A Tribute to the Martyrs of Paika Rebellion
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ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review A Tribute to the Martyrs of Paika Rebellion Satyabadi Baliarsingh he presiding deity of the state of Utkal was time, was later named as “Jagannathpur, Cuttack”. TLord Sri Jagannath and the King Gajapati So from 1572 to December 5th 1804, for 232 was his representative. The state had lost its years Khordha-Gada remained the capital of independence and Odisha and was the centre sovereignty in 1868 A.D. of culture and tradition of To protect and preserve Utkal. It is said that because the tradition, Gajapati Ram of the razor-sharp Chandra Dev ascended the appearances and the valour throne of Khordha. His first of Paikas, Khordha had and primary work was to been named so, i.e re-install the three idols, Khordha. kidnapped by By the time, Kalapahada, from the Khordha kingdom was temple of Puri. The history created and Khordha fort says, Kalapahada had was built, the traditional taken away the three idols capital of Odisha Empire and had burnt them on the was Cuttack. The Barabati bank of Ganga. A pious Fort had come under the man named Bishara Mohanty rescued the possession of Afghans and thereafter the Mughals. ‘Brahma’ and hide it in Kujanga. Gajapati Ram With the fall of Utkal Empire, the areas from the Chandra Dev brought the ‘Brahma’ from river Godavari to Icchapur came under the Sultan Kujanga, and built three wooden idols of Lord of Golkunda and the areas from the river Jagannath, Balabhadra and Shubhadra and placed Kathajori to Hoogly came under the rule of them at Gada-Khordha. He installed them in Puri Afghans and then Mughals. After that, in 1751 temple in 1580 and reintroduced ‘Mahaprasad’ the Marathas occupied Odisha. Jagannath religion which was stopped for eight long years. At that and culture were safe as they were Hindus. The place Lord stayed at Gada-Khordha for some British took away Odisha from the Marathas in 8 JANUARY - 2020 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 1803 and occupied the Khordha fort in 1804. In the time comes for the fall in the history of a the meantime, the Paika Rebellion was started nation, its first distortion begins in the conscience against the British rule under the leadership of and life force of its destiny makers. This had Jayee Rajguru. It became unsuccessful in happened with Mukunda Dev and advisor Jayee achieving its objectives. Then Bakshi’s guerrilla Rajguru. war against the British for eight years put the British Mukunda Dev was under the impression government in a tight corner. This Paika rebellion that the four Praganas of Sirei, Lembei, Rahanga was the first mass revolution against the British. It and Chabiskud had been lost earlier. He did not had spread to many parts of Odisha. Yet it did oppose the English. There was an unwritten not yield the desired outcome. Then there was an agreement between him and Colonel Harcourt. armed struggle in 1827, led by Madhab Chandra But when Jayee Rajguru along with two hundred Routray, the Dalabehera of Tapanga and in 1836, Paikas went and met Harcourt at Barabati Fort it was Krutibasa Pattasani who led an armed of Cuttack, he flatly denied to give any land to struggle against the British. The soil of Khordha Mukund Dev. Being disappointed Jayee Rajguru is still wet with the blood of the martyrs who had returned and told the king, “I had warned you sacrificed their lives to protect their motherland not to reach any kind of aggrement or compromise and they immotartalized themselves through their with the English Captain and not allow the English stories of valour and courage. soldiers to go to Puri. “This statement of Jayee Rajguru establishes his intention of not inviting the The two years of English rule from 1803 English to our soil at any cost. After that Jayee to 1804, was a decisive phasé in the fate of Rajguru declared war against the British. The Odisha. During this period, Jayee Rajguru was English laid a siege on Khordha fort for three the priest and the chief of the armed force of the weeks and then broke down its wall and entered minor king Mukunda Dev. At this critical moment into the fort. Jayee Rajguru was arrested and he if Jayee Rajguru, Bakshi Jagabandhu, Dewan was tortured inhumanly. He was transferred to Harihar came and joined together with devised Medinapore jail and was sentenced to death. He strategies, the History of Odisha would have been was hung from two branches of densely thick different. Even the English historian admitted that, Banyan tree and he was torn into two halves in the British forces had attacked when they were Baghitotta (grove) at Medinapore. This is sad, crossing the mouth of Chilika, they would have unfortunate and horrific event which had happened been faced disaster. In this context, the famous on Dec 