Annexation and the Chhattisgarh Division

Prerequisites

• British Superintendency (1818–1830): the first phase of British control and the Bhonsle restoration
• British Expansion in India: Lord Dalhousie and the Doctrine of Lapse
• Maratha Rule in Chhattisgarh: the Bhonsle system the British replaced

The Hook: One District for the Whole Region

Why it matters: Prelims asks the dates (1853, 1854, 1855, 1861, 1862, 1905, 1906) and the names (Charles Elliot, the first Deputy Commissioner). Mains GS-I asks about the administrative evolution of the region and the roots of its later identity as a unit.

Annexation: From Lapse to Handover (1853–1855)

The first British administration (1855 onwards)

• The whole of Chhattisgarh was treated as one district under the Deputy Commissioner, who held executive, revenue and judicial powers.
• Below him, tahsils (तहसील) were created, each under a tahsildar with revenue and limited civil and criminal powers. The first tahsils were Raipur, Dhamtari and Ratanpur. The tahsildar post was filled by Indians.
• The zamindaris and the larger chiefdoms continued to be held by their chiefs on payment of tribute (see Feudatory States and Zamindaris).

The Central Provinces and the Chhattisgarh Division (1861–1862)

• On 2 November 1861 the British joined the Nagpur Province and the Saugor and Nerbudda Territories to form the Central Provinces (मध्य प्रांत), with Nagpur as capital and a Chief Commissioner at its head.
• In 1861 the northern part of the old Chhattisgarh district was made a separate Bilaspur district (बिलासपुर ज़िला).
• In 1862 the Chhattisgarh Division (छत्तीसगढ़ संभाग) was constituted under a Commissioner, with headquarters at Raipur. Its districts were Raipur, Bilaspur and Sambalpur.

graph TD
    A["1854: Nagpur kingdom lapses
Chhattisgarh = one Deputy Commissionership (Raipur)"] --> B["1855: Charles Elliot takes charge"]
    B --> C["1861: Central Provinces formed
Bilaspur district separated"]
    C --> D["1862: Chhattisgarh Division
Raipur + Bilaspur + Sambalpur, HQ Raipur"]
    D --> E["1905: Sambalpur mostly to Bengal
5 Chota Nagpur states join CP"]
    E --> F["1906: Durg district carved out"]
    F --> G["1947: Raipur + Bilaspur + Durg
+ 14 feudatory states"]

The 1905 reshuffle

The reconstitution of Bengal in 1905 (the year of the partition of Bengal) redrew the eastern edge of the Central Provinces:

Durg district (1906)

In 1906 a new Durg district (दुर्ग ज़िला) was created from the western part of Raipur district, together with the south-western part of Bilaspur district’s Mungeli tahsil. From then until independence the British-administered Chhattisgarh division had three districts: Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg.

Later changes to the province

Analysis: Why Annex, and What Changed? (Mains)

Why the British annexed Nagpur:

1. Doctrine of Lapse: Dalhousie refused to recognise succession by adoption in dependent states, and Raghuji III left no natural heir.
2. Cotton and revenue: the Nagpur territories, especially the cotton tracts, were commercially attractive.
3. Strategic link: Nagpur sat between Bombay and Bengal; direct control helped later plans for a cross-country railway (realised via Raipur and Bilaspur in the 1880s–1890s).

What changed in Chhattisgarh:

Memory Tricks

Don’t Confuse

Common Mistakes

Practice

These are original practice questions written in CGPSC style. They are not previous-year questions.

Level 1: Foundation

1. The first Deputy Commissioner of Chhattisgarh, who took charge on 1 February 1855, was ________.
2. The Central Provinces were formed in ________ and the Chhattisgarh division in ________.
3. Durg district was carved out of ________ district in ________.

Level 2: Prelims MCQs

Q1. Consider the following statements:

1. At its formation in 1862, the Chhattisgarh division consisted of Raipur, Bilaspur and Sambalpur districts.
2. In 1905 Surguja and Jashpur were transferred from the Central Provinces to Bengal.
3. The headquarters of the Chhattisgarh division was at Raipur.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Chhattisgarh became British territory as a result of:

(a) The Treaty of Bassein (b) The Doctrine of Lapse (c) The Subsidiary Alliance with the Bhonsles in 1818 (d) The Government of India Act, 1858

Q3. Match List-I (Year) with List-II (Event):

(a) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3 (b) A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3 (c) A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1 (d) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3

Q4. Which of the following was not among the first tahsils created by the British in Chhattisgarh after annexation?

(a) Raipur (b) Dhamtari (c) Ratanpur (d) Durg

Level 3: Mains Answer Writing

Q1. Trace the administrative evolution of the Chhattisgarh region from the annexation of Nagpur to independence. (150–200 words)

Quick Revision Table

Key Takeaways

What’s Next

• Feudatory States and Zamindaris: the 14 princely states and the zamindaris
• Administrative Reforms and Railways: settlements, municipalities, schools and the railway
• Revolt of 1857: the all-India context for Sonakhan and Raipur in 1857