Indian History Material for APPSC preliminary, Indian History Material for General Studies, Indian History material for Group-1 & Group-2

Early Uprisings

Early Uprisings in Bengal & Eastern India

Sanyasi Revolt 1770-1800

The British rule in Bengal after 1757 brought a new economic order & spelt ruin on Zamindars, peasants & artisans alike. The famine of 1770 & the callousness on the part of the Company was considered to be the direct result of the alien rule. The restrictions imposed on visits to holy places estranged the sanyasis. The sanyasis in retaliation organized raids on the company’s factories & state treasuries. Warren Hastings could contain these raids only after prolonged military action.

Chuar Uprising 1760

Famine, enhanced land revenue demands & economic distress forced the Chuar aboriginal tribesman of Midnapur district to take up arms. The revolt lasted from 1760 to 1782 & then again surfaced between 1795 & 1816.

Ahom’s Revolt 1826

Company’s Authorities had pledged to withdraw from the territory of Ahoms (Assam) after the condlucsion of the Burmese War (1824-26). However the English attempted to incorporate the Ahom’s territory in the Company’s  dominion & this sparked of a rebellion under Gomdhar Konwar but was quelled by the Britishers.

Kol Uprising 1831

The Kols of Chhotanagpur resented the transfer of land from Kol headmen (Mundas) to outsiders like Sikh & Muslim farmers & in 1831 killed or burnt about a thousand outsiders. Only after large scale military operations order could be restored.

Khasi Rising 1833

The East India Company after occupying the hilly region between Jaintia in the east and Garo hills in the west, planned a military road to link up the  Brahmaputra valley with Sylhet and brought a large number of Englishmen, Bengalis and other labour to complete the project. This intrusion was resented by Tirat Singh, who was supported by the Garos, the Khamptis and Singhpos in a bid to drive away the lowland strangers. The insurrection developed into popular revolt against British rule in the area. The superior military force suppressed the revolt in 1833.

Pagal Panthis 1830s & 1840s

Pagal Panthis. a semi-religious sect founded by Karam Shah, lived in the northern districts of Bengal. Tipu, the son and successor of Karam Shah, took up the cause of the tenants against the oppressions of the Zamindars. The area remained disturbed in the 1830s and 1840s.

Khonds Uprising 1846-1855

Khonds, the tribal people of Orrisa first revolted in 1846 & then in 1855. They were led by Chakra Bisoi. They were put down with great difficulty by the British.

Faraizis  1838-1857

The Faraizis, followers of a Muslim sect founded by Haji Shariatullah of Faridpur in Eastern Bengal, advocated radical religious, social and political changes. Shariatullah's son Dadu Mian (1819-1860) organised Farazais to expel the English intruders from Bengal. The sect also supported the cause of the tenants against the exactions of zamindars. The Faraizis disturbances continued in 1838 to 1857. Most of the Faraizis joined the ranks of Wahabis.

Santhal Uprising 1855

The Santhals living in the area between Bhagalpur, Rajmahal hills resented oppression by the revenue officials, landlords & the money lenders & were determined to expel the outsiders also called the dikus. In 1855, the Santhals under the leadership of Siddhu & Kanhu rebelled & declared the end of company rule & set themselves independent. Extnesive military operations brought the situation under control in 1856. The Government pacified the Santhals by creating a separate district of Santhal Paraganas.

Pabna Uprising 1870-1880

Pabna Peasant Uprising, was a resistance movement against the oppression of the zamindars. It originated in Pabna which currently lies in Bangladesh. The zamindars routinely collected money from the peasants by the illegal means of forced levy, abwabs (cesses), enhanced rent and so on. Peasants were often evicted from land on the pretext of non-payment of rent. The leader was Ishan Chandra Roy.

Munda Uprising 1874-1900

For over three decades the Munda sardars (in present Jharkhand State) had been

struggling against destruction of their system of common land holdings from the

intrusion of jagirdars, thekedars and money lenders. The rebellion (ulgulan) of the Munda tribesman occurred during 1900 under the leadership of Birsa Munda who mobilised his followers on religious and political grounds. In 1899, Birsa proclaimed a rebellion to establish Munda rule in the land by killing thikadars, jagirdars, Rajas and Hakims and Christians. For this he gathered a force of Mundas. He was, however, captured in February 1900 & later died.

 Eary Uprisings in Western India

Koli & Bhils Uprising

Bhils revolted in Westnern Ghats with their strongholds in Khandesh in 1817-1819 Kolis in Gujarat, the neighbours of Bhils also rose in rebellion in 1829, 1839 & from 1844-48.

