Tribal revolts in Bihar

Introduction

The first decades of the 19th century saw the beginning of the tribal revolts in Bihar. Most of these uprisings were localized and unorganized in nature. The main causes of uprisings were land transfers to foreigners and British colonisers’ exploitation of tribal land holdings.

Name of the Revolt	Year	People Associated	Nature and Objective
Bhumij	1832-33	Ganga Narayan	Protest against the Britishers’ land revenue policy.
Ho and Munda	1820, 1827, 1899, 1900, 1860-1920	Raja Parhat	Opposition to the new land revenue policy of the Britishers.
Kol	1831-32	Budhu Bhagat	Protest against the transfer of land to outsiders.
Munda	1899-1900	Birsa Munda	Protest against the alienation of tribal land.
Santhal	1855-56	Sidhu-Kanhu	Protest against moneylenders, contractors etc.
Sapha Hor Revolt	1870	Baba Bhagirath Manjhi, Lal Hembram & Paica Murmu	Opposition to restrictions on religious sentiment.
Tana Bhagat	1914	Jatra Bhagat	Protest against landlords and contractors.

Reasons for the Tribal Revolts in Bihar

The following were the primary reasons that triggered the tribal revolts in Bihar against the Britishers:

• The British colonialism led to rampant industrialisation, which took away the independence and traditional way of life of the Bihar tribes living in the forests. The British imposed forest restrictions that limited the access of tribal people to the area and barred the Bihar tribes from using any of the resources of the forest.
• The Bihar tribal people were pushed into poverty as the British imposed tariff charges on the Indian commodities transported. The artisan community in Bihar faced a hard time making a living.
• The British destroyed the handicraft businesses established among the tribal people of Bihar. The British Raj introduced unrestricted trade of handicraft products in India, which brought down the profits and income source of the tribal people in India, disturbing the Bihar tribes.
• When the British tortured and oppressed the indigenous people, they had no choice but to fight back to end the injustice and human rights. At times, they attacked English residents, stole their goods, and drove them out of their community. Tribals were generally opposed to the British annexing the agricultural areas and selling them to foreigners.

Important tribal revolts in Bihar

1. Bhumij Revolt

Ganga Narayan led the Bhumij Revolt in 1832-1833. This tribal revolt in Bihar was a response to the new land regulations introduced by the East India Company, which aimed at exploiting the tribes of Bihar. This exploitation was similar to the one faced by the Kol tribes during their uprising. The tribal farmers’ lands were confiscated under the guise of securing repayment for overdue loans. However, the untimely demise of Ganga Narayan resulted in a less violent revolt and had a minimal impact on the British.

2. Ho And Munda Uprising

The Ho and Munda Uprising was initiated by Raja Parahat, who inspired the tribesmen of the Chotanagpur district. This early Munda uprising was one of the most prominent rebellions against the dominant British Rule. In 1827, the Ho tribes of Bihar initiated this uprising, but they were defeated by the British.

In 1831, the Ho tribes once again joined forces with the Mundas of the Chotanagpur region to rebel against the new land revenue regulations imposed by the British government and the denial of entry to the Bengali community in Bihar. The Ho tribes revolted against the zamindars and moneylenders who were aiding in the occupation of Singhbhum.

3. Kol Uprising

The Kol Uprising, also known as the Kol Mutiny, occurred between 1831 and 1832. The Kols were one of the tribes residing in the Chhotanagpur area. Prior to the arrival of the British, they lived in complete autonomy under their traditional chiefs. However, this changed with the advent of British rule. The colonial government introduced non-tribal moneylenders, zamindars, and traders into the society.

The Kols lost their lands to outsiders and were burdened with exorbitant taxes, leading to many becoming bonded labourers. The transfer of agricultural lands to outsider communities of Muslims and Sikhs was not well received by the Kol tribes. Budhu Bhagat, who fought for the Adivasi Kol community of Chotanagur, led the Kol Revolt. The main cause of this uprising was the exploitation of the Kol, Oraon, and Bhil tribes.

4. Munda Uprising

Munda revolt was the most important tribal revolts in Bihar. Between 1789 and 1832, the Mundas revolted approximately seven times against the oppression by moneylenders and the British Government. The primary goal of the Munda rebels was to evict outsiders, or “dikus”. After 1857, many Mundas joined the “Evangelical Lutheran Mission” in hopes of a better future.

However, many non-believers rebelled against this mission and became even more hostile after realising that these missionaries couldn’t provide them with any long-term benefits. Their aim was to strengthen the authority of the Munda traditional leaders over their spheres of influence. However, each time they were without a charismatic leader, their momentum slowed down. Birsa Munda, a capable and charismatic leader, united the Munda people and declared a rebellion in 1894.

He organised his people to overthrow the government in a public uprising. He advised people to avoid paying taxes and debts. In December 1899, he launched an armed struggle against the landlords and the government. He was captured and died in jail in 1900, due to cholera.

5. Santhal Revolt

The Santhals, who lived in the forests, were known for their revolt. The uprising was led by two brave leaders named Sindhu and Kanhu, who rose against the zamindari system and the unfair and deceptive practices of moneylenders. The East India Company lured the Santhals to settle in the Damin-i-Koh region with promises of benefits. 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 mercilessly exploited by the landlords who charged exorbitant rates of interest, ensuring that the tribals were never able to repay their loans. The Santhals were unwittingly involved in loan fraud and higher interest rates. They lost their land and also became bonded labourers.

The rebellion started in June 1855 when two brothers Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu organised 10,000 Santhals and began an armed uprising. Their primary aim was to completely eradicate the alien or British regime. The revolt was violently suppressed by the British. To help things calm down, the British established the Santhal Pargana.

6. Sapha Hor Revolt

It is also known as the Kherwar Movement. The movement began in 1870 and was led by Bhagirath Manjhi, Lal Hembram and Paica Murmu.The main aim of this movement was to propagate the concept of One God and social reform.The movement was suppressed by the Britishers but was successful in convincing people that true upliftment lies in purifying themselves and regenerating themselves as Sapha Hor, which means pure man.

7. Tana Bhagat Movement

Between 1914 to 1919, a group of Tana Bhagats under the leadership of Jatra Bhagat conducted a tribal uprising. This movement was centred in the Chotanagpur region of Bihar. Similar to the Munda movement, it was first known as Kurukh Dharam and was solely a religious movement (meaning the original religion of the Oraons). The Tana Bhagats were advocates of nonviolence, much like Mahatma Gandhi. They opposed the Zamindars, Moneylenders, and the British Government. Finally, this insurrection was brutally put to an end by the British government.

Even though not all tribal revolts in Bihar were successful, a number of them did manage to persuade the British to change their unfair land revenue practices.

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