Chuar Uprising

About Chuar Uprising:

• The Chuar uprising was a series of peasant rebellions against the East India Company that took place between 1771 and 1809, in the area around the West Bengali villages of Midnapore, Bankura, and Manbhum.
• It was organized by aboriginal tribesmen of Midnapore, Bankura, and Manbhum against oppressive land revenue policy and economic distress.
• Chuar Uprising is also called Jungle Mahal Revolt.

Background:

• The Chuars, after leaving the Chotanagpur plateau, settled in considerable numbers in the Bengal districts of Midnapur, Bankura, and Purulia.
• These people were primarily farmers and hunters, with some working for local zamindars.
• They owned their holdings under a form of feudal tenure, but they were not very committed to the land, being willing to switch from farming to hunting at the whim of their jungle chiefs or zamindars.
• These forest zamindars were used to recruit Chuars as paiks (guards who policed the community). Sardars were the name given to the chief paiks.
• The Chuar uprisings took place in stages, each with its own set of traits, leaders, and epicenter.

Causes of revolt:

• The East India Company's tax and administrative policies (including the Permanent Settlement), as well as the police restrictions enforced in rural Bengal, rendered the practice of employing local paiks obsolete since they were eventually replaced by professional police.
• In the Chuar uprising of 1798, disgruntled paiks and common Chuars banded together with the jungle zamindars.
• The individuals involved in the uprisings were all connected to the land in some way - zamindars, paiks, and common Chuars.
• It may be said that there was a collision of lifestyles. The rebels had previously lived an agricultural lifestyle, in a small community.
• The invasion of colonial armies into their territory introduced them to a new circumstance that disrupted their way of life.
• They were also unwilling to accept foreigners (or non-Adivasis).

Leaders involved:

• Durjan Singh led the most major revolt in 1798.
  • Durjan Singh was the zamindar of Raipur, which he lost due to the actions of the Bengal Regulations.
• In 1799, the British violently repressed the insurrection.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Which of the following best describes the prime cause of ‘Chuar uprising’ of 18^th century:

(a) Oppressive land revenue policy of colonial powers

(b) Incidence of forced labour

(c) Banning of the practice of ‘Mariah’

(d) Denial of traditional forest rights

Answer