The
Koli Jagirdar Jivabhai Maliwad was
Koli Thakor (Koli Talukdar, Koli Jagirdar) of
Khanpur Jagir in
Lunavada State. Jivabhai Maliwad belonged to the
Maliwad Koli clan (Gotra, Kutumb) of Kolis of Gujarat. Jivabhai Maliwad Koli Thakor was the first Jagirdar to take up arms against the British in the
Lunavada region and is therefore considered the first freedom fighter of Lunavada.
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| Koli Jagirdar Jivabhai Maliwad of Khanpur jagir in Lunavada state |
Koli rebellion of Khanpur jagir of Koli chief Jivabhai Maliwad
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| Koli chief Jivabhai Maliwad of Khanpur jagir being arrest by British troops |
During the
Great Indian rebellion of 1857 in
British India, the Kolis of Gujarat had launched various rebellions against the
East India Company. During this, the British government came to know that the Kolis of Khanpur Jagir in Lunavada State, under the leadership of their Koli Jagirdar
Jivabhai Thakor, were also planning to capture the East India Company government police station. As a precautionary measure, the British government immediately sent
Captain Calling with the
British Army and stationed the British Army in the
Lunawada state. Three days after the British deployment,
Koli Jagirdar Jivabhai Maliwad gathered all the
Maliwad Kolis and planned the attack on the
British troops. The following day, Koli Thakor Jivabhai Maliwad, along with
Baria Kolis,
Makwana Kolis, and other Kolis, suddenly attacked the British army at night. In this battle, the Kolis defeated the British army and
killed Captain Calling.
Following Captain Calling's death, the British government issued an ordered to burned down the Kolis' Khanpur estate. The East India Company also sought help from the Lunawada state, as the Lunawada army had extensive knowledge of the Koli villages. In December 1857, the British government sent British troops under Captain Buckle to attack Khanpur. This time, the British defeated the Kolis, capturing some Koli rebels, and forcing most of them to flee to the nearby hills. A week later, Koli Jagirdar Jivabhai Maliwad assembled the 2000 Kolis and attacked the British army again, killing several British soldiers, officers.
Following the second defeat, the British government sent Lieutenant Morey to suppress the Koli rebellion. The British government also sent professional soldiers, leaders Arab Zamadar Noor Mohammad, Sheikh Cheda, and Emamuddin, along with professional soldiers, to attack the Koli rebels. The combined forces of the British and Arab Zamadar forces killed many of the Koli rebels, forcing the rebels to retreat to the nearby riverbank.
Subsequently, the British government again sent Captain Buckle with cavalry to capture Koli rebels hiding near the river. In a battle on the riverbank, the Kolis killed three British cavalrymen. After that, Captain Buckle lined up two Kolis and shot them dead. The remaining Kolis were captured and sentenced to life imprisonment. Later, the British government came to know that some of the Koli rebels were not of the Koli caste but were fighting alongside the Kolis. Consequently, the non-Koli rebels were released, and Koli Jagirdar Jivabhai Maliwad was sentenced to death, and Khanpur was destroyed by the British army.
Death
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| Koli rebellion of Khanpur, 1857 |
While
Koli Jagirdar Jivabhai Thakor Maliwad was being hanged, the non-Koli rebels were lined up in front of Jivabhai Maliwad, and Jivabhai was hanged. Following this, non-Koli rebels were ordered to spread the news of Jivabhai Maliwad Koli's death to prevent other feudal lords from attempting to rise against the East India Company. Following this, the Kolis were imposed the
Disarming Act, which prohibited them from carrying weapons or keeping weapons in their homes.
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