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Chhattisgarh British Rule, Princely States and Zamindaris

British Superintendency in Chhattisgarh (1818–1830)

How the British ran Chhattisgarh for the Bhonsles from 1818 to 1830: superintendents Edmund, Agnew, Sandys and Crawford, the shift to Raipur, and the 1830 handback.

11 min read Updated Oct 2026 #british superintendency#agnew#sandys

Prerequisites

The Hook: Why Is Raipur the Capital, Not Ratanpur?

Connect

Drive 25 km north of Bilaspur and you reach Ratanpur (रतनपुर), with its Mahamaya temple and the ruins of a city that was the capital of the Kalachuris for centuries. Yet today the Mantralaya, the High Court and the Vidhan Sabha are all elsewhere, and the state’s capital is Raipur (रायपुर). The decisive shift happened in 1818, when a British officer chose Raipur as his headquarters.

Who was that officer, why were the British running Chhattisgarh at all while the Bhonsle Raja still sat on the throne at Nagpur, and what did they change in twelve years?

Why it matters: Prelims asks the names of the superintendents and matches each with an event (first superintendent, shift to Raipur, end of the protectorate). Mains GS-I asks you to evaluate the period as the first phase of British control in the region.

Background: How the British Got Control (1817–1818)

WhenEventWhy it matters for Chhattisgarh
1816Death of Raghuji II Bhonsle; Mudhoji II “Appa Sahib” (अप्पा साहब) becomes the effective ruler of NagpurNagpur, which ruled Chhattisgarh, enters a period of instability
November 1817Appa Sahib’s forces attack the British and are defeated at Sitabuldi (सीताबर्डी), Nagpur, during the Third Anglo-Maratha WarThe Bhonsle state loses its independence of action
1818Appa Sahib is deposed and flees; the minor Raghuji III (रघुजी तृतीय) is placed on the throneBecause the Raja is a minor, the British Resident at Nagpur, Richard Jenkins, takes over the administration of the Bhonsle territories
1818–1830Chhattisgarh is run by a British Superintendent (अधीक्षक) reporting to the ResidentThis is the “British superintendency” or “British protectorate” period
Legal position: protectorate, not annexation
Between 1818 and 1830 Chhattisgarh was not British territory. It remained part of the Bhonsle kingdom of Nagpur. The British managed it on the minor Raja’s behalf. That is why the period ends in 1830 with a handback to the Bhonsles, and why the final annexation comes much later, in 1854.

The Superintendents and What Each Is Remembered For

timeline
    title British superintendents of Chhattisgarh
    1818 : Capt. Edmund - first superintendent, Dongargarh zamindari revolt
    1818-1825 : Col. P. Vans Agnew - headquarters shifted Ratanpur to Raipur
    1825-1828 : Mr. Sandys - Lormi and Tarenga taluqas, English calendar
    1828-1830 : Mr. Crawford - protectorate ends, handback to the Bhonsles
SuperintendentTenureRemembered for
Captain Edmund (कैप्टन एडमंड)1818 (short)First British superintendent. During his brief charge the Dongargarh zamindari rose against the British, reportedly under the influence of the deposed Appa Sahib
Col. P. Vans Agnew (कर्नल वान्स एग्न्यू)1818–1825The longest and most important tenure. Shifted the headquarters from Ratanpur to Raipur. Reorganised the old parganas into a smaller number of larger units. Submitted a detailed report on Chhattisgarh (dated 23 December 1820)
Mr. Sandys (सैंडिस)1825–1828Created the Lormi (लोरमी) and Tarenga (तरेंगा) taluqas; brought the English (Gregorian) calendar into official use in place of the earlier Hindu and Muslim reckonings. A dispute between Bastar and Karond (करोंद, the old name of Kalahandi) fell in his time
Mr. Crawford (क्रॉफर्ड)1828–1830The last superintendent. The protectorate ended in 1830 and Chhattisgarh was handed back to Bhonsle officials, first to Krishna Rao Appa
Short tenures in some lists
Some lists also show brief charges by officers named Hunter (around 1825) and Wilkinson (around 1828) between the main superintendents, which is why Sandys is sometimes called the “fourth” superintendent. For the exam, the four names in the table above, and their events, are what matter.

Agnew’s administration: what actually changed

  1. New headquarters: Raipur replaced Ratanpur as the seat of administration. Raipur sat centrally in the rice plain and on the routes to Nagpur, while Ratanpur was tucked in the north. Raipur has remained the main administrative centre ever since: later the HQ of the British Chhattisgarh division, and from 2000 the state capital.
  2. Pargana reorganisation: the many small Maratha-era parganas (परगना) were consolidated into a handful of larger ones, each under a kamavisdar (कमाविसदार), the revenue officer. Sources differ on the final count (8 or 9 parganas are both cited), so learn the idea rather than the number.
  3. Working through local people: Agnew preferred to deal directly with the village headman (gaontiya, गौंटिया) and to rely on local officials rather than outsiders brought in by the Marathas.
  4. Revenue stability: the aim was steady, predictable collection after the extortionate later Maratha years, so that cultivation would recover.
  5. Documentation: his 1820 report is one of the earliest systematic British accounts of the region’s revenue, people and condition.