6, 1806. All Odias should remember this writer Surendra Mohanty has written in his book, great personality with extra-ordinary courage, “Shatabdira Surya”. If the Khordha king valour, and sacrifice for the Nation. Poet Ramesh Mukunda Dev and Jayee Rajguru had given some Chandra Bhanja writes :- kind of resistance on the day, when Mr. Harcourt and Mr. Melville proceeded from Kulaprayagi Many phases time have passed But the memory of Jayee’s death, refusing village near Chilika with six hundred Europeans To bow to the foreign rule, remains unchanged. three hundred Telenga Sepoys and eight cart loads foods and arms and ammunitions, the history of Khordha now came under the direct Odisha would have taken a different turn. When control of the British. At that time the capital was JANUARY - 2020 9 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review in Calcutta and there was no good road to increase the tax revenue and to exploit the communication to it. People used to go by foot people. “The indigent miserable and depressed or were being carried by Palkis to Chandbali from condition of the bulk of the agricultural population there they were going to Calcutta by sail ships. It occasioned chiefly by the constant fluctuation of was a fortnight’s journey. The Offices were the Government assessment. dominated by majority of Bengalis and the English Bakshi Jagabandhu, the leader of Paika rules used to depend upon them. The Odia people Rebellion : were not acquainted properly with the rules and regulations of the government. Taking advantage Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar of that, the Bengali and Muslim officials purchased Mohapatra Bhramarabara Ray was the Chief of the lands through benami transactions taking part Army of Khordha, in accordance with his family in auctioning at very cheap rates in Calcutta. tradition. He had been enjoying Rodanga Jagir Thus, about two thirds of the Zamindaries of because of his position. But a Bengali employee Balasore, Cuttack and Puri had been taken away Krushna Chandra Singh conspired and took away by the Bengali officials and their agents on the the Jagir from him. But without approaching the plea of “nonpayment of taxes”. The Zamindars Court for getting justice Bakshi united the Daleis, were becoming bankrupt and they had no means Dalabeheras and the people of that area revolted to go to Calcutta to protect against it. In some against the British which was subsequently spread cases, these corrupt Bengali officials demanded over to other areas, which is better known as taxes three times more than the usual rate and the Paika Uprising. It continued for eight long years people suffered a lot. Thus in a decade between i.e from 1817 to 1825. After 40 years from 1817 1806 to 1816, as many as 10,111 Zamindaries another armed rebellion started at Barakpore of had been auctioned in these three districts. Out Calcutta which took the shape of Sepoy Mutiny of these, 350 Zamindaries had been bought by against the British, but it was put down only within the Bengali officials. The economic conditions of two years. The Britain had occupied Bengal one the people faced severe jolts due to increased hundred years before they captured Odisha. But taxes, frequently changing land settlement laws, when, the revolution started though quite late in collection of taxes in terms of rupee against Kaudi Odisha, it spread almost immediately to the entire and monopoly of salt business. area which exhibited Odia’s love for It must be noted that Khordha was thickly independence. populated with Paikas. At that time the native The armed battles at Banapur, Khordha, kings were enjoying lands free of rent. At the times Gangapara, Puri, Dokanda of Kanasa, Pipili, of peace, they were living on cultivating the lands. Balakati,Chandaka, Kujanga almost shocked the Now the agricultural land was subject to land foundation of the British rule. Even after the revolt revenue by the company government. People had was put down, the British rulers were even to sell all their moveable properties, yet they apprehensive as Bakshi had not been arrested could not get rid of the loans. About 5 to 600 and he was getting support of some provincial families had migrated to other places in search of kings of neighbouring areas. Because of his livelihood. Many villages became empty. Mr. popularity across the social classes, he could keep Ewer had written about the land settlement laws himself safe from the military mission to arrest him. 10 JANUARY - 2020 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 At last the English ruler entered into a respectable He set on his quest on 20th September 1818 with agreement with him on 27th May 1825 and his force. But Pindiki managed to escape. But his brought him to Cuttack from Nayagarh and he colleagues Sadhu Charan Mangaraj, Bishnu was kept under house arrest.