Santhal Hul (Santhal Rebellion), 1855-56

Santhal Hul (Santhal Rebellion), 1855-56

Context: Jharkhand commemorates the 169th anniversary of the Santhal Hul on June 30th. This uprising, dating back to 1855, stands as one of the earliest peasant revolts against British rule in India.

Leadership and Resistance:

• The Santhal Hul was a well-coordinated act of defiance led by the Murmu siblings: four brothers – Sidho, Kanho, Chand, and Bhairav – alongside their sisters, Phulo and Jhano.
• Their fight wasn\'t just against the British East India Company, but also against a system of oppression embodied by upper castes, zamindars (landlords), darogas (police officers), and moneylenders – all referred to as \'diku\' by the Santhals.
• This resistance aimed to protect their economic livelihood, cultural identity, and religious practices.

Roots of Rebellion:

• The seeds of discontent were sown in 1832 when the British demarcated certain areas in Jharkhand as \'Santhal Pargana\' or \'Damin-i-Koh.\'
• This region, encompassing present-day districts like Sahibganj, Godda, Dumka, Deoghar, Pakur, and parts of Jamtara, was designated for the Santhals displaced from various Bengal Presidency territories.
• While promises of settled agriculture were made, the reality was far harsher. The Santhals faced:

Land Grab: The British and their collaborators dispossessed the Santhals of their lands.
Forced Labor: The Santhals were subjected to two forms of bonded labor: kamioti (debt bondage) and harwahi (forced labor for officials).

Armed Resistance and Lasting Impact:

• Under the leadership of the Murmu brothers, around 60,000 Santhals rose up in a guerilla war against the East India Company.
• The rebellion, though ultimately crushed by the British, was a defining moment. Though over 15,000 Santhals lost their lives and countless villages were destroyed, the legacy of the Santhal Hul endured.
• The British were forced to enact the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act of 1876, which restricted the transfer of tribal land (Adivasi land) to non-tribals.
• This act, a consequence of the rebellion, helped to safeguard the Santhals\' right to self-govern their ancestral lands.