Berar princely state fiscal court fee /revenue stamp

BERAR 21 GUN SALUTE STATE (Hyderabad and Berar)

Berar Province known also as the Hyderabad Assigned Districts, was a province of British India. The province, formerly ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad, was administered by the British after 1853, although the Nizam retained formal sovereignty over the province. After 1 October 1903 the administration of the province was placed under the commissioner-general for the Central Provinces as the Berar Division. In 1936 with the establishment of the legislative assembly of the 'Central Provinces and Berar' the territory was renamed the Central Provinces and Berar.

Berar had a population of 2,672,673 in 1881, of mostly Marathi language speakers. The total area of the territory was 113,281 Sq. Miles or 293,400 Sq.Km. It is now part of Maharashtra state, and where it is forms part of Vidarbha region. The boundaries of Berar have changed historically, but the British province corresponds to Maharashtra's Amravati Division.

In 1853, after the administration of the province was assigned to the British East India Company by the Nizam following a treaty, it was divided into two districts, South Berar with its headquarters at Hingoli and North Berar with its headquarters at Buldana and both were placed under a deputy commissioner. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Hingoli and its adjoining areas were restored to the Nizam and the province was reconstituted into two districts, East Berar with its headquarters at Amraoti and West Berar with its headquarters at Akola.

In 1864, East Berar district was divided into two districts: Amraoti and Southeast Berar district (which was first renamed as Wun district and then in 1905, Yeotmal district), with headquarters at Yeotmal. In 1867, Ellichpur District was also carved out of Amraoti district. In 1864, the talukas of Malkapur, Chikhli and Mehkar were separated from the West Berar district and a new district, Southwest Berar district was formed, which was renamed as Mehkar district in 1865. In 1867, Buldana was selected as the headquarters of the district and later the district was renamed as Buldana district. In 1868, Basim district was formed.

Berar consisted of one Division with Commissioner and six districts viz. Amraoti, Ellichpur, Wun, Akola, Buldana and Bashim in 1905. It was rearranged into four district of Amraoti, Yeotmal, Akola and Buldhana. In 1869 municipal administrations were introduced at Amraoti, Akola, Ellichpur, Basim, Yavatmal, Khamgaon. Later Shegaon (1881), Akot (1884) and four more by 1904 became municipal towns.

India became independent on 15 August and the Central Provinces & Berar became a province of the Dominion of India. The princely states, which were under the Central Provinces before 1936, were merged into the province, and organized into new districts. When the Constitution of India went into effect in 1950, the Central Provinces & Berar was reorganized with territorial changes as the state of Madhya Pradesh, which name also means Central Province.

After Indian Independence in 1947, the Central Provinces and Berar became part of India as Madhya Pradesh. On 1 November 1956, Madhya Bharat, together with the states of Vindhya Pradesh and Bhopal State, was merged into Madhya Pradesh. In 1956, under pressure from Marathi Irredentists, the Berar and Nagpur divisions were transferred to Bombay state. In 1960, the Bombay State was partitioned into Maharashtra & Gujarat. In 2000, the eastern portion of Madhya Pradesh was split off to become the new state of Chhattisgarh.

Receipt Stamp :-

Type 32 :- 1875 AD , British India revenue stamp of 1869 with the portrait of Queen Victoria over printed with , “BERARS.” (15 X 2.5 mm.) in english capitals with serifs, Size of stamp 25 X 30 mm , Perf. 15 ½ , wove paper.