Hazaribagh

Hazaribagh stands on the high central plateau of Chota Nagpur, surrounded by hills and forests at a cooler elevation than the neighbouring plains. Its position made it a convenient military station for the East India Company as it extended authority over the upland estates. The Ramgarh Battalion, raised in 1780, was stationed here, and the settlement developed around its cantonment.

The Company’s military district included the lands of Ramgarh and neighbouring estates. Following the Kol uprising of 1831–32, the administration of the region was reorganised. Ramgarh, Kharagdiha, Kendi and Kunda were brought into a division with Hazaribagh as its headquarters. Although the town itself was not severely affected by the uprising, the change reflected the Company’s efforts to govern the plateau after the conflict.