Bombay Presidency facts for kids

The northern part of the Bombay Presidency in 1909

The southern part of the Bombay Presidency in 1909

The Bombay Presidency was a large area in British India that was controlled by the British. It started in the 1600s as small trading posts set up by the British East India Company. Over time, it grew to cover a big part of western and central India. It also included areas that are now part of Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.

At its biggest, the Bombay Presidency included parts of modern-day Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka in India. It also covered the Sindh province in Pakistan and the British area of Aden in Yemen. Some parts were directly ruled by the British, while others were princely states. These princely states had their own local rulers, but they were still under the overall control of the British governor.

How the Bombay Presidency Began

The British first settled in the Bombay Presidency in 1618. The East India Company set up a trading post, called a factory, in a city called Surat. The Mughal Emperor Jahangir gave them permission to be there.

At that time, the city of Bombay was controlled by Portugal. In 1661, Bombay was given to the British government. This happened as part of the dowry when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II of England. A dowry is money or property given by the bride's family to the groom or his family.

In 1668, the British government gave Bombay to the East India Company. The Company paid only £10 a year for it! By 1687, Bombay became the main city for all the Company's lands in India. However, by 1753, another city, Calcutta, became more important and was in charge of the Bombay government.

How the Presidency Grew

During the 1700s, the Maratha Empire expanded quickly. They took over areas like Konkan and eastern Gujarat from the Mughal Empire. In western Gujarat, many local rulers became independent as the Mughal control weakened.

The British and the Marathas fought their first big war, called the First Anglo-Maratha War, starting in 1774. This war ended in 1782 with a treaty called the Treaty of Salbai. This treaty gave the island of Salsette, which is next to Bombay island, to the British. The British also took control of Surat in 1800.

The British territory became even larger after the Second Anglo-Maratha War, which ended in 1803. By 1803, the Bombay Presidency only included Salsette and a few other small areas. But between 1803 and 1827, it grew a lot more. The British took over more districts in Gujarat in 1805 and expanded them in 1818. Many small states in areas like Kathiawar became princely states under British control between 1807 and 1820.

After the Revolt of 1857, the British East India Company no longer ruled India. Instead, the British government took direct control. In 1932, Aden was separated from Bombay and became its own province. Then, Sind became a separate province on April 1, 1936.

People and Languages

The Bombay Presidency had many different kinds of people. In 1901, a count showed there were over 25 million people living there. Most people were Hindu, with a large number of Muslims. There were also people who followed Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity.

In Sindh, Islam had been the main religion since the Arabs conquered the area in the 700s. In Gujarat, Hinduism was the main religion, but Muslim kingdoms had also influenced many parts of the province. The Deccan region was home to the Marathi people, who made up about 30% of the population. The Konkan region had various Christian groups, due to the earlier rule of the Portuguese.

The main languages spoken in the Presidency were:

• Sindhi in Sindh
• Kutchi in Kutch
• Gujarati and Hindustani in Gujarat
• Marathi in Thana and the central areas
• Gujarati and Marathi in Khandesh
• Marathi and Kannada in the southern areas

There were also other languages spoken by groups like the Bhil people and Gipsy people.

After India Became Independent

In 1947, when India became independent, the Bombay Province became part of the new country of India. The Sindh Province became part of Pakistan. In 1950, Bombay Province was reorganized and became Bombay State. This new state included the princely states that had been part of the old Presidency.

Images for kids

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  Silver rupee coin from the Bombay Presidency, made around 1731. It has the name of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. Most gold and silver coins from this time looked like Mughal coins.

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  Map from 1893 showing the Bombay Presidency, including Aden Province and Socotra.

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  A 1 Pice copper coin from the Bombay Presidency, made in 1821. It shows the mark of the United East India Company.

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  A hundi (a type of traditional financial bill) from Bombay in 1951.

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  Map from 1909 of the British Indian Empire. British-ruled areas are in pink, and princely states are in yellow.

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  A view of Bombay from the Rajabai Tower, around 1905.

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  Victoria Terminus Railway Station, around 1905.

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  University Hall and Rajabai Tower, around 1905.

See also

In Spanish: Presidencia de Bombay para niños