The Chero of Palamau

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The authors are grateful to Dr Suresh Sing, the Deputy Commissioner of Palamau district, for extending facilities to carry out the field investigation in Palamau. They record their thanks to Shri S. Dutta, Cartographer. Shri B. Adhikari, Photo-Artist, and Shri S. N. Pal, Artist, of this Survey for preparing the sketches, maps, and genealogies. They are also to thank Shri R. N. Ghose, Assistant Editor, of this survey for his scrupulous care in making the manuscripts ready for press.

It is said that the Chero lived in the sub-Himalayan tract called Morang, but they migrated later on to Kumaon and invaded Champaran and Palamau. At the time of the conquests of the Chero, the Raksel Rajputs were the rulers of Palamau. Both the Chero and the Kharwar formed the invading army. They were distinguished by the names of Barahazar (twelve thousand) and Atharahazar (eighteen thousand) respectively. because the Chero of this force numbered 12,000 and the Kharawar 18,000.

Bhagabat Rai, son of Sahabal Ral, was the first Chero chief. He brought Palamau under his control in 1613. The Chero reign in Palamau lasted for two hundred years. Shaista Khan, the then Governor of Bihar, defeated the Chero in several engagements during 1641-42 near the fort of Palamau. Daud Khan. another Governor of Bihar, made a severe attack on the Chero and captured the fort of Palamau. Thereafter. Palamau was under the charge of a Mahammadan Faujdar till 1666.

Owing to the internal dissension for the chiefdom, a rebellion broke out in 1722 and Ranjit Ral, the ruling Chero chief, was murdered. His place was taken by Jaikishan Rai, the head of a group of Chero known locally as the Babuan.

s**Contents and Sample Pages**