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1. COMMEMORATING THE 159 ANNIVERSARY OF SANTHAL REBELLION
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2. Santhals
The Santhal are the largest
indigenous people in India, who live
mainly in the states
of Jharkhand, West
Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam.
There is also a significant Santhal
minority in neighbouring Bangladesh,
and a small population in Nepal. The
Santhals speak the Santali language.
SANTHAL POPULATION IN FOUR STATES
Next some
more info on
Santhals.

3. ….more on Santhals
The Santhal are primarily agricultural tribes. Although well educated Santhals, are
engaged in Government jobs as well private jobs. For the Santhals their religion,
social structure, song, and dance are their way of life, and has been passed down
through generations. The Santhals take pride in the Santhal Rebellion of 1855
where thousands of Santhals under the leadership of Seedo and Kanhu Murmu
stood against oppression and fought against the mighty East India Company.
Hundreds of Santhals sacrificed their lives and thousands were displaced from
their homes, as the rebellion was crushed with inhuman brutality by the Company
officials. The Santhals commemorate 30th June, with great reverence and pay
homage to their iconic leaders.
Next
Background of
the Rebellion.

4. Background of the Rebellion
It all began with the creation of Damin-i-Koh, the area surrounding the Rajmahal
Hills. In 1832 an effort was made by the British authorities to separate the
territories of the local zamindars and that of the hill men (paharias). Masonry
pillars were constructed to mark the areas of these two territories, that of the
plain land, which belonged to the zamindars, and the hills which belonged to the
hillmen. Sandwiched between these two, basically the skirt of the hills, a huge
portion of afforested land lay unoccupied. The East India Company with the
intention to earn revenue from this unused, unpopulated land invited the
Santhals to occupy it. The Santhals at that time were scattered all-round Cuttack,
Singhbhoom, Dhulbhoom, Midnapore, Bankura, Manbhoom, Barabhoom,
Panchete, Chota Nagpur, Palamow, Ramgarh, Birbhum, and parts of Bhagalpore.
The Santhals in these places were not happy with the new tax laws brought by the
local zamindars, the promise of a new land, a new beginning motivated them to
make this great exodus.
Next Map of
Damin-i-Koh

5. DAMIN –I-KOH MAP
Damin-i-koh
Next Massive
Growth!

6. The Massive growth!
• Although the migration had started from the 1790’s, from 1830’s it gained a new
momentum, year on year the Santhal population in Damin-i-Koh multiplied in
extraordinary pace. The Damin-i-Koh was a massive extent of land measuring
about 1366.01 square miles, of which 500 sq miles were heavily afforested land;
of this 254 sq miles were cleared by the Santhals for their own settlement.
 In 1838 there were 3000 Santhals in Damin-i-Koh, who lived in 40 villages; by
1851 they numbered about 82795 souls living in 1473 villages!
 The Santhals were allowed a rent free usage for first three years, thereafter an
entire village had to pay about 3-10 Rs per year as revenue, and
subsequently another five year settlement plan was made, which according to
the British records quite nominal. Nominal, yet when we compare the revenue
generated from this we see a major profit. In 1837-38 the revenue collected was
Rs. 6,682 and rose as high as 58,033 in the years before the rebellion!
Next Extortion
of the
Oppressors

7. The Extortion of the Oppressors
Seeing the prosperity of the Santhals the moneylenders and zamindars were
quick to cheat the Santhals for their profits. They offered short credits or loans
and subsequently confiscated their lands. They even convinced the innocent
Santhals to sell their surplus land, and using short term credits as baits they
virtually got hold of their best lands and made the sellers utterly wanting for more
and more credits, until they were reduced to landless cultivators.
An important testimony to this atrocities is recorded in the statements of Sir
William Le Fleming Robinson (later appointed as a Deputy Commissioner of the
Santhal Parganas) who actually stamped out the bonded labour system doing a
fair bit of justice with the Santhals mentions, “…I have had a bond brought to me
in which Rs. 25 was originally burrowed by a man who worked in his lifetime, his
son did ditto, and I released his grandson from any further necessity; it had been
running on for over thirty years, if I remember rightly!”
Next Demands
of the Santhals

