Resistance against the British before 1857
● Colonial land revenue settlements, heavy burden of new taxes, eviction of peasants
from their lands, and encroachments on tribal lands
● Exploitation in rural society coupled with the growth of intermediary revenue collectors,tenants and moneylenders
● Expansion of revenue administration over tribal lands leading to the loss of tribal people’s hold over agricultural and forest land
● Promotion of British manufactured goods, heavy duties on Indian industries, especially export duties, leading to devastation of Indian handloom and handicraft industries
● Destruction of indegenous industries leading to migration of workers from industry to agriculture, increasing the pressure on land and agriculture
● Rapid changes under the Company rule, which went against the people
● Several zamindars and poligars had lost control over their land due to colonial rule
● Ruin of Indian handicraft industry due to colonial policies
● The priestly classes instigated hatred and rebellion against alien rule
● The foreign character of the British rulers, who always remained alien to this land, and their contemptuous treatment of the native people hurt the pride of the latter
● Different causes for tribal revolts in the mainland and north-east : unlike the mainland ones, the north-east ones were not forest-based or agrarian revolts as these tribals were generally in control of their lands
● Sanyasi Revolt, 1770
Reason- economic hardships on the people by the Company during massive famine
Restriction imposed on visits of Sanyasis to the holy places
Sanyasis organized raids on the company factories. Warren Hastings suppressed it.
Leader- Gomdar kanwar
Britishers had pledged to withdraw from Assam after First Burma war (1824-26)
But instead they tried to include the region under Company domination
Finally a settlement agreement was made with Maharaja Purandar Singh Narendra
● Kutch rebellion (1819-1820s)
Leader- Rao Bharmal (ruler of Kutch)
British overthrew him and interfered in their internal affairs, captured lands
Setback of British in the Burma war encouraged the chiefs to revolt and restore
Bharamal
Extensie military operations failed to control the situation
Later, conciliatory policy adopted
● Waghera rising (1818-1820)
Waghera chiefs against the British rule, exactions of Gaekwads of Baroda.
Peace treaty by 1820
● Surat salt agitations (1844-48)
Against increase in salt tax
Protest forced it to be reduced
● Paika rebellion (1817)
Leaders- Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, Mukunda Deva, Dinabandhu Santra
Reason- the company conquest of Odisha reduced the power and prestige of the
Paikas, who were the traditional landed militia and enjoyed rent free land tenures for
their military service and policing functions on a hereditary basis
Extortionist land policies, high revenues by the British caused resentment among them
● Kolhapur and Sawantvadi Revolts (1844)
Gadkaris (military class) left unemployed after British disbanded garrisons in Maratha
fort
● Revolt of Raja of Vizianagaram
British seized the territories, demanded 3 lakh rupees and forced to disband troops
Raja with support of the people rose in revolt, but killed in 1794
Later his son was made the ruler Poligars revolt (1801-56)
Poligar of Dindigul and Malabar rose up against oppressive land revenue system
● Revolt of Diwan Velu Tampi (1805)
Subsidiary alliance signed between Velu Tampi of Travancore and Wellesley
Huge subsidies were charged and harsh conditions were imposed
Failing to pay the arrears, the King roe to revolt with support of Nair Battalion
● Kuka revolt (1840s onwards)
Leader- Bhagat JawaharMal (Sian Saheb), Ram Singh (later deported to Rangoon)
Namdhari sect (chanting name of God), Kook (cry in spiritual emotions)
Started as religious purification movement- no meat, alcohol or drugs
Later, turned political- discrimination of Sikhs, woman freedom etc
● Wahabi movement
Syed Ahmed of Bareilly, inspired by Abdul Wahab (Saudi), Shah Waliullah (Delhi)
Change Dar-ul-harb to Dar-ul-islam (land of kafirs to islam)
Sithana in north west India- area of operation under spiritual vice regents (Khalifas)