Kutch Rebellion

The British interfered in the internal feuds of the Kutch. In 1819, a British force defeated and deposed Rao Bharmal in favour of his infant son. The actual administration of Catch was undertaken by Council of Regency under the superintendence of the British Resident. The administrative innovations made by the Regency Council coupled with the excessive land assessment caused deep resentment. The English reverses in the Burmese war emboldened chiefs to rise in revolt and demand the restoration of Bharmal. Though extensive military operations brought the situation under control, the trouble erupted again in 1831. The Company's authorities were then compelled to follow a conciliatory policy.

Ramosi Uprising 1822

The Ramosis, the hill tribes in the Western Ghats, resented British rule and the British pattern of administration. In 1822. under Chittur Singh, they revolted and plundered the country around Satara. A superior British force restored order in the area.

Satara Uprising 1840

The people of Satara rose in revolt under Dhar Rao in 1840, because the popular ruler of Satara Pratap Singh was deposed and banished by the British. Narsing Patekar led revolt in 1844. He was defeated and captured by the British.

Phadke Revolt 1877

Vasudeo Balwant Phadke organised an armed rebellion in 1877, after the terrible famine of the western India. He recruited young peasants of Maharashtra and organized political dacoities. He was the earliest nationalist to organize the political dacoities. He was captured later & died in 1883. With him the rebellion also died.

Gadkari Revolt

Assumption of direct administration of Kolhapur by the British created resentment among Gadkaris, who rose in revolt in Kolhapur. This revolt was suppressed finally by the British.

 Uprisings in South India

Revolt of Raja of Vizangaram

After acquisition of the Northern Sarkars in, the East India Company demanded a gift of three lakhs from the Raja apart from ordering him to disband his troops. On Raja's refusal, his estate was annexed. The Raja with the support of his people and his troops rose in revolt and lost his life in a battle in 1794. Finally, the Company offered the estate to the deceased Raja's son and also reduced the demand for presents.

Poligar’s Revolt

The poligars of Dindigul and Malabar revolted against the evils of the English land revenue system. During 1801-1805 the poligars of the ceded districts and North Arcot revolted against the Company. Sporadic risings of the poligars in the Madras Presidency continued up to 1856.

Diwan Velu Thampi's Revolt

Disgusted with the harsh terms imposed on the State of Travancore under the subsidiary alliance treaty of Wellesley in 1805, the ruler did not pay the subsidy resulting into accumulation of arrears. The high-handed attitude of the Company compelled Diwan Velu Thampi raise the banner of revolt with the support of the Nair battalion. A large British force restored peace in the area.

Rampa Revolt

The hill tribesman of Rampa in coastal Andhra Pradesh revolted in March, 1879 against the depredations of the government-supported mansabdar and the new restrictive forest regulations. Only a large military operation could suppress the rebellion in 1880.

Early Uprising in North India

Wahabi Movement

The Wahabi movement, basically an Islamic revivalist movement, was founded by Syed Ahmad of Rae Bareli (1786-1831) who was influenced by the teachings of Abdul Wahab (1703-1787) of Arabia. Syed Ahmad condemned all accretions to and innovations in Islam and advocated a return to the pure Islam and society of Arabia of the Prophet’s times. In India, its important centre was at Patna though it had its missions in Hyderabad, Madras, Uttar Pradesh and Bombay. Since Dar-ul-Harb (The world of Kafirs) was to be converted to Dar-ul-Islam (The World of Islam), a Jihad was declared against the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab. Syed Ahmad lost his life in action. After the overthrow of the Sikh ruler & the incorporation of the Punjab into the East India Company, the sole target of Wahabis attack became the English dominion in India. The Wahabis played a notable role in spreading Anti-British sentiments & offering well planned challenge to British Supremacy during from 1830s to 1860s.

 

Nirankari Movement

The Nirankari movement was founded by Dayal Das (died 1855), who belonged to a half-Sikh, half-Hindu community in Peshawar. He believed that God is formless, or nirankar (hence the name Nirankari). He saw that Sikhism was being assimiliated into Hindusim in front of his eyes. His main target was the worship of images against which he preached vigorously. He re-emphasized the Sikh belief in Nirankar the Formless One.

Namdhari or Kuka Movement

After the fall of kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, there were several attempts to raise the old glory of the Khalsa. Several movements to reform the Sikhism were started. First one being Namdhari movement, which was started by Baba Ram Singh Namdhari, disciple of Bhai Balak Singh. He was a soldier in Khalsa army. The objective was to abolish all distinction of caste among Sikhs; advocates indiscriminate marriage of all classes; marriage of widows; reverence for cows. English education, mill-made cloth and other imported goods were boycotted. Kukas even avoided use of the post of fives established by the British and depended upon their own system of postal communication. The British government started keeping strict vigil on Kukas. Baba Ram Singh was sent to Andaman islands under Life imprisonment for treason & he died in 1885.

 

Bijolia Movement

In Bijolia city in Bundi district of Rajasthan from 1915-1927. Led by Vijay Singh Pathik. It was against the feudal cesses.