HISTORY
Early History:-
The early history of Singhbhum district is rather obscure although relics have been found within the district dating back to the Stone Age. The territory covered by Singhbhum district does not find any mention either in the Vedic texts or in Puranic literature. The earliest conjecture is in regard to the Gupta emperor Samudragupta of Magadh. According to a theory when the northern and southern Bihar were annexed to the empire of the great Kushans, Orissa and the eastern seaboard were also conquered implying that Singhbhum may also have lain in the conquered territory.
In the seventh century A.D. Sasanka (of unknown) lineage is believed to have ruled over this territory. Two copper plate records of Sasanka's reign indicate that the forest area also was under his authority.
Ruins of temples of the ninth and tenth centuries A.D. have been found at Benisagar, situated on the West Singhbhum, Orissa border. According to a hypothesis, the temples at Bnisagar belong to two district epochs: - the first between the eight and ninth century A.D. when the Palas under Dharampal and Devpal established the Pala ninth empire, and the second From the tenth to eleventh century A.D. when the second Pala empire was established by Mahipal.
Probably, in the 13th century Singhbhum witnessed the foundation of the Singh dynasty of Porahat, which was branched off about four centuries later into the ruling houses of Saraikella and Kharsawan. The migration and settlement of different such peoples as Saraks, Gonds, Bhuiyan, Hos and others in this district form an important event in the history of Singhbhum .The Hos and Bhuiyans consider the Saraks or Sarwaks i.e. the lay Jainas to have occupied the area first. The Bhuiyans & Gonds were the next settlers. A fight for supremacy took place between Gonds & Bhuiyans in which the former was worsted by the latter. The Hos & Kols who constitute the major population group, were probably the last to enter.
Probably the first wave of Ho immigration came in the 12th century followed a route which generally corresponded to the present day Ranchi-Chaibasa road in the Tebo Ghat (from the Gangetic plains they moved into Chhotanagpur plateau & dwelt there with their Munda Kinsmen before migrating southwards into north Singhbhum & gradually moved southwards from Porahat area to Singhbhum Plains & then to Orissa.
The north of the district came under the rule of the Singh family of Porahat who claimed to be Rathor Rajputs and whose head was formerly known as the Raja of Singhbhum. In course of their expansion the Hos defeated the Saraks, Gonds and Bhuiyans. Gradually they became so powerful as to defy the Raja of Porahat or other local chiefs. The Hos maintained their exclusiveness and successfully repelled two attacks from the Raja and another invasion from the Mayurbhanj side headed by the chief called the Mohapatra of Bamanghati. They indulged in wanton pillage and plunder of the neighboring areas often those belonging to the local chieftains and showed such a belligerence as to be called larka or fighting Kols. This forced the local rulers to request the East India Company government for military help.
British Period:-
British relations with Singhbhum date back to 1767 when a small British force marched against the Raja of Dhalbhum, or as he is called in the early records of Midnapore, the Raja of Ghatshila.The district of Midnapore which included Dhalbhum, had been ceded to the East India Company in 1760.In 1765 a force was sent against the neighboring Zamindars, but it could not subdue the Raja of Dhalbhum. After this expedition another force was sent under Jamboni to Ghatshila. The enemy had, however, retreated and they had destroyed the fort of Narsinghgarh earlier. However, the Raja was captured and sent to Midnapore in confinement. His nephew Jagannath Dhal was installed on the throne on a promise to pay an annual revenue of Rs.5,500/- to the British.
Jagannath Dhal fell into arrears of yearly revenue of Rs.5,500/- and there was an expedition against him. Jagannath Dhal attacked his successor, Baikuntha Dhal with a large force. Eventually in 1777 Jagannath dhal was reinstated in the estate on payment of revenue of Rs.2000/- for the first year, Rs.3000/- for second year and Rs.4000/- for third year and in 1800 the estate was permanently settled at an assessment of Rs.4267/-.
These expeditions against Dhalbhum brought the British into contact with the Raja of Porahat or as he was then called the Raja Singhbhum. The Raja wanted the company’s help to put his territory in order and agreed to pay them annual revenue. A few years later in 1773 it was found that the Raja of Porahat was encouraging the transport of salt through Singhbhum, which means loss of revenue to the company. Singhbhum was not directly under the company’s administrative control at that time. The Raja was forced to execute and undertaking not to harbour either Raiyats or merchants in future and guaranteed the peace of Haldipokhar. Subsequently in 1793,the two neighbourning chiefs, the Thakur of Kharsawan and Kunwar of Saraikella were compelled to give similar undertaking regarding the reception of fugitive rebels from the British territories.
