principle roads of the cantonment were watered by hired bullocks and drivers.

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Tower of Silence was finally put out of bounds, and “any soldier after that date being found on it would be tried by Court Martial”

1891

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The year Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar was bom. The level crossing on the Mhow - Indore road is going to be improved.

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The cantonment Gardens are going to be laid out and maintained now.

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A road (Present day Maharashtra Samaj Road) is being made to the railway station through Luniyapura.

1892

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Sacred Heart School (now Rajeshwar Vidyalaya) officially starts.

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The school is opened in the campus of St. Anthony’s Church, and is perhaps still called “St. Joseph’s School’ and will later be shifted to the campus of Sacred Heart Church, when it will take on the name ‘Sacred Heart School’.

1893

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Incidentally, they say that the Ram Mandir on the Maharashtra Samaj Road is probably one of the only temples in Mhow that have no appearance of a temple from outside.

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When the High School started around 1928, the two Parsi schools were closed and their students and teachers were transferred to the new school at Hari Pathak which was named in honour of Khan Bahadur Eduliji Pestonji, who had started the first school in Mhow in 1863.

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In 1929 the vacant Anglo Vernacular School was occupied by a large parsi family known as the coopers.

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The Steam Roller is to be tried first. St. Mary’s School start on the 16th of January. But there are not one, but three schools functioning here - the Boarding and Day School, St. Joseph’s School, and St. Anne’s School for poor children. To each of these schools a boarding is attached.

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The first 22 students, boys and girls, and their parents are addressed in English. The School has two sections - English and Hindi.

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A road is going to be made to the west of the Masonic Hall to connect the Indore Road with the Native Infantry Lines (present day Malcolm Lines).

1894 •

The Circular Road to the east of the cantonment is being metalled.

1895 •

In October, the 7th Hussars left Mhow for Natal in South Africa. They left their horses back in the Cantonment for the cavalry regiment that was going to replace them - the 20th Hussars.

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This year the 3 Presidency Armies have been abolished, and in their Place the Army of India is divided into four Commands - Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western.

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Mhow becomes part of the Southern Command with Head quarters at Pune.

1896 •

This year there were two lady writers in Mhow. And both of them had the same name - ‘Violet’.

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While one was writing poems that would be published as ‘Garden of Kama’ under a pseudonym ‘Lawrence Hope’ in 1901; the other Violet wrote letters to her mother that would be published as ‘Violet Jacob; Diaries and Letters from India’.

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A boarding school has been opened for the local Catholic boys, and English has been added to the curriculum of St. Joseph’s School running at st.

Anthony’s Chapel. (The school will evolve into Sacred Heart School once its location changes to the campus of Sacred Heart Church).

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While at St. Mary’s School classes are taken outdoors once again as the strength of the school has increased and there is a shortage of classrooms.

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This year a new building of the school is built. It has class rooms in the ground floor and the boarding up stairs. In the bazaar, the roads are dammered.

1897 •

Around that time, the Railway Company was opening a school for the children of the Railway people.

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One such school was already here in 1892 and was closed by the Inspector that year.

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The Railway School which was starting again would follow the Nagpur Pattern of Education.

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A Pathway is constructed along a portion of the Mall for the benefit of foot passengers as there is in Pune. This is the greatest convenience to all concerned as before this, the carts, horses and other wheel - traffic of all sorts have been inconveniently mixed up on the principal road in the Camp.

1898 •

This year, a great difficulty was being experienced by officers and public in general because Tongas were not procurable easily except at the Cantonment Stables called Tonga Khana near the Dharmshala a little ahead of the railway Station.

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But this place was too far from the Barracks. To remedy this new Tonga stands were to be made at different sites in the Cantonment.

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Plans are on to water the station roads daily as it had been done before.

1899 •

October saw the new Cantonment Code of 1899 going to be applied to Mhow.

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But the year of 1899 saw the famine perhaps in its worst form. Hundreds of people were dying of starvation.