The Bhonsle restoration (1830–1854)

  • In 1830 Raghuji III came of age and the British handed back direct control of his territories, including Chhattisgarh.
  • Chhattisgarh was again run by Maratha officers, now usually called ziledars (ज़िलेदार), from Raipur. Many British-era arrangements stayed in place.
  • This second Maratha phase ended when Raghuji III died without a natural heir on 11 December 1853, which opened the way to annexation. See Annexation and the Chhattisgarh Division.

Analysis: How Should We Judge the Superintendency? (Mains)

GainsLimits
Ended the most disorderly phase of late Maratha rule; collection became regularThe aim was revenue and order for the Company and its ally, not welfare
Raipur emerged as a central administrative hubZamindars and tribal chiefs lost autonomy; the Dongargarh rising shows resentment from the start
Rationalised units (parganas, taluqas) and records laid a base for later British administrationLittle investment in education, roads or irrigation
Introduced the English calendar and written proceduresLocal institutions were bent to suit a distant Resident at Nagpur
One-line evaluation
The superintendency was a rehearsal for direct British rule: it changed the region’s administrative centre and habits in just twelve years, so that when annexation came in 1854 the British were taking over a system they had already shaped.

Memory Tricks

Order of superintendents: "Every Agent Seeks Control"
Edmund → Agnew → Sandys → Crawford. And the events in the same order: Revolt → Raipur → Reforms (Lormi, Tarenga, calendar) → Return (handback, 1830).
The numbers 18-25-30
1818 British take over, 1825 Agnew leaves, 1830 the Bhonsles return. Twelve years in all, and Agnew alone accounts for seven of them.

Don’t Confuse

ThisvsThat
Edmund: first superintendent (1818)Agnew: most important, moved HQ to Raipur (1818–1825)
1818–1830: British superintendency (protectorate; still Bhonsle territory)1854: annexation (Chhattisgarh becomes British territory)
Richard Jenkins: Resident at Nagpur, in overall chargeSuperintendent: the officer posted to run Chhattisgarh
Sandys: Lormi and Tarenga taluqas, English calendarCrawford: end of the protectorate
Appa Sahib (Mudhoji II): deposed 1818Raghuji III: minor placed on the throne in 1818; died 1853

Common Mistakes

Trap 1: Agnew was not the first superintendent
Because Agnew is the famous name, options often present him as the first. The first was Captain Edmund (1818). Agnew followed later the same year.
Trap 2: 1818 is not annexation
A statement such as “Chhattisgarh became British territory in 1818” is wrong. In 1818 the British began managing it for the minor Bhonsle Raja. It became British territory only after Raghuji III’s death (1853) and the annexation of Nagpur (1854).
Trap 3: who moved the capital?
The shift from Ratanpur to Raipur is credited to Agnew, not to the Marathas and not to the post-1854 Deputy Commissioner.

Practice

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

Level 1: Foundation

  1. The British superintendency in Chhattisgarh lasted from ________ to ________.
  2. The first British superintendent of Chhattisgarh was ________.
  3. The superintendent who shifted the headquarters from ________ to Raipur was ________.
Answers
  1. 1818; 1830
  2. Captain Edmund
  3. Ratanpur; Col. P. Vans Agnew

Level 2: Prelims MCQs

Q1. Consider the following statements about Chhattisgarh between 1818 and 1830:

  1. Chhattisgarh was formally annexed to British India in 1818.
  2. The region was administered by British superintendents because the Bhonsle Raja Raghuji III was a minor.
  3. The period ended with the administration being handed back to Bhonsle officials in 1830.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Answer and explanation
(b) 2 and 3 only. Statement 1 is wrong: 1818–1830 was a protectorate. The British ran Chhattisgarh for the minor Raghuji III through the Resident at Nagpur, but it stayed Bhonsle territory. Annexation came only after Raghuji III died in December 1853. Statements 2 and 3 are correct.

Q2. Match List-I (Superintendent) with List-II (Associated development):

List-IList-II
A. Captain Edmund1. Handback of administration to the Bhonsles
B. Col. P. Vans Agnew2. Lormi and Tarenga taluqas
C. Mr. Sandys3. Revolt in the Dongargarh zamindari
D. Mr. Crawford4. Headquarters shifted from Ratanpur to Raipur

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

Answer and explanation
(a) A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1. Edmund, the first superintendent, faced the Dongargarh rising. Agnew moved the headquarters to Raipur. Sandys created the Lormi and Tarenga taluqas and brought in the English calendar. Crawford was in charge when the protectorate ended in 1830.

