MAP

POLITICAL MAP IN 1947 Before Independence, India was divided into provinces. The whole of north India consisted of Punjab, United Provinces and Bengal. Bihar was carved out of Bengal. There were no Princely States in the North. In Central India, there was the Central Province with Nagpur as HQ. Jhansi was a major Kingdom, Rani Lakshmi Bai was the famous warrior of the first freedom war of 1857. Orissa was a separate Province. Further down , Gujarath and Maharashtra were a combined Province. The projection from Gujarath, like the udder of a cow, is still known as Saurasthra (hundred states) was full of small Princely States. The whole of South India was a single Province, comprising Malabar of Keralam, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. Nizam of Hyderabad was the biggest Princely State. All railways were owned by private British companies and confined to areas directly under British rule. If any Princely State wanted railway, it was constructed, after the cost was paid by the King; they wanted to reduce cost and metre guage rails were built. Northern Railway, Bombay-Baroda-Central- India (BBCI) and Southern Railway were the three zonal railways. There were three classes-First class for Europeans, Second class for employees, mostly Anglo Indians, and Third class without reservation, or common people. My uncle used to say that even fans were not available in Third class compartments. All bogies were separate, they were not vestibuled. There was no pantry car. Engines were propelled by steam, obtained burning coal in boilers.