Early History
There is not any authentic recorded history available of the district. Since the district was an integral part of the Hazaribag district till recent past, i.e., 09.04.1994 the history of the district of Koderma is upto the great extent history of Hazaribag district (old).
In very early times the district was covered with inaccessible hills and forests to which many non-Aryan tribals who refused to surrender to the steadily advancing Aryans, retired at different times. The entire territory of Chotanagpur known as Jharkhand (meaning forest territory) was presumably beyond the pale of direct Hindu influence during ancient India.However, Jarasandh, the mighty emperor of Rajgrih in the Mahabharat period might have exercised some kind of loose supervision over the area. Similarly, Mahapadmanad Ugrasen of Magadh who subdued the entire country up to Orrisa might have gained some control over Jharkhand as well. Possibly the area was included in Magadhan empire in the reign of Ashok (273-232 B.C)
There is evidence to show that this tract was in touch with many other parts of India. With the decline of Mauryan power king Kharavela of Kalinga led an army through Jharkhand and ransacked Rajgrih and Pataliputra. Later, Samudragupta (335-380A.D.) must have passed through the area on his expedition to the Deccan. The Chinese traveler Itsing is believed to have journeyed through the Chotanagpur plateau on his travel to Nalanda and Bodh Gaya.
The Chotanagpur Raj is believed to have been set up in 5th century A.D. after the fall of the imperial Guptas. Phanimukut Rai was elected the first king. It is said that just after his birth, he had been found by the side of a tank under the protection of huge ‘nag’ or serpent. For this reason the scions of the dynasty founded by him called themselves ‘Nag Vanshi’ or member of the ‘Naga dynasty’.
Archaeological remains are found at Ghorsimar in the district of Koderma.
Muslim Period
The entire Chotanagpur plateau was referred to as Jharkhand by Mohammedan historians. Throughout the Turko-Afghan period up to 1526, the area remained virtuallyb free from external influence. It was only with accession of Akbar to the throne of Delhi in 1556, the Muslim influence penetrated into Jharkhand, then known to the Mughals as Kokrah. In 1585 Akbar sent a force under the command of Shahabaz Khan to reduce the Raja of Chotanagpur to the position of a tributary. It is mentioned in the “Ain-e-Akbari” that Chotanagpur or Kokrah was included in the ‘Subah of Bihar’.
After the death of Akbar in 1605 the area presumably regained its independence. This necessitated an expedition in 1616 by Ibrahim Khan Fateh Jung, the Governor of Bihar and brother of Queen Noorjahan. Ibrahim Khan defeated and captured Durjan Sal the 46th Raja of Chotanagpur. He was imprisoned for 12 years but was later released and reinstated on the throne after he had shown his ability in distinguishing a real diamond from a fake one. The annual tribute to be paid by him was fixed at Rs.6000. In 1632 Chotanagpur was given as ‘Jagir’ to the Governor of Patna for an annual payment of Rs. 1,36,000. This was raised to Rs. 1,61,000 in 1636 A.D. During the reign of Muhammad Sah (1719-1745), Sarballand Khan, the Governor of Bihar, marched against the Raja of Chotanagapur and obtained his submission. Another expedition was led by Fakhruddoula, the Governor of Bihar in 1731. He came to terms with the Raja of
Ramgarh who owned allegiance to the Raja of Chotanagpur. In 1735 Alivardi Khan had some difficulty in enforcing the payment of the annual tribute of Rs. 12,600 from the Raja of Ramgarh, as agreed to by the later according to the terms settled with Fakhruddoula. This situation continued until the occupation of the country by the Britishers. During the Muslim period, the main estates in the district were Ramgarh, Kunda, Kendi, Chai and Kharagdiha.
British Period
The Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa was granted by Emperor Shah Alam II to the East India Company in 1765. by the treaty of Allahabad after the defeat in Buxor war. The Diwani included Chotanagpur as a part of Bihar. Hence, the East India Company derived the right to collect revenue or tribute.
The British came in contact with Hazaribag for the first time in 1769 when Capt. Camac visited Hazaribag to establish some sort of order in the “Jungleterry” district. The importance of Ramgarh increased with the rise of Maratha power in 1761-62 under Madhav Rao.In 1771 Capt. Camac was made the Military Collector of Ramgarh district.
The tribute of the Raja of Chotanagpur was being paid through the Raja Ramgarh. This was, however, discontinued and since the British were dissatisfied with Mukund Singh, the Raja of Ramgarh at that time, they supported one Tej Singh a claimant to the Ramgarh Gaddi. The forces under Lt. Goddard defeated Mukund Singh. Tej Singh was then installed as first Musatagir and ultimately became the Raja. He transferred his capital to Ichak.
Capt. Kaimak was succeeded, in 1780, by Chapman, the first civilian administrator of Chotanagpur. The Ramgarh battalion consisting of Indian infantry men was raised in his time and stationed at Hazaribag.
Subsequent to the Kol rising in 1831 which, however, did not seriously affect Koderma, the administrative structure of the territory was changed. The parganas Ramgarh, Kharagdiha, Kendi and Kunda of Hazaribag (old) became parts of the south west frontier agency and formed into a division named Hazaribag with Hazaribag as the administrative headquarters. In 1854 the designation of the south west Frontier agency was changed to Chutia Nagpur and it began to be administered as None regulation province under Lt. Governor of Bihar. In 1855-56 there was the great uprising of the Santalis against the British but it was brutally suppressed.
1857 Movement
As there was no Koderma district during the great National Movement of 1857 the willing people of Koderma contributed their might through Hazaribag district. Koderma played an important role in the movement of 1857. The Ramgarh battalion at Hazaribag rose in revolt on the 30th July. The Deputy Commissioner, Capt Simpson along-with some other Europeans fled on foot to Ichak. Capt. Dalton, the Commissioner of Ranchi sent Lt. Graham with detachment of the Ramgarh light Infantry to disarm the regiment at Hazaribag. But this detachment also mutinied and hurried back to Ranchi by the road via Badam. Capt. Dalton evacuated the Europeans of Ranchi to Hazaribag and thence to Bagodar. When Davis took charge of Hazaribag on 4th August he found the treasury empty and the records partially destroyed. However, Hazaribag was reoccupied by Dalton with the help of Sikh regiment under Col. Rattary. The insurgents, thereafter, did not received much support in Hazaribag and very little in Ranchi. Hence, they started out to join Kuer Singh but were attacked and defeated on the 2nd 13 October, 1857 at Chatra by a British force Commanded by Major English. The movement in Hazaribag was thus crushed. This sporadic uprising of the Santals in the wake of their earlier efforts was also checked ruthlessly.
The Non-co-operation Movement in 1920 influenced Koderma district. Many students gave up their studies and some lawyers their practice, to join the movement. Mahatma Gandhi visited the Hazaribag district in 1925. A large number of people participated in the Civil-disobedience Movement of 1930. In the 1937 elections, the congress party swept the polls in the district. The 53rd annual session of the Indian National Congress was held at Ramgarh in 1940. In the movement of 1942 also, there was large-scale participation by the people. The district of Hazaribag has, thus, played a prominent role in the freedom struggle of the country.
