Tribal movements in India under British rule were the most frequent, militant, and violent of all movements. What were the major causes for the movements? Read further to know more.
Different tribal groups spread across the country may share common issues but the distinctions between them are equally significant.
Several tribal movements, including the Santhals, Hos, Oraons, Mundas in Chota Nagpur, and the Santhal Parganas, have been largely concentrated in the so-called “tribal belt” of middle India.
In this article, we will discuss each of these movements briefly.
Different Causes for Mainland and North-Eastern Tribal Revolts
The tribal movements in India were sparked off by a number of factors, a few important of which are:
Tribal Lands or Forests
One of the main reason that concerned tribal people were the tribal lands or forests.
The land settlements of the British affected the tradition among the tribals and disrupted their social fabric. The tribals lost their land, and there was an influx of non-tribals to these areas.
Curb on Shifting Cultivation
Shifting cultivation in forests was curbed which created problems for tribal people. By creating reserved forests and limiting grazing and the use of timber, the government expanded its authority over the forest regions. This was driven by the company’s increasing demands for timber for use in railroads and shipping.
Exploitation
The hardship of the tribal people was made worse by its exploitation by the police, traders, and moneylenders, most of whom were outsiders. As the tribal people had their own customs and traditions, some general laws were also abhorred for their intrusive nature.
Advent of Christianity
As colonialism expanded, Christian missionaries entered these areas and interfered with the tribal peoples’ traditional ways of life. The indigenous people disliked the missionaries because they saw them as representatives of the foreign rule.
Important Tribal Movements in India
Some important tribal movements are discussed below.
Pahariyas’ Rebellion
The British expansion on their territory led to an uprising by the martial Pahariyas of the Raj Mahal Hills in 1778. The British were forced to usher in peace by declaring their territory as damni-kot area.
Chuar Uprising
The Chuar indigenous tribesmen of the Jungle Mahal in the Midnapore district and also of the Bankura district (in Bengal) were forced to take up weapons amid famine, intensive land revenue demands, and economic distress.
The majority of these tribes’ inhabitants were farmers and hunters. The rebellion took place from 1766 to 1772, and between 1795 and 1816 it resurfaced. The Chuars were prominent in Manbhum and Barabhum, especially in the hills between Barabhum and Ghatsila.
Durjan (or Durjol) Singh led the most important revolt in 1798. Due to the implementation of the Bengal Regulations, Durjan Singh lost his position as the zamindar of Raipur. The British mercilessly put down the uprising. Madhab Singh, the raja of Barabhum’s brother, Raja Mohan Singh, the zamindar of Juriah, and Lachman Singh of Dulma were additional leaders among the Chuars.
Kol Mutiny (1831)
The Kols are inhabitants of Chhotanagpur, along with other tribes. This covered Ranchi, Singhbhum, Hazaribagh, Palamau, and the western parts of Manbhum. The trouble in 1831 started with large-scale land transfers from Kol headmen to outsiders, such as oppressive Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim farmers and moneylenders, who demanded high taxes.
The Kols resented this and in 1831, under the leadership of Buddho Bhagat.
Ho and Munda Uprisings (1820-1837)
The Parahat organized his Ho tribals to revolt against the occupation of Singhbhum (now in Jharkhand). The revolt continued till 1827 when the Ho tribals were forced to submit.
In 1899-1900, the Mundas in the region south of Ranchi rose under Birsa Munda. The Ulgulan was one of the most significant tribal uprisings in the period 1860-1920. The uprising, which got its start as a religious movement, gathered political power to fight against the introduction of zamindari tenures, which are feudal in nature, as well as against moneylenders’ and forest contractors’ exploitation.
The Santhal Rebellion (1855-56)
The Santhal rebellion against the zamindars was brought on by the ongoing oppression of the agricultural Santhals, a people who had escaped and settled in the plains of the Rajmahal hills (Bihar). The Santhats proclaimed the end of Company authority and established the region between Bhagalpur and Rajmahal as an autonomous region under the leadership of two brothers named Sidhu and Kanhu. By 1856, the uprising had been put down.
Khond Uprisings (1837-1856)
The Khonds of the mountainous regions spanning from Odisha to the Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh rose up in rebellion against Company authority between 1837 and 1856.
Koya Revolts
The Koyas of the eastern Godavari track (modern Andhra), joined by Khonda Sara chiefs and rebelled multiple times between 1803 to 1862. They rose once again in 1879-80 under Tomma Sora.
Their complaints included new regulations, denial of their traditional rights over forest areas, and oppression by the police and moneylenders. In 1886, Raja Anantayyar organized another uprising in response to Tomma Sora’s demise.
Bhil Revolts
The mountain routes connecting the north and the Deccan were under the control of the Bhils, who lived in the Western Ghats. In 1817–1819, they rose up in revolt against Company rule due to famine, poverty, and misgovernment.
Koli Risings
The Kolis residing in the neighborhood of Bhils rose up in rebellion against the Company’s rule in 1829, and 1839 and again during 1844-48. They objected to the Company’s rule being imposed on them because it resulted in widespread unemployment for them and the destruction of their forts.
Ramosi Risings
The hill tribes of the Western Ghats known as the Ramosis had not accepted British rule and the British style of administration. They objected to the annexation policy. The Ramosis, who had worked for the Maratha government, lost their source of income with the British capture of the Maratha territory.
In 1822, they arose under Chittur Singh and plundered the region around Satara. Under Umaji Naik of Poona and his supporter Bapu Trimbakji Sawant, there were again eruptions in 1825–1826; the unrest continued till 1829.
Khasi Uprising
The East India Company sought to construct a route connecting the Brahmaputra Valley with Sylhet after occupying the steep area between the Garo and Jaintia Hills. Many outsiders, including Englishmen, Bengalis, and laborers from the plains, were brought to these areas for this purpose.
Tirath Singh organized the Khasis, Garos, Khamptis, and Singphos to expel outsiders from the plains. Eventually, the uprising turned into a popular uprising against the British administration in the region. By 1833, the uprising had been put down by the superior English armed force.
How Did Colonial Rule Affected Tribal Lives?
Before the arrival of the British, the tribal chiefs were essential people. They had the authority to run and manage their lands, and they had considerable financial power. Under British rule, the functions and powers of the tribal chiefs changed considerably. They were no longer able to perform their traditional duties and lost the power they had once held among their people.
Changes in forest laws had a considerable effect on tribal lives. The British extended their control over all forests and declared that forests
were state property. Some forests were classified as Reserved Forests for they produced timber which the British wanted that denied their long-traditional control over the forest and forest products.
Many tribal groups reacted against the colonial forest laws and disobeyed the new rules, continued with practices that were declared illegal, and at times rose in open rebellion. Such rebellions include Songram Sangma’s uprising in Assam in 1906 and the Central Provinces’ forest satyagraha in the 1930s. Thousand of lives were lost during these rebellions.
The plight of the tribals who had to go far away from their homes in search of work was even worse. From the late nineteenth century, tea plantations started coming up and mining became an important industry. For employment in Jharkhand’s coal mines and Assam’s tea plantations, large numbers of tribal people were hired. The working condition and wages there were not sustainable which made their lives more miserable.
Article Written By: Priti Raj
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