Religious identity, assertion of forest rights and protection of land are the latest fronts for which the Santhal’s community’s struggle continues. To many, this struggle seems recent and a result of recent political play. However, community members who remember their legacy know that the state’s Adivasis have always waged a war against oppressors such as British colonisers in the pre-independence era.

Although not the first of its kind, Santhals from the then Bengal Presidency fought against the East India Company (EIC) and the zamindari system on June 30, 1855. This Santhal Hool (rebellion) that started two years before the 1857 revolt continued till November 10, 1855 when martial law was declared. Adivasis primarily fought against the unjust revenue system that exploited a community, surviving on forest products and the barter system.

Four brothers of the Murmu clan: Sidhu, Kanhu, Chand and Bhairav were at the forefront of the rebellion. Some articles also acknowledge contributions of their sisters Phulo and Jhano. This group amassed thousands of Adivasis from neighbouring areas after declaring that freedom can only be won by armed rebellion.

This, obviously, did not sit well with the colonisers. As the uprising gained power, the Company administration sent more troops to fight Santhals who in turn fought using their traditional weapons. Some reports say the EIC put a bounty of Rs. 10,000 for Sidhu and Kanhu, the prominent leaders of the revolt. They were finally “killed in action.”

In fact, Santhals lost thousands of their kin and tens of villagers during this oft neglected historical war. War elephants destroyed their huts. The Adivasis fought with such vigour that British Army officer Major Jervis was later quoted as saying, “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.”

Eventually, the colonisers managed to suppress the rebellion. However, the sacrifices of the Adivasis were not in vain. The revolt concluded with the issuing of the Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act. It provided the people some protection from colonial exploitation. Regular police force was abolished and the village head was put in-charge of maintaining peace.

Santhal rebellion in media

In 1976, Kolkata’s filmmaker Mrinal Sen made the “Mrigayya” movie about a tribal community in Odisha in the backdrop of a rebellion reminiscent to the Santhal Hool.

In England, renowned author Charles Dickens also discussed the war in his weekly magazine Household Words. He praised Santhals for their honourable behaviour during the war. “They are infinitely more respectable than our civilized enemy, the Russians, who would most likely consider such forbearance as foolish, and declare that is not war,” he said.

This resolve to fight oppression continues as Santhals in Jharkhand demand a separate Sarna code for the Census 2021 survey to recognise the actual strength of Santhals and similar groups in the state.

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