Singhbhum district

Coordinates: 22°30′N 85°30′E / 22.500°N 85.500°E / 22.500; 85.500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Singhbhum District
District of the Bengal Presidency
1820–1947
Flag of Singhbhum district
Flag

Singhbhum district in a 1909 map of The Imperial Gazetteer of India
CapitalChaibasa
Area 
• 1901
10,078 km2 (3,891 sq mi)
Population 
• 1872
318,180
• 1881
453,775
• 1891
545,488
• 1901
613,579
• 1931
929,802
History 
• The Raja of Singhbhum becomes a feudatory of the British
1820
• 
Accession to the Union of India as district of Bihar
1947
• Bifurcation
1990
 Succeeded by
East Singhbhum
West Singhbhum

Singhbhum was a district of India during the

state of Jharkhand. Chaibasa was the district headquarters. Located in the southern limit of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, Singhbhum included the Kolhan estate located in its southeastern part.[2]
The district has been segmented into two smaller districts, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum.

Etymology

Singhbhum is a

Kolarian ethnic tribes.[4]

Geography

It is bounded with

Ranchi District in the north, with the Saraikela and Kharsawan princely states in the east, with Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar in the south as well as with Bonai and Gangpur in the southwest.[2] Singhbhum District had an area of 10,078 square kilometres (3,891 sq mi) and a population of 613,579 in 1901.[5]

History

The Singhbhum area was never invaded by either the

Chhota Nagpur Division until the end of the British Raj
.

Singhbhum on James Rennell's Mid-18th Century map
Bihar and Orissa in a 1912 map of British India

Following the

independence of India Singhbhum district became part of the Indian Union as a district of Bihar. In 1990, for administrative convenience, the district was divided into two districts: East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum. In 2000, South Bihar separated from North Bihar to form the state of Jharkhand. Subsequently, in 2001, the princely state of Saraikela and Kharsawan was bifurcated from East Singhbhum district to form Saraikela Kharsawan district
of Jharkhand.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1901754,658—    
1911843,040+11.7%
1921911,935+8.2%
19311,116,424+22.4%
19411,350,141+20.9%
19511,480,816+9.7%
1961—    
19712,437,799—    
1981—    
Post the 1981 census, the district bifurcated into East and West Singhbhum districts.
Note: The census data exhibit discrepancies owing to changes in administration within specific regions of Singhbhum.
Source: Census of India[6]

According to the 1931 census, the total population of Singhbhum (including Dhalbhum) was 929,802. The predominant communities in the region were the Ho, comprising 32.39% of the population, followed by the Santal at 11.71%, Bhumij at 5.71%, Munda at 5.48%, Gaura at 5.04%, Tanti at 4.09%, Goala at 3.79%, Hajjam at 2.68%, Kurmi at 2.42%, Bhuiyan at 1.97%, Kamar at 1.87%, Brahman at 1.71%, Kumhar at 1.49%, Rajput at 1.4%, Teli at 1.31%, Oraon at 1.09%, Kayastha at 1.04%, and others such as Kewat, Gadaba, Dhobi, Kharia, Bania, Dom, Mahli, Chamar, Khandait, Hari, Kahar, Jolaha, Mallah, Karmali, Bathudi, Karan, Savar, Korwa, Mochi, and Birhor.[7]

Language of Singhbhum district (1931)[7]

  
Urdu (5.72%)
  Mundari (5.85%)
  Bhumij (3.25%)
  Kurukh
(1.09%)
  Other (5.76%)

In terms of language, the Ho language was the most prevalent at 32.83%, followed by Odia at 18.49%, Bengali at 15.87%, Santali at 11.15%, Hindi and Urdu at 8.72%, Mundari at 5.85%, Bhumij at 3.25%, and other notable spoken languages such as Telugu, Panjabi, Tamil, Mahli, Gujurati, Nepali, Gondi, Marwari,

European languages.[7]

References

  1. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Singhbhum" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 148.
  2. ^ a b c "Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 23, page 1 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  3. ISBN 978-3-11-054085-7
    .
  4. ^ Journal of Historical Research. Department of History, Ranchi University. 2003.
  5. ^ Wilson Hunter, Sir William; Sutherland Cotton, James; Sir Richard Burn, Sir William Stevenson Meyer. Great Britain India Office. The Imperial Gazetteer of India. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908
  6. ^ Prasad, Ranchar (1956). District Census Handbook Singhbhum - Census 1951 (PDF). Director of Census Operations, Bihar. pp. 3, 22.
  7. ^ a b c Lacey, W. G. (1932). Census of India, 1931 (PDF). Vol. VII. Bihar and Orissa (Part. II. Tables). Superintendent, Government Printing. see. Table XVII & XVIII.

Bibliography

22°30′N 85°30′E / 22.500°N 85.500°E / 22.500; 85.500

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