Telangana History of Gond Kings (OR) Gonowana Kingdom (1220-1750 A.D.)

Contents

Gonds were one of the Scheduled Tribes of India, They are living in the Northern region of river Godavari upto Vindhya and Satpura mountains and the valleys of rivers Narmada and Tapati; in the forests of Bastar in Chattisgarh; and in Adilabad district of Telangana region. People who speak the Gondu and Koitur languages are called as Gondu tribe people. There are branches in this tribe. Gonds living in the Adilabad district are called as Dhurvey Gonds and the rest are called as Royal or Raja Gonds. As they were the rulers of their ..dynasty once, they were called as Royal Gonds. Gonds in the Chanda, Ballaharsha and Yatmal districts of Maharashtra and Gonds in the Adilabad district of Telangana belong to the same tribe. Their ancestors founded a kingdom in Chanda and Ballaharsha districts and another in Adilabad and ruled them. The Adilabad kingdom was founded in 1220 A.D.

Adilabad Gond kingdom (1220-1750 A.D.)

‘ Though administrative systems were established among the Gonds as far back as 870 A.D;, the first Gond kingdom of Adilabad was founded in 1220 A.D., the history of which was available. This was established by a Gond called Kolkhil.

Kolkhil (1220-1240 AD.)

Some tribes from Maharashtra began to migrate to Adilabad region in 12th century A.D. As this was not agreeable to him Kolkhil united all the Gonds of Adilabad region and established a kingdom in 1220. It’s capital Was Sirpur of Adilabad district.
Kolkhil trained several Gond young men in handling weapons and other skills and made them into war-riors. Beside their kingdom, Naga tribals of mana dynasty had established a kingdom 200 years previ-ously in Vairaghar. Kolkhil invaded their kingdom and merged it into their kingdom. With this the Gond kingdom at Sirpur strengthened. Kolkhil was a contemporary of Kakatiya Ganapatideva. Gond kingdom flourished along with the Kakatiyas, Musunuru, Recharla padmanayakas, Bahmani, Golkonda, Moghul and Asaf-Jahi dynasties until 1750 A.D. Gonds ruled the Adilabad region for 530 years. Their royal symbol was the lion and their family name was ‘Singh’.

Bhim Bhallal Singh (1240-1262 A.D.)

Bhim Bhallal Singh succeeded Kolkhil as Gond ruler. He built a strong fort at Sirpur; admitted a lot of youngmen into the army; won over the neighboring regions, expanded and strengthened the Gondwana kingdom. During his reign, the Gondwana kingdom settled down and became powerful. He also was a contemporary of Kakatiya Ganapatideva.

Khurda Bhallal Singh

Khurda Bhallal Singlr, son of Bhim Bhallal Singh, succeeded him. As he was a peace loving ruler, no battles were fought during his reign. He developed the kingdom in financial, social and cultural fields, observed pious days and festivals of Gonds religiously and regularised the life styles of Gonds. He was a contemporary of Kakatiya Rudr amadevi.

Hira Singh

Hira Singh, son of Khurda Bhallal Singh succeeded him as ruler. He advised the kingdom into small regions; built forts in every region; and appointed men to lead them. He also arranged for the chiefs of forts, and their employees to collect taxes from people and to sent it to the king’s exchequer. With this, the kingdom earned a steady income and became prosperous financially. He also intro¬duced administrative reforms for the benefit of people and had become very famous. He was a contemporary of Kakatiya Prataparudra-II.

Andea Bhallal Singh

Andea, son of Heera Singh came to rule after his father and harassed people by increasing taxes and several other practices. People revolted against his rule and died very early.

Talwar Singh

Andea’s son Talwar Singh succeeded his father, he was a good ruler; gave relief and freedom to peo¬ple who were harassed under his father. He depended upon his ministers in the administration of the kingdom. His minister and chiefs of forts misused his confidence; harassed people and increased taxes again. They created their own armies and got ready to declare independence. Talwar Singh could not control them. So, he made his son Kesar Singh ruler of the kingdom and retired.

Kesar Singh

As Kesar Singh was courageous, he fought bat¬tles with the chiefs of forts who turned against his father, and suppressed them. He reduced taxes; focussed on agricultural sector and provided irrigation facilities like ponds and dug drinking water wells. He also introduced administrative reforms again and gained the respect of people.

Dinakar Singh

Dinakar Singh, son of Kesar Singh, succeeded him. He was a patron of literature and arts and
patronised several musicians and Marathi scholars of Maharashtra. Marathi literature flourished under his rule. He also observed all festivals and tradition¬al rituals of Gonds. His period was called as the golden era of Gondwana kingdom.

