Saraikela State
Encyclopedia
Saraikela State was founded in 1620 by Raja Bikram Singh (a forerunner to the ruling family's current nomenclature of Singh Deo), a descendant of the rulers of Porahat
, who claimed descent from the Rathore
clan of Rajput
s. Porahat
or Singhbhum
Kingdom was a part or feudatory of Ganga
Vanshi, Surya
Vanshi Gajapati rulers of Orissa
. The state came under the influence of the Maratha
rulers of Nagpur
in the 18th century, and became a princely state
of British India in 1803, at the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Maratha War
at Deogaon of Orissa. After the war, East-India Company included the Saraikela princely state under the governance of Chhota-Nagpur Commissioner. The state had an area of 1163 km², and was one of the nine Chota Nagpur States
under the authority of the governor of Bengal Presidency
. In 1912 Saraikela came under the authority of the province of Bihar and Orissa
, which was newly created from the eastern districts of Bengal. In 1936 the state was placed under the authority of the Orissa Province. Saraikela, along with 24 other princely states of the Eastern States Agency
, acceded to the Government of India
on January 1, 1948, with a will to merge the princely state with Orissa province of Indian Republic. This was accomplished by the last ruler HH Raja Aditya Pratap Singh Deo who signed the merger agreement acceding to the Indian Union. So both Saraikela and Kharsawan princely states were merged with Orissa in 1948. On January 1, 1948 itself, the tribals of these two princely states, who were in a majority, revolted against the merger with Orissa. This was supported by Patayet Sahib Maharajkumar Bhoopendra Narayan Singh Deo, third son of HH Raja Aditya Pratap Singh Deo, as a result of which he was imprisoned to ensure the popular movement died down. The central government appointed a commission under Mr. Baudkar to look into the matter. On the basis of the Baudkar commission report, Saraikela and Kharsawan princely states were merged with Bihar
on May 18, 1948. These two princely states became part of Jharkhand when the state was separated from Bihar on November 15, 2000. From 18 May 1948 onwards, many non-tribal Oriyas of the districts of Saraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum, and West Singhbhum have migrated and settled permanently in Orissa.
The current scions of the former ruling family residing at The Palace, while pursuing business interests (real-estate, agriculture and politics) locally and in Bhubaneshwar and Kolkata, include Rajkumar Pratap Aditya Singh Deo (son of HH Raja Shata Bhanu Singh Deo), Rajkumar Jugobhanu Singh Deo (son of Tikayat Sahib Maharajkumar Nrupendra Narayan Singh Deo), Maharajkumar Jairaj Singh Deo (son of Patayet Sahib Maharajkumar Bhoopendra Narayan Singh Deo) and Rajkumar Rajvikram Singh Deo.
Porahat
Porahat is a town in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand state in eastern India. Before Indian independence in 1947, it was the capital of a princely state of British India. The town also gives its name to the Porahat Forest Division....
, who claimed descent from the Rathore
Rathore
The Rathore is a Suryavanshi Rajput clan same caste as Lohana. Their Kuldevi is Nagnechiya Mata and "Karani Mata". Rathores are originally from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh. Rathores are historically considered the samurais of India...
clan of Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s. Porahat
Porahat
Porahat is a town in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand state in eastern India. Before Indian independence in 1947, it was the capital of a princely state of British India. The town also gives its name to the Porahat Forest Division....
or Singhbhum
Singhbhum
Singhbhum was sometime a large district in the present-day Indian state of Bihar. Chaibasa was the district headquarters of the erstwhile Singhbhum district. Earlier this area was a part of Orissa's Gajapati Empire...
Kingdom was a part or feudatory of Ganga
Gangas
The Western Ganga Dynasty was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India. They are known as Western Gangas to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over modern Orissa...
Vanshi, Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
Vanshi Gajapati rulers of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. The state came under the influence of the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
rulers of Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
in the 18th century, and became a princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of British India in 1803, at the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Maratha War
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
at Deogaon of Orissa. After the war, East-India Company included the Saraikela princely state under the governance of Chhota-Nagpur Commissioner. The state had an area of 1163 km², and was one of the nine Chota Nagpur States
Chota Nagpur States
The Chota Nagpur States were a group of princely states at the time of British India, located on the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in the present-day Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa...
under the authority of the governor of Bengal Presidency
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
. In 1912 Saraikela came under the authority of the province of Bihar and Orissa
Bihar and Orissa
Bihar and Orissa was a province of British India which included the present-day Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The territories were conquered by the British in the 18th and 19th centuries, and were part of the Bengal Presidency, the largest British province in India. Bihar and...
, which was newly created from the eastern districts of Bengal. In 1936 the state was placed under the authority of the Orissa Province. Saraikela, along with 24 other princely states of the Eastern States Agency
Eastern States Agency
The Eastern States Agency was a political office of the British Indian Empire, created on 1 April 1933. This agency dealt with forty-two princely states in eastern India, located in the present-day Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, and Tripura...
, acceded to the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
on January 1, 1948, with a will to merge the princely state with Orissa province of Indian Republic. This was accomplished by the last ruler HH Raja Aditya Pratap Singh Deo who signed the merger agreement acceding to the Indian Union. So both Saraikela and Kharsawan princely states were merged with Orissa in 1948. On January 1, 1948 itself, the tribals of these two princely states, who were in a majority, revolted against the merger with Orissa. This was supported by Patayet Sahib Maharajkumar Bhoopendra Narayan Singh Deo, third son of HH Raja Aditya Pratap Singh Deo, as a result of which he was imprisoned to ensure the popular movement died down. The central government appointed a commission under Mr. Baudkar to look into the matter. On the basis of the Baudkar commission report, Saraikela and Kharsawan princely states were merged with Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
on May 18, 1948. These two princely states became part of Jharkhand when the state was separated from Bihar on November 15, 2000. From 18 May 1948 onwards, many non-tribal Oriyas of the districts of Saraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum, and West Singhbhum have migrated and settled permanently in Orissa.
The current scions of the former ruling family residing at The Palace, while pursuing business interests (real-estate, agriculture and politics) locally and in Bhubaneshwar and Kolkata, include Rajkumar Pratap Aditya Singh Deo (son of HH Raja Shata Bhanu Singh Deo), Rajkumar Jugobhanu Singh Deo (son of Tikayat Sahib Maharajkumar Nrupendra Narayan Singh Deo), Maharajkumar Jairaj Singh Deo (son of Patayet Sahib Maharajkumar Bhoopendra Narayan Singh Deo) and Rajkumar Rajvikram Singh Deo.