Durjan Sal
| Durjan Sal | |
|---|---|
| Raja | |
| 1st Reign | 1614-1615 |
| Predecessor | Bairisal |
| 2nd Reign | 1627-1640 |
| Successor | Raghunath Shah |
| Died | 1640 Navratangarh |
| Issue | Raghunath Shah |
| Dynasty | Nagvanshi |
| Father | Bairisal |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Durjan Sal was a Nagvanshi king in the 17th century. He succeeded his father Bairisal in 1614. He had built Navratangarh fort.[1][2]
Early life[]
He succeeded his father Bairisal in 1614. Immediately after accession to Nagvanshi throne, he threw away all allegiance to the Mughals.
Mughal Invasion and Imprisonment[]
Because of the independent attitude of Durjan Sal, coupled with possibility of acquiring diamonds from Khukhra found in the river bed of Sankh, Jahangir ordered governor of Bihar Ibrahim Khan, an expedition against Durjan Sal. Durjan Sal sent some of his men to Ibrahim Khan and promised to pay some diamond and elephants but Khan could not agree to it. Before Durjan Sal could collect his kinsmen Ibrahim Khan invade Khukhragarh with the help of guides. As it was a surprise attack, Durjan Sal was not able to do preparation to defend himself So he fled to the nearby hills with his family members. Durjan Sal was later found in cave with his family members. They were arrested and all the diamonds taken. Twenty three elephants also fall in the hand of Ibrahim Khan. Durjan Sal taken to Patna and then he was sent to prison in Gwalior.[3]
Mughal officials were collecting diamonds in river bed of Khokhra and sending it to Mughal court. Two diamond were brought to Jahangir from some place. The Jeweller tested diamond, they declared the best among them to be impure and impure to be sound. Durjan Sal was recalled from prison to identify real diamonds. He pointed out flaw and proved himself right. He tied the diamonds to the end of horn of a ram and made it fight with another ram. While flaw diamond split other remain intact. Jahangir so pleased that he released him. Durjan Sal begged that the other Raja who had been in the confinement of Gwalior fort should be released. He requested that his formal position to be resorted to him. He agreed to paid annual tribute of Rs 6,000 and title of Shah was also conferred on him.
[]
Durjan Sal released from Mughal captivity in 1627 after twelve years of imprisonment. During the absence of Durjan Sal from Khokhra, one of the relatives of him had captured the throne of chieftaincy although the overall control of the region continued to be excised by the imperial officers. The occupant of the chieftaincy developed hostility towards Mughals. As a result, Ahmed Beg Khan, the Nephew of Ibrahim Khan Fatah Jang and deputy governor of Orissa Subah, attacked the Khokhra in 1624. But Mughal could not mobilise effective army against him and could not able to remove from the throne.
Durjan Sal came to Khokhra. He compelled to fight to regain his lost position and succeeded in establishing himself in the throne. In fight, he was assisted by one of the raja who had accompanied him from Gwalior. But disgusted by this internal strife some Nagvanshi family members left their home and migrated to distant places.
He constructed the fort of Doisagarh, also known as Navratangarh, in Gumla around c.1630.[4][5]
Death[]
He died in 1640 in Navratangarh. He succeeded by his son Raghunath Shah.
References[]
- ^ "The Nagbanshis And The Cheros". archive.org.
- ^ "CHOTA-NAGPUR (Zamindari)". members.iinet.net.au.
- ^ Ansari, Tahir Hussain (20 June 2019). Mughal Administration and the Zamindars of Bihar. ISBN 9781000651522.
- ^ "Gumla City History-Importance-Origin-Architecture". hoparoundindia. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
- ^ "The Lost Kingdom of Navratangarh". indianvagabond.
- History of India