SAMBALPUR IS THE OLDEST DIAMOND MINES OF THE WHOLE WORLD

        Sambalpur , Sumbhulpoor , Sumbulpore , Sambhal , Sambalaka ,Sumelpur - as stated in different names in different places is the oldest known diamond mines of the world . Rome and other places of Europe were being supplied with diamond of the Sumbhulpoor mine in 2nd century . Ptolemy , Pliny , Gibbon , Barahamihir , Huen sang , Chandeswara ,,Valentine Ball , Peter Lee Briton , Major Ossley , Adwin W. Streathr , Baran Von Bevst , Major Edward Roughsigde , O'Malley and many others have given account about this oldest Diamond mines of Sumbhulpoor .   Jean Baptist Touvernier in 1645 , Thomas Motte in 1766 and Lt. Markham Kittoe in 1838 visited Sumbhulpoor and have given the account in detail . Of all the account of Motte is a bigger one .
     
         To the north of 10 miles away fro Sambalpur there was an island of 829. 72 accers . Near it there was the confluence where water of river IB was falling into the water of river Mahanadi . The red soil coming with water of IB was the source . After rainy season when the water level becomes low ,  people deputed were putting soil near the mouth and they were dividing the river into two streamed . Red soil were being lifted and after deposing it at the island search for  diamond was taking place . King of Sambalpur was the owner of the mines . He was the master of Diamonds and the searchers were getting the  Gold dust which they were getting from this very mines . The searchers known as JHARAS were given agriculture lands free of cost by the king for their service  . Everything has an ending . Availability of the diamonds became lower . As per the list available the diamonds found from here were 1804 - 56 grain  , 1805 - 98 carats  ,1806 - 168 carats , 1807 - 308 carats , 1908 -14 ,210.6 ,  1809 - 672 and 14 carats , 3 no. of diamond of 7 carats , 1810- 2nos of 35 carats , 1811 56 , 1813 28  , 1815- 28 , 1816 13 , 1817 28 and 4 1818 84 and 14  . The famous diamonds such as Kohinoor and Taj -E -Mah were found from here only .

         Sambalpur was first captured by the Marathas and then by the Britishers . The Jharas did not co-operated and the mines became idle as it became non-profit one . Mighty Hirakud Dam is being constructed in 1956 with a resourver area of 743 sq. km swallowing  the Diamond island .
           

SURENDRA SAI - - THE REVOLUTIONARY WHO HAS SERVED MAXIMUM JAIL TERM IN THE WHOLE WORLD

Maharaja Maharaj Sai of Sambalpur died in 1827 . Surendra Sai of the Zamindar (headman of a cluster of few villages ) family belongs to the branch of the Sambalpur Royal/ruling family claimed the throne . As he was denied he revolted . He along with his uncle and brother were got arrested in 1840 and were sent to Hazaribagh jail . Uncle died there . During the sepoy mutiny the mutineers broke the gate of the jail on 1857 july 31st and Surendra , his brother Udanta became free . 17 years of imprisonment could not changed him . As soon as he reached Sambalpur he was joined by several Zamindars and Gountias (headman of village) along with their men . On October 7th of 1857 1400 men under the leadership of Surendra Sai marched into Sambalpur and captured the old palace . Deputy Commissioner R.T.Liegh could not do any thing with few soldiers . He wrote to Cuttack , Raipur and Nagpur for help . As soldiers from many sides rushed Surendra fled away on 31st night of October. Surendra built several hill forts with stone and mud at the top of the hills . He started  attack and go away tactic . When the Company soldiers tried to attack the hill forts the mutineers first rolled big round stones from the top . After few moments of cross firing they were making escape through the cave ways they built and then they were reaching at an another fort through deep forest route . Thus the mutineers established control over the 3 roads connecting Sambalpur with Ranchi , Raipur and Cuttack . More and more soldiers brought in with commanders like Ensighn Napin , E.G.Wood, Shakespear ,Henry Mack Nippon, Dayar , Windham Nokker ,Velance  and several others . Many mutineers including Chabila Sai , a brother of Surendra Died in the war . Many including Ujjwal Sai , another brother of Surendra was caught and were hanged . But it could not de-moralised the mutineers . Captain Arthur Perry Woodbridge and others died in the war . Dr. Thomas Moore was killed while he was coming to Sambalpur . Forster of famous Sekhawati Brigade was called . He tried his best with terror but Surendra could not be caught . Hastings Broughton Impey , the grandson of Sie Elijah Impey joined as Deputy Commissioner of Sambalpur in 1861. He reviewed the whole situation and by apprising the high authority got sanction for peace accord . In a phase manner he pardoned , discussed and could brought peace . When things became alright unfortunately Impey and his wife fell ill and died . The next Deputy Commissioner A.B Cumberledge  was a  different man . He had lost his sister in Jhansi  massacare . He wanted punishment not award for the mutineers . He arranged fake letters, fake witness and with  fake arguments he got arrested all the principal mutineers in a single night drive . The court awarded life imprisonment . But the High Court took note of falsehood and released all .But Surendra and other 6 were detained under section 3 of 1818 detention act and were sent to Asirgarh fort jail . Surendra died there on 28th February of 1884 . He remained in jail for a total period of 37 years , died in jail with blind condition . The saga of Sambalpur Mutiny is a story of supreme heroism and sacrifice . So many have given their life for the mother land . Few families along with Father , Son , Grandson have ruined their life by giving away their luxurious life . They roamed around the forest , stayed in the hills . They did this because they had taken Surendra as the symbol of their hope for driving out the outsiders from their homeland .