8. The Demands of the Santhals
• On 30th June before ten thousand Santhal men, the declaration of war against the
opressors was announced. On the basis of these announcements, letters were drafted
by Kirta, Bhadoo and Sunno Manjhee by Seedo’s order to the Commissioner, Collector,
and Magistrate of Bhagalpore, The Collector and Magistrate of Birbhum, to several
Darogahs and zamindars from whom a reply was called within fifteen days. The
Declaration of Independence or the Order of Thakur, no matter what you call it
contained the following demands-
• 1. The Revenue collection would be done exclusively by the Santhals and remitted
to the State.
• 2. The rate of the revenue would be- Rs 2 for every buffalo plough, 1 Anna on each
bullock plough, a half Anna for each cow-plough, per annum.
• 3. The rate of interest upon money loaned will be 1 paise for each Rupee yearly.
• 4. The banishment of the all the moneylenders and zamindars from Damin-i-koh.
Next Lightening
the Fuse

9. Lightning of the Fuse
• On 7th July a massive body of Santhals appeared at Panchkhetia, a place little
north of Burhait. Hearing the news of this assembly the Darogah of Dighi or Buri
Bazar set out to meet them along with few armed police men. He may be called
upon to do so by the already fearing moneylenders who perhaps bribed the
policemen to arrest the Santhals. However this proved to be dangerous
expedition, when he met Seedo and his men in Panckehthia, the Santhals
informed him that they had come to levy a tax of Rs. 5 from every businessman
around the place. After some heated dialogues, the Darogah angrily ordered the
guards to bind Seedo, which turned to be a fatal mistake, this fueled the anger of
the Santals and he was cut down by Seedo himself. About nine men were
murdered that day, as the shops and property of the shop keepers and
businessmen were torched, any resistance was met with extreme vengeance and
this marked the beginning of the Santhal Rebellion.
Next The First
Movements

10. The First Movements
Bhognadih
At this place on 30th
June,1855 war on landlords,
police and their operatives was
announced infront of 10,000
Santhals by Seedo and Kanhu.
Panchkhatiya Bazar
On 7th July Seedo, Kanhu and
their rebel army cut down
Mohesh Dutt, Naib Suzawal and
eight others following the
latter's attempt to arrest the
rebel leaders.
Pirpiyanti
Major F.W. Burroughs, sent to
subdue the Santhals. were
defeated near Pirpaint
at Pialapur on 10th July, 1855!
Kadamseir
Few miles south of Pakur at
Kadamsair the rebels assembled
and put into arson the house of
Rajah of Ambar.
!
Palsa
The Santhal rebel army arrived
here on 14th July.
!
Maheshpur
A major battle took place
between the Santhals and Mr.
Toogood's 7th NI regiment,
about 200 Santhals were killed
and wounded. Seedo and Kanhu
were wounded but not mortally.
Raghunathpur
By 24th of July the troops had
arrived in Burhait and defeated
the Santhals in this place. Seedo
was treacherously handed over
to the Bhagalpore troops.
Next Massive
Growth!

11. Skirmishes against the Company
Santhals Weapons
of War

12. THE SANTHAL WEAPON OF WAR
Extremely deadly weapon at a range of 60-70 yards.
Can be termed as, ‘the silent killer’.
Maximum range of 200 yards
British Weapons
of War

13. THE BRITISH WEAPONS OF WAR
1853 Pattern Enfield Rifle
Muzzle velocity
900 ft/s (270 m/s)
Maximum firing range
2,000 yards (1,800 m)
Repeating rifle used by the
railway engineers
manufactured from
Liege,Belgium.
British Retaliation

