Rajputana famine of 1869

[1] Many inhabitants of the famine-stricken regions of Rajputana (for example, two-thirds of the population of Marwar) emigrated with their livestock or herds.

[1] Initially, they did not go to the British territory of Ajmer, where relief works had been arranged; many wandered in search of food until they died from starvation.

[1] Even so, the autumn harvest promised to be abundant, but swarms of locusts descended upon the fields and destroyed the young crops.

[1] In September and October 1869, there were heavy rains that, although good for the spring harvest, caused an epidemic of malaria and killed many more.

In early 1868, Sir William Muir, Lieutenant-Governor of Agra Province, issued a famous order stating that:[3] "every District officer would be held personally responsible that no deaths occurred from starvation which could have been avoided by any exertion or arrangement on his part or that of his subordinates.