Context:
169th anniversary of the Santhal Hul
Santhal Rebellion:
- An organized revolt against imperialism of British in Jharkhand.
- Year – 1855-56
- Also known as – Santhal Hul
- Leaders – Sidho and Kanho Murmu
- Women leaders – Phulo and Jhano Murmu.
- Reasons for the uprising –
- Forced relocation and exploitation – Santhals, an agrarian tribal community dependent on forests for their livelihood, were encouraged to settle in the Damin-i-Koh region (now part of Jharkhand) established by the East India Company in 1832
- Exploitative practices of merchants and moneylenders perpetuated their subjugation and kept them trapped in cycles of debt bondage.
- Practice of bonded labor – Known as “kamioti” and “harwahi”
- Demise of the revolt – British hanged Sidhu to death on 1855, followed by Kanhu in 1856.
- Impact – Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, 1876 was enacted by the British.
- It prohibits the transfer of Adivasi lands (urban or rural land) to non-Adivasis.
Santhal community:
- Origin – Believed to have originated from the Champa Kingdom in northern Cambodia.
- Led a nomadic life in the past but eventually settled in the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
- Towards the late 18th century, they migrated to the Santhal Parganas of Bihar and later expanded into Odisha.
- Currently located in – Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal.
- Population – 3rd largest Scheduled Tribe in India after the Gond and Bhil
- Occupation – Primarily consists of agricultural people.
- Language – Santhali language, which has its own script called Ol Chiki
- Santhali is a language recognized in the 8th Schedule of the constitution. (92nd Amendment Act of 2003)
Source: The Indian Express
Previous Year Question
After the Santhal Uprising subsided, what were the measure/measures taken by the colonial government?
1. The territories called ‘Santhal Parganas’ were created.
2. It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c)
