History of Jharkhand

In ancient times, Jharkhand was in the undisturbed possession of Munda and Oraon tribes. However, Jarasandh, the mighty emperor of Rajgriha in the Mahabharat period might have exercised some kind of loose supervision over the area. Later, Mahapadmanand Agrasen of Magadh, who subdued the entire country upto Orrisa, might have gained some control over Jharkhand as well. Possibly, the area was included in the Magadh Empire during the reign of Ashoka ( 273-232 B.C. ). With the decline of Mauryan power, King Kharavels of Kalinga led on army through Jharkhand and ransacked Rajgriha and Patliputra. Later , Samudra Gupta (335-380 A.D.) must have passed through the area on his expedition to the Deccan.

The Chhotanagpur Raj is believed to have been set up in fifth century A.D. after the fall of the imperial Guptas. Phanimukut was elected the first king. It is said that he was found by the Side of a tank under the protection of a Nag (Snake). Hence the dynasty founded by him was named the Nag Dynasty. Chhotanagpur plateau, throughout the Turko-Afgan period (upto 1526), remained virtually free from external influence. It is only with the accession of Akbar to the throne of Delhi in 1556, Jharkhand came under Moghul rule. Jharkhand was then known to the Moghuls as Kokrah.

In 1585, Akbar sent a force under the command of Shahabaz Khan to reduce the Raja of Chotanagpur to the position of a subject and was forced to pay tribute. Kokrah was included in the subah of Bihar, as mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari. After the death of Akbar in 1605. The area presumably regained its independence. However, it was shortlived. The territory was invaded in 1616 by Ibrahim Khan, Fateh Jang, Governor of Bihar and brother of Queen Noorjahan. Ibrahim Khan defeated and captured Durian Sal, the 46th Raja (king) of Chotanagpur. He was later released by the Emperor and allowed to resume his previous position as an independent Chief subject to payment of tributes of Rs 6000 yearly.

In 1632 Chotanagpur was as Jagir to the Governor at Patna for annual payment of Rs. 1,36,000.00 . During the reign of Muhammed Shah ( 1719 – 1748 ), Sar Balland Khan, the Governor of Bihar , marched against the Raja of Chotanagpur and forced his submission . Another expedition was led by Fakhruddoula , Governor of Bihar in 1731. He came to terms with the Raja of Ramgarh who owed allegiance to the Raja of Chotanagpur. The district seems to have enjoyed almost an unbroken peace from 1624 when Durjan Sal was released till the appearance of the British in 1772.

The Diwani of Bengal , Bihar and Orrisa was granted by Emperor Shah Alam-II to the East India Company in 1765. This Diwani included Chotanagpur as a part of Bihar. In 1771 captain Camac attacked Palamu and put Chitrajit Rai as the Raja. The history of Ranchi for sometime thereafter is interlinked with the history of Palamu, Hazaribagh and Singhbhum. During the operations of Captain Camac against the Raja of Palamu, Dhupnath Shahi , Raja of Chhotanagpur rendered useful service to British. He acknowledged the authority of the company and offered to pay an annual tribute of Rs. 12000 instead of Rs. 6000 fixed under the Muslim rule. However, arrears in payment resulted in an expedition against him in 1773, as a result of which an agreement was reached stipulating enhanced payment of Rs. 15000 per year. The Raja was allowed to retain his hold on the internal administration.

Captain Camac was succeeded in 1780 by Chapman, civilian administrator of Chotanagpur. The so-called conquered provinces, were formed into a district under the name of the Ramgarh Hill Tract in 1780 which lasted till 1863. The district of Ranchi was not directly included in this unit but was added under the designation of Tributory Mahal of Chotanagpur. Chapman was at the same time the Judge and the Magistrate and Collector of the district. There was an Adivasi insurrection at Tamar in 1789 which could be quelled only by the use of force. Sporadic disturbances continued for six years more. Disputes between the Raja and his brothers led to further disturbance in 1807-1808. A force was sent under Major Roughsedge. The Diwan of the Raja who was primarily responsible for the trouble was apprehended and jailed. The Raja paid up arrears of revenue and settled disputes with his brothers. Six police thanas were also set up in 1809, marking the beginning of end of the feudal authority of the Raja. This also marked the induction of non-tribal revenue collecting agents who later oppressed the aboriginal tenants. The discontent among the tribal population evidenced in the earlier insurrections, found an outlet in the Kol insurrections of 1831-32. The immediate cause for it was the humiliation caused to Mundas by the Sikh and Muslims Thikadars (intermediaries) in revenue collection. The Mundas got together in Laukha village near Tamar and plundered and destroyed many villages held in farm by Sikh and Muslim Thikadars. They were overpowered by the forces led by captain Wilkinson in 1832. Jharkhand has attracted many Christian missions which have contributed much to the growth of education in the district. The earliest Christian missionaries reached the district in 1845 and the first conversions of the tribal population to Christianity took place in 1850.

