Ganga Narayan Singh
Ganga Narayan Singh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 April 1790 Bandhdih |
| Died | 7 February 1833 (aged 42) Kharsawan, British India |
| Known for | Bhumij Revolt |
Ganga Narayan Singh (also spelled as Ganga Narain Singh and Gunga Narain Sing)[1][2] (25 April 1790 – 7 February 1833) was a rebel from the Jungle Mahals who was the leader of Bhumij rebellion. He led a revolt against the East India Company in 1832-33. The British called it "Ganga Narain's Hangama", while some historians have called it the Chuar rebellion.[2][3]
Biography
[edit]Early life and background
[edit]
Ganga Narayan was born on 25 April 1790 at Bandhdhih village.[citation needed] His father was Lachman Singh, and his grandfather was Vivek Narayan, the Raja of Barabhum. He had a brother named Shyamlal Singh.[4][5]: 74-75
Barabhum Raj
[edit]Vivek Narayan, the Raja of Barabhum, had two queens. Two queens had two sons. After the death of Raja Vivek Narayan in the 18th century, there was a struggle for successor between two sons Lachhuman Singh and Raghunath Narayan.[3][4][5]: 74–75
According to the traditional Bhumij system, Lachman Singh, the son of the elder queen, was the only one who had the succession. But a long family dispute started after the British recognized the younger son Raghunath Narayan as the Raja. The local Bhumij sardars used to support Lachman Singh. Lachman Singh was expelled from the state.[3][4][5]: 74-75 Lachman Singh was given the jagir of Bandhdih village for his livelihood, where his only job was to look after the Bandhadih Ghat.[6][page needed]
After Raja Raghunath Narayan death in 1798, the Sadar Diwani Adalat settled the family dispute in favour of his elder son, Ganga Govinda Singh. Madhav Singh later reconciled with his brother and became his diwan. Lachman Singh’s son, Ganga Narayan Singh, deprived of the Panch Sardari estate following his father’s imprisonment and death in Medinipur jail, later led a revolt against Raja Ganga Govinda Singh and Diwan Madhav Singh.[4][5]: 74-75
The Family Tree of the Rajas of Barabhum
[edit]| Raja Vivek Narayan (Raja Balak Narayan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lachhuman Singh | Raja Raghunath Narayan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Raja Ganga Narayan | Shyamlal Singh | Dewan Madhab Singh | Raja Ganga Govinda Singh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rebellion
[edit]In 1765, after acquiring the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, the East India Company imposed harsh revenue policies that exploited the poor farmers of Jungle Mahals, including regions like Manbhum, Barahbhum, and Singhbhum. These measures included salt taxes, land sales, and forest laws, as well as the introduction of moneylenders and land auctions, all of which worsened the plight of the tribal population. This exploitation sparked resentment, particularly among the Bhumijs, and led to widespread discontent in the region.
Ganga Narayan, a prominent leader from Jungle Mahal, organized a rebellion in 1832 against the British policies oppressing farmers. With his formation of the Sardar Guerrilla Vahini army, which garnered support from various local castes and tribal groups, he led a series of attacks against British forces and their collaborators.[3][4] His movement gained momentum, culminating in significant victories across Bengal, Jharkhand, and Orissa, and forcing the British to withdraw oppressive laws. However, despite his early successes, Ganga Narayan was ultimately killed in battle on February 7, 1833, but his legacy as a hero of resistance against British rule endured, inspiring future struggles for freedom.[7][8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Das, Binod Sankar (1984). Changing Profile of the Frontier Bengal, 1751-1833. Mittal Publications. p. 89.
- ^ a b Jha, Jagdish Chandra (1 January 1967). The Bhumij Revolt (1832-33): (ganga Narain's Hangama Or Turmoil). Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Limited. ISBN 978-81-215-0353-2.
- ^ a b c d Orans, Martin (May 1969). "The Bhumij Revolt (1832–33): (Ganga Narain's Hangama or Turmoil). By Jagdish Chandra Jha. Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1967. xii, 208 pp. Map, Glossary, Bibliography, Index, Errata". The Journal of Asian Studies. 28 (3): 630–631. doi:10.2307/2943210. ISSN 1752-0401. JSTOR 2943210. S2CID 161861350.
- ^ a b c d e f Bhattacharya, Birendra Ku (1985). West Bengal District Gazetteers: Puruliya. State editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers. pp. 100–103. Archived from the original on 31 Oct 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Bhattacharya, Sutapa (2023). "The Adivasis of Bengal in the mMid- nineteenth Century with special reference to Bhumiz" (PDF). JHSR Journal of Historical Studies and Research. 3 (3). ISSN 2583-0198. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ Singh, Kumar Suresh (2002). The Tribal Situation in India. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. ISBN 978-81-7986-008-3.
- ^ Bengal (India), West (1968). West Bengal District Gazetteers: Bānkurā by Amiya Kumar Banerji. State editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers.
- ^ Panda, Barid Baran (2005). Socio-economic Condition of South West Bengal in the Nineteenth Century. Punthi Pustak. ISBN 978-81-86791-52-3.