Bengal District Gazetteers: Sambalpur Volume 45th [Hardcover]

Due to the very old age and scarcity of this book, some pages are missing and may be hard to read due to the blurring of the original text. The present volume gives an extensive description of the district named Shahabad. It is the first of a new series of District Gazetteers, in which subjectmatter has been arranged differently as compared to the original Gazetteer of Shahabad. The Gazetteer states that the district is divided into three distinct regions — low lying area, large flat area and hilly region. It tells about the physical configuration of the region, its river system, Hill System, Geology, Botany, Zoology, Fauna, Climate, and Rainfall. It provides considerable information about Prehistoric period, early history, Muhammadan rule, Babur’s invasion, rise of British Power, the Mutiny of 1857, and Archaeology. The Gazetteer discusses the growth of population, its Density, Life Style, Culture, Religions, Languages, Caste System, and Religious Movements of that time. It details about artificial reservoirs, canal system, canal revenue, effects of canal irrigation, and protection from famine. Land improvement and Agriculturists’ Loans Act helped in extension of cultivation in the region.