Kingsman3 at 13:34, 21 October 2023

2023-10-21T13:34:53Z

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{{Short description|Indian revolutionary (1790–1833)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ganga Narayan Singh
| image = Ganga Narayan Singh.jpg
| caption = Painting of Ganga Narayan Singh
| native_name = गंगा नारायण सिंह
| native_name_lang = hi
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1790|4|25}}
| birth_place = Bandhdih, Nimdih, [[Jungle Mahals]], British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1833|2|7|1790|4|25}}
| death_place = [[Kharsawan]], British India
| known_for = [[Bhumij rebellion|Bhumij rebellion (1832-33)]]
| mother = Mamta Devi
| father = Lakshman Narayan Singh
}}

'''Ganga Narayan Singh''' (25 April 1790 – 7 February 1833) was an Indian revolutionary from [[Jungle Mahals]], known as the leader of [[Bhumij rebellion]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Orans |first=Martin |date=May 1969 |title=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. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-asian-studies/article/abs/bhumij-revolt-183233-ganga-narains-hangama-or-turmoil-by-jagdish-chandra-jha-delhi-munshiram-manoharlal-1967-xii-208-pp-map-glossary-bibliography-index-errata/A5836E32C9F5325E50403A06E8FFB904 |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |language=en |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=630–631 |doi=10.2307/2943210 |jstor=2943210 |s2cid=161861350 |issn=1752-0401}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Shiva Tosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DjQ-AAAAMAAJ |title=Svatantratā senānī vīra ādivāsī |date=1993 |publisher=Kitāba Ghara |isbn=978-81-7016-179-0 |language=hi}}</ref> He led a revolt against the [[East India Company]] in 1832-33. The [[British Raj|British]] called it "Ganga Narain's Hungama", while some historians have called it the [[Chuar rebellion]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhidu |first=Team Bol |date=2021-12-24 |title=वीर गंगा नारायण सिंह यांनी केलेल्या चुआडच्या बंडामुळे इंग्रज नाकीनऊ आले होते.... |url=https://bolbhidu.com/indian-freedom-fighter-ganga-narayan-singhs-revolt-created-problems-for-british/ |access-date=2022-07-24 |website=BolBhidu.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=वीर शहीद गंगा नारायण सिंह की मनाई जयंती |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur/story-veer-shaheed-ganga-narayan-singh-39-s-birth-anniversary-celebrated-6358290.html |access-date=2022-07-24 |website=Hindustan |language=hindi}}</ref>

== Biography ==
=== Early life and background ===
Ganga Narayan was born on 25 April 1790 at Bandhdhih village of [[Jungle Mahals|Jungle Mahal]], [[British India]]. His father was Laxman Narayan Singh and mother was Mamta Devi. He was the grandson of Vivek Narayan Singh, the King of Barabhum. He had two brothers Shyamkishore Singh and Shyam Lal Singh. His mother, Mamta Devi was humble and pious in nature, but was a staunch opponent of British tyranny. She always encouraged her two sons Ganga Narayan and Shyam Lal to fight against the British.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chuaar Vidroh याद किए गए चुआड़ विद्रोह के महानायक वीर शहीद गंगा नारायण सिंह |url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur-chuaar-vidroh-ganga-narayan-singh-remembered-on-birth-anniversary-at-potka-jamshedpur-21590011.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Dainik Jagran |language=hi}}</ref>

=== Barabhum Raj ===
In the royal lineage of [[Barabhum]], the illustrious King Vivek Narayan Singh ruled with two queens, both of whom bore him two princely sons. However, with the passing of Raja Vivek Narayan Singh in the 18th century, the kingdom found itself at the crossroads of succession. A fervent and historic struggle for the throne unfolded, pitting the two noble sons, Lakshman Narayan Singh and Raghunath Narayan Singh, against each other, as they vied for the right to ascend to the royal seat of Barabhum.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Shiva Tosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DjQ-AAAAMAAJ |title=Svatantratā senānī vīra ādivāsī |date=1993 |publisher=Kitāba Ghara |isbn=978-81-7016-179-0 |language=hi}}</ref>

