FAMINES IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT, 1500 to 1767

1753 (a) [to 1754]: Rohtak area, Haryana
Documented causes: unspecified
Documented effects: unspecified; voluntary slavery?

1753: "Haryana District Gazetteers: Rohtak" (1970)

p100: [List of famines, expanded from earlier editions of the Rohtak gazetteer; first entry:] "A.D. 1753-54, Samvat 1810, Local name of famine: Dasa" [The word 'dasa' means 'slave' which implies that substantial numbers of people in the area were enslaved in preference to starving]

1753 scarcity (a): Orissa / Odisha

Documented causes: Maratha raids

Documented effects: food too expensive for craft workers

J. Long (ed.) "Selections From Unpublished Records Of Government For The Years 1748 To 1767 ... Bengal" (Vol.1, )

p42, item 110 (consultation at Fort William, 1 Feb 1753): "Mr. McGuire writes from Balumghury [the Company's factory at Bulramgurry (at the river mouth below Balasore, Odisha); summary in "Bengal & Madras papers. Vol. II: 1688-1757" (1928) gives letter date as 24 Jan 1753]- Weavers at Balasore complain of the great scarcity of rice and provisions of all kinds occasioned by the devastations of the Mahrattas, who, 600 in number, after plundering Balasore had gone to the Nellegreen hills; several weavers have brought their looms into the Factory, and the few who remain declare they shall be obliged to quit the place. Desires we will send him 1,500 or 2,000 maunds of rice on the Hon'ble Company's account."

1753 scarcity (b): east Tamil Nadu

Documented causes: war? + hoarding

Documented effects: army provisions expensive

Henry Dodwell (ed.) "Calendar Of The Madras Despatches 1744-1755" (1920)

p185 (summary of report from Madras to the Company in London, 21 Mar 1753): ... "Received 4,233 bags of rice from Bengal. Its scarcity is due to 'black merchants' roguery.' "

Fort St. George, "Diary and Consultation Book (Public Department), 1753" (1941)

p199 (consultation of 30 Jul 1753): "Mr. Alexander Wynch Contractor for furnishing the Army with Provisions represents to the Board the great Difficulties he labours under in supplying them in the Trichinopoly country, on which account he had propos'd giving the Men the whole sum allow'd him to provide for themselves, but that Major Lawrence judging this would by no Means answer the End, since the army might thereby happen some times to be drove to great streights for Want of necessary subsistence, had order'd the surplus Charge to be defray'd out of the Military Chest, being sensible of the Impossibility of procuring the stipulated company & Quantity & Quality of Provisions for the allowance of 4 fanams Pr. Man Pr. Day, He therefore requests the Board will consider the circumstances of the Case & not insist upon the Performance of his agreement whilst the Army continues in the Tritchinopoly Country, as in that Case he must inevitably be a very great Loser. Whereon the Board are of Opinion that as the March of of the Army to the southward was not expected at the Time of making the Contract with Mr. Wynch it would be a great Hardship on him were he oblie'd to bear the Loss that must necessarily arise from the Scarcity and Dearness of Provisions in those Parts, it is therefore Agreed That so long as the Army continued in the Tritchenopoly Country, Mr. Wynch be allowed five fanams a Day for victualling each Man."