Darbar Collection from Chhatrajeet Singh

Content Description

This accession comprises a box of old files and two objects that includes administrative registers, legal records, correspondence, maps, photographs, artefacts, and material culture documenting land governance and socio-political history in Chotila and the wider Kathiawar region from the late nineteenth to early twenty-first century. It includes Vidi grassland registers, revenue forms (Gaam Namuno 7/12 and 8A), Pahani Patra, quarry and lease receipts, colonial correspondence, Survey of India toposheet transactions, and volumes of Kathiawar Law Reports. Together with photographs, royal horse tack, and a colonial-era shotgun, the records illuminate scientific land management, pastoral traditions, legal codification, resource monetisation, and community assertion under princely and colonial administration.

Condition Description

The majority of the materials are in stable and good condition, though many paper records exhibit folds, creases, and edge wear consistent with age and handling. Pages have yellowed due to natural ageing but remain largely legible. Some correspondence letters and older documents show tears, brittleness, and insect damage, resulting in partial loss of text and occasional difficulty in reading. A few records display minor staining and surface dirt. Bound volumes remain structurally intact, though some bindings are fragile. Photographs show slight fading and curling at the edges. Artefacts and material objects are generally well preserved, with minor signs of age-related wear.

Accession Date

2025-07-09

Dispostion

The digitized version of this document has been moved into Archives at NCBS after digitizing.

Acquisition Type

Loan

Provenance

The register has been preserved by Chhatrajeet Singh (erstwhile Prince of Chotila State). The material was handed to Aditi Patil and Manya Singh (employee of Conservation indica) for the purpose of digitization and to be included under his collection at the Archives at NCBS.

Retention Rule

The hard copy remains with the custodian and the digitized copy will be utilised for the archive under 'History of Princely States, Land Use and Management Decisions- Pre and Post-independence' Collection.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for access unless mentioned in specific folders of the finding aid.

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not have been assigned to Archives at NCBS. Permission for reproduction or distribution must be obtained in writing from the Archives at NCBS (archives@ncbs.res.in). See access guidelines for more information (https://archives.ncbs.res.in/access). The Archives at NCBS makes no representation that it is the copyright owner in all of its collections. The user must obtain all necessary rights and clearances before use of material and material may only be reproduced for academic and non-commercial use.