B.R.F.

We all know about the sacred chardham which refers to the religious destinations. So we have one dham at Odisha,Purushottama Puri which is famous for lord Jaggannath temple. Sambalpur is the fifth largest city in the Indian State of Odisha. The history of Sambalpur (Sambalaka), as depicted by eminent historians, is full of events including Indian freedom struggle representing the different sections of society from 18th century.

In 18th century, sambalpur people from multiple local tribal and other communities like Kondh, Binjhal, Gond, chauhan etc were recruited to participate in training for warfare and for which the expenses were sanctioned by Madho singh who belongs to Ghess Zamiindar family. The Ghess estate turned into a highly charged up centre of nationalism and anti-british activities with strong sense of unity within the rebels.

From 1803 the British Empire was fighting Second Anglo-Maratha War in Odisha, Maratha were hiding the at the west side of the Odisha state which is located at sambalpur. British took over the whole Odisha state but couldn’t able to take the sambalpur city due to the unsung freedom fighters of sambalpur district. But In 1804, British won the battle with Maratha and took over the sambalpur district. It was not easy for British to rule the sambalpur district due to the Kandhas and Ghen (Binjhal)’s zamindars.

One such great hero was Veer Surendra Sae who dedicated his whole life for the greater cause of the motherland Sambalpur. He started the war against mighty empire of British when British captured sambalpur. But he was captured by British later but his fate was not limited in the close wall of jail since Madho singh who was the next leader to Veer surendra sae helped him to get escape to fight for the motherland. Madho singh played a vital role to ignite the fire of all the freedom fighters souls against British rules which was lead by his whole family for the next decade. Madho singh story started with a wrong turn when British captured all the relatives of Madho singh without any reason. But British people ignored the Madho singh’s revenge smell since the whole story will be driven by all mighty brave family of Madho singh who will be the real pain for Birtish for next one decade since Madho singh started the trainings for his whole family to avenge the British’s unbearable tortures towards Ghess family. British empire imposed the tax rule with a big change and charged the whooping amount 74K from 8800/- which was not acceptable by the zamindars.

Zamindar is the collector of land venture of a district during the mogul time but gradually they became a feudal landlord in British India paying the Govt of fixed revenue. Each everyday was struggling days for all the zamindars. Madho singh was the only Zamindar who opposed the rule to collect the whooping amount which was decided by British. In the mean while Madho singh planned and attacked Hazaribagh jail by the help of his freedom fighters where Veer surendra sae was captured. Madho singh executed the plan successfully and sets free Veer surendra sae which was the game changer for him to fight back with British. He made a vow of presenting hundred and twenty enemy heads before his tutelary goddess Pataneswari and to be presented to 204 goddesses.

Madho singh was not the only one freedom fighter in Ghess Zamindar family because the the anger of Ghess family spreads to the all the sons of Madho singh. The gallant sons of Madho singh are martyred Hatte singh, Kunjal singh, Bairi singh and Airi singh.

Madho singh’s team has splitted and spread out in different area to attack British soldiers. A place called Junnar killa ( Junnar fort) where Madho singh’s team attacked and captured the fort but Madho singh and their rebels were hiding out in Singora pass and later killed so many British soldiers but their British captain escaped with his life and reached sambalpur with the news of the path to Nagpur being blocked at the mountain pass by Madho singh and their rebels.

Airi singh who is the youngest son of Madho’s singh was playing the vital role as messenger for both Madho singh and Veer sunrendra Sae to expose the British soldiers positions in mountain pass so that rebels can plan and attack them precisely. In modern era it’s called surgical strike which was done by India to avenge the pulwama attack. Later Airi singh was killed by British while they were approaching singora pass to fight with rebels. Airi singh escaped and hidden in the hole, then British soldiers filled it with dry leaves and wood, covered it with a large stone and then put it on the fire so that Airi singh will be suffocated to death.

British were furious with the Madho Singh’s killing and his approach towards British government. So Captain Shakespeare again attacked the mountain pass with the proper fire power which was not defendable by Madho singh and their rebels. Hatte sing, the son of Madho singh prevented the British’s attack in his first attempt to gain the ground but injured while fighting. British announced a prize on Hatte Singh’s head dead or alive. In this hide and seek situation, a person called Kenakini appeared before the British with a chopped head which doesn’t belong to Hatte singh for claiming the prize money and for which British awarded him 5 villages to rule. Bairi singh who is son of Madho singh got furious when he heard about this story from villagers. He killed the Kenakini to avenge the fake death of Hatte singh which was not ignored by British. Later British were informed about Hatte singh who was alive and planning something big.

British were always trying their level best to capture Singora pass and Madho singh so that mountain pass will be opened to reach Nagpur route. All mighty British empire sent their best captain Wood bridge to capture Madho singh but the news was out to all the rebels. So they were ready with their plan to kill British captain Woodbridge. All the rebels to Madho singh defeated the British soldiers in the fight and captured the captain. Madho singh butchered the captain’s head and hung his headless body on the trees to show their revolutionary power to British Empire.

British soldiers were helpless by that time so they planned to attack Ghen village which is mother land of Ghess family. (Ghess Zamindar – Madho singh) British soldiers attacked the village with full power and burnt down the villages to the ashes. But Madho singh was smart enough to anticipate the British soldier’s plan of attacking the village so he vacated the village well before. The real struggle days has come for all the villagers who always fought beside their hero Madho singh.

Due to the ailing health at the old age of Madho singh and after being tired spending months fighting in the forest hide outs, he needed rest and tried to move to the Matibhata village but was captured by British soldiers which was lead by Major Forster and hanged at the jail of Sambalpur.

Hatte singh, Kunjel singh and Bairi singh who all are the sons of Madho singh were continued to fight under the great martyred Veer surendra sae against the British after Madho Singh death.

Eventually Hatte singh, Bairi singh captured by British forces while fighting for freedom. British forces shifted Hatte singh to Andaman cellular jail infamous ‘Saja-e-Kalapani’. Hatte singh is the first person from Odisha who suffered black day of Andaman cellular jail then later martyred. Bairi singh was remain in Sambalpur district jail and later died due to illness. Kunjal singh was the only son of Madho singh who survived and fought very bravely with British forces.

One fine day in the morning time, a villager called Sonughat and his wife who all were informant for British soldiers were searching for Kunjal singh. But Kunjal singh was not the easy prey for British that everyone knew. Kunjal singh smelled the vengeance of revenge and about the Sonughat’s hunting for him. Kunjal singh chased Sonughat into the mountain and tried to capture him but suddenly British soldiers appeared in the woods of mountain and captured Kunjal singh. Later British forces punished Kunjal to death.

His granddaughter Purnima committed suicide after the British hanged her rebellious husband from the Sonakhan Zamindari at Raipur.

From that day onwards people of Odisha worshiped the super hero Madho singh on “Birta Divas”.

It’s a glorifying rare example that all family members of Madho Singh of same Ghess Zamindar family sacrificed their lives while fighting for their motherland sambalpur.

Freedom is a success of revolutionary effort which can’t be afford by money or power but Madho singh who belongs to Ghess Zamindar family wants to taste the freedom of luxury.

The freedom struggle of India marks a great landmark in the history of mankind which is really inspiration for whole world.

Jai Hind! Vande Mataram!

Brave revolutionary family