134 



Description of the Valley of Sondur, 



[July 



on the part of the British Government, in 1818, of most of their strong 

 holds and territories', paying tribute ; and by the maintenance of subsidiary 

 forces and British residents at their capitals. With Janoki Now Sci7i- 

 dia, the present chief of Gualior, who is in great measure independent* 

 our political relations are merely those of friendship and mutual al- 

 liance:— with Hurry Row Holkar of Indore, an alliance offensive and 

 defensive ; Holkar holding himself feudatory to the British Govern- 

 ment, and liable to be called upon when required to render assistance, 

 /{"c/^f);'/ ^Ao7247«A of Nagpur has a right to claim assistance from the 

 British Government against foreign and domestic enemies; the latter 

 exercising in the meantime an influence amounting to control in its 

 external relations and interior economy. Baroda is still in quiet pos- 

 session of the Guicowar, Sivaji Row, under protection of the British 

 Government, which is bound to render military protection against 

 foreign invasion and internal rebellion. The Guicowar exercises his 

 own discretion in the interior administration of his country. Our re- 

 lations with Kolapur, a small Mahratta state in the province of Bija- 

 pur, governed by one of the Bhonslah family, are similar to those of 

 Satarah, coming under the head of " Protected States." All the pos- 

 sessions of the ex-Peshwah'dve been subject to British dominion since 

 their cession in June 1818. The ex-Peshwa enjoys a pension of eight 

 lacs of rupees per annum, and resides at a holy place, called Bailur, in 

 Hindustan. 



Having so far attempted to give an outline of tha past and present 

 state of Mahratta power, I shall proceed without further delay to the 

 history of the little state of Sondur, interesting as being the domain of 

 one of the most ancient of the Mahratta families, viz. that of the 

 Ghorpara, and from its having so long maintained its integrity, though 

 holding a singularly insulated position in the heart of a foreign ter- 

 ritory. 



The Ghorpara family, it is said, was originally identical with that of 

 the Bhonslah of Satarah and Nagpur, and derived its name from the cir- 

 cumstance of one of the family's having scaled the walls of a fortress in 

 the Kokan by seizing the tail of a Ghorpar, or Iguana, which was 

 crawling up the side and thus ascended the parapet, and surprized the 

 garrison. This legend was given me by the chief himself, as well as 

 the following list of his ancestors, who bore the title of Hindu Row 

 Ghorpara, and subsequently that of Munalakat Madar Sinapati : 



Maloji Row Ghorpara. 



Biroji Row do. 



Sidhoji Row do. 