Spread to Patna, Bengal, Madras, Bombay, UP, Hyderabad
Declared jihad against Sikhs. Later, when English defeated Sikhs, they turned to Britain
Rose up against the British multiple times. Later, suppressed by sedition charges and
cases
Peasant movements
● Narkelberia uprising (1831)
24 parganas (Bengal)
Titu Mir inspired the Muslim tenants in West Bengal to rise against the Hindu landlords
● Faraizi Revolt (1838-57)
Leader- Haji Sharait Allah and Dadu Mian
Advocated radical religious, social and political changes
Supported the cause of peasants against zamindars. Also wanted to overthrow the
Britishers
● Pagal panthis (1820s- 1840s)
Pagal panth a semi religious sect
Leader- Karam Shah and Tipu
Against zamindari oppression, religious and political motives
Captured lot of areas and this area remained disturbed for almost two decades
● Moplah uprisings (1836-54)
In the Malabar region of Kerala
Reason- against the hike in revenue demand and reduction in field size
Tribal revolts
● Chuar Uprising (1766-72) and (1795-1816)
Reason- enhanced land revenue during the time of famine
Tribesmen of Midnapore took arms in revolt. Suppressed later
● Ho rising (1820-22) and (183-37)
Ho and Munda tribes, not happy with company rule, revolted against them
● Kandh uprising (1837-56)
Patna, Ghumsar, Kalahandi, China-ki-Medi
Leader- Chakra Bisoi
Reason- british tried to end “mariah” (human sacrifice ritual)
Fought with tangis, swords, bow and arrow. Later suppressed
● Kol mutiny (1831)
Ranchi, Singhbum, Hazaribagh, Chotanagpur
Reason- transfer of their land to other Sikh and Muslim farmers
● Santhal rising, Rajmahal hills (1854-56)
Against oppression by outsiders (diku), moneylenders, revenue officials, police
Leader- Sido and Kanhu rose up and declared themselves independent in 1854
Military repression, Sido died in 1855. Kanhu arrested in 1866
A separate region called, Santhal pargana was created to pacify them
● Khasi uprising (1830-33)
Leader- Thirath Singh
Britishers captured Khasi, and planned to construct road from Brahmaputra valley to
Sylhet
Lot of outsiders came to the region, which was not liked by the inhabitants
● Munda revolt (1890-1900)
Leader- Birsa Munda rose in rebellion (ulgulan)
Mundas of Chotanagpur struggling for land rights against jagirdars, thikadars,
moneylenders
Birsa raised a 6000 member group in revolt, with swords, spears, axes and bows
He was arrested in 1900 and died there itself, thus ending the movement
● Singphos revolt (1830s)
Singphos of Assam rose against British and killed a British political agent. Later
suppressed
● Bhil uprisings (1817-19, 1825, 1836, 1846)Leader- Sewaram
Aboriginal tribes, against new masters- Company, fearing over powering
● Koli rising (1829, 1839, 1844-48)
Against British rule, who destroyed their forts
● Ramosi rising (1822, 1825, 1829, 1839, 1841)
Hill tribes of West India
Leader- Chittur Singh against company for banishment of Raja Pratap Singh of Satara
Sepoy Mutinies
Reasons :
● Discrimination in payment and promotions
● Mistreatment
● Refusal of the government to pay foreign service allowance while fighting in remote
areas
● Religious objections of the high caste hindu sepoys to Lord Canning’s General service
Enlistment Act (1856) ordering all recruits to be ready for service both within and
outside India
Important mutinies :
● Vellore mutiny, 1806
● Mutiny of 47th Native Infantry Unit, 1824
● Revolt of Grenadier Company, Assam, 1825
● Mutiny in Solapur, 1833
● Mutiny of 34th Native Infantry Unit, 1844
● Mutiny of 22nd Native Infantry Unit, 1849
● Mutiny of 66th Native Infantry Unit, 1850
● Mutiny of 37th Native Infantry Unit, 1852
Weakness of the People’s uprisings :
● Although it drew a large number of participants, they occurred at different timings at at different regions
● Mostly arose out of local grievances
● Leadership was semi-feudal in character and did not offer alternatives to the existing social setup
● These rebellions were century old in form and ideologically cultural in content
● Those who were not so uncooperative or obstinate were pacified through concessions by the authorities
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