CHAPTER II “Palamu’s Political Evolution (1658–1765): From Mughal Rule to British Diwani”

Raghunath Shah (r. ~1658–1690)

• Ruled during most of Aurangzeb’s reign; known for religious and charitable nature.
• Guru Harinath inspired Raghunath Shah to add “Nath” to his name and become his servant.
• From this time, Nagbanshi rulers used both “Nath” and “Shah” in their names.
• Capital: Doisa remained the headquarters.
• Architectural Contributions:
  • Built temples in Doisa, notably the Jagannath Temple (Samvat 1739 / 1682 A.D.).
  • Built Madanmohan Temple at village Borea (Samvat 1722 / 1665 A.D.).
  • Temples at Chutia, including a Ram-Sita temple by Hari Brahmachari in 1685.
• Era marked by prosperity and relative Mughal non-interference.
• Conflict: According to Chero traditions, Medini Rai of Palamau invaded and looted Doisa; supposedly took a large stone gate, known in Palamau as the Nagpur Gate (story possibly exaggerated).

• Succeeded Raghunath Shah; ruled for ~25 years.
• Inscription in Kapilnath Temple (1710 A.D.) confirms his reign.
• Relations with Mughals (Aurangzeb) remained cordial.
• Paid revenue to the Mughals via Orissa Subah: Rs. 9,705 in 1692 A.D.
• Little known about internal affairs of his reign.

• Possibly ruled 9–10 years; described as energetic.
• Took advantage of post-Aurangzeb Mughal instability and withheld tribute.
• May have lost Pargana Tori to Ranjit Rai of Palamau in 1719 (with Ramgarh’s help).
• 1717 A.D.: Faced a Mughal expedition by Sarbuland Khan, Governor of Bihar.
  • Yadunath Shah submitted without resistance.
  • Paid Nazrana of Rs. 1,00,000 (Rs. 45,000 in cash, rest in diamonds).
  • Possibly led to capital shift from Doisa to Palkot due to security concerns.
• Died in 1724 A.D.; had 12 sons, succeeded by Shivnath Shah.

Shivnath Shah (r. 1724–1733)

• Eldest son of Yadunath Shah.
• First six years of reign were uneventful.
• Mughal authority over Chota Nagpur was minimal during this period.

Udainath Shah (r. 1733–1740)

• Succeeded Shivnath Shah.
• Period marked by external threats:
  • Alivardi Khan appointed Deputy Governor of Bihar in 1733.
  • In 1734, Alivardi campaigned against Tekari’s zamindar; came close to Chota Nagpur.
  • Ramgarh’s chief Bishun Singh submitted and promised tribute, possibly covering Udainath Shah’s dues.
• After 1734, no major events recorded until the end of Udainath’s reign in 1740.

Nagbanshi and Maratha Interactions (1740–1765)

• Accession of Shyamsundar Nath Shah (1740 A.D.) marked the beginning of a new era in Chota Nagpur history.
• Maratha Invasions (1742–1751 A.D.):
  • Maratha incursions began during Shyamsundar’s reign and persisted till early 19th century.
  • Bhaskar Pandit entered Chota Nagpur via Chhattisgarh en route to Bengal during the first Maratha invasion (1742).
  • Grant Duff notes Maratha forces emerging near Ramgarh, attacking Pachet (modern Raniganj area).
  • The Maratha route passed through Ranchi’s dense forests, especially Gumla and Burwa.
  • After defeat at Katwah, Bhaskar Pandit fled via Ramgarh but retreated through Orissa instead of Chota Nagpur due to Alivardi Khan’s pressure and difficult terrain.
  • Maratha Bairagis (mendicant raiders) continued minor raids after Bhaskar’s retreat, chased by Alivardi Khan to Ramgarh.
• Raghuji Bhonsla’s Bengal Campaign (1743 A.D.):
  • Followed Bhaskar’s earlier invasion route.
  • Chased by Peshwa Balaji Rao, Raghuji fled to Nagpur.
  • Peshwa passed through ‘Bedugarh’ in Chota Nagpur, possibly not modern Ramgarh.
• Maratha Influence:
  • Frequent Maratha passage weakened Mughal authority in Chota Nagpur.
  • August 31, 1743: Agreement between Peshwa and Raghuji divided influence zones; Chota Nagpur fell under Raghuji’s sphere.
  • Maratha extortion of Nagbanshi territories persisted till early 1800s.

