Gidhaur

During mahabharat times Jamui was knows as Jaambhiyagram and later Jambhubani as per a copper plate presently in Patna Museum. Jamui is also the birth place of Lord Mahavira and the place of attaining Keval Gyan-Enlightment. Later the name changed to Patsanda. The ancestors originally belong to the mighty Chandravanshi Chandel Rajput dynasty from Mahoba. Khajurvatika later called Khajurajo was the capital and later shifted capital to Mahotsava Nagar later called Mahoba region of MP and eventually Kalinjar becoming the capital of Chandel rulers and they were the builders of the famous Khajuraho Temples in Madhya Pradesh. In 9^th century Raja Nannuk was the first Chandel king followed by Raja Jai Shakti, Raja Vijay Shakti, Raja Rahil, Raja Harsh Dev, Raja Yashovarman, Raja Dhang Dev, Raja Gand, Raja Vidyadhar, Raja Vijai Pal, Raja Dev Varman, Raja Kirtivarman, Raja Sallakshan Varman, Raja Jai Varman, Raja Prithvi Varman, Raja Madan Varman, Raja YashoVarman II and last being Raja Parmardi Dev. In 12^th century the Raja Parmardi Dev was overpowered by Prithviraj Chauhan, the ruler of Delhi and later by the Mughals. Allah and Udal were the two brave army chiefs of Raja Parmardi Dev who fought valiantly to protect Kalinjar but lost. The Chandel Rajput rulers migrated in different directions, one branch settled in Himachal Pradesh and founded Bilaspur State and later in Bijaygarh, Aghori-Barhar in Mirzapur Dist. UP and Bardi under Rewa State, MP. In 1266 AD, Raja Bir Vikram Singh, the younger brother of Raja of Bardi migrated to the region of Patsanda in Bihar and killed the aboriginal chief named Nagoria of Dosadh tribe and founded the kingdom and is said to be the first Rajput invader of this part of Jharkhand. Fort Naulakhagarh said to have been built by Sher Sher Shah Suri, was the seat of power of Rulers of Patsanda. Gidhaur is one of the oldest royal families of Bihar and have ruled Patsanda (Gidhaur) for over six centuries. Raja Sukhdeo Singh the 2^nd Raja of Gidhaur constructed 108 temples dedicated to lord Shiva and one devi temple in Kakeshwar, near Gidhaur. In 1596 Raja Puran Singh, built the famous Jyotirling Shiv temple of Baidyandth Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand. Raja Puran was very close friends with Raja Man Singh I of Amer and they cemented their friendship with a marital alliance with Raja Puran Mal’s daughter marrying Raja Chandrabhan Singh of Amer, who was the younger brother of Raja Man Singh I of Amer. Raja Puran Mal’s fame reached the courts of Delhi and supposedly the Mughal Emperor wanted to posses a Paras Mani owned by Raja Puran Mal and called Yuvraj Hari Singh to Delhi and kept him captive. During which time Raja Puarn Mal died and his younger son Rajkumar Bisambhar Singh was crowned Raja of Patsanda. Yuvraj Hari Singh impressed the Mughal emperor with his archery skills and was eventually released with a grant of a pargana Bishthazari and later upon his return, was granted the jagir of Khaira as a compromise, and Yuvraj Hari Singh becoming the 1^st Raja of Khaira. In 1651 Raja Dalar Singh the 14^th Raja of Gidhaur, received a Sanad from Emperor Shah Jahan. In 1919 Raja Hari Singh of Khaira’s descendant Raja Ram Narain Singh, sold the zamindari of Khaira to a syndicate headed by Rai Bahadur Baijnath Goenka of Munghyr. Patsanda was renamed Gidhaur by the name of railway station situated at 2 kilometer away from town. Jhajha was another important railway junction within the zamindari and Jamui was the sub division head quarters.

The rulers established, Government boys middle school, Government girls middle school, Ravaneswar Sanskrit mahavidwalaya, Maharaj Chandrachud vidya mandir in Gidhaur and a Public Library established in 1947.

Maharaja Bahadur Sir Jai Mangal Singh was granted with the hereditary title of Maharaha Bahadur and knighted with K.C.S.I. An article on him was published in The Graphic, a weekly newspaper in London in 1898. Maharaja Bahadur Ravneshwar Prasad Singh constructed the Minto Tower in 1909 to commemorate the visit of the then British Viceroy Lord Irwin to Gidhaur and also constructed the Diamond Jubilee Dispensary, which was considered to be one of the best medical facilities in Bihar and finds mention in the 1925 Mungyr Gazeteer. Maharaja Bahadur Ravneshwar Prasad Singh donated Rs. 10000 towards Patna Medical College.

In February 1932 Maharaja Bahadur Chandra Mouleshwar Singh was the third person in India, to have spotted and shot a white tiger measuring 293 cm(9.61 ft) in Lachwar forest of Gidhaur. The fully mounted trophy of this white tiger was donated by the Maharaja to the Indian Museum, Kolkata and is kept in the Mammal Gallery of the Indian Museum. This has been recorded and mentioned by famous wild life enthusiast and writer Richard Lydekker and later by S. Mohhamed Ali, Ex-Scientist of Zoological Survey of India in his account- The Cats of India. Maharaja Bahadur Chandra Mouleshwar Singh also donated to The Indian Museum Kolkata, a large stuffed trophy of a Python, which he had shot in the jungles of Gidhaur.

Rajkumar Kalika Prasad Singh of Mahuligarh, Gidhaur was a famous freedom fighter and Satyagrahi, who went to jail several times during the British rule and played a very crucial role in the 1921 Non-Coperation movement of Mahatama Gandhi. Kumar Kalika Memorial College in Jamui town, has been named after him. Rajkumar Digvijay Singh of Mahuligarh, Gidhaur was a very fine artist. Rajkumar Bageshwari Prasad Singh of Dabilgarh, Gidhaur was a great scholar, Poet and philosopher.

Kumar Digvijay Singh of Nayagaon (Lal Kothi), Gidhaur was a leading politician and was Member of Parliament for five terms. MP (Lok Sabha from Banka Constituency, Bihar)- 1998, 1999, 2009 and MP Rajya Sabha- 1990, 2004. He was Union Minister for Finance and later External Affairs in Shri. Chandra Shekhar Government (1990-1991) and again during Shir. Atal Bihari Vajpayee led National Democratic Alliance Government, (1999-2004) he was Union minister for Railways, Commerce and Industry and later External Affairs. He was also President of Riffle Association of India- 1999-2010.

Maharaja Bahadur Pratap Singh was twice elected Member of Parliament-Lok Sabha from Banka Constituency, Bihar- 1989 and 1991 from Janata Dal.