r. Dunlop, first Collector of Ahmedabad district
prepared a report dated October 2, 1820, called Salt
Monopoly in Bombay Presidency.
Encouraged by
the report, the House of Commons ordered the
Company’s Government in Bengal to appoint a Select
Committee. In 1836, the Company (in typically
British methodical manner) sent a team of surveyors
to the LRK. They went into an unknown, wild,
desolate, vast and arid region covering 5000 sq. kms.
Two important Baits (or high ground features) during
most of the year manifest themselves like illusive
islands in a mirage. Then, during the monsoon, they
actually become islands, between July and October.
These are named “Mardhakh” for James Murdoch
and “Jillandhar” for A. W. Gillander. The islands have
become their veritable signatures on the LRK soil!
The two surveyors did such a splendid job that even
today after one and three fourths of a century their
measurements are valid. (Fortunately, people accepted
the distorted names as local names. The names remain
unchanged, unlike so many other place names in our
country, which became fashionable after 1947.)
