Chuar Rebellion

Last updated
Chuar Rebellion
Part of Indian independence movement
Southwest Bengal, 1776, by Rennell.jpg
Estate on James Rennell's 1776 map.
Date1766–1834
(68 years) [1] [2]
Location
Dhalbhum Estate, Midnapore district, Manbhum District & Bishnupur Estate in British India
(present-day West Bengal & Jharkhand in India)

22°55′N86°31′E / 22.917°N 86.517°E / 22.917; 86.517
Goals Self-governance
Resulted inSurrendered and estates transferred to Jungle Mahals District, and later transferred to Burdwan District & Manbhum District
Parties
Lead figures

Unknown

Casualties
Death(s)Unknown
InjuriesUnknown
Arrested Subal Singh, Rani Shiromani, Madhav Singha Dev, Raghunath Singh
Charged Treason, Hanging
India location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Dhalbhum, Bishnupur, Midnapore & Manbhum
Location of the rebellion

Chuar rebellion, also called the Chuar Bidroha was a series of peasant movements between 1766 and 1834 by the tribal inhabitants of the countryside surrounding the Jungle Mahals settlements of Dhalbhum, Midnapore, Bishnupur and Manbhum against the rule of the East India Company (EIC). [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Etymology

The literal meaning of Chuar or Chuad or Chuhad is a barbaric, an uncultured or a robber. During the British rule, Bhumijas of the Jungle Mahal area were called chuars (low caste people), their main occupation was hunting of animals and birds and farming in the forests, but later some Bhumij became zamindars and some started working as Ghatwals (feudal lords) and Paiks (soldiers). [6] When the East India Company started collecting revenue for the first time in 1765 in the Jangal Mahal district of Bengal, then in this conspiratorial way of the British, the water, forest, land grab activities were first opposed by the people of Bhumij tribe and the revolution was blown against the British rulers in 1769. When the British asked who these people were, their stoic landlords addressed them as Chuar (meaning rude or wicked in Bengali) out of hatred and contempt, after which the name of that rebellion was 'Chuar Rebellion'.

Background

Great famine of 1770-71

Before the end of 1770, it was officially recorded that one-third of the population had vanished. Depopulation became the greatest concern for the British East India Company. Despite the ongoing famine, the Company continued to pressure local rulers, including the weakened Rajas of Bishnupur and Birbhum, as well as the old zamindars (who had been responsible for tax collection during the Mughal era), to increase revenue. [7]

In Birbhum alone, by 1771, only 4,500 out of 6,000 rural villages remained. Depopulation continued until 1785, and the lands of around 1,600 abandoned villages reverted to jungle. [7] In Bishnupur, hundreds of villages were entirely deserted, and even in the larger towns, fewer than one-fourth of the houses remained occupied. Among the worst affected areas in Bengal were Purnia and Bishnupur, both of which suffered immensely from the famine. [8]

The Company’s revenue demand for 1768-69 was set at £1,524,567, and the actual receipts exceeded that amount. However, by 1770, the receipts had drastically dropped to just £65,355, even though the demand remained at £1,380,269. Despite a good harvest in 1771, vast areas of cultivable land were left unused. By 1772, Warren Hastings estimated that one-third of the population had perished by that time. [7]

Rebellion

1779 map of the Jungle Terry District Jungleterry District Map.jpg
1779 map of the Jungle Terry District

In 1767, the tribal revolt started in Dhalbhum and Barabhum and later spread to Manbhum, Midnapore and Bishnupur [ when? ] districts of Jungle Mahal. Jagannath Singh Patar at Dhalbhum, Subal Singh at Kuilapal and Shyam Gunjam Singh at Dhadka led this rebellion in 1767-71. The Chuar people intensified this rebellion in the surrounding areas of Manbhum, Raipur and Panchet. In 1782-85, Mangal Singh along with his allies also led this rebellion. The Chuar Rebellion was at its peak in 1798–99 under the leadership of Durjan Singh, Lal Singh and Mohan Singh, but was crushed by the British Company's forces.