 GOVERNMENT CEMETERY AT SAMBALPUR HAVE MANY BELONGS TO EUROPEANS ..such as of ;Cadenhead ,Woodbridge , Roughsedge ,Nethersole ,Impey ,Bates etc.

EDWARD ROUGHSEDGE - son of Rev. R.H.Roughsedge was the Major of the 26th regiment N.I. , Political Agent to thr Governor General , South West Frontier deputed at Sumbhulpoor . Sumbhulpoor was taken over by the East India Company . Roughsedge was given charge to look after the affair and to give directions to the king of Sumbhulpoor and other 17 states which were under it . He was ill for 3 months , despite that he went to Sonepur state and died there at the bank of river Mahanadi on 13th January 1822 was cremated at Sumbhulpoor . Of the 4 cemetery given here no. 2 is of Roughsedge .

JOHN CADENHEAD - Assistant Surgeon Madras Army , Principal Assistant Agent, South Western Frontier  Born 9th May1811 died on 17 Nov. 1851 was the first ever Principal Assistant at Sumbhulpoor . Sumbhulpoor was annexed to the British empire in 1849 by virtue of doctrine of lapse . SBP was 2nd to be annexed through this law with Jaitpur after Satara . His cemetery is at no.1 here. 

ARTHUR PERRY WOODBRIDGE -son of E.C.Woodbridge of Briton  Captain A.P.Woodbridge was with the 40th Madras Infantry .Sumbhulpoor witnessed a great revolution and a longer fight against the East India Company in the leadership of Surendra Sai ,a member of the royal family . While in war at Pahadsirgida Woodbridge was killed on 12th February 1858 . His body was rescued on 14th and was cremated at Sumbhulpoor. Here his cemetery is shown at no 4

MAJOR JOHN BATES -Major in 40th Madras Regiment was the Commander at Sumbhulpoor was died on 15th February 1858 due to illness after 3 days of death of Woodbridge . 

WILLIAM NETHERSOLE  B.A , LLM ,Bar at Law of the Bengal Civil Service, eldest son of John and Mary Hennah Nethersole was the Sattlement officer at Sumbhulpoor .On 1888 october 9th he was fell from horse at Haldipali near Sohela and died on 11th . His cemetery is at no. 3

There are so many cemetery --- such as George Charles Bouton , Surgen left wing ,Ernest Stucley , James Augustus Fox Asst Surgeon , Hastings Brouhton Impey and his wife Georgina Alfred Alexander Graham , John Christopher Robinson ,Charles Lucas Babington ,Jack Buttler, William Berry , John Martin Casey ,Eli Elderson ....and many many more

One of the bastion  or  watch tower of the old fort at Sambalpur was repaired in 1888 and named as Victoria Tower . The tower and plate

1-QUEEN'S PALACE     2- and 3- KING'S PALACE   4- DOME OF QUEEN'S PALACE -----ALL at SAMBALPUR

Major Hastings Broughton Impey was born in 1819 . He was the third son and fifth child of Edward Impey  ,the Judge at Murshdabad  His  grandfather was Sir Elijah Impey , the first ever Judge of Calcutta Supreme Court .  Hastings entered into the Bengal Service in 1839 at Fort William . He became a part of 70th infantry at Benaras .He became Leutenant in 1840  and captain on 12th December 1853. He got married to Georgina Cordelia Corfield on 18th February of 1842 at Lucknow . He was with the Gwalior soldiers at the time of sepoy mutiny of 1857. He became  Major in 1861 and then entered into civil service .In April 1861 he was made the Deputy Commissioner of Sambalpur now in Odisha province of India . At that time the area was in deep  troubles . Surendra Sai , the relation to the princely family of Sambalpur Raj was the claimant to the throne . As he was denied and Sambalpur was annexed to the British-India empire Surendra started revolution . Though he was captured and was jailed at Hazaribagh since 17 years , the soldiers who joined the revolution broke the door of the jail and made all free . Surendra along with his brother Udant Sai came back to Sambalpur and with the support of many village head man he renewed the fight . The hill fort with escape routes and deep forest around vast areas of the region made him success . While all over India the mutiny came to end , here at Sambalpur it continued . Many British soldiers died , huge amount of money was used but Surendra was moving free creating havoc . H.B.Impey studied the situation and argued with higher authority to make a peace deal with Surendra and his men . In a calculated manner he continued with the plan and became success . Impey and Surendra shake hands on 15th May 1862 . Peace prevailed at Sambalpur after so many years .A great relief indeed . It could be done because of Major H.B.Impey . But unfortunately he and his wife both fell ill . On 11th December 1863 his wife Georgina an on 14th December 1863 H.B.Impey died at the age  of 44 . Both of them are lying near each other at the Government Cemetery, Sambalpur . H.B.Impey had a son Hastings Edward Machenji  Impey ,who was born on 7th March of 1845. He had a daughter too by name Julia who was married to Gothern Cooksen . After demise of Impey the next Deputy Commissioner of Sambalpur Alexjander Bulstrode Cumberledge was a man of different thought . He made a conspiracy and got arrested Surendra Sai and  all his men while they were asleep at their respective houses .
 

Impey and his wife at the Government Cemetry , Sambalpur