DHANBAD, Jharkhand

Main Attraction: COALMINE

Coal Mines, the most common sight in the district of Dhanbad are the basic factors around which the whole socio-economic activities revolve in the district.

Brief History

Brief history of the district of the erstwhile Manbhum district. The reorganisation of the districts Dhanbad district was constituted in 1956 by carving out the old Dhanbad subdivision and Chas and Chandankiyari police stations of the Sadar subdivision in the State of Bihar which took place after 1971 did not affect the district of Dhanbad. Dhanbad Municipality is the chief town and the headquarters of the district. In the year 2001, Bokaro District was constituted carving out Chas subdivision of Dhanbad district and Bermo subdivision of Giridih district.

The district is bounded on the west by Giridih and Bokaro on the north by Giridih and Jamtara and on the east and south by Purulia district of West Bengal.

Early History

The early history of the greater part of the Chotanagpur plateau is shrouded in mystery and that of Dhanbad district is particularly so. Details of even later periods are difficult to trace as the present district formed but a small and insignificant part of Manbhum. In the Settlement Report for Manbhum (1928) it has been stated that no rock inscriptions, copper plates or old coins were discovered and not a single document of copper plate or palm leaf was found in course of the Survey and Settlement operations. The oldest authentic documents produced were all on paper and barely even a hundred years old.

It was a small village of the erstwhile district of Manbhum, which had its headquarter in Purulia (now in West Bengal). Manbhum in turn, derived its name from Raja Man Singh who was gifted this territory by Emperor Akbar, following his victory in a certain battle. The district being extremely vast and far-flung soon got divided into Birbhum, Manbhum and Singbhum, for administrative purposes.

There are 100850 acres of hillocks and 56454 acres of forests. It is about 500-10000 feet above Sea level. Its soil is, by and large lateritic in nature.

Dhanbad was initially christened as Dhanbaid; the name being probably derived from the “Baid” variety of paddy that was cultivated in abundance here. Regarded as third grade variety of kharif, crop ripened in the months of October-November. However there are other interesting speculations to explicate the above. Some opine that the place was primarily inhabited by the Kolar race people, who held the economic reins of the region and were hence, wealthy. The “Dhan” or wheat that occurs in Dhanbad may thus also be presumed to have an obvious link with the Kolars. Others argue that the district being bestowed with rich natural resources has been so named. In 1918, the then sub-divisional commissioner, Mr. Lubi, aborted the alphabet “I” from Dhanbad, with the consent of the Govt., following which the district came to be known by present name of Dhanbad.

The earliest civilisation in the district was that of the Jains who are ascribed by colonel Dalton to 500 or 600 B.C. The Saraks, who were the descendants of these Jains, were found in considerable number in the eastern part of the district as late as in 1928. The Jain civilisation was apparently superseded by the Brahmins before the seventh century A.D. The travel accounts of Hieun Tsang in seventh century A.D. make mention of a powerful kingdom ruled by Sasankad, a persecutor of the Buddhists, which extended from Midnapur on the east to Surguja on the west. According to one view it is held that Mundari tribes occupied the area south of Bihar in Pliny’s time.

Brahmanical civilisation was at its prime in the tenth century. It was destroyed completely by the Bhumij, a Mundari tribe, although it is stated that the area occupied by the latter mainly extended to the south of the river Kasai in the area that is now largely contained in Purulia district of West Bengal. During Akbar,s reign in circa 1590, Raja Man Singh led his troops from Bhagalpur to Midnapur through Jharkhand and he might have passed through portions of Dhanbad. There are detailed accounts of the Panchet or Panchkote estate which is now in Purulia district. Even when the district of Manbhum was acquired by the British in 1765, knowledge about the district scarcely extended beyond the Panchet Estate.

British rule

The history of the district during the early years of the British rule centred round a series of military operations to bring petty Zamindars or Chuars under control. In 1782-83 Major Crauford quelled the disturbances in Jharia. The Permanent Settlement was effected in 1796. By Regulation XVIII of 1805, the Jungle Mahals district was constituted into a separate magisterial charge with headquarters at Bankura. The next 25 years were uneventful. In 1832 disturbances broke out on account of disputed succssion in Barahbhum in which only the southern paraganas of Manbhum were involved. By regulation XIII of 1833, the district of Jungle Mahals was broken up and a new district called Manbhum was constituted with headquarters at Manbazar which was transferred to Purulia in 1838.

1857 Movement

In 1857, the Deputy Commissioner had to flee from Purulia on account of the insurrection of the garrison comprising sixty four sepoys and twelve sawars. The garrison looted the treasury and released prisoner from the jail. They then marched off to Ranchi. The Court buildings and the Record room at Purulia were burnt. The disturbances were, however, quelled eventually when the Deputy Commissioner returned with reinforcement from Raniganj about a month later.

Agrarian troubles between the Zamindar of Tundi and his Santal raiyats threatened the district in 1869 and 1870 but they were suitably warded off. The people of Dhanbad did not lag behind in the struggle for freedom. The various movements under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi were fully supported by the people of Dhanbad.