The Midnapore Raj or Karnagarh Raj was medieval dynasty and later a zamindari estate of Sadgop [1] [2] during the British period in the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India. [3] The semi - independent Rajas of Karnagarh were amongst the most powerful rulers of Jungle Mahal region. [4]
The kings of Karnagarh ruled over a zamindari that included Midnapore and the surrounding areas. They had a close link with the Sadgop rulers of Narajole Raj. [5] [6]
Karnagarh or Midnapore Raj was established by Raja Lakshman Singh in 1568. According to Binoy Ghosh, the kings of Karnagarh ruled over a zamindari that included Midnapore and the surrounding areas. The Sadgop dynasty that ruled over Karnagarh included Raja Lakshman Singh (1568-1589), Raja Shyam Singh (1589-1607), Raja Chhotu Roy (1607-1667), Raja Raghunath Roy (1671-1693), Raja Ram Singh (1693-1711), Raja Jaswant Singh (1711-1749), Raja Ajit Singh (1749) and Rani Shiromani (1756-1812). [7]
In 1589 AD With the help of Laxman Singh's brother Shyam Singh, Isha Khan of Lohani Dynasty of Odisa killed Laxman Singh of Karnagarh and captured Karnagarh and put Shyam Singh on the throne as a puppet. It didn't last though.They were soon defeated by an alliance of Bhurshut , Mallabhum and the Mughals Laxman Singh's grandson Raja Chhotu Roy was enthroned as the next ruler. [8] [9]
During the reign of Raja Jasomanta Singh, the revenue of Karnagarh was 40,126 taka 12 annas and his army numbered 15,000. Jasomanta Singh was considered as one of Strong allies of Nawab. Famous Bengali poet Rameswar Bhattacharya wrote Sivayan Kavya in Karnagarh Rajsava. [7]
The Rajas of Mallabhum were an independent kingdom free from the rights of the Nawabs. In 1747, the army of King Gopal Singh Malla of Mallabhumi attacked Karnagarh. It is heard with the blessings of Mahamaya Jasomanta Singh defeated Mallabhum's forces. [10]
The kings of Karnagarh had a close link with the Sadgop rulers of Narajole Raj. The last king of Karnagarh, Raja Ajit Singh died childless. His property went into the hands of his two queens, Rani Bhabani and Rani Shiromani. During the Chuar rebellion, the leader of the Chuars, Gobardhan Dikpati, occupied the palace. Both the queens met the king of Narajole, Raja Trilochan Khan, who provided them shelter and promised to recover their property. Rani Bhabani died in 1161 Bangabda (1754 AD) and Rani Shiromani handed over the entire property to Anandalal of the Narajole family even before she died in 1219 Bangabda (1812 AD). However, the East India Company were suspicious that Rani Shiromani had links with those involved in the Chuar rebellion, and as a result they considerably restricted the amount of sovereignty she held in response.
There, however, are other sources that say that the Chuar rebellion took place as a series of insurrections by people who lived off the jungles and a sort of primitive agriculture in the old Manbhum, Bankura and Midnapore districts between 1771 and 1809, generally under dispossessed zamindars that included Rani Shiromani of Karnagarh [11]
Karnagarh fort consisted of about 100 bighas of land, stretching for about 4 miles, that was surrounded by the Parang River. It was about 4 miles north of Midnapore. The inside of the fort was divided into two parts, the andar mahal for the royal family and the sadar mahal for others. [12] The temples of Dandesvara and Mahamaya, the ruling deities of Karnagarh, were located to the south of the fort. Now, hardly anything, other than memory, remains. [13] [14]
The Midnapore Raj family had two other forts nearby at Awasgarh and Jamdargarh. [15]
Medinipur or Midnapore is a city known for its history in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the West Medinipur district. It is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati River. The Urban Agglomeration of Midnapore consists of the city proper, Mohanpur, Keranichati and Khayerullachak. Midnapore and it's neighbouring city of Kharagpur constitute the central core of the Midnapore Kharagpur Development Authority metro area, spread across 576 square kilometres.
