History of Bilaspur District

Bilaspur City is around 400 years old and the name of the district derived from the city of Bilaspur, the administrative headquarters of the district. The name 'Bilaspur' originated from Bilasa, a fisherwoman who founded it according to a legend.

Historical records like Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol 8, 1908 note that the city is said to be named after a fisher-woman by name Bilasa in the 17th century, and for a long period it consisted only of a few fishermen's huts. In 1901, population of Bilaspur was 18,937 and was 8th largest town in Central Provinces of British India. In 1908, weaving of tasar silk and cotton clothes were recorded as major industries of Bilaspur.

The management of Bilaspur district was undertaken by British Government in 1818, before this it was under harsh extortionist nature of marathaa rule for about 60 years. Bilaspur district was constiuted in 1861. Bilaspur municipality was constituted in 1867. Famines in Bilaspur district before 1908 were recorded by British administration in 1828-9, 1834-5, 1845-6, 1868-9 and 1899-1900. In 1868-9 and 1899-1900, the rains failed almost completely, accompanied with severe distress, migration and desertion of villages. After 1868-9 famine, there was prosperity for next 25 years; but in 1895 there was a very poor harvest, followed in 1896 by a complete failure of crops, and severe famine prevailed through the year 1897. In 1897, mortality rate was as high as dying of one in every group of six people. Famine of 1897 was followed by two favorable years; but in 1899 monsoon failed completely and rice crop was wholly destroyed.

Guru Ghasidas, (1756-1836) started a religious movement Satnamis (meaning the worshippers of Satnam) between 1820 and 1830 primarily around Sonakhan forests. This religious movement preached that god is not idols or not in idols but god is synonymous to truth. His community was a farmer community though in Hindu caste hierarchy they have been put in Schedule caste. University at Bilaspur is named after him as Guru Ghasidas University.

Historically, Bilaspur was a part of Kalchuri dynasty of Ratanpur. The city, however, came into prominence around 1741, the year of the Maratha Empire invasion, when a Maratha official took up his abode there and began to build a fort which was never completed. The populace of Bilaspur suffered heavily during the famine of 1896-1897, during which the city experienced the highest death rate of the region.

The city was taken over by the British East India Company of Great Britain in the year 1854 when the then ruler of the region of the Mahratta kingdom died heirless.

The area which comprises present-day Bilaspur District was under the control of the Bhonsla Rajas of Nagpur until 1818 and was governed by a Maratha ‘Subah’ (district officer). In 1818, the British started administering the area on behalf of the Raghuji III who was minor. The area was administered by a commissioner. In 1853, after the death of Raghuji III, British annexed the Nagpur Kingdom to British India as Nagpur Province, and in 1861 when the new Central Provinces was born, Bilaspur was organized into a separate district. In October 1903, a new province ‘The Central Provinces and Berar’ was constituted and Bilaspur District became a part of the Chhattisgarh Division of the province. In October 1905, on transfer of Sambalpur District to Bengal Province, Chandrapur-Padampur and Malkhurda estates were transferred to Bilaspur District. In 1906, when the Drug district (presently Durg District) was formed, a part of the Mungeli Tahsil was transferred to the new district. Also, another part of the district was transferred to the Raipur District. On 25 May 1998, the original Bilaspur District was split into 3 smaller districts, present Bilaspur, Korba and Janjgir-Champa.