In early 1799, the Chuars were organized at three places around Midnapore: Bahadurpur, Salboni and Karnagarh. From here they launched guerrilla attacks. Among these was the residence of Rani Shiromani in Karnagarh, who actively led them. According to the letter written by the then collector, the Chuar rebellion continued to grow and by February 1799, they had occupied a continuous wide area of many villages around Midnapore. In March, Rani attacked with about 300 rebels and looted all the weapons of the Company's soldiers in the garh (local fort) of Karangarh. This sequence of attacks and plunder continued till December 1799. It was later led by Jagannath Patar's son Baidyanath Singh and grandson Raghunath Singh. Later, other zamindars, along with the Ghatwals and Paiks, spread this revolt to the entire Jungle Mahal and the surrounding areas, which lasted till 1809. Even after this, the rebellion continued in some areas of Bengal in a sporadic form.

Rebellion at Bishnupur (1788-1809)

Between 1788 and 1809, the Chuars and Paiks of the Bishnupur and Midnapore parganas revolted against the British East India Company under the leadership of Madhav Singha Dev. [9] [10] After the 1810 revolt led by Baijnath Singh of Dampara, which prompted the deployment of military forces, the Ghatwali system in Jaibalea, Bishnupur, was dismantled by East India Company. In its place, new police stations were established across various estates, and the daroga police system was reinstated. [11]

Bhumij rebellion (1832–1833)

In 1832–33, again the Chuars of Barabhum, Manbhum, Dhalbhum, Raipur and Midnapore parganas started revolting against the East India Company, under the leadership of Ganga Narayan Singh.

Outcome

Birbhum, Bankura, Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan under Burdwan district in 1931. Bengal Province 1931.png
Birbhum, Bankura, Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan under Burdwan district in 1931.

By Regulation XIII of 1833, the district of Jungle Mahals was broken up. The estates of Senpahari, Shergarh and Bishnupur were transferred to Burdwan District and the remainder constituted the Manbhum District. [12]

Leaders

List of leaders in the conflict
Sl.
No.		Leader zamindar Active yearsOutcomeRef
1 Jagannath Singh Patar  [ hi ](Dampara)Ghatshila/Dhalbhum1766–1790Hanged [13]
2Subla Singh/Subal Singh  [ hi ]Kuilapal1767–1770Hanged [14] [13] [15]
3SamangunjanDhadka/Barabhum pargana1767–1771Defeated [13] [16]
4 Raja Jagannath Dhal Dhalbhum 1767Defeated [17] [18]
5Lal SinghSatarkhani/Barabhum1782–1799Defeated [9] [19]
6 Durjan Singh Raipur/Bishnupur 1798–1799Defeated [20] [21]
7Baidyanath Singh/
Baijnath Singh		Dampara/Dhalbhum1798–1810Defeated [22] [23]
8 Rani Shiromani (lady) Karnagarh 1799–1812Died in jail [24]
9 Madhav Singha Dev Bishnupur 1801–1809Died in jail [25] [26] [9]
10 Ganga Narayan Singh Barabhum1830–1833Defeated [13]
11Raghunath Singh [ bn]Dampara/Dhalbhum1830–1833Hanged [27] [28]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singhbhum district</span> District of British India of Bengal Presidency

Singhbhum was a district of India during the British Raj, part of the Chota Nagpur Division of the Bengal Presidency. It was located in the present-day Indian state of Jharkhand. Chaibasa was the district headquarters. Located in the southern limit of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, Singhbhum included the Kolhan estate located in its southeastern part. The district has been segmented into two smaller districts, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manbhum</span> East Indian district during the British Raj

Manbhum District was one of the districts of the East India during the British Raj. After India's independence, the district became a part of Bihar State. Upon the reorganization of the Indian states in the mid-1950s, the Manbhum district was partitioned based on language. The Bengal-speaking areas were included in West Bengal, while the rest were kept with Bihar.

