Odisha salutes martyr zamindar
SAMBALPUR:
People in different parts of Odisha on Tuesday observed 'Birta Divas',
recalling the supreme sacrifice of Madho Singh, then zamindar of Ghess,
about 90km from here. He fought the British even before the first
struggle for freedom and was hanged.
The British regime wiped out Singh's entire family, killing his three sons and son-in-law. Singh's other son was sent to the Cellular Jail in the Andamans and he died there.
The zamindar was considered a close confidant of Veer Surendra Sai, who had launched a guerrilla warfare against the British in 1827. Singh not only lent him support, but also took part in the war. He was captured and hanged on December 31, 1858.
His son, Kunjel Singh, was also hanged in Sambalpur, while another son was killed by the foreign rulers. Hate Singh was sent to the Cellular Jail, where he died, while another breathed his last in Sambalpur jail. Singh's son-in-law, Vir Narain Singh, then jamindar of Sonakhan in Chhattisgarh, was hanged in 1857.
In 1993, the then chief minister Biju Patnaik inaugurated a memorial pillar at Ghess. The government declared December 31 to be observed as 'Birta Divas' in honour of Madho Singh and his family in 1997. "The sacrifice made by Madho Singh has no parallel in Indian history. Sadly, the freedom fighter has not received the kind of recognition he deserves," said Bibhuti Mishra, a historian.
The British regime wiped out Singh's entire family, killing his three sons and son-in-law. Singh's other son was sent to the Cellular Jail in the Andamans and he died there.
The zamindar was considered a close confidant of Veer Surendra Sai, who had launched a guerrilla warfare against the British in 1827. Singh not only lent him support, but also took part in the war. He was captured and hanged on December 31, 1858.
His son, Kunjel Singh, was also hanged in Sambalpur, while another son was killed by the foreign rulers. Hate Singh was sent to the Cellular Jail, where he died, while another breathed his last in Sambalpur jail. Singh's son-in-law, Vir Narain Singh, then jamindar of Sonakhan in Chhattisgarh, was hanged in 1857.
In 1993, the then chief minister Biju Patnaik inaugurated a memorial pillar at Ghess. The government declared December 31 to be observed as 'Birta Divas' in honour of Madho Singh and his family in 1997. "The sacrifice made by Madho Singh has no parallel in Indian history. Sadly, the freedom fighter has not received the kind of recognition he deserves," said Bibhuti Mishra, a historian.
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