According to the traditional [[Bhumij people|Bhumij]] system, Lakshman Narayan Singh, the son of the elder queen, was the only one who had the succession. But a long family dispute started after the British nominated the younger son of the king Raghunath Narayan Singh as the king. The local Bhumij ''sardars'' used to support Lakshman Singh. But he could not stand the British support and military aid received by Raghunath. Laxman Singh was expelled from the state. Laxman Singh was given the jagir of Bandhdih village for his livelihood, where his only job was to look after the Bandhadih Ghat.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-12 |title=1248929 {{!}} रांची : चुआड़ विद्रोह के महानायक शहीद रघुनाथ व गंगा नारायण को सम्मान देगी सरकार |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/ranchi/1248929 |access-date=2022-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112151858/https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/ranchi/1248929 |archive-date=2021-01-12 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Kumar Suresh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GLGBAAAAMAAJ |title=The Tribal Situation in India |date=2002 |publisher=Indian Institute of Advanced Study |isbn=978-81-7986-008-3 |language=en}}</ref>

The expelled Lakshman Singh had settled in the village of Bandhdih and tried to get the kingdom and struggled to become the king. But later he was arrested by the [[British Raj|British]] and sent to [[Midnapore|Medinipur]] Jail, where he died.

== Rebellion ==
{{main|Bhumij rebellion}}
In 1765, the [[East India Company]], after acquiring the ''Diwani'' of [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]], [[Bihar]], [[Orissa Province|Orissa]] from the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] Emperor [[Shah Alam II|Badshah Shah Alam]] of [[Delhi Sultanate|Delhi]], started atrocities on poor farmers in [[Jungle Mahals]] and started taking new measures to collect revenue. For this, the British government made salt tax, Daroga system, land sale law, arrival of moneylenders, rules related to forest law, land auction and Dahmi system, and revenue collection succession rules to collect more revenue from the land of [[Bhumij people|Bhumijs]] in [[Manbhum]], Barahbhum, [[Singhbhum district|Singhbhum]], [[Dhalbhum]], [[Patkum estate|Patkum]], [[Medinipur]], [[Bankura]] and [[Bardhaman|Vardhman]] etc. Thus, by all means, the British exploitation of the tribals and the poor peasants went on increasing.

Ganga Narayan Singh was determined to take revenge on the British against the law relating to exploitation, oppression on poor farmers in [[Jungle Mahals|Jungle Mahal]]. The peoples of Jungle Mahal became aware and united under the leadership of Ganga Narayan and raised a rebellion against the British. He explained to all the castes of Jungle Mahal about the exploitative policies of the British and organized them to fight. This led to discontent which took form of a strong struggle under the leadership of Ganga Narayan Singh in 1832 AD. This struggle has been called by the British as ''Ganga Narain's Hungama'' and historians have written it under the name [[Chuar Rebellion|Chuar rebellion]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chuaar Vidroh याद किए गए चुआड़ विद्रोह के महानायक वीर शहीद गंगा नारायण सिंह |url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/jamshedpur-chuaar-vidroh-ganga-narayan-singh-remembered-on-birth-anniversary-at-potka-jamshedpur-21590011.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Dainik Jagran |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Orans |first=Martin |date=May 1969 |title=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. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-asian-studies/article/abs/bhumij-revolt-183233-ganga-narains-hangama-or-turmoil-by-jagdish-chandra-jha-delhi-munshiram-manoharlal-1967-xii-208-pp-map-glossary-bibliography-index-errata/A5836E32C9F5325E50403A06E8FFB904 |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |language=en |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=630–631 |doi=10.2307/2943210 |jstor=2943210 |s2cid=161861350 |issn=1752-0401}}</ref>

