DHARWAR. Hand drawn detailed map of an Indian military station , circa 1850/60.

The 21 x 16 ins [53 x 41 cm] hand drawn map on a scale of 220 yards to the inch, titled Plan of the   STATION & TOWN DHARWAR, is on linen backed paper with a central vertical fold [marking the line between the two folio sheets of paper used] and a fainter horizontal one. It is in remarkably good order for its date of around 1850. It came to us in a folder of some twenty watercolours  by Major John Brownrigg Bellasis, 10th Bombay Native Infantry and, although unsigned, bears the hallmark of his precise drawing and very neat hand writing. There is a date in faded pencil lower right – either 1850 or 1860. The 10th was stationed at Dharwar [now Dharwad] from 1857-9 and played an important part in the suppression of mutinous forces, especially around Gwalior. The town appears to have been chiefly a military station including a castle like central area with a hospital and officers’ mess. The map is orientated on a north / south axis showing roads to Belgaum n/w. and Hooblee s/e. Dharwar is in the southern sector of the old Bombay Presdiency, inland from Goa. It is very unusual to come across such an efficiently produced map of a military stsation which enables us to learn a lot about life there. Marked on the map are several Parade Grounds, the lines, churches, colonel’s house, engineers, court house, jail, tanks, kuchery, etc. The later map shown in an illustration is from Constable’s Hand Atlas of India, 1893

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