Dhalbhum

This article is about the medieval historical region. For its namesake administrative subdivision, see Dhalbhum subdivision. For the community development block, see Dhalbhumgarh block. For its namesake village, see Dhalbhumgarh.

Dhalbhum
Zamindari Estate of British India
Dhalbhum as part of extended Singhbhum district in 1909 map of The Imperial Gazetteer of India
Area
• 1872	3,111 km2 (1,201 sq mi)
• 1891	2,970 km2 (1,150 sq mi)
• 1941	3,004 km2 (1,160 sq mi)
Population
• 1872	117,118
• 1891	194,469
• 1941	533,402
• Type	Royal rules
History
• Established	15th century
• Beginning of Revenue Settlement negotiation with British	1767
• Revenue Settlement with British	1777
• Merged with Manbhum	1833
• Merged with Singhbhum	1846
•  Khatra, Raipur and Simlapal area curved out and merged with Bankura	1879
Succeeded by Republic of India
Today part of	East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand

Dhalbhum was an estate in early modern period and British India, spread across the East Singhbhum district in present-day Jharkhand, ^[1] western part of Bankura, ^[2] and Midnapore district of West Bengal.

History

See also: Singhbhum district

Prehistory

Dhalbhum Raj

According to Colonel Dalton and H.H. Risley, the Dhal zamindar family of Dhalbhum was the members of the primitive Bhumij race, who was selected by the other Bhumij chiefs as their feudal ruler. ^[3] The zamindars later became Hinduised, and adopted the title 'Dhal' or 'Dhabal Deo'. ^[4] The family is related to the families of Bishnupur, Raipur, Shyamsundarpur and others. ^[2] They ruled for about 700 years.^{[ citation needed ]} A branch of the same family ruled in Chikligarh or Jamboni. ^[1]

Rankini Devi is established as the family goddess of the Dhalbhum rulers. It is said that human sacrifice was offered to the goddess every year. ^[1]

Colonial period

Dhalbhum under jurisdiction of Medinipur, 1776

Dhalbhum was part of the Midnapore region of Bengal until 1760 when the East India Company (EIC) acquired Midnapore and Burdwan. Following the cession, the EIC continued revenue surveys and settlements, expanding westward into tribal-concentrated areas where many local chiefs were either of tribal origin or had tribal support. This led to a series of civil and military conflicts, collectively known as the Chuar Rebellion (c. 1760–1833), aimed at resisting British authority. The Tamar Revolt (c. 1783–1793), Kol Uprising (c. 1831–1832), and Bhumij Rebellion or Ganga Narayan Hangama (c. 1832–1833) were part of this larger resistance. To control the unrest, the British created the Jungle Mahal administrative unit in 1805, which was bifurcated into smaller districts in 1833, with Dhalbhum becoming part of Manbhum district. It was merged into Singhbhum district in 1846, while the Porihati area comprising 14.5 square miles (38 km²) transferred to Jhargram of Midnapore district in 1847 and Khatra, Raipur, and Simlapal areas were transferred to Bankura district in 1879. By 1872, Dhalbhum had a population of 117,118 across 1,201 square miles. It became part of the Bihar and Orissa Province in 1912 and remained in Bihar Province after 1932. Following India's independence in 1947, Dhalbhum was reorganized as East Singhbhum district in 1990 after being carved out from the extended Singhbhum district.

Demographics

Religion in Dhalbhum (1891)

Religion			Percent
Hinduism			65.34%
Animism			34.06%
Islam			0.55%
Christianity			0.05%

According to the Census of 1891, Dhalbhum covered an area of 1,147 square miles (2,970 km²) and was inhabited by 194,469 people. Hindus formed 65.34 of the population, while 34.06 followed animistic beliefs; Muslims accounted for 0.55 and Christians for 0.05.

Ethnically, Santals constituted the largest group (29.52), followed by Bhumij (21.74), Tatwa or Tanti (4.62), Kurmi (3.73), Goala (3.31), Munda (3.11), Bagal (2.99), Lohar and Kamar (2.37), Manjhi (2.19), Bhuiya (1.90), Kharia (1.79), Kumhar (1.77), Teli and Kalu (1.37), Brahman (1.32), and Baishnab (1.16). The remaining population comprised smaller communities such as Mahili, Mal, Hajjam or Napit, Dhobi, Dom, Hari and Mihtar, Kalwar and Sunri, Kayastha and Karan, Kharwar, Ghasi, Ho, Gond, Baniya, Rajput, Shaikh, Oraon, Chamar and Muchi, Bagdi, Kewat, and Pan.

References

1. Ghosh, Binoy, Paschim Banger Sanskriti, (in Bengali), part II, 1978 edition, p. 56, Prakash Bhaban
2. O'Malley, L.S.S. (1908). Bengal District Gazetteers – Bankura. The Bengal secretariat book depot. p. 166.
3. J, Reid (1912). Final Report on the Survey and Settlement of Pargana Dhalbhum in the District of Singhbhum, 1906 to 1911. Bengal Secretariat Book Departmentôt.
4. Commissioner, India Census (1903). Census of India, 1901: India (4 v.). Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India.

22°56′46″N86°45′24″E / 22.9460243°N 86.7568016°E / 22.9460243; 86.7568016