The Santhal rebellion (sometimes referred to as the Sonthal rebellion) was a native rebellion in what is now Jharkhand, in eastern India against both the British colonial authority and corrupt upper caste zamindari system by the Santal people. Jharkhand ( Hindi: झारखंड Bengali: ঝাড়খণ্ডdʒʰaːɽkʰəɳɖ is a state in eastern India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Castes are Hereditary systems of occupation, Endogamy, social culture, Social class, and Political power. Zamindar ( Devanagari: ज़मींदार zamīndār, Urdu: زمیندار zamīndār, Eastern Nagari: জমিদার The Santals (also spelled as Santhal; formerly also Sonthal are the largest tribal community in India, found mainly in the states of West Bengal, It lasted from July 1855 to May 1856 before being crushed by troops loyal to the British Raj. Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British
Background of the rebellion
The insurrection of the Santals was mainly as a Dalit reaction to practices of corrupt usury, moneylending, and the zamindari system and their operatives, the tribal belt of what was then known as the Bengal Presidency. The Santals (also spelled as Santhal; formerly also Sonthal are the largest tribal community in India, found mainly in the states of West Bengal, Dalit is a self designation for group of people of South Asian descent who were traditionally regarded as untouchables or low Caste. Usury (ˈjuːʒəri comes from the Medieval Latin usuria, "interest" or "excessive interest" from the Latin usura "interest" A moneylender offers small Personal loans at high rates of interest, usually higher rates than the market rate charged on Credit cards or on The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal was a colonial region of British India, which comprised undivided Bengal which is present day Bangladesh Before the advent of the British in India, Santals resided peacefully in the hilly districts of Cuttack, Dhalbhum, Manbhum, Barabhum, Chhotanagpur, Palamau, Hazaribagh, Midnapur, Bankura and Birbhum. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Cuttack ( Oriya: କଟକ)(कटक (derived from the Sanskrit word 'Kataka' which signifies Manbhum was one of the districts of the East India during the British Raj. Chhotanagpur is an area including the tribal areas of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and West Bengal states in India. Palamau is a district of Jharkhand state India. The district lies between 23°50&prime and 24°8&prime north Latitude and between 83°55&prime WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Hazaribagh (हजारीबाग is a city and a Municipality in Midnapore (also written as Medinipur and Midnapur Bangla: মেদিনীপুর meːd̪in̪ipʊɾ IAST: medinipur is a town in West Bengal, WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bankura (বাঁকুড়া is a city and a Municipality in Bankura District Birbhum (বীরভূম is a district in West Bengal state of India They engaged in their agrarian way of life by clearing the forest and also by hunting for subsistence. But as the agents of the new colonial rule claimed their rights on the lands of the Santals, they peacefully retreated to reside in the hills of Rajmahal. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Rajmahal is a city and a notified area in Sahibganj district in the Indian state After a brief period of peace, the British operatives along with their native counterparts, i. e. , the local upper caste landlords and zamindars jointly started claiming their rights in this new land as well. Castes are Hereditary systems of occupation, Endogamy, social culture, Social class, and Political power. Landlord is the owner of a House, Apartment, Condominium, or Real estate which is rented or Leased to an individual or business Zamindar ( Devanagari: ज़मींदार zamīndār, Urdu: زمیندار zamīndār, Eastern Nagari: জমিদার The unsophisticated and unlettered Santals felt cheated and betrayed. The simple and honest Santal tribes were turned into slaves by the zamindars and the money lenders who first appeared to them as businessmen and traders and had allured them first by goods lent to them on loans. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another A loan is a type of Debt. This article focuses exclusively on monetary loans although in practice any material object might be lent These loans however hard a Santal tried to repay, never ended. In fact through corrupt practices of the money lenders, the compound interest accumulated on the principal amount of the loan multiplied to large sum, an amount (for repaying) which an entire generation of an indigent Santal family had to work as slaves. A moneylender offers small Personal loans at high rates of interest, usually higher rates than the market rate charged on Credit cards or on Compound interest is the concept of adding accumulated Interest back to the principal so that interest is earned on interest from that moment on Debt is that which is owed usually referencing Assets owed but the term can cover other obligations A loan is a type of Debt. This article focuses exclusively on monetary loans although in practice any material object might be lent Furthermore, the Santali women who worked under labour contractors were sexually disgraced and used as concubines and comfort women by the money lenders, zamindars and agents of the Raj. Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status Comfort women is a Euphemism for women forced into Prostitution and Sexual slavery for Japanese military brothels during World War This loss of freedom and respect that the Santals enjoyed turned them into rebels and finally they took oath to launch an attack on the most visible symbol of authority, i. e. , the British Raj. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British
The Santal rebellion
On 30 June 1855, two Santal rebel leaders, Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu, mobilized ten thousand Santals and declared a rebellion against British colonists. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Sidhu Murmu was the leader of the Santhal rebellion ( 1857 - 1858) along with his brother Kanhu Murmu. Kanhu Murmu was the leader of the Santhal rebellion (1857-1858 along with his brother Sido Murmu. The Santals initially gained some success in guerilla war tactics using bows and arrows but soon the British found out a new way to tackle these rebels. Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc A bow is a Weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow As the legend goes, the Santals skilled in archery could throw arrows extremely accurate and with great impact. Archery is the practice of using a bow or Crossbow to shoot Arrows Archery has historically been used in Hunting and Combat and has The British soon understood that there was no point fighting them in the forest but to force them come out of the forest. So in a conclusive battle which followed, the British equipped with modern firearms and war elephants stationed themselves at the foot of the hill on which the Santals were stationed. When the battle began, the British officer ordered fire without bullets. As the Santals could not trace this trap set by the much experienced British war strategists, they charged in full force. This step proved to be disastrous for them for as soon as they neared the foot of the hill, the British army attacked with full power and this time by using real bullets. The hapless Santals were cut to pieces.
Thereafter the British attacked every village of the Santals, plundered them, raped their women and whipped and castrated their teenagers, to make sure that the last drop of revolutionary spirit was annihilated. Although the revolution was brutally suppressed, it marked a great change in the colonial rule and policy. The day of rebellion is still celebrated among the Santal community with great respect and spirit for the thousands of the Santal martyrs who sacrificed their lives along with their two celebrated leaders in their glorious albeit unsuccessful attempt to win freedom from the rule of the zamindars and the British operatives.
Although its impact was largely shadowed by that of the other rebellion, the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the legend of the Santal Rebellion lives on as a turning point in Santal pride and identity. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, This was reaffirmed, over a century and a half later with the creation of the first tribal province in independent India, Jharkhand. Jharkhand ( Hindi: झारखंड Bengali: ঝাড়খণ্ডdʒʰaːɽkʰəɳɖ is a state in eastern India.
Mrinal Sen's film Mrigaya [1] (1976) is set in this time. Mrinal Sen (মৃনাল েসন also spelled Mrinal Shen) is a famous Bengali Indian filmmaker
References
- Biswas, A. K. 1995. Santhal Rebellion: - A study of little known facts of their life and culture. Bulletin of Bihar Tribal Welfare Research Institute, Ranchi. XXXV, December 1995:13-24
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic