Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo: A Hero of 1857 in Jharkhand

Birth and Family Background

• Born on 12 August 1817 in Satrangi, the capital of Barkagarh estate.
• Father: Thakur Raghunath Shahdeo.
• Mother: Baneshwari Kunwar.
• His father was the jagirdar (landlord) of 57 villages granted by the Maharaja of Chotanagpur.
• His birthplace is now part of the HEC campus in Ranchi.

Education and Early Life

• Received high-quality education and training in administration and warfare.
• Showed keen interest in governance from a young age.
• After his father’s death in 1840, he took charge of the jagirdari.
• His first administrative decision was to shift the capital from Satrangi to Hatia.

Discontent with British Rule

• Realized that real power lay with the British, and native rulers had no actual authority.
• Decided to resist British dominance and waited for the right moment.

Rebellion Against the British

• In 1855, declared independence and initiated an open revolt against British rule.
• British officer Colonel Dalton was ordered to attack him.
• A fierce battle ensued, and Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo defeated the British.

Role in the 1857 Revolt

• The 1857 uprising spread in Jharkhand and became more intense.
• Received support from:
  • Jagirdar Madhosingh
  • Raja Tikait Singh
  • Sheikh Bhikhari
• Rebel soldiers of the British army in Ramgarh also supported him.
• These rebels returned to Ranchi with British artillery and weapons.

Alliance and Leadership

• Partnered with Pandey Ganpat Rai, former Diwan of the Chotanagpur Maharaja, to lead the rebellion.
• Ganpat Rai was made commander-in-chief of the rebels.
• However, the Maharaja of Chotanagpur sided with the British against the rebellion.

Plan to Meet Kunwar Singh

• Shahdeo and Ganpat Rai planned to join forces with Babu Kunwar Singh.
• They moved via Kudu, Chandwa, Balumath, and Chatra to reach him.
• However, the British attacked them en route.
• Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo escaped, returned, and began preparing for another battle.

Betrayal and Arrest

• The British applied their “Divide and Rule” policy in the Chotanagpur region.
• They won over some of Shahdeo’s own supporters.
• On 30 March 1858, due to betrayal by his own associates, he was captured.
• A man named Vishwanath Dubey provided information leading to his arrest.

Charges and Execution

• Accused of:
  • Helping rebel soldiers in Ramgarh.
  • Blocking the Ghato route.
  • Inciting sepoys.
  • Illegal extortion from traders.
• A brief trial was conducted, and he was sentenced to death for treason.
• Hanged near the main gate of Zilla School, Ranchi, from a Kadam tree.

Property Confiscation

• His estate of 97 villages was seized by the British.
• Jagannath Temple property was also confiscated but later returned to the priest.
• In 1872, a case was filed in Calcutta High Court to reclaim property, but it was dismissed.

Legacy

• Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo is remembered as a valiant and patriotic leader of the 1857 First War of Independence in Jharkhand.
• His sacrifice, strategic planning, and alliance-building played a crucial role in inspiring tribal and non-tribal unity against British rule.