Barabhum

Barabhum (also romanised as Barrabhoom and Burraboom in early record) 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 (now in Purulia).[1] The Raja of Barabhum was the largest landholder in Manbhum, covers 635 square miles of erstwhile south Manbhum in Bihar Province.[2][3]

1907 Map of Bengal

During British Raj, it was part of Bihar Province, composing parts of today's Purulia and Bankura district of West Bengal and Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.[4] The revolt of Ganga Narayan Singh, grandson of Raja of Barabhum in 1832, against the British is quite well-known.[5]

Overview

According to H.H. Risley and E.T. Dalton, Barabhum's ruling family, belongs to the Gulgu clan (kili) of the aboriginal Bhumij race, to which most Barabhum ghatwals belonged.[6] In the 18th century, the royal family became hinduised and vashnavished, and assumed the style of Rajputs.[7][8]

The Raja of Barabhum used to appoint those belonging to the Bhumij community in all administrative positions, observed the customs and rituals of the community in religious matters.[9] Later, under the influence of Brahmins, non-bhumijs being appointed and the posts of Rajguru, Rajpurohit etc. were introduced.[10]

History

The British came in contact with Barabhum in 1765, facing many resistances from the Raja Vivek Narayan Singh and the Ghatwals. After several campaigns the king surrendered. It appears that the zamindaris of Barabhum and Manbhum were in the kingdom of the Chuars. In 1769, Chuars, especially Bhumijas; numbering 5000 revolted in the hills between Barabhum and Dhalbhum.[11] In January 1771, Lakshman Singh, eldest son of the Raja of Barabhum, rebelled against the British company. The British faced several such outbreaks between 1783 and 1799.[12]

The Barabhum estate came under the Dominion of India, after the re-organisation of the states in 1956.[13]

References
  1. Bengal (India), West (1985). West Bengal District Gazetteers: Puruliya. State editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers.
  2. Kulke, Hermann (1995). The State in India, 1000-1700. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-563127-2.
  3. Association, Indian Science Congress (1962). Proceedings of the Indian Science Congress. Asiatic Society of Bengal.
  4. India, Anthropological Survey of (1966). Memoir.
  5. "Jungle Mahal Uprising, 1832-33". INDIAN CULTURE. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  6. Fuller, C. J. (2023-10-06). Anthropologist and Imperialist: H.H. Risley and British India, 1873-1911. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-99192-5.
  7. Risley, Sir Herbert Hope (1903). India: Ethnographic Appendices, Being the Data Upon which the Caste Chapter of the Report is Based. Superintendent of government printing, India.
  8. Risley, Sir Herbert Hope (1892). The Tribes and Castes of Bengal: Ethnographic Glossary. Printed at the Bengal secretariat Press.
  9. Saha, Prabhat Kumar (1995). Some Aspects of Malla Rule in Bishnupur, 1590-1806 A.D. Ratnabali.
  10. Vidyarthi, Lalita Prasad (1978). Rise of Anthropology in India: A Social Science Orientation. Concept Publishing Company.
  11. Panda, Barid Baran (2005). Socio-economic Condition of South West Bengal in the Nineteenth Century. Punthi Pustak. ISBN 978-81-86791-52-3.
  12. India's Struggle for Freedom: Role of Associated Movements. Agam Prakashan. 1985.
  13. Bahadur), Sarat Chandra Roy (Rai (1970). Man in India. A.K. Bose.


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