Kol uprising

In the 18th century, Nagvanshi king Maninath Shah (1748–1762) consolidated his authority over the estates of Bundu, Silli, Barwe, Rahe, and Tamar. The chiefs of these estates were compelled to acknowledge the Nagvanshi ruler as their overlord. These chiefs were known as Mankis of their respective areas. During the 19th century, some Mankis revolted after being dispossessed by the Nagvanshi rulers and replaced by thikedars (contractors) appointed to collect taxes, which were levied to repay the debts of the Nagvanshi kingdom. In response, these displaced Mankis and their followers attacked other Mankis in the region, looted and burnt the houses of thikedars, and plundered as well as destroyed Hindu villages. ==Insurgency==

Harinath Shahi, the brother of Nagvanshi king Jagannath Shah Deo, granted lands in Sonpur Pargana to some Sikh horse traders and a Muslim cloth merchant for tax collection, as a means to repay debts. The rebellion soon spread across the Ranchi district. The insurgents engaged in widespread plunder and killings, primarily targeting non-tribals, especially the Sadan population. The unrest persisted for several months. The rebels also destroyed the Mahamaya Temple, constructed by Nagvanshi king Gajghat Rai, and killed the wife and children of the temple’s caretaker, Barju Ram, who later described the incident in a Nagpuri poem. British historiography often characterised the Kol uprising as banditry. In 1831, the Kol tribesmen of Chhota Nagpur, angered by exploitation under the East India Company (EIC), rose in revolt. The rebels were led by figures such as Budhu Bhagat, Joa Bhagat, Jhindrai Manki, and others. The Kols were increasingly agitated by the encroachment of non-tribal communities—Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs—into their territories. The new landlords frequently imposed forced labour, levied fines, and confiscated tribal cattle. The insurrection began in 1831 with the plundering and burning of farms belonging to two Sikh thikedars. Armed clashes between the Kols and British forces took place in 1832. Tribes such as the Kharwar and Chero also joined the rebellion. British accounts state that the Kol rebels indiscriminately attacked Hindus, Muslims, and other outsiders, looting and burning their homes. The rebellion was eventually suppressed by British officer Thomas Wilkinson. He led operations that resulted in the deaths of many rebel leaders and their followers. On 14 February 1832, Wilkinson killed Bhagat Singh, a Munda leader, along with his seven sons and approximately 150 of his followers in the village of Sillagaon. He later encamped at Tamar, where he summoned the chiefs of Bundu and Tamar (both Munda) as well as the king of Chotanagpur. Wilkinson sought to expel the Lakra Kol (Hos) from the region. The Rautias of Sundari, Khunti, Torpa, and surrounding areas conferred upon Wilkinson the title of Baraik in recognition of his role. He then proceeded to Porahat, where he gained the cooperation of some Hos and successfully captured the Kol rebel leader Dasai Manki in 1836. Katey Sardar and Bindrai Manki were apprehended while attending a dinner gathering and were subsequently taken to Kolkata in chains. ==Aftermath==

Following the suppression of the insurgency, the British established the South-West Frontier Division, with its headquarters at Lohardaga, and set up police stations in various areas to maintain order. According to British reports, the uprising was attributed to the dispossession of certain Mankis and their mistreatment by thikedars, along with the imposition of various forms of rent and taxes by the East India Company. These measures adversely affected the local population, the majority of whom were described in colonial records as poor and possessing a "half-savage mentality." ==See also==