Establishment of British Cantonments
Dagshai cantonment:
Dagshai is one of the oldest cantonment towns in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is situated on top of a 5689 feet (1734 mtr) high hillock that stands sphinx-like astride the Kalka-Shimla Highway at a point about 11 km from Solan. It was founded in 1847 by the East India Company by securing free of cost five villages from Maharaja of Patiala aka Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. The name of these villages were Dabbi, Badhtiala, Chunawad, Jawag and Dagshai. The new cantonment was named after the last named village, as it was the largest and most strategically located. The name Dagshai, according to a popular local legend was derived from Daag-e-Shahi. During the Mughal times a Daag-e-Shahi (royal mark) was put on the forehead of the criminals and sent packing to the then Dagshai village.
Dalhousie cantonment:
Dalhousie cantonment is a town in Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.
In the wake of the 1857 War, the Military Department of the Government of India, expanded its survey of lower Himalayas, to identify suitable locations for building ‘sanitaria and cantonments’ for ‘quartering’ British soldiers and military units. The move to locate cantonments in ‘cool and healthy hill stations’ was justified on strategic, and Health grounds. In the following decade several cantonments, including in Balun(Dalhousie), Bakloh, Chakrata, Ranikhet, in the western lower Himalayas, were established. In 1863 it was decided that one third of the British troops in India should be located in the hill station cantonments. By the 1890s almost twenty five percent of the British troops in India were located in hill stations.
The Cantonment area in Dalhousie is called Baloon, also spelt as Balun. Dalhousie was rst surveyed in 1853, and was acquired as a convalescent depot for European troops, in 1866, the same year as Bakloh was acquired as a Goorkha Cantonment, from the Raja of Chamba. In 1868, British troops moved into barracks in Baloon. By 1878 an 18 foot road connected the new cantonment to the plains. In August 1954, during the Dalhousie centenary celebrations, Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India,
visited Baloon, Dalhousie Cantonment. He was accompanied by Lt General Kalwant Singh, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Command.
Kasauli cantonment:
Kasauli is a cantonment and town, located in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The
cantonment was established by the British Raj in 1842 as a Colonial hill station, 77 km from Shimla, 65 km from Chandigarh, and 94 km from Ambala Cantt (Haryana), an important Railway Junction of North India and lies at a height of 1,927 metres (6,322 ft). The town is a health resort, having an elevation of 1,900 metres above sea level.
Yol cantonment:
Yol is a cantonment town in Kangra district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.The town gets its name from YOL (Young Officers Leave camp), a small town established by British Indian Army around 1849. The Yol Cantt (cantonment) was built in 1942. Formerly it was known as “majhaitha” village. Yol is the headquarters of the 9 Corps of Indian Army. The cantonment area is very beautiful and has a picturesque view. Yol was the location of a Prisoner-of-war camp which hosted German soldiers in the First World War and Italian soldiers in the Second World War.
Frogman Elios Toschi, a member of the pre-Armistice Decima Flottiglia MAS and inventor of the “maiale”, was one of the very few to escape from the camp. After the war, the former POW facility hosted ethnic Tibetan refugees from China.
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The establishment of British cantonments in India was a complex process that took place over several centuries. The first cantonments were established in the early 17th century, and by the end of the 18th century, there were over 100 cantonments in India. The cantonments were designed to provide a safe and secure place for British troops to live and train, and they also played an important role in the British colonial administration.
The cantonments were typically located on the outskirts of major cities, and they were surrounded by a wall or fence. The cantonments were divided into two main areas: the civil lines, which housed the British officers and their families, and the military lines, which housed the British troops. The cantonments also included a number of other facilities, such as hospitals, schools, and churches.
The establishment of the British cantonments had a significant impact on Society/”>Indian Society. The cantonments were a symbol of British power and authority, and they also served to separate the British from the Indian Population. The cantonments also had a negative impact on the Indian economy, as they drew away Resources from the local population.
The British cantonments were finally abolished in the early 20th century, following the Indian independence movement. However, the legacy of the cantonments continues to be felt in India today. The cantonments have left a lasting imprint on the Indian landscape, and they continue to play an important role in the Indian economy and society.
The history of British cantonments in India
The first British cantonments were established in India in the early 17th century. The East India Company, a British trading company, had established a presence in India in the early 1600s, and it soon began to establish military bases in order to protect its interests. The first cantonments were established in Surat, Bombay, and Madras.
The cantonments were designed to provide a safe and secure place for British troops to live and train. They were also used as bases for British military operations in India. The cantonments were typically located on the outskirts of major cities, and they were surrounded by a wall or fence. The cantonments were divided into two main areas: the civil lines, which housed the British officers and their families, and the military lines, which housed the British troops. The cantonments also included a number of other facilities, such as hospitals, schools, and churches.
The role of British cantonments in the British colonial administration
The British cantonments played an important role in the British colonial administration of India. The cantonments were used as bases for British military operations, and they also served as administrative centers. The cantonments were home to a number of British government offices, and they were also used to house British troops and their families.
