Jungle Mahals (lit. jungle estates)[2] was a district formed by British possessions and some independent chiefdoms lying between Birbhum, Burdwan, Midnapore[3] and the hilly country of Chota Nagpur in what is now the Indian state of West Bengal.[4] The district was located in the area known as the Jungle Terry.[5]
Background
The Chuar Rebellion was a series of uprisings by the tribal communities in the Jungle Mahals region against the oppressive policies of the British East India Company. The British referred to the rebels as "Chuars," meaning "barbaric," due to their resistance to land revenue collection. The rebellion spread across Midnapore, Bishnupur, and Manbhum district, peaking in 1798-1799. In response to the unrest, the British reorganized the region, establishing the Jungle Mahals district and implementing stricter administrative control. The legacy of the rebellion influenced the socio-political identity of the region.[6][7][8][9]
History
Established
The vagueness of the jurisdiction caused inconvenience. In 1805, the new district of Jungle Mahals was created by a regulation (Regulation XVIII of 1805), comprising areas from Birbhum (the 1787 British district incorporating Bishnupur), Burdwan, and Midnapore, and placed under the jurisdiction of a new Magistrate.[2]
According to L.S.S. O'Malley, the district that was formed consisted of 23 parganas and Mahals.[2]
| Jungle Mahals District[2][10] 1805–1833 | ||
|---|---|---|
| District transferred
from Birbhum |
District transferred
from Burdwan |
District transferred
from Midnapore |
| Panchet | Senpahari | Chhatna |
| Bagmundy | Shergarh | Barabhum |
| Jhalda | Bishnupur | Manbhum |
| Jharia | Balsye | Supur |
| Patkum | Ambikanagar | |
| Unknown | Simlapal | |
| Unknown | Bhalaidiha | |
| Unknown | ||
| Unknown | ||
| Unknown | ||
Jungle Mahal Uprising
In 1832–33, the Jungle Mahal Uprising, also known as the Ganga Narayan Hungama, was led by Ganga Narayan in the Manbhum and Jungle Mahal areas of the erstwhile Midnapore district, Bengal, by Bhumij tribals.[11][12]
Disestablished
By Regulation XIII of 1833, the district of Jungle Mahals was broken up, and a new administrative unit known as the South-West Frontier Agency was formed.[13][14] The estates of Senpahari, Shergarh and Bishnupur were transferred to Burdwan District and the remainder constituted the Manbhum District.[4]
Estates transferred
from Jungle Mahals | |
| Burdwan District | Manbhum District |
| Senpahari | Dhalbhum |
| Shergarh | Chhatna |
| Bishnupur | Barabhum |
| Manbhum | |
| Supur | |
| Ambikanagar | |
| Simlapal | |
| Bhalaidiha | |
| Balsye | |
| Panchet | |
| Bagmundy | |
| Jhalda | |
| Jharia | |
| Patkum | |
| Other estates | |
Statehood Demand
In 2021, Saumitra Khan, Lok Sabha BJP MP demanded the creation of Junglemahal state consisting of Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura, parts of Birbhum, Purbo Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and along with some other areas. He claimed that the Junglemahal area is least developed and the demands of employment and development for locals could be met only if it gets statehood.[15]
The West Bengal state BJP unit, however, distanced itself from the Junglemahal statehood demand.[16] A Trinamool Congress leader filed a complaint against Saumitra Khan for demanding statehood for Junglemahal.[17]
See also
References
- ^ Report of the Population Estimates of India (1820-1030) - Census 1961 (PDF). Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs Office of the Registrar General, India. 1963. p. 71.
- ^ a b c d "Forest Tenures in the Jungle Mahals of South West Bengal" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 419.
- ^ a b O’Malley, L.S.S., ICS, Bankura, Bengal District Gazetteers, pp. 21-41, 1995 reprint, Government of West Bengal
- ^ Browne, James (1788). India tracts: containing a description of the Jungle Terry districts, their revenues, trade, and government: with a plan for the improvement of them. Also an history of the origin and progress of the Sicks
- ^ "Adivasi resistance in the Jungle Mahals 1767-1799" (PDF). www.wbnsou.ac.in.
- ^ "The Adivasi Resistance in Jungle Mahal: A Case Study of Chuar Rebellion" (PDF). joais.in.
- ^ गुहा, Abhijit Guha अभिजीत (10 July 2018). "An early freedom struggle that is still not free of the 'Chuar' label". Forward Press.
- ^ a b Das 1984.
- ^ Das 1973, p. 5.
- ^ "Jungle Mahal Uprising, 1832-33". INDIAN CULTURE. Archived from the original on 12 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ Chaudhuri, Sashi Bhusan. Civil Disturbances During the British Rule in India (1765 - 1857). p. 101.
- ^ Das 1984, p. 90.
- ^ a b Gandhi, Rajiv For (1985). Indias Struggle For Freedom Vol. 3.
- ^ "Bengal BJP MP seeks separate Junglemahal state, party distances itself from demand". NewIndianExpress. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "BJP MP seeks separate Junglemahal state, party distances itself from demand". Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "Trinamool Leader Lodges Complaint Against BJP MPs For Demanding Separate Statehood". NDTV. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
Bibliography
- Das, Binod S. (1973). Civil Rebellion In The Frontier Bengal (1760-1805). Punthi Pustak. OCLC 1105009.
- Das, Binod Sankar (1984). Changing Profile of the Frontier Bengal, 1751-1833. Mittal Publications.
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