Question

Give an account of the Santhal Rebellion.

Answer 1

1. The first revolt which can be regarded as a peasants’ revolt was the Santhal Rebellion in 1855 – 56.
2. The land near the hills of Rajmahal in Bihar was cultivated by the Santhals.
3. The landlords and money-lenders from the cities took advantage of their ignorance and began grabbing their lands. This created bitter resentment among them leading to their armed uprising in 1855.
4. Consequently, under the belief of divine order, around 10,000 Santals gathered under two Santhal brothers, Siddhu and Kanhu, to free their country of the foreign oppressors and set up a government of their own.
5. The rebellion assumed a formidable shape within a month. The houses of the European planters, British officers, railway engineers, zamindars, and moneylenders were attacked.
6. The rebellion continued till February 1856, when the rebel leaders were captured and the movement was put down with a heavy hand.
7. The government declared the Parganas inhabited by them as Santhal Parganas so that their lands and identity could be safeguarded from external encroachments.