Jhargram is a planned city and a municipality in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Jhargram district. It is a popular tourist destination known for its forests, ancient temples and royal palaces.
History of Bankura district refers to the history of the present Bankura district in the Indian state 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. 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.
Sadgop, also spelled as Sadgope, is a Bengali Hindu Yadav (Gopa) caste. Traditionally they are engaged in dairy-farming and cultivation. However, historically the Sadgop kings had ruled some parts of Rarh region in western Bengal such as Gopbhum, Narajole, Narayangarh and Balarampur. As of late nineteenth century they were one of the fourteen castes belonging to 'Nabasakh' group. As per census report of 1931, Sadgops predominantly lived in the Western Bengal districts of Midnapore, Burdwan and Birbhum.
Chuar rebellion or Chuar revolt, also known as Jungle Mahal movement was a series of peasant movements between 1771 and 1809 by the tribal inhabitants of the countryside surrounding the Jungle Mahals settlements of Dhalbhum, Midnapore, Bankura and Manbhum against the rule of the East India Company(EIC).
Gopa or Gop or Gope is a synonym of the Yadav (Ahir) caste. It is generally used as a title by the Ahir caste in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal of East India and even in Terai region of Nepal.
Narasingha Malla Deb, O.B.E. was a member of the Parliament of India and the 18th Raja of Jhargram, which he led from 1916 until the abolition of zamindaris by the West Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950.
Narajole is a village and gram panchayat in Daspur I CD Block in Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Jhargram Raj was a zamindari which occupied a position in Bengal region of British India. The zamindari came into being during the later part of the 16th century when Man Singh of Amer was the Dewan/Subahdar of Bengal (1594–1606). Their territory was centered around present-day Jhargram district. Jhargram was never an independent territory since the chiefs of the family held it basically as the zamindars of the British Raj in India after Lord Cornwallis's Permanent Settlement of 1793. Although its owners were both rich and powerful, with the chiefs of the family holding the title of Raja, the Jhargram estate was not defined as a Princely State with freedom to decide its future course of action at the time of Indian independence in 1947. Later, the Vice-Roy of India agreed to recognize Jhargram as "Princely State" after the Second World War, but the proposal taken back as the British had decided to give independence to India.
Gongoni Danga is a natural canyon situated near the town of Garbeta, in the Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, India.
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.
The Narajole Raj was a medieval royal dynasty and later a zamindari (estate) during the British period at Narajole in Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal. The Raja of Narajole was one of the largest landholders in Midnapore. The kings of Narajole belonged to the Sadgop(Yadav) community and had a close link with the rulers of Karnagarh.
The Bhumij Rebellion or Bhumij Revolt, also known as 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.
Rani Shiromani was the queen of Karnagarh, during the British 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. Thus, she was called as the Rani Laxmi Bai of Midnapore.
Durjan Singh was a great leader of Chuar Rebellion of Bengal. Singh was a zamindar of Raipur in Bengal. He led the Chuar Rebellion in 1798–99 in Midnapore district against the British East India Company.
The Narayangarh Raj was a medieval semi - independent kingdom and later a large zamindari estate of Sadgop during British Raj in the erstwhile Midnapore district of West Bengal. The area of 126.96 square miles was under the Raja of Narayangarh, which included 387 villages.
Ganga Narayan Singh was an Indian revolutionary from Jungle Mahals, known as 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.
The Mallick Bari is an erstwhile Zamindari palace or rajbari located in the district of Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India. At present, the rajbari is one of Midnapore's most prominent heritage sites. Constructions commenced under Midnapore's then Zamindar Janmenjay Mallick, several hundred years ago.
Barabhum was the largest zamindari estate situated in modern-day West Bengal, India, in erstwhile Manbhum district. The capitals of the estate were at Barabazar and Balarampur. The Raja of Barabhum was the largest landholder in Manbhum, covers 635 square miles of erstwhile south Manbhum in Bihar Province.
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