Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

orty years before the Ewer in his report has mentioned Foccurrence of the great that the rising was promoted by revolt of 1857, the Paik rebellion the “misery beyond endurance took place in in 1817. It under which the people of was an outbreak in which mostly Khurda were sinking.” So the the Paikas and the Ryots of rebellion had definite connection Khurda participated. Though it with the people’s grievances. originated in Khurda, spread to Though the personal suffering of different parts of Odisha. Bakshi Jagabandhu was immense and he Jagabandhu who inspired the spearheaded the movement, the movement became its leader. people’s grievances can never be The rebellion which avoided. originated from Khurda and Ewer has also remarked that the Banpur later spread to Pipli, rebellion was not pre-planned

Paika Rebellion of 1817 : Was it the First War of Independence ?

Dr. Saroj Kumar Panda

Gop,Tiran, Harishpur, Marichpur, Kujanga, and it was sudden upsurge of the spirit of revenge 1 Kanika, Paradip, Nuagarh and . In smouldering in Jagabandhu. But facts don’t March 1817, about 400 Kandha tribals of substantiate this view. Jagabandhu had conceived Ghumsar came marching towards Khurda. They of plans long before to restore Mukunda Dev II were joined by the Paikas and attacked the police to the gadi of Khurda. Further he had induced station at Banpur and burnt all Government the Garhjat Rajas to join him. The Rajas of quarters. There they killed 100 men and looted Ghumsur, Kujang and were in direct 2 15,000 rupees from the Government treasury. league with him. When the Kandhas were marching towards A contemporary British officer named Khurda ,people from adjoining villages joined with W.Ker characterised the rebellion of 1817 as a them in large number.This event proves that the freedom movement in the following words, tribal as well as common people participated in “Jagabandhu has given a lead in organising a the movement. Their aim was to throw out British movement, no matter in how haphazard manner rule from Odisha . for ousting the newly established English from

AUGUST - 2017 55 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

Odisha; he expected that other people who (oh, skeleton; arise) invocation. Eight years after (were) also hit hard by the mal-administration this rebellion Madhusudan Bipra, an eye-witness under the English and the Odisha chiefs, who had wrote a kavya, entitled Firingi Kali Bharata been deprived of all their freedom would follow which gives an account of conflicts of the Khurda up the lead to make a common cause with him people with the British, particularly the rebellion for the purpose of liberating their motherland from of Tapanga.5 foreign yoke.”(3) Trower, the then collector of References : stated that, “the rebellion was a crusade, the objective of which was to expel the English 1. Guide to Orissan Records ,vol-2, p-33, W.Trower to J.P. ward, 23 May,1817. from all interference with the land of Purusottam Khetra.”4 2. Odisha Review, August 1989, p-14. Whether freedom movement or 3. B.C.Ray, Bakshi Jagabandhu: The path finder of freedom movement of India, , 2001, resistance movement, the rebellion of 1817 p-163. became a source of inspiration for the nationalist 4. Guide to Orissians Records, vol-2, p-33, W.Trower leaders, intellectuals and poets to create to J.P. ward, 23 May,1817. awareness against foreign dominance and its repercussion on common people. The leftist 5. Odisha Review, August 2007, p-2,3. politician Prananath Pattnaik infused new life into the Paikas by giving a clarion call in the spirit of Dr. Saroj Kumar Panda, Principal, Gadibrahma College, late Godavarisha Mohapatra’s Utha Kankala Delang, , Email-saroj_kumarpanda @yahoo.com.

"Moments" : 22nd Asian Athletics Championships-2017

56 AUGUST - 2017