Odisha Review August - 2013 People's Movement in Khandapara (1938-39) Prasanta Kumar Narendra A great change had overtaken Odisha Gadjat by Daspalla state.1 The country along the States after the election to the Provincial Assembly Mahanadi is open and fertile; to the south and in 1937. The States people who were groaning west are hill ranges clad with fine sal and in the under the tyranny of their princely rulers also plains the country bounds with magnificent mango started toying with idea of having responsible and banyan trees. The open country of the plain governments in their States. After the is healthy. The headquarters of the state were at reorganization of the Odisha States People’s Khandapara.2 The emblem of the state was a Conference under Sarangadhar Das, the States’ tiger’s head. people exhibited a grim determination to struggle for realization of that dream.Prajamandals were No authentic evidence is available already active in Nilagiri, Dhenkanal, Talcher, regarding the dynastic history of the rulers of Nayagarh etc. Popular agitations in the Princely Khandapra. However the tradition says that States had another dimension to the Indian Suryamani Singh, the youngest son of ruler Freedom Struggle in conjuction with the peasant Mohaun Rajsingh of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh movement in Odisha and elsewhere.The new spirit founded the State of Nayagarh. He belonged to of Nationalism,now quite strong in the Gadjat Baghela dynasty. Raja Raghunath Singh of States of Odisha started trickling into the State of Nayagarh had two sons, the eldest, Harihar Singh Khandapara as well.The people of Khandapara, became Raja of Nayagarh and younger Jadunath like the people of other Gadjat States, formed Singh became the ruler of Khandapara. He was Prajamandal in1938 to launch a vigorous a brave ruler who defeated many small chiefs of movement against the ruler to get their demands Khandas or pieces of land and occupied their fulfilled. territories and established a new Kingdom known as Khandapara in 1599 A.D.3 He ruled for long The State of Khandpara lies between 75 years and died at the age of 92 in 1674. He 20011’ and 20025’ N and 8500’ and 85022’E with got the title ‘Mangaraj’ from the Gajapati ruler of an area of 244 square miles. It is bounded on Odisha. Many powerful and strong rulers of that north by river Mahanadi which separates it from dynsaty had held their sway over Khandapara Narasinghpur and Baramba states; on the East and got many a title from different paramount by the Cuttack and Puri districts; on the South by powers of Odisha.4 Ramachandra Singh Puri district and Nayagarh state; and on the west Mardaraj ruled from 1905 to 1922 and died 32 August - 2013 Odisha Review without a son. He adopted his brother-in-law’s There were 325 villages of which Kantilo son named Harihar Singh who was minor. So the was the largest one famous for brass State remained under the court of wards from utensil.7According to 1931 census the total 1922 to 1935.5 Dewan Bhakta Ballav Das was population of state was 77930. All were Hindus ruling the State on behalf of the government. In except 21 Muslims. The state paid Rs.4212/- to 1935 on 31st January after completing education British Government as tribute. Its annual revenue at Prince College Raipur, the prince came and was Rs.1,48,000.8 The principal route of assumed the Gaddi. He came to be known as communication was river Mahanadi, The Cuttack- Raja Harihar Singh Mardaraj Bhramarbar Roy. Sonepur road, maintained by Government passed The ruler was assisted by a number of officials throughout the State. There was state road from mentioned below:6 headquarters to Kantilo. Communication in the interior area was defective. There was a sub- post 1. Dewan and Magistrate, I class- Mr. R.K. office at Kantilo, a distance of 7 miles from Mohanti, B.L. headquarters. There were one hospital and two dispensaries in the state. There was no High 2. Second officer and magistrate II Class- School, but one M.E.School two U.P. Schools Mr. S. Hota, B.A. and 38 L.P. Schools in the whole state. Many villages had no school.9 3. Hon’ble Magistrate, III Class- Samanta L.N. Jagdev Background of Prajamandal Movement: (Taxation and oppression) 4. Assistant Magistrate, III class and officer incharge of forest department – Mr. G. Like other Gadjat States the state of Patnaik, B.L Khandapara had witnessed heavy taxation and oppression on its people. People were victims of 5. Chief medical officer and superintendent misrule and government’s apathy. People suffered Of Jail- Dr. B.M. Das, MBBS. a lot due to maladministration, official corruption 6. Domestic Manager- Mr. P. Das. and heavy taxation.Their miserable socio- economic conditions and sufferings were the 7. Sub Inspector of police- Munshi S.Khan background for the agitation against the Durbar.Finally the time came when the people 8. Overseer PWD- Mr.M. Rath gathered courage to start agitation against the ruler for civil liberty, responsible government and for 9. Forest Ranger- (Vacant) fulfilment of their other genuine demands. 