Nagbanshi Rulers’ Timeline (1740–1790):

• Shyamsundar Nath Shah (1740–1745): Died childless.
• Balaram Nath Shah (1745–1748): Younger brother of Shyamsundar.
• Mani Nath Shah (1748–1762): Son of Balaram, ruled 14 years.
  • Consolidated Nagbanshi authority.
  • Subdued local chiefs (Bundu, Silli, Barwa, Rahe, Tamar) who began paying nazrana and recognized the Nagbanshi as their overlord.
• Drip Nath Shah (1762–1790): Son of Nrip Nath Shah, cousin of Mani Nath Shah.
  • Reign marked by:
    • Decline of Mughal authority
    • Continued Maratha incursions
    • Local unrest
    • British entry into Chota Nagpur
  • By 1765, Chota Nagpur listed as a ‘dismembered territory’ in revenue records of Bihar.
  • Under Mir Qasim (1760–63), parts of Birbhum were defended against inroads from Palamau, Ramgarh, and Kharagdiha.
  • Nagbanshis became de facto independent and began raiding adjacent territories.

This rich historical account vividly illustrates the intense Mughal-Chero conflict during Aurangzeb’s reign, particularly the campaign led by Daud Khan Quraishi against Medini Rai, the Chero ruler of Palamau. Here’s a summarized breakdown of the key events and significance based on your excerpt:

Background & Prelude

• The Cheros, under Medini Rai, had long resisted Mughal authority, refusing to pay tribute and raiding nearby imperial lands.
• Medini Rai, ambitious and defiant, even launched military expeditions against neighboring territories like Kokrah, plundering it and seizing artifacts such as the stone-gate from Doisa, now known as the Nagpur Gate.
• The construction of the New Palamau Fort signaled a strategic strengthening of Chero defenses.

Aurangzeb’s Response

• Upon ascending the throne, Aurangzeb took immediate note of the Chero defiance.
• He ordered Daud Khan, the Governor of Bihar, to subjugate Palamau, collect the overdue tribute, and potentially annex the territory if resistance continued.

1. Initial Movements:
   • Daud Khan was joined by key Mughal officers and local allies, including the Nagbanshi ruler of Kokrah (likely motivated by revenge).
   • Key Mughal commanders included Mirza Khan, Tahawwur Khan, Shaikh Tatar, and Raja Bahroz.
   • The campaign began with the strategic capture of Kothi, followed by Kunda, where the local chief Chun Rai briefly submitted before being assassinated by his brother Surwar Rai, at the behest of Medini Rai.
2. Siege of Palamau:
   • Daud Khan rejected peace offerings from Medini Rai, including a substantial peshkash (tribute) and attempted negotiations.
   • Multiple earthworks and trenches were constructed by both sides.
   • A vigorous cannonade followed, with heavy losses on both sides. The Cheros used the terrain to their advantage but were technologically outmatched.
   • Medini Rai’s defensive tactics and attempts at diplomacy failed, particularly after his forces intercepted an imperial convoy—prompting further Mughal aggression.
3. Battle at the Oranga River:
   • Mughal forces attacked from three sides, forcing the Cheros to retreat first to the lower fort, and later to the upper fort.
   • Despite fierce resistance, the forts were eventually overrun.
   • Medini Rai escaped into the forests under cover of night, though much of his army was killed, captured, or dispersed.

