Khurda Uprising and Paika Rebellion

The Paika Rebellion of 1817 was an armed insurrection by the Paikas of Khurda in Odisha against the British. The movement began to take shape under the leadership of Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhara.

Since the 16th century, Odisha’s rulers have recruited men from many socioeconomic classes to perform military duties in exchange for rent-free land (nish-kar jagirs) and titles.

They were Odisha’s traditional land-owning militia who served as warriors. President Ram Nath Kovind recently laid the groundwork for a monument commemorating the 1817 Paika Rebellion.

Paika Bidroha – meaning and its classifications

The Paikas (pronounced “paiko,” meaning “foot soldiers”) was a class of military retainers recruited from a range of socioeconomic groups by Odisha’s rulers from the 16th century to offer martial services in exchange for hereditary rent-free land (nish-kar jagirs) and titles. Their combat method, known as “Paika Akhada”, may be traced back to ancient Kalinga and was favoured by King Kharavela. The Paikas of Odisha were landed militia that performed police responsibilities under the Gajapati monarchs. They also served as warriors to aid the king during battles. They were classified as follows:

• Praharis are sword-fighting specialists

• Banuas are outstanding marksmen who use matchlocks

• Dhenkias are the battlefront archers

The kingdom of Khurda had provided them rent-free land in exchange for military services rendered to the realm.

Khurda’s uprising 

The Paika Rebellion arose from several social, economic, and political factors. Odisha has four commercial ports, and the networks in the region involve millions of traders. However, to maintain their monopolies, the East India Company blocked these ports to commerce, alienating significant swaths of the local populace. The educated and rich local bureaucrats, known as Paikas, were alienated by the East India Company administration, which took away the hereditary rent-free estates awarded to them after the conquest of Khurda. Extortion was also practised on the Paikas by the Company administration and its servants.

The Company’s extortionate land revenue strategy harmed both peasants and zamindars. The surge in salt prices as a result of tariffs levied by the Company administration caused significant disquiet among the general public. The East India Company also abolished the cowrie money system that had existed in Odisha before its conquest and mandated that all taxes be paid in silver. This resulted in widespread suffering and dissatisfaction. Jayi Rajaguru plotted an uprising against the Company in 1804 in collaboration with the Paikas, but the conspiracy was quickly uncovered and the Raja’s domain was confiscated.

Soon after taking over Odisha from the Marathas in 1803, the British began to implement a system of administration that enraged Mukunda Deva II, king of Khurda. His planned insurrection with the Paikas was quickly uncovered by the British, and he was counter checked. They subsequently took over all of the territories under the ousted king’s inheritance from the Paikas. Furthermore, numerous other British operations, such as the introduction of a new currency system, mistreatment of the Paikas at the hands of company officials, and a restriction on manufacturing salt from saltwater, fueled widespread unhappiness and hate of the British. In 1817, a large party of 400 Khonds from Ghumusar marched to Khorda, declaring their desire to liberate Khorda and Ghumusar from British domination. The Paikas of Khurda also joined the group.

Who was Bakshi Jagabandhu during the Paika Rebellion?

Bakshi Jagabandhu, also known as Paika Bakshi, was the commander of Khurda’s Gajapati king’s militia force. Khurda was a kingdom located near Puri. He was a member of India’s liberation warriors.

Paika Rebellion – sequence of events

Dissatisfaction with the Company’s policies was boiling in Odisha when, in March 1817, a 400-strong Kandha group came into Khurda from the State of Ghumsur, publicly announcing their insurrection against the Company control. The Paikas, led by Jagbandhu, joined them, plundering and torching the Banpur police station and post office. The insurgents then marched on Khurda, which the Company had abandoned, plundering the administration buildings and the treasury. Another group of insurgents took over Paragana Lembai, killing  Company officers.

The insurrection was widely supported by the kings of Nayagarh, Kujang, Kanika, village headmen, peasants, and zamindars. The insurgency extended fast to Puri, Pipli, Cuttack, and other regions of Odisha. Initially, the Paikas appeared to have gained control of the conflict and achieved some success, but they were quickly crushed by the British. Even though certain Paikas engaged in guerilla warfare against the British, the insurrection was effectively put down by 1819. As a result, it endured for a year and a half until being violently defeated by the armies of the British East India Company.

Bakshi Jagabandhu, the Paika chieftain, surrendered to the British in 1825 and remained as a prisoner in Cuttack till his death in 1829.

Participants and leaders involved

In March 1817, the Paika Rebellion erupted. Bakshi Jagabandhu, the previous Bakshi or leader of the Raja of Khurda’s soldiers, headed it. The uprising was widely supported in Oriya society, with feudal rulers and zamindars taking part.

The consequences

The outcome of the Pika Rebellion was disappointing since the rebels engaged were sentenced to death or long-term imprisonment.

A team of British officials was formed to investigate the revolt. Following the Paika rebellion, there were severe uprisings led by Kandha and Koi people. The fundamental issue that remained after the Paika rebellion was the unchanging tax policy.

During the uprising, Lord Jagannath was portrayed as the symbol of Odia unity. Although it was a terrible insurgency before the epic revolt of 1857 that threatened British Power in India, it was not well received.

On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the uprising, the Prime Minister honoured and thanked the descendants of families involved in the revolution.