1902–1903 — Hakdar Claims and the Division of Inam Profits
General and Revenue Secretariat · Mysore Muzrai File No. 101 · Baba Budan Hills
ARCHIVE ID: BD-HAK-1902/03-01About this archival record
This page examines a dispute recorded in the Mysore Government’s General and Revenue Secretariat, Muzrai File No. 101 (1902–1903). The surviving file brings together petitions, official notes and correspondence concerning claims by persons described as Hakdars to a share in the proceeds of lands associated with the Baba Budan Darga, and the relationship between those claims and the institution’s maintenance.
What the records reveal
1. A dispute over the proceeds of Inam lands
In the official file notes, the central issue is whether income arising from the Inam lands should be treated as income for the Darga’s religious and charitable purposes or divided under arrangements asserted by certain family claimants. The surviving correspondence refers to earlier agreements or karars, but the legal effect of those arrangements was disputed.
2. The Secretary’s visit to Baba Budan Hills
A typed section headed “Muzrai Secretary’s Remarks” records that, during a visit to the Baba Budan Hills in December 1901, the Secretary spoke to the Sajjada and to petitioners in an attempt to reach an amicable settlement. The attempt was unsuccessful. The Sajjada disputed that division of profits had been contemplated in the original arrangements and questioned the petitioners’ right to compel such an agreement.
3. Earlier arrangements were not automatically binding
The Secretary’s remarks discuss arrangements entered into by previous Sajjadās with relatives, and express the view that such arrangements should not automatically impose an obligation on the current manager. The note also comments on the institution’s needs and the income available for its upkeep. These remarks are the Secretary’s administrative assessment, not a substitute for a separately identified final judicial ruling.
Documentary reading guide
| PDF pages | Material | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | General and Revenue Secretariat cover and file heading | Identifies the 1902–1903 Muzrai file and its administrative context |
| 20–23 | Handwritten file notes on agreements and the division of proceeds | Shows how officials framed the dispute |
| 24–27 | “Muzrai Secretary’s Remarks” | Directly discusses the December 1901 visit, failed settlement and competing interpretations |
| Other pages | Related petitions, correspondence and vernacular enclosures | Broader file context; individual claims require separate examination |
Page numbers above refer to the 98-page PDF scan, not original manuscript foliation.
Selected original facsimiles
To keep this page fast and reliable in WordPress, the original scans will be linked from the Media Library rather than embedded as large encoded images.
Historical significance
This file is important because it documents a dispute about the administration and financial resources of the Baba Budan institution at a moment of succession-related controversy. It also illustrates the need to distinguish (a) claims by individuals or family groups, (b) the statements of a Sajjada or manager, and (c) observations or orders made by Mysore officials.
The record should not be read as establishing present-day title, ownership, or a surviving entitlement to Inam income.
Archival citation
Government of Mysore, General and Revenue Secretariat (Muzrai), File No. 101, 1902–1903, supplied archival scan, 98 PDF pages. Selected discussion: PDF pages 20–27, especially the section headed “Muzrai Secretary’s Remarks” on pages 24–27.
Editorial policy: Historical spelling and office terminology are preserved where quoting the record. Uncertain handwritten passages have been summarized cautiously rather than represented as verbatim transcription.