Question

Explain the following statement with a reason.

The Paikas made armed rebellion against the British. 

Answer 1

1. The Paikas were the traditionally armed force of Odisha. They were warriors and were charged with policing functions during peacetime. The Paikas were separated into three ranks notable by their occupation and the weapons they handled. The Paik Rebellion is also called the Paika Bidroha. It was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817.
2. The Paikas united in revolt under their leader, Bakshi Jagabandhu. Jagannath was projected as the symbol of Odia unity. The rebellion rapidly spread in most of Odisha before being brutally put down by the company's armed forces.
3. The Paika rebellion had several social, economic and political reasons. The Paiks were alienated by the British regime, which took over the hereditary rent-free lands granted to them after the attack of Khurda. They were also subjected to shakedown and oppression at the hands of the British government and its servants.

Answer 2

1. The Britishers conquered x Odisha in 1803.
2. They confiscated the hereditary rent-free land granted to Paikas by the kings.
3. The life of the common man became miserable due to a tax imposed on salt by the British.
4. This resulted in the armed rebellion of the Paikas against the British in 1817.