Keonjhar State, 1908
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Keonjhar State
One of the Tributary States of Orissa, Bengal, lying between 21 degree 1' and 22 degree 10' N. and 85 degree 11' and 86° 22' E. It is the second largest of the Orissa States, having an area of 3,096 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Singhbhum District ; on the east by the State of Mayurbhanj and Balasore District ; on the south by Cuttack District and the State of Dhenkanal ; and on the west by the States of Pal Lahara and Bonai. Keonjhar is divided into two widely dissimilar tracts, Lower Keonjhar being a region of valleys and lowlands, while Upper Keonjhar includes the mountainous highlands. The latter consist of great clusters of rugged crags, which in troublous times afforded a safe retreat to its inhabitants. The mountain-tops appear from the lowlands to be sharply ridged or peaked, but in reality they have extensive table-lands on their summits, fit both for pasture and for tillage. The BaitaranI river takes its rise in the hilly north- western division. The principal peaks are Gandhamadan (3,479 feet), Thakurani (3,003 feet), Tomak (2,577 feet), and Bolat (1,818 feet).
Keonjhar originally formed part of Mayurbhanj, but about 200 years ago the local tribes threw off their allegiance to that State and chose a brother of the Raja as their king. Since that time thirty-six chiefs have ruled. The late chief rendered good service during the Mutiny of 1857, in recognition of which his tribute was reduced and he was made a Maharaja. He died in 1861 without legitimate issue; and on Government nominating his natural son, the present chief, to the gaddi, a dispute arose as to the succession, culminating in an insur- rection of the Bhuiya. and Juang tribes, which was suppressed only with the aid of British troops. The hill tribes again rebelled in 1891 as a protest against the oppressions of the minister, and the aid of British troops had again to be invoked before the rising could be put down. The State has an estimated revenue of 3 lakhs, and pays a tribute of Rs. 1,710 to the British Government. The population increased from 248,101 in 1891 to 285,758 in 1901, but is still very sparse, the density in the latter year being only 92 persons per square mile. There is one town, Keonjhar (4,532), and 1,937 villages, of which the most important is Anandpur, situated on the BaitaranI river. Of the total population, 246,585 are Hindus and 38,567 Animists, the most numerous castes being Pans (31,000), Khandaits (29,000), Gaurs (28,000), Hos (24,000), Bhuiyas (20,000), Kurmls (17,000), Gonds (16,000), Bathudis (13,000), and Khonds (12,000). The old Midna- pore-Sambalpur road runs through Keonjhar town, and a few metalled roads have been made in the neighbourhood of the head-quarters. A new and important fair-weather road has lately been completed, connecting Keonjhar town with Bhadrakh station in Balasore on the Bengai-Nagpur Railway (84 miles) on the one side, and on the other with Jaintgarh on the horders of Singhbhum District (36 miles). For administrative purposes the State is divided into subdivisions : namely, the head-quarters, Anandpur or Lower Keonjhar, and Cham- peswar or Nuagarh. The State maintains 3 charitable dispensaries, 2 middle English, 7 upper primary, and 84 lower primary schools.
