Maniram Dewan
Maniram Dewan | |
---|---|
মণিৰাম দেৱান | |
Sibsagar[citation needed] | |
Died | 26 February 1858 Central Jail Jorhat | (aged 51)
Cause of death | Hanging |
Other names | Maniram Borbhandar Barua, Moniram Dewan |
Occupation(s) | Dewan, Tea cultivator |
Organization | Assam Tea Company |
Known for | Participation in the 1857 uprising |
Notable work | Buranji Bibekratna (1838) |
Criminal charge | Waging war against the British East India Company government in Assam[1] |
Criminal penalty | Death by hanging |
Maniram Dutta Baruah, popularly known as Maniram Dewan (17 April 1806 – 26 February 1858), was an
Early life
Maniram was born into a family that had migrated from
British associate
Early in his career, Maniram became a loyal associate of the British East India Company administration under David Scott, the Agent of the
Later, Maniram was made a borbhandar (Prime Minister) by
Tea cultivation
It was Maniram who informed the British about the
In 1833, after its monopoly on the Chinese tea trade ended, the East India Company decided to establish major tea plantations in India. Lord William Bentinck established the Tea Committee on 1 February 1834 towards achieving this goal. The committee sent out circulars asking about the suitable places for tea cultivation, to which Captain F. Jenkins responded, suggesting Assam. The tea plant samples collected by his assistant Lieutenant Charlton were acknowledged by Dr. Wallich as genuine tea. When the Tea Committee visited Assam to study the feasibility of tea cultivation, Maniram met Dr. Wallich as a representative of Purandar Singha, and highlighted the region's prospects for tea cultivation.
In 1839, Maniram became the
Apart from the tea industry, Maniram also ventured into iron smelting, gold procuring and salt production. He was also involved in the manufacturing of goods like matchlocks, hoes and cutlery. His other business activities included handloom, boat making, brick making, bellmetal, dyeing, ivory work, ceramic, coal supply, elephant trade, construction of buildings for military headquarters and agricultural products. Some of the markets established by him include the Garohat in Kamrup, Nagahat near Sivasagar, Borhat in Dibrugarh, Sissihat in Dhemaji and Darangia Haat in Darrang.[9]
Anti-British plot
By the 1850s, Maniram had become hostile to the British. He had faced numerous administrative obstacles in establishing private tea plantations, due to opposition from the competing European tea planters. In 1851, captain Charles Holroyd, the chief officer of Sibsagar seized all the facilities provided to him due to a tea garden dispute. Maniram, whose family consisted of 185 people, had to face economic hardship.[8]
In 1852, Maniram presented a petition to A.G. Moffat Mills, the judge of the Sadar Court, Calcutta.
As a solution to all these issues, Maniram proposed that the former native administration of the Ahom kings be reintroduced.
When the Indian sepoys started an uprising against the British on 10 May, Maniram saw it as an opportunity to restore the Ahom rule. With help from messengers disguised as fakirs, he sent coded letters to Piyali Baruah, who had been acting as the chief advisor of Kandarpeswar in his absence. In these letters, he urged Kandarpeswar Singha to launch a rebellion against the British, with help from the sepoys at Dibrugarh and Golaghat. Kandarpeswar and his loyal men hatched an anti-British plot and gathered arms. The plot was supported by several influential local leaders including Urbidhar Barua, Mayaram Barbora, Chitrasen Barbora, Kamala Charingia Barua, Mahidhar Sarma Muktear, Luki Senchowa Barua, Ugrasen Marangikhowa Gohain, Deoram Dihingia Barua, Dutiram Barua, Bahadur Gaonburha, Sheikh Formud Ali and Madhuram Koch.[14]
The conspirators were joined by the Subedars Sheikh Bhikun and Nur Mahammad, after Kandarpeswar promised to double the salary of the sepoys if they succeeded in defeating the British.[14] On 29 August 1857, the rebels met at Sheikh Bhikun's residence at Nogora. They planned a march to Jorhat, where Kandarpeswar would be installed as the King on the day of the Durga Puja; later Sivasagar and Dibrugarh would be captured. However, the plot was uncovered before it could be executed. Kandarpeswar, Maniram, and other leaders were arrested.[14]
Maniram was arrested in Calcutta, detained in Alipur for a few weeks, and then brought to Jorhat. His letters to Kandarpeswar had been intercepted by the Special Commissioner Captain Charles Holroyd, who judged the trial. Based on the statement of Haranath Parbatia Baruah, the daroga (inspector) of Sivasagar, Maniram was identified as the kingpin of the plot. He and Piyali Barua were publicly hanged on 26 February 1858 at the Jorhat Central Jail.[15] Maniram's death was widely mourned in Assam, and several tea gaden workers struck work to express their support for the rebellion.[16] The executions led to resentment among the public, resulting in an open rebellion which was suppressed forcefully.[17]
Legacy
After his death, Maniram's tea estates were sold to George Williamson in an auction.[14] Several folk songs, known as the "Maniram Dewanar Geet", were composed in his memory.[18] The Maniram Dewan Trade Centre of Guwahati and the Maniram Dewan Boys' Hostel of the Dibrugarh University is named after him.[19] In 2012, the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia announced that he planned to declare tea as the national drink of India to coincide with the 212th birth anniversary of Maniram Dewan.[20]
References
- ISBN 978-81-7099-476-3. Archivedfrom the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-0822350491. Archivedfrom the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7099-207-3. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-81-212-0069-1.
- ^ HK Goswami (26 February 2009). "Martyrdom of Maniram Dewan". The Assam Tribune. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-81-85319-82-7.
- ^ North East India History Association. Session (1994). Proceedings of North East India History Association. The Association. p. 156.
- ^ OCLC 224307630.
- ^ Punya Dhar Chetia Phukan (26 February 2008). "Maniram Dewan : a trend setter". The Assam Tribune. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-8324-089-5. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-81-7117-048-7.
- ^ Keshab Narayan Dutt (1969). Landmarks of the freedom struggle in Assam. Lawyer's Book Stall. p. 17.
- ^ Ajit Kumar Dutta (1990). Maniram Dewan and the contemporary Assamese society. Anupoma Dutta. p. 131.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-8324-242-4. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-81-8324-233-2. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-81-269-0703-8. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-81-7099-538-8. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-81-260-1944-1. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ^ "Maniram Dewan Boys' Hostel". Dibrugarh University. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ^ "Tea will be declared a national drink, says Montek". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.