Q3. The British Resident at Nagpur who controlled the Bhonsle administration during Raghuji III’s minority was:

(a) Richard Temple (b) Richard Jenkins (c) Charles Elliot (d) Mansel

Answer and explanation
(b) Richard Jenkins. Richard Temple was a later Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces (1860s). Charles Elliot was the first Deputy Commissioner of Chhattisgarh after annexation (1855). Mansel was the Resident at the time of Raghuji III’s death in 1853.

Q4. The use of the English calendar in official work in Chhattisgarh, in place of the earlier Hindu and Muslim reckonings, is credited to:

(a) Agnew (b) Edmund (c) Sandys (d) Crawford

Answer and explanation
(c) Sandys (1825–1828). He also created the Lormi and Tarenga taluqas. Agnew’s best-known measures are the Raipur headquarters and the pargana reorganisation.

Q5. Arrange in chronological order:

  1. Battle of Sitabuldi
  2. Death of Raghuji III
  3. End of the British superintendency in Chhattisgarh
  4. Agnew’s report on Chhattisgarh

(a) 1-4-3-2 (b) 1-3-4-2 (c) 4-1-3-2 (d) 1-4-2-3

Answer and explanation
(a) 1-4-3-2. Sitabuldi: November 1817. Agnew’s report: December 1820. End of superintendency: 1830. Death of Raghuji III: 11 December 1853.

Level 3: Mains Answer Writing

Q1. What was the British superintendency in Chhattisgarh? Name its major superintendents. (60 words)

Model answer outline
After the Bhonsle defeat at Sitabuldi (1817) and Appa Sahib’s deposition, the minor Raghuji III’s territories were run by the Nagpur Resident Richard Jenkins. From 1818 to 1830 Chhattisgarh was administered by British superintendents: Capt. Edmund (first), Col. Agnew (HQ to Raipur), Sandys (Lormi–Tarenga, English calendar) and Crawford (handback, 1830). It remained Bhonsle territory throughout.

Q2. “The British superintendency (1818–1830) laid the foundation of modern administration in Chhattisgarh.” Discuss. (150–200 words)

Model answer outline

Intro: Define the period: a British-run protectorate over Bhonsle Chhattisgarh during Raghuji III’s minority, from 1818 to 1830.

Body:

  1. New administrative centre: Agnew moved the HQ from Ratanpur to Raipur, which remained the hub through the British division and is the state capital today.
  2. Rationalised units: consolidation of parganas under kamavisdars; Sandys’s Lormi and Tarenga taluqas.
  3. Revenue and record-keeping: regular assessment and direct dealings with village gaontiyas; Agnew’s 1820 report as a systematic survey.
  4. Procedural change: the English calendar in official use.
  5. Limits: the goals were revenue and order; zamindari resistance (Dongargarh); little welfare or infrastructure.
  6. Continuity: many arrangements survived the 1830–1854 Bhonsle restoration and eased the British takeover after 1854.

Conclusion: The superintendency was brief, but it set the template, centred on Raipur, that direct British rule later built on.

Quick Revision Table

FactDetail
TriggerBhonsle defeat at Sitabuldi (Nov 1817); Appa Sahib deposed; minor Raghuji III on the throne
ControllerBritish Resident at Nagpur, Richard Jenkins
Period1818–1830 (protectorate, not annexation)
First superintendentCaptain Edmund (1818); Dongargarh zamindari revolt
Most importantCol. P. Vans Agnew (1818–1825); HQ Ratanpur → Raipur; pargana reorganisation; report dated 23 Dec 1820
Sandys (1825–1828)Lormi and Tarenga taluqas; English calendar; Bastar–Karond dispute
Last superintendentCrawford (1828–1830); handback to the Bhonsles (Krishna Rao Appa)
Bhonsle restoration1830–1854, through ziledars at Raipur
End of Bhonsle lineRaghuji III died 11 December 1853 without a natural heir

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways
  1. 1818–1830 was a British-run protectorate: Chhattisgarh stayed Bhonsle territory while the Nagpur Resident governed for the minor Raghuji III.
  2. Order of superintendents: Edmund → Agnew → Sandys → Crawford.
  3. Agnew made Raipur the headquarters in place of Ratanpur, a decision that still shapes the state.
  4. Sandys: Lormi and Tarenga taluqas, English calendar. Crawford: end of the protectorate in 1830.
  5. The Bhonsles ruled again from 1830 until Raghuji III’s death in 1853, which led to annexation.

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