Central India

Central India is the official term for a group of feudatory states in India, which fall into nine political agencies, but are all under the supervision of the governor-general's agent. The region in which these states lie is to the north of the British 'Central Provinces' of India, and touches the North-west Provinces, Rajputana, Khandesh in the Bombay Province, and Chutia-Nagpur in Bengal. The total area is about 75,000 sq. m.; pop. (1891) 10,314,787. The nine subordinate agencies comprised in the Central India Agency are the Indore, Bhil or Bhopawar, Deputy Bhil, Western Malwa, Bhopal, Gwalior, Guna, Bundelkhand, and Baghelkhand agencies. The intrusion of two British districts, those of Jhansi and Lalitpur, belonging to the North-west Provinces, separates these nine agencies into two divisions—native Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand on the east, and Central India proper or Malwa on the west; but the whole country lies between the Nerbudda, the Ganges, and the Chambal rivers, and is mostly fertile and well tilled. The Malwa western division is mainly a tableland 2000 feet above the sea; but its rich black soil produces fine wheat and much opium. The climate of Malwa is on the whole mild and equable; but the northern part of Central India is torrid, and unhealthy during the rainy season. The mineral wealth of Central India is great: iron, coal, copper, and lime are plentiful, and diamonds are found in some parts of Bundelkhand. The inhabitants are very diverse in origin, comprising Mahrattas (the ruling race), Rajputs, Bundelas, Baghelas, Jats, Kols, and hill-tribes such as the Gonds (414,000) and Bhils (217,000). The population is mainly Hindu in religion, only 510,718 being Mohammedans. The agent to the governor-general of India, whose headquarters are at Indore, has very high and very various duties and powers. He is the adviser of all the native chiefs, and their guardian during minority; exercises the functions of a court of appeal; has at his command large bodies of troops; as 'opium-agent' supervises the opium-tax throughout the agency; and he is of course the medium of communication between the imperial government and the native authorities. The principal states and agencies have separate articles. See INDORE, BAGHELKHAND, &c. The Central Provinces (q.v.) are a British commissionership.