The region have been inhabited since the Stone Age. Copper tools from the Chalcolithic period have been discovered. This area entered the Iron Age during the mid-2nd millennium BCE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jungle Mahals</span> British Raj areas in West Bengal

Jungle Mahals was a district formed by British possessions and some independent chiefdoms lying between Birbhum, Burdwan, Midnapore and the hilly country of Chota Nagpur in what is now the Indian state of West Bengal. The district was located in the area known as the Jungle Terry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mallabhum kingdom</span> Kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur, in present-day West Bengal, India

Mallabhum was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur, primarily in the present Bankura district in Indian state of West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhalbhum</span> Princely estate in British India

Dhalbhum was estate in early modern period and British India, spreaded across the East Singhbhum district in present-day Jharkhand, western part of Bankura, and Midnapore district of West Bengal.

Bhumij is a Munda ethnic group of India. They primarily live in the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand, mostly in the old Singhbhum district and also in states like Bihar and Assam. There is also a sizeable population found in Bangladesh. Bhumijas speak the Bhumij language, an Austroasiatic language, and use Ol Onal script for writing.

Below is given a chronological record of tribal and peasant revolts in India before independence from British rule in the 1947. The list covers those tribal uprisings that occurred during the period of British rule in India.

The Kudmi Mahato are a tribal community in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha of India. They are primarily agriculturalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaitanya Singha Dev</span> 56th king of the Mallabhum

Chaitanya Singha Dev also known as Chaitanya Singha or Chaitan Singh was the fifty-sixth king of the Mallabhum, a kingdom in India. He ruled from 1748 to 1801. He was succeeded by Madhav Singha Dev.

Madhav Singha Dev(also known as Madhab Singha Deba) was the fifty-seventh king of Mallabhum. He ruled from 1801 to 1809 CE.

Raghunath Mahato was an Indian revolutionary, one of the main leaders of the Chuar Rebellion from the Kudmi Mahato community. He led a revolt against the East India Company in 1769.

Ghatwali was a feudal tenure/jagir for quasi-military services, they found in West Bengal, Jharkhand & Bihar states of India. The ruling chiefs of these jagir were known as Ghatwals. They were responsible for maintaining safety, security, and law enforcement in their estate using a force of archers and Berkandazes.

Karnagarh is a village and a gram panchayat in the Salboni CD block in the Medinipur Sadar subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midnapore Raj</span> Medieval dynasty and later a zamindari estate

The Midnapore Raj or Karnagarh Raj was medieval dynasty and later a zamindari estate of Sadgop during the British period in the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India. The semi - independent Rajas of Karnagarh were amongst the most powerful rulers of Jungle Mahal region.

The Bhumij Rebellion, also known as Jungle Mahal Uprising or Ganga Narain's Hungama was a revolt during 1832–1833 by Bhumij tribals based in the Dhalbhum and Jungle Mahal areas of the Midnapore district of the erstwhile Bengal state. It was led by Ganga Narayan Singh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rani Shiromani</span> Indian Revolutionary and Queen of Karnagarh

Rani Shiromani was the queen of Karnagarh, during the Company rule in India. She was a valiant leader of peasants who rebelled against the British East India Company. she played a major role in the Chuar Rebellion in Midnapore. She created the first revolt against the British through the farmers in Midnapore. She was against the British East India Company and refused to pay taxes.

Durjan Singh was a great leader of Chuar Rebellion of Bengal. Singh was a zamindar of Raipur in the Bishnupur district of Bengal. He led the Chuar Rebellion in 1798–99 in Midnapore district against the British East India Company.

Ganga Narayan Singh was an Indian revolutionary from the Jungle Mahals who was the leader of Bhumij rebellion. He led a revolt against the East India Company in 1832-33. The British called it "Ganga Narain's Hungama", while some historians have called it the Chuar rebellion.

Buli Mahato was a revolutionary leader of the Bhumij Rebellion and Kol Rebellion. He was a zamindar of the Kudmi community of Karadih village in Sonahatu Thana, Jharkhand.