Dinakar Singh

Ram Singh

Ram Singh, son of Dinakar Singh came to rule after his father. He built a number of forts; converted forest regions into agricultural fields; transferred their responsibility to the chiefs of forts, and established new villages. The villages and agricultural fields flourished and his kingdom achieved financial progress. He also transformed Sirpur into a good city. As the kingdom expanded, the number of his feudatory rulers increased. He named his subordi¬nate rulers as ‘Tarvekas’. ’

Nurja Bhallal Singh

Nurja Bhallal Singh, son of Ram Singh ruled between 1405 and 1437A.D. He was a contemporary of Bahmani Sultans Feroz Shah and Ahmed Shah and Anavotha Nayaka, Madanayaka and Sarvajna Singama Nayaka of Padmanayaka dynasty which ruled the Rachakonda kingdom.

Nuija Bhallal Singh went to Varanasi and Lucknow to get training in military and administra¬tive skills. During that period, his underlings pil¬laged the kingdom, upon which, the Sultan of Delhi captured and took Bhallal Singh as a prisoner to Delhi. This information was given to his deputy namely Jarba. jarba took his army to Delhi to free Bhallal Singh. Meanwhile the daughter of Delhi Sultan requested her father to release Bhalla Singh. Then the Sultan of Delhi asked for his military serv¬ices to fight against his enemies. Bhallal Singh agreed to this and fought with the enemies of Sultan and defeated with the help of the army brought along by Jarba. In exchange for this, the Sultan gave the title of ‘Shershah’ to Bhallal Singh and sent him back to his kingdom and also presented him with some more land bordering the Gondwana kingdom. Later, descendants of Bhallal Singh also used the title Shershah.

Khandia Bhallal Shah

Khandia, son of Nurja Bhallal Shah ruled between 1437 and 1462 A.D. As his wife fell ill and doctors advised her to change her residence to places other than Sirpur; he built a town called Bhallalpur after his name on the banks of river Vine Ganga and lived there with his wife. That Bhallalpur is today’s Ballaharsha in Maharashtra. He later established another town called Chandrapur (today’s Chanda) and changed his capital from Sirpur to there.

Heer Shah

Khandia’s son Heer Shah succeeded him as the ruler. He brought about changes in the travel sys¬tem, and announced subordinate kingdoms for Travels who bring the forest lands under cultivation. Later he gave titles like ‘nayakas’ to his subordi¬nate rulers. During his reign, land under cultivation increased and state progressed financially. He also encouraged people and leaders to dig ponds to pro¬vide water for irrigating agricultural fields. He issued am edict that he would donate land to anyone who dug ponds; also gave pattas for the forest land brought under cultivation. Thus through his encour¬agement and generosity this land and people pros¬pered and flourished. After Heer Shah, a rulers ruled the kingdom with Chandrapur as their capital. Among them Babaji’Bhallal Shah ruled between 1572 and 1592 A.D. Ram Shah rule^ between 1672 and 1735A.D. and Neelkanth Shah ruled between 1735 and 1751 A.D. Neelkanth Shah was the last ruler of Gondwana kingdom. He had conflicts with the Maharashtrians, in one of which he was cap¬tured as a prisoner by Raghoji Bhonsley who merged the*Gondwana kingdom into Maratha kingdom. With that the era of Gondwana kingdom ended after 530 years of rule.
Later on some Gond subordinate rulers and leaders became Zamindars; some were appointed by the Marathas as Deshmukhs and Deshpandeys. During the Anglo-Maratha wars, Maharashtrians were defeated and became the subordinate rulers of the English. Their regions were converted into the Berar state/province and were given to the Nizam ruler. Thus the Gondwana region of Adilabad became a part of Nizam state. Some royal Gond fam¬ilies are living in the Utnoor and Kanchanpally. vil¬lages (Adilabad Dist) even today.
Some believe that the Gonds were the Pulinda tribe people mentioned ,in the stone inscriptions of
Ashoka. Gonds built 21 forts at kienhur/Asifabad, Laksettipet, Bodh, Adilabad, Utnoor, Sirpur, Tandur, Manikghar, Ballaharsha, Chandrapur, Yatmal, Nirmal, Jakut and Khinapur. The ruins of those forts can be seen today at many places. The Gondwana kingdom
which flourished with 22 forts in Adilabad, Ballaharsha and Chanda districts between 1220 and 1751 A.D. ended thus. The Adilabad district continued nnder the Nizam rule until 1948.