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The Military Dairy farm has been established at Mhow.

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Grain is getting costlier in the bazaar day by day.

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An orphanage is established in St. Mary’s School. The laying of water pipes to houses in the bazaar is still on.

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1900 »

The year when perhaps rajeshwar vidyalaya shifted from st. Anthony’s church to the campus of sacred heart church

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The Great famine ends in July but there is still a dearness of crops due to the last two years of famine and drought.

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The Bercha Road, which had been put out of use and cut up exclusively by troops, was going to be put in satisfactory order.

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People in the cantonment were still riding horses, although the bicycle had been invented.

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When Violet Jacob was leaving Mhow the previous year, she had mentioned the Rani of Dewas riding a cycle. It was a luxury in those days. Nobody had cycle at that time.

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Many roads in the bazaar are metalled this year.

1901 •

The Second Census is taken. There are 34740 people in Mhow.

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Steps are being taken to ensure an increase in the storage of water in the cantonment. To increase the water supply, they are thinking about making another tank at the Janapav Valley.

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Roads are still going to be washed by well water.

1902 •

Vincent Chemists, the first Known chemist shop in Mhow starts.

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Thatch roofs are being replaced by tiles.

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The police force in Mhow is to be increased and a qualified sub inspector sent to Mhow.

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This year day-scholars begin to come to the school that has recently shifted to the campus of sacred Heart church.

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The school is paying more stress on teaching English, as classes 2 and 3 have opened. As several persons in the bazar object to get their children vaccinated.

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The vaccination Act XII of 1880 is going to be extended to Mhow and circulated to everyone.

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At that time, as water was being provided from Bercha to Mhow by Gravitational Method, it was felt that there was no need for windmills and aero motors for pumping purposes; while at many houses in the cantonment, thatched roofs were being replaced for tiles.

1903 •

Plague hits Mhow on the 29th day of April and it is very severe.

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There is a great epidemic of plague in Central India. Many plague camps are erected for the patients. Even the Dharmshala has been converted in to a hospital for 120 beds.

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The bazaar has been divided in to three portions each with a Hospital Assistant who treats Patients. They also do house to house visitation. All infected houses are as far as possible disinfected.

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The Hindu Cemetery and Mohammedan Burial Grounds have been extended.

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The Nuns School (present day St.Mary’s) is closed in August. Notices are sent to parents to take the boarders home as frequent deaths are a cause of panic to all.

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Thousands of people have died in Mhow. It is believed that 5136 people have lost their lives. This is about 14% (almost One- fifth) of Mhow’s population.

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The new road from Centre Street into Mockery Mohalla is named ‘Shashiya Road’ in Memory of the Hospital Assistant Shashiya who died treating

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people.

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A site for the new police Lines is selected (Present day Police Lines) which will be at a different place from the Old Police Lines that exist on Anderson Road (the present day road going from Hari Phatak to Gokulganj Masjid).

1904 •

The Gwalas are relocated (in the present Banda Basti) after being removed from the village on the boundary of Mhow where they were residing since 1878.

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This year sees the formation of ‘Banda Basti’.

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The 5th (Mhow) Division) is formed.

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From now a General will be commanding the Station.

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Soldier’s Gymkhana football Ground (present day Honorary Captain Shankar Laxman Stadium.

1905 •

Labour is scarce in Mhow because of the great number of people who have died due to the plague. And many others, in fact thousands, it is believed, who have fled from Mhow.

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Now they are gradually beginning to return back to the cantonment. In November this year, The Prince and Princess of Wales visit India. They come to Indore too, and many dignitaries from Mhow go to Indore to attend the celebrations.

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The lighting arrangements are also going to be improved in the bazar.

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This year the first electrical shop ‘K.Allahbux’ starts in the main Street.

1906 •

St. Mary’s School is now following the course of the Allahabad University.

These days the schools in Mhow are inspected by the Inspector of Schools, Narmada Circle.

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This year the Railway Station is extended.