References

  1. ↑ Bhattacherje, S. B. (1 May 2009). Encyclopaedia of Indian Events & Dates. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 97. ISBN   978-81-207-4074-7.
  2. ↑ Indian Book Chronicle. Vivek Trust. 1997. p. 11.
  3. ↑ "Adivasi Resistance in Early Colonial India Comprising the Chuar Rebellion of 1799 by J.C.Price and Relevant Midnapore District Collectorate Records from the Eighteenth Century". www.ompublications.in. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  4. ↑ Bhattacharyya, Ananda; Price, J. C (2017). Adivasi resistance in early colonial India: comprising the Chuar Rebellion of 1799 by J.C. Price and relevant Midnapore District Collectorate records from the eighteenth century. Manohar. ISBN   978-93-5098-167-2. OCLC   982448451.
  5. ↑ Ray, Nisith Ranjan; Palit, Chittabrata (1986). Agrarian Bengal Under the Raj. Saraswat Library.
  6. ↑ "चुआर या चुआड़ विद्रोह Chuar rebellion" . Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  7. 1 2 3 "Forest Tenures in the Jungle Mahals of South West Bengal" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  8. ↑ Chaudhuri, Nani Gopal (1949). "Some of the Results of the Great Bengal and Bihar Famine of 1770". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 12: 239–244. ISSN   2249-1937.
  9. 1 2 3 Das 1984, p. 86.
  10. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "Disturbances in Bishnupur, 1788-1790". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
  11. ↑ India's Struggle for Freedom: Role of Associated Movements. Agam Prakashan. 1985.
  12. ↑ O’Malley, L.S.S., ICS, Bankura, Bengal District Gazetteers, pp. 21-41, 1995 reprint, Government of West Bengal
  13. 1 2 3 4 Jha 1967, p. 9.
  14. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "The Unsung Hero of Purulia-Subal Singh". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Archived from the original on 2024-12-16. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  15. ↑ Prakashan, Team Prabhat (2021-01-19). Superfast Jharkhand Gk-Competitive Exam Book 2021: Superfast Jharkhand GK-Competitive Exam Book 2021 by Team Prabhat Prakashan: Superfast Jharkhand GK - Comprehensive Guide for Competitive Exams. Prabhat Prakashan.
  16. ↑ Society, Bihar Research (1960). The Journal of the Bihar Research Society. Bihar Research Society. p. 317.
  17. ↑ बणणवाल, अदर्ण सनी. झारखंड का संपूणण आततहास (प्रागैततहातसक काल से वतणमान तक) (in Hindi). Nitya Publications. ISBN   978-93-90390-59-5.
  18. ↑ Singh, K. S. (2012). Tribal Movements in India: Visions of Dr. K.S. Singh. Manohar Publishers & Distributors. ISBN   978-81-7304-972-9.
  19. ↑ Panda, Barid Baran (2005). Socio-economic Condition of South West Bengal in the Nineteenth Century. Punthi Pustak. ISBN   978-81-86791-52-3.
  20. ↑ দাস, দেবব্রত. "ব্রিটিশদের বিরুদ্ধে অস্ত্র ধরে রাইপুর". Archived from the original on 2022-03-18. Retrieved 2025-01-09.
  21. ↑ "History-BANKURA" (PDF). WBCSMadeEasy.
  22. ↑ India's Struggle for Freedom: Role of Associated Movements. Agam Prakashan. 1985.
  23. ↑ India's Struggle for Freedom: Role of Associated Movements. Agam Prakashan. 1985.
  24. ↑ Murshid, Ghulam (2018-01-25). Bengali Culture Over a Thousand Years. Niyogi Books. ISBN   978-93-86906-12-0.
  25. ↑ Guha, Abhijit. "Article on Chuar Rebellion in Forward Press(PDF).pdf". Forward Press.
  26. ↑ Dasgupta, Samira; Biswas, Rabiranjan; Mallik, Gautam Kumar (2009). Heritage Tourism: An Anthropological Journey to Bishnupur. Mittal Publications. p. 41. ISBN   978-81-8324-294-3.
  27. ↑ "चुहाड विद्रोह के महानायक वीर शहीद रघुनाथ सिंह मुंडा की चालकबेडा में मूर्ति का अनावरण". Rajdhani News. 2020-09-23. Retrieved 2025-01-09.
  28. ↑ "State govt to honour heroes of Chuhar rebellion". The Avenue Mail. 2019-02-09. Retrieved 2025-01-09.

Sources

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.