History & Heroes

The origin of Simdega dates back to prehistoric times when indigenous tribal peoples lived here. Over the centuries, the region witnessed the rise and fall of several kingdoms and empires, including the Mauryas, the Guptas and the Mughals. In the 19th century, the region came under British rule and in 2000 became  part  of the newly formed state of Jharkhand after being separated from Bihar. The district is known for having contributed its mite to the freedom struggle. Ganga Bishun Rohilla was a famous freedom fighter from Simdega.

Simdega was once known as Biru-Kaishalpur pargana when it was ruled by Raja Katangadeo. After his demise, it was subjugated by Maharaja Shivakarna. For a while it was part of the Kalinga Empire and in 1336 A.D. Harideo of the Gang Dynasty (Ganga Vanshi Gajapati royal family of Kalinga-Utkal empire, Odisha) was made king of Biru.

However, the history of Simdega district cannot be separated from that of its parent district, Gumla. After the Kol uprising of 1881-82, the  South-West  Frontier,  the administrative unit of British India that covered most of present day Jharkhand, came into being. It led to the creation of Lohardaga, which included what is now Gumla district. In 1899, the name of the district  was changed from Lohardaga to Ranchi.

In ancient times, the area of the district along with the neighbouring western tract was the undisputed possession of the Mundas and Oraons. During the reign of Ashoka the Great (273-232 BC), it came under the Magadh Empire. With the decline of the Mauryas’ power, King Kharavela of Kalinga led an army through Jharkhand and sacked Rajgriha and Pataliputra. Later, Samudra Gupta (335-380 AD) must have passed through the area on his expedition to the Deccan. The Chinese traveller Itsing is also said to have passed through the Chotanagpur plateau on his journey to Nalanda and Bodh Gaya.

It is believed that the Chotanagpur Raj was established in the 5th century AD after the fall of the imperial Guptas. Phanimukut was elected its first king. According to a legend, he was found at the edge of a tank under the shelter of a nag (snake). Hence, the dynasty he founded was called the Nag Dynasty.

It was only the Mughal emperor Akbar who was able to expand Muslim influence in the region. According to Ain-i-Akbari, Chotanagpur was reduced to the position of a tributary by Akbar’s troops and included in the Subah of Bihar. After  Akbar’s  death  in  1605, the area probably received its independence. In 1616, Fateh Jang captured Durjan Sal, the 46th king of Chotanagpur. In 1632, Chotanagpur was handed over as Jagir to the Governor at Patna on an annual payment of Rs. 1,36,000. But this arrangement could not last long. In the time of Muhammad Shah (1719-1748), Sarballand Khan, the Governor of Bihar, defeated the Raja of Chotanagpur. It is believed that peace prevailed in the district from 1624, when Durjan Sal was released, until the appearance of the   British.

In December 1771, Chotanagpur was incorporated into Bihar. Triggered by internal disputes, the British Captain Camac attacked Palamu. He was succeeded by Chapman, the first civil administrator of Chotanagpur. In the late 19th century, agricultural discontent in the region led to the Sardari Movement. By 1887, the movement gained momentum and many Munda and Oraon farmers refused to pay rent to landlords. The movement reached its peak in 1895 with the emergence of Birsa Munda, who was considered a manifestation and incarnation of God. He declared that the land belonged to the people who had reclaimed it from the forests and that there was therefore no need to pay rent to any ruler. Birsa Munda had a far-reaching influence on the farmers and people of  Simdega.

In 1914, a local leader, Jatra Oraon of Bishunpur police station, led a religious movement that became known as the Tana Bhagat movement. The non-cooperation movement led by Jatra soon spread across Palamu and Hazaribag districts. The tribals played an active role in the independence movement. A large number of Tana Bhagats participated in the Gaya session of the Congress chaired by Deshbandhu Chitranjan Das in December 1922. Their efforts continued  until  the  country attained  independence  in 1947.