Bit Bank

★ The people who will speak Gondu and Koyitu languages are called as: – Gonds
★ The Gonds other than Dhurve Gonds in Adilabad are called as: – Raja Gonds
★ When was established the Gondu kingdom in Adilabad? –1220 A.D.
★ Who was the founder of Gondu kingdom? – Kolkhil
★ What is the capital of Gond kingdom in Adilabad? – Sirpur
★ The reign of Kolkhil: –1220 -1240 A.D.
★ How many years the region of Adilabad district was under the rule of Gond kingdom? – About 530 years
★ What is the royal sign of Gonds? – Lion
★ What is the dynasty name of Gonds? • Singh
★ Who came to the power after Kolkhil? – Bhim Bhallal Singh
★ The reign of Bhim Bhallal Singh: –1240-1262 A.D.
★ Bhim Bhallal Singh was the contemporary of: – Kakati Ganapatideva
★ In whose period, the life style of Gonds have been regularised? – Khurda Bhallal Singh
★ Khurda Bhallal Singh was the contemporary of: – Kakati Rudramadevi
★ Who ruled the kingdom after Khurda Bhallal Singh? – Hira Singh
★ Who introduced the administrative reforms for the facility of the people? – Hira Singh
★ Hira Singh was the contemporary of: – Kakati Prataparudra-II
★ Whose period of Gond kings, Praised as golden ‘ age ? – Dinakar Singh
★ Who ruled the kingdom after Dinakar Singh? – Ram Singh
★ Ram Singh called his feudatory kings as: Tarvekas
★ Who ascended the throne after Ram Singh? – Nurja Bhallal Singh (Son of Ram Singh)
★ The ruling period of Nuxja Bhallal Singh: –1405 – 1437 A.D.
★ Nurja Bhallal Singh was the contemporary of: I” – Bahmani Sultan Feroz Shah and AhmedShah
★ The title of Ninja Bhallal Singh: – Sher Shah
★ The son of Nurja Bhallal Singh: – Khandiya Bhallal Shah
★ The ruling period of Khandia Bhallal Shah: . –1437 – 1462A.D.
★ Who became the king after Khandia BhallalShah? –Hirsha
★ After Hirsha how many people ruled the kingdom Chandrapur as the capital? – Nine
★ The last king of Gonds: – Nilakanta Shah
★ The ruling period of Nilakanta Shah: –1735 -1751 A.D

Objective Bits

1 When did Gond kingdom was established?
1. 1220A.D. 2. 1230A.D.
3. 1240A.D. 4. 1250A.D.
Ans. 1

2. In which district of Telangana Gond king-dom was established?
1. Nalgonda 2. Adilabad
3. Karimnagar 4. Medak
Ans. 2

3. Who will be called as the founder of Gond kingdom?
1. Kolkhil • 2. Bhallal Singh
3. Hirshah 4. Hira Singh
Ans. 1

4. How many years Gonds ruled the Adilabad region?
1. Nearly 500 years
2. Nearly 510 years.
3. Nearly 520 years
4. Nearly 530 years
Ans. 4

5. The ruling period of Bhim Bhallal Singh:
1. 1220-1242 A.D.
2. 1225-1242 A.D.
3. 1240-1262A.D.
4. 1235-1250 A.D.
Ans. 3

6. Who is the contemporary of Kakati Rudra among Gond kings?
1. Khurda Bhallal Singh
2. Hira Singh
3. Bhim Bhallal Singh
4. Hirsha
Ans. 1

7. Who came to the power after Hira Singh?
1. Talwar Singh
2. Andea Bhallal Singh
3. Kesar Singh
4. Dinakar Singh
Ans. 2

8. In which period, the Marathi literature have been developed?
1. Dinakar Singh 2. Kesar Singh 3. Talwar Singh 4. Hira Singh
Ans. 1

9. The name given by Ram Singh for his feudatory kings:
1. Jarbas 2. Tarvekas ■
3. Nayakas 4. Sultans
Ans. 2

10. Nurja Bhallal Singh was the contemporary of:
1. Feroz Shah, Ahmed Shah
2. Meda nayaka
3. Anavota nayaka-II
4. All the above
Ans. 4

11 In which town Nurja Bhallal Singh received military training?
1. Kasi 2. Lucknow
3. 1 & 2 4. Delhi
Ans. 3

12. The ruling period of Khandiya Bhallal Shah:
1. 1437-1462 A.D.
2. 1448-1462 A.D.
3. 1427-1442 A.D.
4. 1438-1478 A.D.
Ans. 1

13. The son of Khandiya Bhallal Shah: .
1. Hirshah 2. Bhima
3. Ram Shah 4, Dindiya
Ans. 2

14.Gond king who gave the titles called Nayakas to his feudatory kings:
1. Ram Shah 2. Hirshah
3. Lokhilla 4. Bhima
Ans. 1

15. After Hirshah, how many Gond kings ruled the Gond kingdom?
1. 7 ‘ 2.8
3.9 4.10
Ans. 3

16. Who wiU be called as last Gond king?
1. Nilakanta Shah
2. Ram Shah
3. Dindiya
4. Karan Shah
Ans. 1

17. In how many places Gonds constructed strong forts?
1.20 2.21
3. 22 4. 23
Ans. 3

18. At present Raja Gonds living in which vil-lages?
1. Utnoor 2. Kanchanpally
3. Chennuru 4. 1 & 2
Ans. 4

19. When did the Gondwana kingdom came to an end?
1. 1750A.D. * 2. 1760A.D.
3. 1770A.D. 4.1780A.D.
Ans. 1

20. How many years the rule of Gonds contin-ued?
1. 520 years 2. 530 years
3. 540 years 4. 550 years
Ans. 2