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the movement was crushed by the British. When
the Zamindari system was introduced in the
Bengal presidency, the British and the Zamindars
claimed the traditional Santhal land as their own.

The Santhals were exploited mercilessly by the
landlords who charged exorbitant rates of interest
(sometimes as high as 500%) which ensured that
the tribal were never able to repay their loan.
They lost their land and also were turned into Birsa Munda
bonded labourers. They had to suffer extortions, Birsa Munda wanted to bring back the ‘golden
forceful deprivation of property, abuse and age' of the Mundas. He wanted to free his people
violence, cheating in business deals, willful from the oppression of the traders, moneylend-
trampling of their crops, etc. ers, Zamindars and the British. He asked the
The government supported the landlords instead tribal to forcefully take back the land that the
of helping the tribal whose grievances were British had taken away from them.
genuine. The first rebellion occurred in 1854 led The movement launched by Birsa Munda was
by Bir Singh of Sasan in Lachimpur. The second also a social movement. It aimed at reforming
rebellion started in June 1855 when two brothers the tribal society. Birsa wanted people to give up
Sidhu and Kanhu organised 10000 Santhals and practices that he considered evil such as drinking
declared a revolt. They killed many moneylend- liquor, performing animal sacrifices, worship of
ers and Company agents. They revolt was very evil spirits and leading a dishonest life.
intense and massive in scale. The Santhal com- The British came down heavily against the
munity celebrates the day of rebellion to this day. rebellion. They arrested Birsa in 1895 and
The revolt was violently suppressed by the British imprisoned him. He died soon after. The move-
with about 20000 Santhals being killed including ment fizzled out after this, though sporadic
the two leaders. protests continued.
Munda Rebellion These were the main uprisings by the non-
The Munda Rebellion was one of the most frontier tribal. The frontier tribal also revolted
powerful tribal revolts of the late nineteenth against the British annexation of their lands. The
century. Concentrated in the Chotanagpur main frontier tribal uprisings were Khasi Uprising
region, it was led by Brisa Munda. The ‘ulgulan’ (1830s), Ahom Revolt (1828) and Singhphos
or the ‘Great Tumult’ as it came to be called, Rebellion (1830 – 1855). In the 20th century,
aimed at driving out the British and their agents Rani Gaidiniliu led the Naga Movement (1905 –
and establishing ‘Munds Raj’. 1931).

Terminology

Resistance : the refusal to accept or comply with something
Interfere : intervene in a situation without invitation or necessity
Administrative : relating to the running of a business, organisation, etc
Influences : the capacity to have an effect on the character, development or behaviour of someone or
something or the effect itself

Social Science-8 41