India. [Corruption of Pers. sarkār ‘head of work, administrator, government, province.’] A province or division of Hindustan under the Moguls. Northern Circars: a large maritime province extending along the W. side of the Bay of Bengal, and comprising several districts; granted to the East India Company by the Great Mogul in 1765.
1782. Hist. Europe, in Ann. Reg., 41/2. The situation of the Guntoor circar rendered it of great importance to the company.
1793. T. Maurice, Indian Antiq. (1806), I. 157. Hajacan, now a circar or division of Sindy.
1886. Sir W. Hunter, Indian Empire, xv. 387. Sha Alam … granted to the company the … jurisdiction of the Northern Circars.
See also SIRKAR a steward (in India).