14. British Retaliation
The first move against the Santhals was made by the
Magistrate of Murshidabad, Mr. Toogood. However the revolt
continued to spread and villages and towns fell to the
Santhals. Towards the end of July 1855 more troops were
mobilized by the Bengal Government. Eventually the Santhals
were surrounded from all sides, they couldn’t break the
cordon which in some places were 10-12 thousand strong. In
10th November martial law was proclaimed and it was only by
January 1856 the rebellion finally quelled.
British Brutality

15. British Brutality
The Rebellion was quelled with inhuman brutality, the Santhals were
forcefully evicted from their homes, women and children alike, their
houses were smashed and crushed by elephants supplied by native
princes. Leaders were hanged in open mostly in trees to
demonstrate the power of the Company officials and to spread
horror and fear in the minds of the Santhals. The Company troops
shamelessly fired upon their enemy fighting only with bow and
arrow, which is reflected in the statement by Major Jarvis,’ it was
not war; they did not understand yielding. As long as their national
drum beat, the whole party would stand, and allow themselves to
be shot down. Their arrows often killed our men, and so we had to
fire on them as long as they stood. When their drum ceased, they
would move off a quarter of a mile; then their drums beat again,
and they calmly stood till we came up and poured a few volleys into
them. There was not a sepoy in the war who did not feel ashamed
of himself.’
Next Martyrs

16. Martyrs
 Kanhu Murmu was arrested on 30th November,1855 along with
other comrades were arrested while fleeing towards Hazaribagh,
following their arrest they were brought to Opurband. He was
arrested by Sirdar Ghotwal of Konjra. He was executed by hanging
on 23rd February 1856 at 2.00 o’clock in his own village.
 Seedo Murmu was captured by betrayal and his trial was conducted
first by the Session Judge of Bhagalpore- Mr William Bell and then
the case was referred to Nizamat Adalat for the final verdict by the
Nizamat Judges. He (Seedo) and other accused were presented in
the Nizamat Adalat on 4th December, 1855 and on the same day
the death sentence was awarded to Seedo. After the verdict After
Seedo and Moocheea Sonthal (another leader) was hanged at
the“Baboopore, at the scene of their murders.”
Next Creation of
Santhal Pargana

17. The Creation of Santhal Parganas.
Following the Rebellion an enquiry was made by the Company
officials and it was found that the Santhals have some genuine
grievances. The act of XXXVII of 1855 was passed, which
removed from the general laws and regulations, the district
called Damin-i-koh and other districts which were chiefly
inhabited by Santhals. It was composed of four sub-districts
Dumka, Deoghar, Godda, and Rajmahal (including Pakur)
which were collectively called as Santhal Parganas.
Next New System

18. The New System
These sub-districts were placed under a Deputy Commissioner and
four Assistant Commissioner, who were given jurisdiction in civil
and criminal cases. The police was abolished and the duty was
transferred upon the villager themselves, the headmen of each
village being held directly responsible. A direct communication
between the ruler and the ruled was established through these
laws-
 No intermediary between Santhals and the Assistant
Commissioner.
 Complaints could be made verbally without the need of written
petition.
 To carry out the criminal proceedings through the hands of the
Santhals themselves.
Next Major
Uprisings after
Hul

19. MAJOR UPRISINGS AFTER HUL OF 1855
 Kherwar movement in 1874 under the leadership of Bhagirath Manjhi. In
the words of Bhagirath Manjhi,’ No human being created the Earth, no
human being has cleared the land but ourselves, no human being but
ourselves has a right to share the produce.
 Jitu Santhal's Movement in Malda, 1924-1932, Jitu Santhal of Malda
district launched a widespread movement which included hundreds of
landless and shared-cropper Santhals to fight for land. Santhals are an
agricultural community and land occupies a central place in the Santhal
way of life. The stage of revolt was set because of injustice done by the
Jamindars and their operatives to snatch the land of the Santhals,
around 25,000 acres of land from the Santhals were confiscated by the
money lenders, touts or Jamindars.
That’s the End!