Oral History Interview : Chhatrajeet Singh Chotila

AR-011-0001

Chhatrajeet Singh (son of the ex-Prince of Chotila) provides a first-person account of the functioning of aristocratic estates (vidis) in Saurashtra before and after Indian independence. He explains how vidis were managed, how land relations and tenancy operated, and how the royal household engaged with pastoralists and farming communities. The interview traces shifts in local governance and the economic base of the estate—from revenue and land rents to evolving market ties—and reflects on the changing sociopolitical role of the princely household in the region. Singh also comments on how inter-community ties (pastoralists vs. sedentary farmers) transformed over time and how those changes affected everyday economy and dispute management.(00:00:00) Introduction, royal lineage, princely states

(00:01:00) Grandfather - Sadul Dada’s province in Chotila, relations with residents of 9 villages under him, help that he offered to his kingdom during drought and adverse conditions, fodder donations, financial help

(00:02:01) Jail under Sadul Dada’s kingdom was well-stocked, in case criminals needed to be placed in jail from any of the 100 villages, they preferred Sadul Dada’s jail, food offered in jail

(00:02:30) About his father, He was the Taluka Pramukh when Indira Gandhi visited Chotila in 1974

(00:02:43) He became Taluka Pramukh in 2011, his father remained Chairman of Marketing Board (00:03:06) Father studied in Royal College Rajkot along with many other representatives of princely states

(00:03:31) Chamunda Mata mandir is the Kuldevi place of the family and related practices

(00:03:53) Suryamandir is the ishtdev of the Kaathi Darbar community

(00:04:16) Brothers, their occupations

(00:04:45) Story about horse belonging to a British Political Agent and his grandfather’s horse climibing the Chotila hill, their tombs were built on the hill

(00:06:27) Land management during Sadul Dada’s time, he would survey his kingdom and be involved in all battles himself

(00:07:35) British introduced changes by land surveys, introduced borders, this reduced internal battles but kingdoms began loosing their culture and had to adopt British ways, British weapons were introduced, kings lost their connection with people

(00:09:47) After Independence, kings became common men but people would still give his father the same respect

(00:11:18) Sadul Dada took a loan to build a dam in Moldi, Chotila for irrigation in 3 villages

(00:13:30) Help offered to Maldharis in Sadul Dada’s kingdom - graze for free in royal grasslands during droughts, provision of fodder for free, provision of livestock from royal cattle if livestock was stolen

(00:15:34) Help offered for the labor class during Sadul Dada’s kingdom - wage-based work in farms, horse care, kitchens, ponds and temples

(00:16:41) Crocodiles used to exist in Moldi lake, Chotila, British Political Agents used to like watching them

(00:17:26) Dada Baapu nu rasodu - a common kitchen within the royal household for the poor; Dada Baapu was Sadul Dada’s father, he believed in welfare for all

(00:18:00) Rules of land management in the kingdom - cotton, jaar, bajra, wheat - the king would take their share and distribute the rest to farmers

(00:19:29) Comparison of past times with current situation of grazing lands and grasslands; Earlier times were healthier for people, livestock and wildlife

(00:22:10) Changes in forests and grasslands of Chotila, Wakaner, Morbi, Than - rise of factories; drastic reduction in pastoralist occupations, livestock especially camels, shrinking grasslands - vidis are the only healthy grazing lands available; Changes in people’s lifestyles, asset ownership, reduction in agricultural occupations (00:28:24) Mentions wildlife present in his vidis seen in the past 5 years

July 09, 2025

Darbar Collections

Oral History Interview : Chhatrajeet Singh Chotila