In 1818,Ghanashyam Singhdeo of Porahat tendered allegiance to the British. His main object was to be recognized as the Lord Paramount over the chiefs of Kharsawan and Saraikella and also to obtain the assistance in reducing the Hos, whom he claimed as his subjects. The Hos resisted stiffly but their bows and arrows were of no match to the British equipment. In 1831, the Hos joined the rebellion (commonly called the KOL Rebellion) of the Mundas of Chhota Nagpur. The insurgents went on burning villages, killing the people mercilessly and plundering property until the army was deployed to put down the rebellion. The rebellion was finally quelled after much bloodshed.
The immediate result of these troubles and the Kol insurrections in Ranchi and other parts of Singhbhum was the establishment of the southwest frontier agency by revolution XIII of 1833. Dhalbhum, which had hitherto the include in Midnapore district, was Manbhum division. After the conquest of Kolahan in 1837,it was considered advisable to bring all the Ho Pirs under the direct management of the British Government. A new district was consequently constituted to be known as Singhbhum with Chaibasa as it’s Headquarter. In 1846,the district was enlarged by the transfer of Dhalbhum from Manbhum.When Act X of 1854 was passed; Singhbhum became a non-regulation district under the jurisdiction of the Lt.Governor of Bengal.
During British rule Singhbhum witnessed two distinct administrative types. Searaikella, Kharsawan, Porahat and Dhalbhum were administered by their rulers through their own agencies subject, however to the usual superintendence and control of the British Government. On the other hand, Kolhan administration had it’s distinctive features. Rules for the administrations of criminal justice were framed on 6th June 1837 to be administered by the political agents of the Governor General through his assistant and the Mankis and Mundas.In 1864,the criminal procedure code at XXV was enforced in Kolhan. The civil justice was administered by a set of rules known as Wilkinson Rules, framed in 1837.Besides these, the traditional Manki Munda system was retained ,allowing the Pir and village heads specific fiscal and police powers. The system of land survey and settlement was introduced in 1821.To prevent the problem of land being transferred from tribal from Dikus, often with connivance of Mankis & Mundas, special proposals were made in 1897,in the Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act was passed defining the rules governing land transfer. The above measures helped consolidate British Rule in Singhbhum.
The 1857 Movemnet:-
Like other parts of India,Singhbhum had been a scene of anti British uprisings in 1857.Under the leadership of Arjun Singh, the Raja of Porahat, the tribals of Singhbhum, particularly those of Kolhan area, rebelled against the British rule. Even though the alien rule apparently accepted by the Larka Hos, they continued to detest it from their heart of hearts.
The Indian forces stationed at Hazaribagh had rebelled, soon to be followed by a detachment of the Ramgarh battalion sent from Ranchi to quell the rising at Hazaribagh. The detachment of the Ramgarh battalion stationed at Chaibasa was also inflamed. The Principal Assistant Commissioner fled and sought the protection of Chakradhari Singh ,the Raja of Seraikella. The insurgent forces raided the treasury and broke open the jail. They then sought to proceed to Doranda but were prevented by flooded river Sanjay. They were given refuge by Arjun Singh, The Raja of Porahat, who was proclaimed a rebel by the British Administration. On September 16,1857 the new Principal Assistant Commissioner, Lt. Birch reached Chaibasa with the Rajas of Seraikella and Kharsawan & Kol forces. Ultimately Arjun Singh and his followers surrendered in 16th February,1859 to E.T.Dalton, the Commissioner of Chhota Nagpur.
Since the first decade of the present century the embryonic nationalist stirrings came to be felt in this district being influenced by such nationalist leaders as Gopabandhu Das, Godavarish Mishra, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhsh Chandra Bose. The movement seemed to reach it’s peak in 1942,when the people of Singhbhum responded to the program of action launched by the Indian National Congress. This clearly indicated the acceptance of the peaceful method by the people of Singhbhum, including the tribal and their joining the mainstream of nationalist struggle. The history of the district in the present century is the saga of a powerful industrial revolution coming in the wake of the exploitation of the districts vast mineral resources. The inception and rapid development of Jamshedpur city bears ample testimony to the rapid strides of the district has made in this regard.