Aftermath

• The campaign ended in a Mughal victory, with:
  • Both Palamau forts captured.
  • Temples destroyed, and Islamic practices imposed in the region.
  • The Chero state severely weakened, though not completely eradicated.
• The battle showcased the limits of local resistance against the Mughal war machine but also highlighted the cultural and martial resilience of indigenous polities like the Cheros.

Historical Significance

• This encounter is a prime example of Aurangzeb’s assertive Deccan and frontier policy, seeking to consolidate control over rebellious chieftains and regional powers.
• Medini Rai emerges as a symbol of resistance, while Daud Khan’s campaign shows the imperial commitment to subjugate dissent.
• The event also reveals the tactical interplay between hill forts, tribal resistance, and imperial military discipline in 17th-century India.

1. Mughal Campaigns and Medini Rai’s Restoration (1658–1674)

• Aurangzeb’s Governor in Bihar: Daud Khan was succeeded by Yadgar Beg (Jan Nisar Khan / Lashkar Khan) in 1665. Palamau came directly under the Governor of Bihar.
• Medini Rai’s Return: After Mankali Khan was transferred in 1666, Medini Rai returned from exile (Surguja) and regained control. His reign (till 1674) is remembered as a golden age for Palamau.
• Reforms and Prosperity: Medini Rai is praised for agrarian recovery, abolishing taxes, and promoting public welfare. Folk memory celebrates his compassion and justice.

2. Continued Mughal Oversight and Local Rule (1674–1707)

• Chero Successions: Rudra Rai (1674–1680), Drikpal Rai (till ~1697), Sahab Rai (till 1716).
• Mughal Grants:
  • Village Untari was granted to Anirudh Rai as lakharaj jagir (1661); confirmed for his son Nirhar Deo (1667).
  • Tribute settlements, like the one by Bihari Das (~Rs. 16,637), show partial integration of Palamau into Mughal revenue networks.
• Sahab Rai and Tribute Withholding: Post-Aurangzeb, Sahab Rai stopped paying tribute, showing a decline in Mughal influence.

3. Rising Regional Challenges and the Chero Decline (1716–1740s)

• Ranjit Rai’s Reign (1716–1722): Defiant of Mughal authority; temporarily seized Tori from Nagbanshis with Ramgarh’s help.
• Chero Civil War & Jai Krishna Rai’s Rise: Babuan faction overthrew Ranjit Rai. Jai Krishna Rai became ruler with help from Diwan Amar Singh Thakurai.
• Invasions and Tribute Settlements:
  • Sarbuland Khan’s expedition under Farrukh-Siyar.
  • Fakhruddaula’s attack in 1730, resisted by local guerrilla tactics.
  • Alivardi Khan’s punitive expedition (1734) further weakened the Cheros.

4. Final Mughal Interference and Maratha Pressure (1740–1765)

• Last Mughal Campaign: Hedait Ali Khan’s 1740 campaign was the final direct intervention. Annual rental fixed at Rs. 5,000.
• Maratha Intrusions:
  • Balaji Rao may have passed through Palamau (1743); village names like Marhatiya and Peshka hint at Maratha presence.
  • Surguja, under Bhonslas, launched regular incursions from the south.

5. Fragmentation of Authority and British Opportunity (1750s–1765)

• Mughal Grants vs. Local Autonomy:
  • Emperor Muhammad Shah granted Japla and Belaunja to Hedait Ali Khan, but local Rajput (Sonpura) resistance was strong.
  • Only Japla was secured; Belaunja remained contested.
• Rise of Rajput and Muslim Zamindars: Northern Palamau came under the control of the Bhaiyas of Untari, Thakurais of Chainpur and Ranka.
• Court Intrigues & Decline of Chero Power: Jai Krishna Rai’s court became unstable. The southern Cheros remained nominally strong, but weakened.
• British Entry: This fragmentation and the weakened political structure made British control (after Diwani of 1765) relatively easier.