Important Events after mid - eighteenth century
1765 - Successful military mobilization to bring Santhal Pargana under British rule
1772-80 - Paharia revolt
1780-85 - Tilka Manjhi led the tribal revolt and managed to injure British army chief
1785 - Tilka Manjhi hanged to death in Bhagalpur
1795 - 1800 - Tamar revolt
1797 - Munda revolt under the leadership of Vishnu manaki
1798 - Chaur revolt in Birbhum Bankura
1798-99 - Bhoomij revolt of Manbhoom
1800-02 - Munda revolt under the stewardship of Dukhan Manaki of Tamar
1819-20 - Munda revolt in Palamu under the leadeship of Bhukan Singh
1832-33 - Khewar revolt under the leadership of Bhagirath, Dubai Gosai and Patel Singh
1833-34 - Bhumij revolt under the leadership of Ganga narain of Birbum
1855 - Santhals waged war against the permanent settlement of Lord Cornwallis
1855-60 - During late 1850’s Sidhu had accumulated about Ten Thousands Santhals to run parallel govt. against British rule. The basic purpose was to collect taxes by making his own laws. British govt. had announced an award of Rs. Ten Thousand to arrest Sidhu and his brother Kanhu. This movement remained very active in Kahalgaon and Raniganj.
1856 - Police brigade was constituted 1856-57 - Martyr Sahid Lal, Vishwanath Shahdeo, Sheikh Bhikhari, Ganptrai and Budhu Veer led a movement against the British gov. in the sepoy mutiny
1874-99 - This period is famous for Birsa movement
1874 - Kherwar movement shot into fame under the leadership of Bhagirathi manjhi
1881 - Kherwar movement started
1895-1900 - Launching of Ulgulan under the leadership of Birsa
1912 - Bihar bifurcated from Bengal and some parts of Chotanagpur merged into Bengal
1913 - Constitution of Chotnagpur unati samaj
1914 - Tana Bhajgat movement started which had the participation of more than 26000 tribals
1915 - Publication of Adivasi titled magazine started
1929 - Simon commission presented with a memorandum which demanded the information of Jharkhand state
1936 - Orissa was created as a separate state
1947 - On Dec. 28 All India Jharkhand Party came into inception
1951 - Jharkhand party was elected to Vidhan Sabha as a main opposition party
1969 - Shibu Soren founded the Sonat Santahl Samaj
1971 - A.K.Roy founded the Marxist M.C.C to demand the separate Jharkhand state
1973 - N.E.Horo named his party as Jharkhand Party and on March 12th he presented the then Prime Minister a memorandum for separate Jharkhand state
1977 - Jharkhand party proposed for separate Jharkhand state which included not only Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana of Bihar but adjoining area of Bengal
1978 - The convention of All India Jharkhand Party was held on May 21 1978 - June 9 came to co-memorated as Birsa day
1980 - Establishment of Jharkhand Kranti Dal
1986 -September 25, All Jharkhand Students Union gave its first call for Jharkhand bandh , it was a huge success
1987 - Call for boycott of Independence day . The home minister of India directed the bihar government to prepare a report on detailed profile of all districts of Chotnagpur and Santhal Pargana
1989 - 72 hours of economic blockade by AJSU was total success
1989 - 6 days of economic blockade by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha was success
1994 - On Jan 6 Laloo Prasad Yadav declared in Ranchi that Jharkhand devlopment autnomous council bill will be passed in budget session
1995 - Jharkhand area autonomous council was formed which comprised of 18 districts of Santhal Pargana and Chotnagpur and Shibu Soren was nominated as the Chairman
1997 - June , Bihar government sanctioned 24 Crores for conducting the elections of Jharkhand Autonomous Council
1997 - July , Shibu Soren offered support to minority government of Laloo Prasad Yadav with a condition of a separate Jharkhand bill in the assembly
The Year 2000 August 2 - The bill to create a separate state of Jharkhand to be carved out of Bihar was passed in Lok Sabha by voice with two key allies of ruling NDA strongly opposing the measure and the opposition Rashtriya Janta Dal and the CPI - M demanding it to be referred to a parliamentary committee. The long cherished demand of people of the region was fulfilled, the celebration is on through out the Jharkhand region.
August 11 - Parliament today approved the formation of Jharkhand when the Rajya Sabha passed by voice - vote the Bihar reorganisation bill 2000 to carve out the new state out of Bihar's northern region.
August - 25 - President Mr. K.R. Narayanan approved the Bihar reorganisation bill 2000.
October - 12 - The center has issued the gazette notification starting
November 15 to be the appointed date for the formation of new Jharkhand Government.

Nearby pages
History of Lohardaga, History of Nainital, History of NGO Activity in India, History of Pakur, History of Palamu