Ganga Narayan was the first hero to fight against the British, who first formed the ''Sardar [[Guerrilla warfare|Guerrilla]] Vahini'' army. On which there was support of every castes. [[Jirpa Laya]] (Jilpa Laya) was appointed as the chief commander of the army. The Raja-Maharajas, zamindars and ghatwals of [[Dhalbhum]], [[Patkum estate|Patkum]], Shikharbhum, [[Singhbhum district|Singhbhum]], [[Panchet]], [[Jhalda]], [[Kashipur, West Bengal|Kashipur]], Vamani, [[Baghmundi]], [[Manbhum]], [[Ambikanagar, Bankura|Ambika Nagar]], Amiyapur, [[Shyamsundarpur, Paschim Bardhaman|Shyamsundarpur]], [[Phulkusma]], [[Ranipur, Kendujhar|Ranipur]] supported Ganga Narayan Singh. Ganga Narayan attacked and killed the ''Diwan'' of Barahbhum and British broker Madhab Singh in Vandih on 2 April 1832. After that, along with ''Sardar Vahini'', the court of [[Barabazar|Barahbazar]] Muffasil, the office of the salt inspector and the police station were set on fire.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhattacharya |first=Birendra Ku |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KSBuAAAAMAAJ |title=West Bengal District Gazetteers: Puruliya |publisher=State editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers |year=1985 |pages= 100–103|language=en |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.18270 |archive-date=31 Oct 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bengal (India) |first=West |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fDZuAAAAMAAJ |title=West Bengal District Gazetteers: Bānkurā by Amiya Kumar Banerji |year=1968 |publisher=State editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers |language=en}}</ref>

The Collector of [[Bankura]], Russell, arrived to arrest Ganga Narayan, but the ''Sardar Vahini'' army surrounded him from all sides. All the British army were killed, but Russell somehow escaped to [[Bankura]]. This movement of Ganga Narayan took the form of a storm, which trampled the British regiments in [[Chhatna]], [[Jhalda]], Akro, [[Ambikanagar, Bankura|Ambika Nagar]], [[Shyamsundarpur, Paschim Bardhaman|Shyamsundarpur]], [[Raipur, Bankura|Raipur]], [[Phulkusma]], Shilda, Kuilapal and various places in [[Bengal]]. the impact of his movement was vigorous in places like [[Purulia district|Purulia]], [[Bardhaman district|Vardhman]] and [[Midnapore|Medinipur]] districts of [[Bankura]] in [[Bengal]], entire Chotanagpur of [[Bihar]] (now [[Jharkhand]]), [[Mayurbhanj district|Mayurbhanj]], [[Keonjhar]] and [[Sundergarh district|Sundergarh]] in [[Orissa]] etc. as a result, the entire jungle mahal was out of the control of the british. everyone started supporting ganga narayan singh as a true honest, brave, patriot and social worker.

Eventually the British had to send an army from [[Barrackpore]] Cantonment, which was sent under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Kapoor. The army was also defeated in the conflict. After this Ganga Narayan and his followers expanded the scope of their action plan. The commissioner Baton of [[Bardhaman]] and the commissioner Hunt of [[Chota Nagpur Division|Chotanagpur]] were also sent but they too could not succeed and had to face defeat. Thus, the struggle was so effective that the British were forced to withdraw the land sale law, succession law, excise duty on lac, salt law, jungle law.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Panda |first=Barid Baran |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iensAAAAMAAJ |title=Socio-economic Condition of South West Bengal in the Nineteenth Century |date=2005 |publisher=Punthi Pustak |isbn=978-81-86791-52-3 |language=en}}</ref>

Thakur Chetan Singh of [[Kharsawan State|Kharsawan]] was running his rule in collusion with the British. Ganga Narayan went to [[Porahat]] and [[Singhbhum district|Singhbhum]] [[Chaibasa]] and organized the Kol ([[Ho people|Ho]]) tribes there to fight against Thakur Chetan Singh and the British. On February 6, 1833, Ganga Narayan along with the Kol ([[Ho people|Ho]]) tribesmen attacked Thakur Chetan Singh's Hindshahar police station, but unfortunately died fighting against the British on 7 February 1833.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-24 |title=वीर गंगा नारायण सिंह यांनी केलेल्या चुआडच्या बंडामुळे इंग्रज नाकीनऊ आले होते.... |url=https://bolbhidu.com/indian-freedom-fighter-ganga-narayan-singhs-revolt-created-problems-for-british/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Bhumij rebellion]]
* [[Chuar rebellion]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Ganga Narayan}}
[[Category:1790 births]]
[[Category:1833 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian revolutionaries]]
[[Category:Bhumij people]]

Ganga Narayan Singh - Revision history

Kingsman3 at 13:34, 21 October 2023