10. Devotter, Khamara and Zamindary People were forced to supply provisions Inspector- Pandit M. Mishra free of cost to state officers and guests of the ruler. Kavyatirtha. Sometimes they had to go 30 to 40 miles to 11. Headmaster- Mr. U.N. Satapathy, B.A. purchase commodities for supply, according to demand, when these were not available in locality. 12. Sub- Inspector of Schools- Mr. B.N. So the system of Rasad was a very ugly practice Sarangi in the state.10 33 Odisha Review August - 2013 Similarly the rate of Magana varied from the ruler. Besides people had to pay a number of 3 annas to one anna according to the importance other cess for different purposes like education of the occasion on which the levy was made. It cess, grazing cess etc. Moreover taxes from might be some festival, or marriage, or thread potters for making pot, taxes from fishermen and ceremony or any observation of the ruling family taxes from cowherds for grazing their animals in the people had to pay money. 11 forest were being collected.16 Begari was another ugly form of forced Thus people were oppressed and labour where people were compelled to carry the exploiated economically by the ruler. They had bags and luggages of the officers, guests of the only one primary duty that was to pay and pay to ruler to their destination.It was well prevelant in the State. They were fully fed up with such policy the state.12 of taxation of the Durbar and wanted to put their grievances to the ruler trough Prajamandal for On the occasion of Dusshera, Sunniya redressal. and other specific occasions, the village Choukidars and Sarbarakaras collected money Rule of law in the state of Khandapara and ornaments from villagers forcefully and was totally absent. Directions of the ruler was the deposited these as Bheti to the ruler.13 law of the land. It was binding and final. People had to accept it. The ruler was the chief of Bethi or forced labour was the most Judiciary. Magistrates in lower court could give inhuman custom in the state. People were forced their judgement as per their whim.17 People were to construct roads, bridges, embankments, dig put in Jail beyond the term of their sentences. The ponds and wells without any payment. They were ruler was engaged in luxury by having an also compelled to extinguish fire in forest, help aeroplane and motor car whereas the people were the ruler for hunting without any wage. Moveover living in misery. 18 Govt. intervention in the social they were forced to construct houses for ruler life of the people was very acute. Even the rich and his officers and relatives without payment.Any people could not construct houses as per their protest against Bethi was followed by beatings own wishes. People were not allowed to use and fines.14 Palanquin, horse and Sabari without the permission of the ruler. Even in order to have Taxes: Apart from that many types of taxes were marriage,or thread ceremony, Pala or Puja People being levied on the people. The land tax was much had to seek permission from the ruler. People, more higher compared with that of neighbouring although were dissatisfied with the ruler, could not districts of Odisha province. The rate for highest discuss openly against the ruler. If they were class of land in the state was Rs.2.5.0 while it found doing so they were punished with heavy was Rs.1.10.0 in Banki of the Cuttack district.15 fines. There was an instance that a man had been The tenants had no right over his land. It could be fined Rs.50/- for sending his married daughter in snatched away from him at any point of time by a palanquin to her husbands’s place without the the ruler. Nobody could sale his land without the royal permission.19 permission of the ruler. People could not cut the trees from their own plots nor could catch the A system of monopoly in the sale of fish from their ponds without the permission of mecessities of life existed in the State. Nobody 34 August - 2013 Odisha Review was allowed to sale those commodities. They were distributed secretly in the villages by the allowed when they paid fees for the purpose. Prajamandal leaders and they used to hold Due to such policy of state monopoly, the price meetings everyday in the evening at a secret place.