https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Chanda_kingdomChanda kingdom - Revision history2026-08-17T13:59:35ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chanda_kingdom&diff=493298&oldid=prevEdmundWyrick821: Adding New Article...2026-03-17T06:05:28Z<p>Adding New Article...</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|One of the main Gond kingdoms}}<br />
{{Infobox country<br />
| common_name = Kingdom of [[Chandrapur|Chanda]]<br />
| conventional_long_name = Gond kingdom of [[Chandrapur]]<br />
| status = Tribal monarchy<br />
| status_text = Tribal monarchy<br />
| era = [[Early modern]]<br />
| year_start = 807 AD<br />
| year_end = 1751<br />
| event_end = Conquest by [[Raghoji I Bhonsle]] of [[Nagpur]]<br />
| government_type = [[Monarchy]]<br />
| capital = [[Sirpur (T)|Sirpur (Telangana)]], [[Chandrapur]]<br />
| religion = <br />
| p1 = Mana dynasty<br />
| s1 = Kingdom of Nagpur<br />
| image_map = <br />
| image_map_caption = <br />
| common_languages = <br />
| today = [[India]]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The '''Kingdom of Chanda''' (present day [[Chandrapur]]) was one of the main [[Gondwana (India)|Gond kingdoms]], ruling parts of [[central India]]. In 1751, it was conquered by the [[Bhonsles of Nagpur|Maratha ruler of Nagpur]], [[Raghoji I Bhonsle]].<br />
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==Establishment==<br />
According to the local Gond traditions, a hero known as Kol Bhill or Kol Bheel rose among them. He gathered the scattered Gond tribes and formed them into a sort of nation, teaching them the extraction of iron from iron ore and other elements of civilization. He led the Gonds against the [[Mana dynasty|Mana tribe]] of present-day Maharashtra, who had dominated the region for about 200 years. After years of warfare the Manas fell to the Gonds, who replaced them.<ref name="report"/><ref name="gondwana"/><ref name="vidarbha"/><ref name="cultural"/><br />
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==History==<br />
Kol Bhill was followed by Bhim Ballal Singh, who actually founded the Gond house of Chanda. Bhim Ballal Singh was from the Atram clan who subdued the other petty chiefs and established a kingdom by 870 AD. His capital was Sirpur, on the right bank of the [[Wardha River]] (near present-day [[Chandrapur]]) and his chief stronghold was the Mana fortress of Manikgarh, situated in the hills behind Sirpur. The next eight generations of Gond kings ruled from Sirpur until 1242.<ref name="gondwana">{{cite book |last1=Chatterton |first1=Eyre |title=The Story Of Gondwana |date=8 January 2021 |publisher=Read Books |isbn=978-1-5287-6963-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z7UTEAAAQBAJ&dq=Kingdom+of+chanda&pg=PT65 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="vidarbha">{{cite book |last1=Deogaonkar |first1=Shashishekhar Gopal |title=The Gonds of Vidarbha |date=2007 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=978-81-8069-474-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X39c2VODLT0C&dq=Kingdom+of+chandrapur&pg=PA39 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="report">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Charles Bean Lucie |title=(Report on the land revenue of the Chanda district). |date=1870 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQ4IAAAAQAAJ&dq=Krishna+shah+of+Chanda&pg=RA2-PA67 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="cultural"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Begbie |first1=L. F. |title=Gazetteer of Chanda District in Central Provinces |date=1986 |publisher=Gian Publishing House |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A1EeAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref> During the reign of Babji Ballal Shah, the ''[[Ain-i-Akbari]]'' records the kingdom as being fully independent, and it even conquered some territory from nearby sultanates. However, during [[Akbar]]'s rule, Babji Shah began paying tribute after the Mughals incorporated territory to their south into the [[Berar Subah]].<ref name="vidarbha" /><ref name= "gondwana"/><br />
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After Surja Ballal Singh alias Sher Shah, the Gond kings started suffixing the title "Shah" instead of "Singh".<ref name= "report"/><ref name= "gondwana"/> Khandkya Ballal Shah succeeded his father Surja Ballal Singh in 1242. He built the [[Ballarpur Fort|fort of Ballarpur]] and founded the city of [[Chandrapur]], surrounded by several legends. The next 9 generations of Gond kings reigned at [[Chandrapur]]. The [[Gonds of Deogarh|Kingdom of Deogarh]] became enemies of the Chandrapur kings due to an unhappy marriage between their royal families and [[Ajanbahu Jatbasha|a treaty in which the Chanda kings were forced to recognize Deogarh's independence]]. At the time of this marriage, both the kingdoms were extremely prosperous and powerful, being feudatory states of the [[Mughal Empire]] and having strong military forces.<ref name= "gondwana"/><br />