The cantonments were also used to separate the British from the Indian population. The cantonments were typically located on the outskirts of major cities, and they were surrounded by a wall or fence. This made it difficult for Indians to access the cantonments, and it also served to reinforce the idea that the British were a superior race.
The impact of British cantonments on Indian society
The establishment of the British cantonments had a significant impact on Indian society. The cantonments were a symbol of British power and authority, and they also served to separate the British from the Indian population. The cantonments also had a negative impact on the Indian economy, as they drew away resources from the local population.
The cantonments were also used to exploit Indian labor. The British government forced Indian laborers to work on the construction of the cantonments, and they were also forced to work in the cantonments as servants and laborers. This exploitation of Indian labor led to a great deal of resentment among the Indian population.
The abolition of British cantonments in India
The British cantonments were finally abolished in the early 20th century, following the Indian independence movement. The Indian National Congress, the leading Indian independence movement, had long campaigned for the abolition of the cantonments, and they finally achieved this goal in 1947.
The abolition of the cantonments was a major victory for the Indian independence movement. It was also a symbolic gesture, as it represented the end of British rule in India.
The legacy of British cantonments in India
The legacy of the British cantonments continues to be felt in India today. The cantonments have left a lasting imprint on the Indian landscape, and they continue to play an important role in the Indian economy and society.
The cantonments are now used for a variety of purposes, including housing, Education, and business. They are also popular tourist destinations. The cantonments are a reminder of the British colonial era, and they continue to play an important role in the Indian economy and society.
What is a cantonment?
A cantonment is a military base or town.
When were cantonments established in India?
The British East India Company established cantonments in India in the 18th century.
Why were cantonments established in India?
The British East India Company established cantonments in India to house their troops.
What were the benefits of establishing cantonments in India?
The benefits of establishing cantonments in India included:
- Providing a safe and secure place for British troops to live and train.
- Isolating British troops from the local population.
- Facilitating the control of the Indian subcontinent by the British East India Company.
What were the drawbacks of establishing cantonments in India?
The drawbacks of establishing cantonments in India included:
- The cantonments were often located on land that was taken from local people.
- The cantonments were often seen as symbols of British imperialism.
- The cantonments were often a source of tension between the British and the Indian people.
What happened to the cantonments after India gained independence?
After India gained independence in 1947, the cantonments were either closed or converted into civilian use.
What is the legacy of the cantonments in India?
The cantonments are a legacy of British rule in India. They are a reminder of the colonial past and the impact that the British had on India.
Question 1
The British East India Company established cantonments in India to:
(A) Control the local population.
(B) Protect their trading interests.
(C) House their troops.
(D) All of the above.
Answer
(D) All of the above.
The British East India Company established cantonments in India to control the local population, protect their trading interests, and house their troops. Cantonments were military bases that were built in strategic locations throughout India. They were surrounded by walls and had their own hospitals, schools, and markets. The British East India Company used the cantonments to control the local population by stationing troops there and by imposing restrictions on the movement of people. The cantonments also served as a way to protect the British East India Company’s trading interests. The company’s goods were stored in the cantonments, and the troops were used to protect the goods from being stolen or damaged. Finally, the cantonments were used to house the British East India Company’s troops. The troops were stationed in the cantonments so that they could be quickly deployed to any part of India where they were needed.
Question 2
The first cantonment in India was established at:
(A) Fort William.
(B) Madras.
(C) Bombay.
(D) Calcutta.
Answer
(A) Fort William.
The first cantonment in India was established at Fort William in 1696. Fort William was built by the British East India Company on the site of a former Mughal fort. It was the headquarters of the British East India Company in India and the center of British power in Bengal. The cantonment at Fort William was built to house the British East India Company’s troops and to protect the company’s trading interests.
Question 3
The cantonments in India were divided into two types:
(A) Civil and military.
(B) Permanent and temporary.
(C) Regular and irregular.
(D) All of the above.
Answer
(A) Civil and military.
The cantonments in India were divided into two types: civil and military. The civil cantonments were used to house the British East India Company’s civilian employees, while the military cantonments were used to house the company’s troops. The civil cantonments were usually located in the cities, while the military cantonments were usually located in the countryside.
Question 4
The cantonments in India had a significant impact on the development of the country. They:
(A) Led to the Growth of cities.
(B) Encouraged the development of trade.
(C) Promoted the spread of Western culture.
(D) All of the above.
Answer
(D) All of the above.
The cantonments in India had a significant impact on the development of the country. They led to the growth of cities by providing a place for the British East India Company’s employees to live. They encouraged the development of trade by providing a place for the company’s goods to be stored and sold. They promoted the spread of Western culture by providing a place for Indians to interact with British people.
Question 5
The cantonments in India were abolished in:
(A) 1947.
(B) 1950.
(C) 1956.
(D) 1960.
Answer
(A) 1947.
The cantonments in India were abolished in 1947, after India gained independence from British rule. The cantonments were seen as a symbol of British imperialism, and their abolition was seen as a way to break with the past.