1907 •

The Arsenal at the Mhow fort (where arms and ammunition are made and repaired) is moved to Kirkee in the Pune Division where a large Arsenal has

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been built.

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In September, Ganesh Utsav is being celebrated perhaps for the first time in Indore. It is freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak’s way to get people together and spread national awareness.

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It is so inspiring that the Maharashtrians in Mhow also decide to get together and celebrate Ganesh Utsav from next year.

1908 •

The 10th Hussars leave the Cantonment for Rawalpindi. They are replaced by the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, who are coming to Mhow for the second time.

They were here in 1862 when the famous Mhow Court Martial had taken Place.

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The first Ganesh Utsav is celebrated in Kaluram’s Chawl of 18 Houses on the

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road to the Railway Station, around where many of the Maharashtrians are living. The Cantonment. It is open for all and people from other religions are called as well to take part. This first Ganesh Utsav in Mhow goes on for only 3 days.

1909 •

In Mhow, new police Lines had been made by the side of Rooke Street.

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The lines on Anderson Road where the police lived till then were soon vacated and they came to be known as the Old police Lines.

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There existed a scarcity of water so hardly any water was allowed to be used to irrigate compound gardens.

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1910 •

Steam laundries are to be opened up in Cantonments.

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The 22 dog badges given out last year have to be destroyed because the same cannot be utilized, a different shape being used every year.

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This year the Deputy Controller of Military Accounts Office shifts from Pune to Mhow, and with it, comes a large number of Maharashtrians.

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Now even more Maharashtrians families begin to live in Mhow, so the Ganesh Utsav that has started in the Cantonment gets more life.

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Petrol is available in cans at the Railway Station. There are no petrol pumps in Mhow as yet.

1911 •

The year 1911 will always be remembered because it was this year that a Goshala was established in Mhow.

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At this time there was an Honorary Magistrate called Gopalji Malgava who lived in the Main Street, together with some of his Parsi friends and neighbours and started a shelter for old and injured cows on the other side of the Gambhir River in the village of Telikheda.The Goshala we now know as ‘Shri Radha Krishna Goshala, Mhow’.

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Bicycles exist in Mhow, Just 10 years ago they were a luxury.

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The Namoli Dharmshala is built. In July a roadway was being opened from 104

the Main Street to Centre. It would be called Connaught Road.

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This year the 125th Rifles and the 14th Kings Hussars arrive in Mhow.

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This year the old Bazaar Guard room in the Main Street has been converted into the Kotwali.

1912 •

At this time in the centre Street, Bomanji Merchant the Octroi Inspector, being a very efficient official, was granted a conveyance allowance of Rs 15 Per month; while Lodge “Malwa” had been given the green signal to make a Masonic Lodge in the Cantonment Garden.

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A Fountain to drink water is being made at the new police Station (Kotwali) to commemorate King Edward being crowned king of England. It will be called

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the ‘Coronation Fountain’.

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This was the end of the area known till then as ‘Chakla Gali’. In time this place would come to be known as ‘Neem tree Street’.

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The Ganesh Utsav celebrations in the Cantonment are at Gokulganj this year at the house of Tantya Saheb Ghare. He is an artist and has made a statue of Lord Ganesh.

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The Main Street is being tarred from Simrole Road to the junction of the road from the Kotwali as an experiment.

1913 ^

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The year it was felt that primary education needed to be started in Mhow.

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A. A Dadabhoy wants to make a small library in the Cantonment Gardens for the use of the public. Plans are also on to start a ‘primary school’ in the Cantonment because the condition of primary education is not good in Mhow.

Two more kerosene lamps are placed on post Office Road as street lights.

1914 •

Parsi Library starts in mhow

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A site for the Girls School is selected to be in House No. 174, Main Street (Present day Little Angels School in Sanghi Street.

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As there is less space in the Roman Catholic Cemetery, another cemetery for Roman Catholics is being made (on present day Banda Basti Road) east of the 105