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In [[Aurangzeb]]'s times both the Gond kingdoms of [[Gonds of Deogarh|Deogarh]] and Chanda were included in the [[Berar Subah]].<ref name= "gondwana"/><ref name="andhra">{{cite book |last1=Fürer-Haimendorf |first1=Christoph von |last2=Fürer-Haimendorf |first2=Elizabeth von |title=The Gonds of Andhra Pradesh: Tradition and Change in an Indian Tribe |date=19 December 2021 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-51097-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=681JEAAAQBAJ&dq=Kingdom+of+chanda&pg=PT146 |language=en}}</ref> The kingdom produced great rulers who developed excellent irrigation systems and the first well defined revenue system among the Gond kingdoms.<ref name="gondkingdom">{{cite web |title=The Gond kingdoms |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/the-gond-kingdoms-46701 |website=www.downtoearth.org.in |language=en}}</ref><br />
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==Decline==<br />
Kanhoji Bhonsle, a Maratha general and the [[Berar Province|''Sena-Sahib Subah'' of Berar]] invaded [[Chandrapur]] and [[Gonds of Deogarh|Deogarh]] but was unsuccessful in his invasion of the latter. Hence he plundered some ''[[pargana]]s'' mainly west of the [[Wardha River]]. Kanhoji was recalled but disregarded the summons. Hence, [[Raghoji I Bhonsle|Raghuji Bhonsle]] was sent to force his return, a task which he completed successfully. In 1730, [[Raghoji I Bhonsle]] marched on [[Chandrapur]] but did not invade since he found its ruler Ram Shah to be a saintly and pious person.<ref name="vidarbha"/><br />
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Ram Sah was succeeded by his son Nilkanth Sah (1735-1751), who became notorious as a tyrant given to vices. He put his father's trusted [[dewan]] Mahadajee Vedya to death and interfered in the politics of [[Gonds of Deogarh|Deogarh]].<ref name="report"/><ref name="vidarbha"/> In about 1748, [[Raghunath Singh (diwan)|Raghunath Singh]], the [[Dewan|diwan]] of the King of Deogarh, with the help of Nilkanth Shah, rebelled in 1748 when [[Raghoji I Bhonsle]] was busy with [[Maratha invasions of Bengal|expeditions in Bengal]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Host Bibliographic Record for Boundwith Item Barcode 30112050248951 and Others |date=2013 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4b4uPjJJFOkC&q=Raghunath+Singh,+the+Diwan+of+the+Gond |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Bhandara district |date=1979 |publisher=Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J1MbAAAAIAAJ&q=Raghunath%20Singh,%20the%20Diwan%20of%20the%20Gond |language=en}}</ref> Raghuji in 1748, seeking respite from the Bengal campaign invaded Deogarh and killed Raghunath Singh.<ref>{{cite book |title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers |date=1979 |publisher=Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CAtuAAAAMAAJ&q=Raghunath+Singh,+the+Diwan+of+the+Gond |language=en}}</ref> He then completely took over the administration of Deogarh, making Burhan Shah a state pensionary.<ref>{{cite book |title=The History and culture of the Indian people |date=1977 |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AaZFAQAAMAAJ&q=Raghunath%20Singh,%20the%20Diwan%20of%20the%20Gond |language=en}}</ref> He next proceeded against Nilkanth Shah of [[Chandrapur|Chanda]] and defeated him. Nilkanth Shah had to sign a treaty with him, dated 1159 Phasali year, i.e., 1749 A.D. This treaty gave twothirds of the kingdom's revenue to the Marathas.<br />
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In 1751, when Nilkanth Shah rebelled against [[Raghoji I Bhonsle|Raghoji]], he was defeated with ease imprisoned him permanently in the [[Ballarpur Fort]].<ref name="cultural">{{cite web |title=The Gazetteers Department- Chandrapur |url=https://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/CHANDRAPUR/his_gonds.html |website=Cultural Maharashtra Government}}</ref> This brought the Gond house of Chandrapur to an end.<ref name="cultural"/><br />
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==Further reading==<br />
*{{cite web |title=The Gazetteers Department- Chandrapur |url=https://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/CHANDRAPUR/his_gonds.html |website=Cultural Maharashtra Government}}<br />
*{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Charles Bean Lucie |title=(Report on the land revenue of the Chanda district). |date=1870 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQ4IAAAAQAAJ&dq=Krishna+shah+of+Chanda&pg=RA2-PA67 |language=en}}<br />
*{{cite book |last1=Chatterton |first1=Eyre |title=The Story Of Gondwana |date=8 January 2021 |publisher=Read Books Ltd |isbn=978-1-5287-6963-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z7UTEAAAQBAJ&dq=Kingdom+of+chanda&pg=PT65 |language=en}}<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Former monarchies of India]]<br />
[[Category:Maratha Empire]]<br />
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1751]]<br />
[[Category:807 establishments]]<br />
[[Category:States and territories established in the 800s]]<br />
[[Category:9th-century establishments in India]]<br />
[[Category:1750s disestablishments in Asia]]<br />
[[Category:18th-century disestablishments in India]]</div>EdmundWyrick821