British Rule in Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh State PSC (CGPSC) Preparation: All subjects - CGPSC (Chhattisgarh) PDF Download

Brief Introduction of Chhattisgarh Before British Rule

• Chhattisgarh, established as a 21st-century state on November 1, 2000, is young and new, yet its origins are deeply rooted in ancient texts and inscriptions. In ancient times, it was known as Dakshin Kosala, with references to its mythological history found in the Mahabharata and Ramayana. According to legend, Lord Rama spent part of his 14-year exile in this region. The continuous history of Chhattisgarh, or South Kosala, dates back to the 4th century AD.
• Beyond its mythological past, Chhattisgarh's documented history begins in the 4th century AD. From the 6th to 12th centuries, kingdoms such as the Sarabhpurias, Panduvanshi, Somvanshi, Kalchuri, and Nagvanshi ruled the area. Initially known as South Kosala, the region became known as Gondwana during the medieval period. Later, it became part of the Kalchuri empire, which controlled the area until the late 18th century AD. Muslim chroniclers from the 14th century provided detailed accounts of the dynasties that ruled the region.
• Around the 16th century, Chhattisgarh came under the influence of the Mughals, followed by the Marathas. By 1758, the Marathas had taken control of the entire region, exploiting its natural resources. The term 'Chhattisgarh' gained popularity during Maratha rule and was first officially used in 1795. In the early 19th century, the British arrived and incorporated most of the territory into the Central Province. After 1854, the British administered the region as a deputy commissionership with Raipur as its headquarters.
• Historian C.W. Wills notes that in the 10th century AD, a powerful Rajput family ruled Tripuri near Jabalpur. Emerging from this kingdom of Chedi (also known as the Kalchuri dynasty), a royal descendant named Kalingraja settled around 1000 AD at Tuman, Bilaspur, a site now marked by ruins in the northeast of the former Laphazamidari of Bilaspur district. His grandson Ratanraja founded Ratanpur, which became the capital of much of the area now known as Chhattisgarh.
• This Rajput family, known as the Haihaya dynasty, ruled Chhattisgarh for six centuries. By the 14th century, the dynasty split, with the elder branch remaining in Ratanpur and the younger establishing a semi-independent state in Raipur. By the end of the 16th century, they acknowledged Mughal suzerainty. In Bastar, the Chalukya dynasty established its rule during the Middle Ages, with Annmdev as the first ruler in 1320.
• The Marathas attacked Chhattisgarh in 1741, leading to the destruction of the Haihaya power. In 1745 AD, after conquering the region, the Marathas deposed Raghunathsinghji, the last surviving member of the Ratanpur house.
• The Marathas finally annexed Chhattisgarh in 1758, bringing it directly under their rule with Bimbaji Bhonsle appointed as the ruler. After his death, the Marathas adopted the Suba system.
• The Maratha rule in Chhattisgarh was marked by unrest and misrule, with large-scale looting and plundering by the Maratha army. Maratha officials frequently surrendered the region's interests to the British, leading to widespread poverty and growing resentment among the people. The Gonds continued to resist the Marathas, leading to conflicts and animosity between the two groups. The Pindaris also attacked and plundered the region in the early 19th century.

British Rule in Chhattisgarh

• Chhattisgarh first came under British control in 1818. By 1854, when the province of Nagpur was annexed by the British, Chhattisgarh was organized as a deputy commissionership with Raipur as its headquarters. The British ruled Chhattisgarh from 1845 to 1947.
• Historian C.W. Wills remarked that Chhattisgarh presented a unique example of a Hindu government continuing until modern times, largely outside the influence of direct Muslim control.
• The British introduced several changes to Chhattisgarh’s administrative and revenue systems, which had a negative impact on the local population. The Bastar region saw strong resistance from the tribals, particularly during the Halba rebellion (1774-1779), which was the first recorded uprising against both the British and Marathas in the area.
• The First War of Independence in 1857 saw Vir Narain Singh, a benevolent zamindar from Sonakhan, leading the revolt in Chhattisgarh. In 1856, the British had imprisoned him for distributing a trader’s grain to the poor during a severe famine. In 1857, with the help of British soldiers from Raipur, Vir Narain Singh escaped and formed an army of 500 men in Sonakhan. However, after a prolonged battle, the British, under the leadership of Smith, defeated his forces, and Vir Narain Singh was captured and hanged on December 10, 1857, becoming Chhattisgarh’s first martyr in the War of Independence.
• Vir Narain Singh’s legacy was revived in the 1980s, and he became a symbol of pride for Chhattisgarh.
• In 1904, the British restructured the region by adding the estates of Surguja and transferring Sambalpur to Orissa. The Raipur Congress Unit first raised the demand for a separate state in 1924 at a Raipur District Congress meeting.
• Despite protests, Chhattisgarh gained independence from the British along with the rest of India, but it remained part of Madhya Pradesh. Recognizing its distinct cultural and historical identity, there were calls for special recognition. In 1955, the demand for a separate state was raised again in the Nagpur Assembly but did not materialize until November 1, 2000, when Chhattisgarh was officially declared the 26th state of India.
• Key dates in the history of British rule in Chhattisgarh include:
  • Establishment of the Kalchuri regime at Tummar: Nearly 875 AD
  • Establishment of the Kalchuri regime at Ratanpur: Nearly 1050 AD
  • Establishment of the Kalchuri regime at Khallari: Nearly 1369 AD
  • Establishment of the Kalchuri regime at Raipur: Nearly 1410 AD
  • Maratha’s attack on Chhattisgarh: 1741 AD
  • Reign of Bimbaji Bhonsle: 1758–1787 AD
  • Establishment of the Suba regime in Chhattisgarh: 1787–1818 AD
  • Death of Raghuji II Bhonsle ruler: 1816 AD
  • Subsidiary alliance between Bhonsle rulers and British: 1816 AD
  • Death of Parsonjee Bhonsle: 1817 AD
  • Accession of Appa Sahib to the throne: 1817 AD
  • Title of Sena Sahib given to Appa Sahib: 1817 AD
  • Battle of Sitabaldi: 1817 AD
  • Imprisonment of Appa Sahib by the British: 1818 AD
  • Accession of minor Raghuji III to the throne: 1818 AD
  • Establishment of British control in Chhattisgarh: 1818 AD
  • Appointment of Capt. Edmund as British Supervisor: 1818–1830 AD
  • Period of British Supervisor Major Eganu: 1818–1825 AD
  • Raipur declared the capital of Chhattisgarh: 1818 AD
  • Visit of Resident Jenkins to Chhattisgarh: 1820 AD
  • Period of British Supervisor Mr. Sadees: 1826–1828 AD
  • Alliance of British with Bhonsle: 1826 AD
  • British Supervisors Wilkins and Crawford: 1828–1830 AD
  • Second alliance between British and Bhonsle: 1829 AD
  • Restoration of Bhonsle rule in Chhattisgarh: 1830–1853 AD
  • Death of Raghuji III: 1853 AD
  • Merger of Nagpur state into the British Empire: 1854 AD
  • Prohibition of Nagpur coins circulation: 1855 AD
  • Charles C. Elliot appointed as the first Deputy Commissioner of Chhattisgarh: 1855 AD