GIRIDIH, Jharkhand

Main Attraction: PARASNATH JAIN TEMPLE

Significantly the oldest of the Jain temples situated on the Parasnath hills came to be known in AD.1775.Parasnath is also revered as “Mavang Guru” or hill deity by the Santhals of the adjoining districts. A dispute between the Swetamber Jains and Santhals was settled by the Privy Council giving exclusive right of worship to the Swetamber Jains in the Parasnath Temple. 

Brief History

Early history

The history of Giridih is a part of the history of its parent district of Hazaribagh and also of the Chotanagpur , known as “Jharkhand” (meaning forest territory ) which was presumably beyond the pale of direct Hindu influence in ancient India. It is generally believed that in very early times it was covered with inaccessible hills and forests to which many non-Aryan tribes who refused to surrender to the steadily advancing Aryan, retired at different times. Though this tract was in touch with many parts of India, yet these non-Aryan tribes had no king. All through the long centuries of Hindu rule in India, Chotanagpur including the district of Giridih appears to have remained unmolested, though foreign invaders on rare occasion might have succeeded in exercising nominal overlordship over it. Jarasandh, the mightly emperor of Rajgriha in the Mahabharat period might have also exercised some kind of loose supervision over the area. Similarly Mahapadma Nand Ugrasen of Magadh, who subdued the entire country upto Orrisa, might have gained some control over Jharkhand as well . it is stated that during the reign of Ashoka (273-232 B.C.) the forest states too acknowledged supremacy of Magadh , and this may justify the conclusion that Chotanagpur was included in the “Mauryan” and Magadhan empire at least during the reign of Ashoka, the great.

Muslim rule

To the Mohammedan historians the whole of Chotanagpur (including that of Giridih district) formed the tract which they know as Jharkhand or forest country. It appears to have remained practically independent through out the Turko- Afgan rule (1206-1526 A.D.) in India. The accession of Akbar to the throne of Agra in 1556 A.D. opens a new chapter in the history of Chotanagpur or Jharkhand. To the Mughals it was also known as Kukrah. It excited the curiosity of the Mughal Emperor by reason of the report of the diamonds to be found in its rivers. Kukrah remained independent of Muslim suzerainty till about the thirteenth year of the reign of emperor Akbar. In 1585 A.D. Akbar sent an expedition which reduced the raja of Chotanagpur to the position of a tributary. It is mentioned in the Ain-e-Akbari that Chotanagpur of Kukrah was included in the Subah of Bihar. During the expedition of Raja Mansingh, one of the industrious Generals of Akbar as some part of Chotanagpur region, still carry the relaxants of districts of Manbhum and Singhbhum which were acceded to subah of Bihar, and during this period only the concept of District(Zila) was first introduced in administration of Mughals particularly in Bihar. As a consequence, the pargana of Kharagdiha was identified as a unit of revenue administration in the District of Hazaribagh. The entire region including Giridih district saw a lot of upheavals thereafter till 1780 when Mr. Chapman succeeded Captain Camac.

British Rule

Mr. Chapman was practically the first Civilian administrator of Chotanagpur. The conquered provinces as they were then called were formed into a British District which comprised parganas Ramgarh, Kendi, Kunda and Kharagdiha (which together constituted the old district of Hazaribagh (comprising Giridih) the whole of Palamu, Chakai,Panchet and the area around Sherghati. Chapman was at the same time Judge and the Magistrate and Collector of the district and held his Court alternately at Sherghati and Chatra. The Ramgarh battalion comprising Indian infantrymen was raised in his time and stationed at Hazaribag. Subsequent to the Kol rising in 1931, which, however, did not seriously affect Giridih, the administrative structure of the territory was, however, changed. The parganas Ramgarh, Kharagdiha, Kendi and Kunda became part of the South West Frontier Agency and were formed into a division named Hazaribag, with Hazaribag as the administrative headquarters. In 1854 the designation of the South West Frontier Agency was changed to Chutia Nagpur and it began to be administered as a non-regulation province under the Lieutenant Governor of Bihar. In 1855-56 there was the great Santhal uprising against the British but was brutally suppressed.

The district of Giridih, like other districts of states played an important role in the national movement of 1857. In the movement of 1942 (Quit India Movement) also, there was large scale participation by the people. Many persons took part in organising processions and destroying communications and transportations. The people of Giridih took active part in the subsequent events also.

The district of Giridih, like other districts of states played an important role in the movement of 1857. In the movement of 1942 also, there was large scale of participation by the people. Many persons took part in organising processions and destroying communications. The people of Giridih took active part in the subsequent events also.

Formation and Re-organisation of Giridih

The old English correspondence volume in Hazaribag collectorate reveals that in 1837 A.D. the whole of Hazaribag district were divided into 12 Police Thanas, of which Kharagdiha was one of them, which controlled the whole of the Giridih sub-division except Gawan, the Zamindari thana of which the cost were not borne by the Government. However, a new thana as Bagodar was opened on the new Grand Trunk Road (1838 A.D.). Later on in 1870 the Giridih sub-division was formed at Karharbari as its headquarters. In 1871 for the convenience of the coal-companies at Giridih, the first Railway-line was built from Madhupur to Giridih. However, the Giridih sub-division so far the distribution list as mentioned in civil list of Bihar and Orissa points out, consisted of 5 revenue thanas, namely, Gawan, Kharagdiha, Dhanwar, Giridih and Dumri whereas, the police stations in the sub-division included Gawan, Satgawan, Jamua, Deori, Dhanwar, Birni, Giridih, Bengabad, Gandey, Dumri, Nawadih, Pirtand, and Bermo at that time, the subdivision encompassed an area of 2002 sq. miles and population of 467,892. Later on Bagodar police station was included and Satgawan deleted from the subdivision. At the time of formation of the district one more sub-division named Bermo consisting Nawadih, Bermo, Gumia and Peterwar was in the picture as a part of this district. However, after the formation of Bokaro district, the Bermo sub-division was ceded to new

district in 1991.