Mayurbhanj district

The Lower Palaeolithic Culture in Mayurbhanj district is characterized by the presence of tools, providing evidence of early human occupation during the Middle Pleistocene era. While no human or animal fossils have been discovered alongside these tools, comparisons with other regions suggest that this culture thrived along the banks of the Burhabalanga River and its tributaries. The perennial water source not only sustained early humans but also attracted wildlife, enabling them to hunt smaller animals from the safety of their caves. The region's thin forest cover offered edible roots and fruits. Initially, the tools used were quite basic, including split pebbles with minimal flaking, similar to those found in Africa's Lower Pleistocene industries.

These tools evolved over time to include handaxes, cleavers, scrapers, knives, rostrocarinates, and points, varying in complexity, shape, and size. Stratigraphy does not provide a means to categorize them into distinct groups for understanding their technical development. Typo-technological analysis suggests the presence of two specific tool types with manufacturing techniques akin to European Abbevilian, Acheulian, and Clactonian industries, indicating rapid technological advancement. However, unlike European counterparts, the Mayurbhanj Lower Palaeolithic culture lacks a distinct flake industry.

Khijjinga mandala of Bhanja dynasty in 958 CE

The Bhanja family, which ruled Mayurbhanj State, holds a significant place in the district's history. The Bhanjas of Khijjinga mandala governed the western region of the present-day Mayurbhanj district, including parts of Kendujhar and West Singhbhum districts, with their headquarters at Khiching after the fall of the Buddhist Bhauma-Kara dynasty. The progenitor of the present-day Bhanjas of Khijjinga mandala divided the territory into two segments, each led by one rulers, effectively forming two full-fledged states. One relocated the capital from Khiching to Haripur and subsequently renamed the territory into Mayurbhanj State, while the other moved it to Kendujhargarh and named it into Keonjhar State after Feroz Shah Tughlaq plundered the kingdom during his invasion of Odisha in 1361 CE, when he marched through Manbhum, Singhbhum, and Mayurbhanj.[4] In 1508, the state came under Mughal rule. During his conquest from 1592 to 1751, Mayurbhanj was an extensive domain that comprised 12 zaminadri, 42 killa in total, and, according to Raja Man Singh, 18 forts within the state, including Bhanjbhum, Mantri, Hariharapur, Dewalia, Purunia, Karkachua, Bamanghati, and Sarhonda. The state also held sway over several surrounding zamindari estates, including Nilgiri, Porahat, Saraikela, Kharsawan, Barabhum, Patharhai, Narsinhpur, Dipa Kiarchand, Jhamrapal, Jamkunda, Chargarh, Talmunda, Tamar, and Birkul during the early period of Mughal rule. All of these territories encompassed present-day Kendujhar, Balasore, Singhbhum, and large parts of the undivided Midnapore districts. Raja Krushna Chandra Bhanja took advantage of the disturbed conditions around the last years of Shah Jahan and enlarged his territory to the coast of the Bay of Bengal, covering the area from Jaleswar to Bhadrak. He was however defeated and executed by Khan e Dauran, the general of Emperor Aurangzeb.

James Rennell's map showing the mid-18th century border of Mayurbhanj with Midnapore and Singhbhum.

In 1751, it came under Maratha rule. During the expansion of the Maratha Empire, the state lost all its territories along the coast as well as the Nilgiri State. The loss of the sea ports along the Balasore coast severely affected the state finances. It was around this time that the capital was shifted to Baripada. In 1803, the state submitted to the British who had conquered coastal Odisha and the state was recognised as a feudatory state – a position midway between a princely state and a Zamindari. However, the state remained independent and acted as a buffer state between Maratha and British rule by maintaining friendly relations with British authorities. In the mid-19th century, further territorial concessions were made to the British when large parts of Bamanghati area, such as Thai, Bharbharia, Anla, Lalgarh, Khuchung (now in Saraikela Kharsawan district), and Haladipokhari, were handed over to the Singhbhum district as a consequence of persistent Kol uprisings.[5]

Mayurbhanj State in the early 20th century.

The state was modernised during the short reign of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo in the early 20th century. The railway, primary education, municipal governance and healthcare were all introduced around this time. He also allowed the Jamsetji Tata to mine iron ore at Gorumahisani leading to the establishment of Jamshedpur and Tata Steel just outside the state borders. In a notable judgement during his reign, the Calcutta High Court held that the Mayurbhanj State as well as all other feudatory states of Odisha were not parts of British India, thus elevating them to the status of full princely states. Mayurbhanj was the largest and most populous of all princely states in Odisha and the Maharaja enjoyed a salute of 9 guns.

Following India's independence on 15th August 1947, the State of Mayurbhanj became an independent unit and soon after, a State Legislative Assembly was formed with cabinet ministers (praja mandal). These ministers included Chief Minister Sarat Chandra Das (Minister of Home, Finance, Audit, Planning and Reconstruction), M. Mahapatra (Minister of Revenue, Law, Health & Local Government), and M. Nayak (Minister of Development, Education, Supply, Transport, Public Works, Commerce, and Labour) by a proclamation of the Maharaja on 9th December 1947.[6][7] The Maharaja formally transferred most of his powers to this body. When Sardar Patel, the then Home Minister, met the rulers of the state with his proposal for merger with India on 14th December 1947, the Maharaja of Mayurbhanj said that he had already granted responsible Government in his State, and hence he could not make any commitment without consulting his Ministers. In view of this and being a tribal state, Patel didn't compel the merger. The premier of state was left out of the discussions. On 17th October 1948, the Maharaja and Chief Minister went to Delhi and the Maharaja signed an Instrument of Merger with stipulations,[8] keeping in mind the mismanagement and social instability of the state. The administration of the State was taken over by the Government of India with effect from 9th November 1948, and a Chief Commissioner was appointed to administer the State. However, it was subsequently decided that since Mayurbhanj linguistically and culturally had close links with Odisha, it should merge with that Province. On 16th December, 1949, V. P. Menon came to the Baripada and announced the merger of Mayurbhanj with Odisha, which officially effected from 1st January 1949.[9][10] Through the merging with Odisha was not peaceful. The Non-Odia inhabitants, primarily the Santhals, headed by Sunaram Soren proposed that the state either remain as a Union territory of India or merge with Jharkhand, then proposed state of Bihar.[11][12]

The Odia people form the largest population segment. Their castes are the same as that of the neighbouring district of Balasore. A distinctive feature is the presence of many communities that originally hailed from West Bengal but have completely integrated with the Odia population in the last two centuries. The Odias are especially dominant in the Kaptipada subdivision and in the adjoining blocks of Sadar. Odia Scheduled Castes make up 7.32% of the population and belong to a wide variety of groups, with no one community dominating.

Tribals are the largest group forming 58.72% of the population. The Santal people are the largest tribe and are the second-largest group in the district as a whole. A large number of them are immigrants from what is now Singhbhum during the 18th and 19th centuries. The practice of shifting cultivation and jungle clearance meant that the Santals were always on the lookout for forested uncultivated land that could take pressure of a growing population. Increasingly, the Santals settled in Mayurbhanj acquired some degree of fluency in Odia while continuing to speak Santali among themselves. The Ho people form the second largest tribal group followed by the Bhumij. All three tribes speak languages that are a part of the Munda languages family and are therefore distinct from the prevalent Indo Aryan languages of Odia, Hindi and Bengali, that are spoken nearby. The Bhumij, on the other hand, have mostly adopted Odia as their language although 40% still speak Bhumij. Other tribes include the Odia-speaking Bathudi, Bhuyan and Gonds, as well as the Sounti and Kharia. As per 1931 census, the district was comprised by 131 different communities, primarily by Santal (28.61%), Ho (Kolha) (12.07%), Bhumij (8.71%), Kudmi Mahato (6.77%), Bathudi (5.19%), Goura (4.39%), Pana Tanti (3.38%), Bhuyan (2.62%), Khandaita (2.23%), Bhanja Purana (2.2%) and other communities like Kamar, Kumbhar, Gond, Kharia, Brahmin, Teli, Saunti, Dhoba, Tanti, Gola, Dom, Bhandari, Karana, Patra, Baisnaba, Ghasi, Sadgop, Mahali, Sabara, Amanta, Sundhi, Pan (Jena Pan), Purana, Keut, Hadi, Dhandachhatra Majhi, Raju, Kshatriya, Ujia, Bagal, Gouria, Rarhi, Oraon, Baisa, Karua, Thatari, Sahara, Kayastha, Rajuar, Munda constitute 20.35% with each community shared by 0.9% to 2.0%. The rest of 3.24% was shared by minority communities whose population below 1,000 in the district.[18]

According to the 2011 Census 83.86% people are Hindus, 1.34% are Muslims, 0.60% are Christians, 0.03% are Sikhs and Jains while Adivasi faiths comprise the rest. Hinduism in its usual form is practised by the Odia people. Baripada is an important religious centre, having one of the oldest Jagannath temples in the state as well as a much revered temple of Maa Ambika, the patron deity of the town. Semi Buddhistic practises involving the worship of Mahayana deities like Tara and Avalokiteshvara under different names are common in villages. A large segment of the tribal population also follows Hinduism with a substantial amount of tribal rites and rituals. The ancestral faith of Santals, Sarna involves nature worship and reverence for sacred groves and is also widely practised.

Muslims and Christians comprise a tiny minority. The former are almost all migrants from Coastal Odisha except for a sizeable population of Bihari Muslims near the border with Chaibasa. Christians are mostly converts from tribal communities. There is an old Evangelical Church at Baripada and a Roman Catholic church at Krushnachandrapur.

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 54.33% of the population in the district spoke Odia, 24.81% Santali, 7.58% Ho, 3.92% Mundari, 2.77% Kurmali and 1.34% Bengali as their first language.[20]

A large segment of the tribal population is fluent in Odia in addition to their native language. The Mayurbhanj dialect is almost the same as that of Coastal Odisha though certain tribal words for everyday objects are used, especially in the villages. The native language of Santali is largely used in its spoken form, Odia or Hindi being preferred for writing. The Ol Chiki script is rarely seen and the Odia script is used to write other tribal languages as well. Bengali is used in the parts of Sadar subdivision that adjoin Jhargram district, although there is significant Odia admixture. Kudmali is another important language, primarily spoken by the Kudumi Mahato in the border areas of Jharkhand and West Bengal. Where they have significant population. Other tribal languages include Ho and Bhumij (sometimes regarded as a Mundari dialect).[lower-alpha 1] Lodha is spoken by several thousand people.

• Senapati, Nilamani; Sahu, Nabin Kumar (1967). "Orissa District Gazetteers: Mayurbhanj". INDIAN CULTURE. Cuttack: Superintendent Orissa Government Press. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
• Taradatt, Dr; Basa, Kishor K (eds.). Odisha District Gazetteer (Mayurbhanj) (PDF). Gopabandhu Academy of Administration [Gazetters Unit], General Administration Department Government Of Odisha. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2021.