Civil Uprisings Before 1857, UPSC Notes

Civil Uprisings Before 1857: The colonial rule profoundly impacted all aspects of Indian society. Still, the first was the Indian ruling class and the erstwhile zamindars that bore the brunt of the British conquest. There were several civil uprisings in this period, led by the deposed rulers, ex-officials of conquered Indian states, impoverished zamindars, and feudal lords (poligars). The British policy of subsidiary alliance and discriminatory treatment of Indian sepoys in the army were the primary reasons for these uprisings, further fuelled by their economic policy and land revenue settlements that further sidelined the old order.

These uprisings, however, were local and small in scale and crushed ruthlessly, culminating in a larger revolt called the 1857 Revolt or the First War of Independence.

Major Civil Uprisings Before 1857

After the British started gaining control of northern India post the Battle of Plassey in 1757, there were intermittent public eruptions by the various sections of Indian society for the next hundred years; civil uprisings were one of them. Some of the significant civil uprisings are described below:

Civil Uprisings Before 1857
Name of the revolt	Description
Revolt by the Raja of Vizianagaram	– Year: July 1794 – Governor-General: John Shore – The Raja of Vizianagaram (modern-day of Andhra Pradesh) openly declared war on the British. – Reason for the revolt: British reduced the area of his zamindari and increased the revenue payable to the British. The War of Padmanabham occurred on July 10, 1794, between British Colonel Pendergast and the Raja of Vizianagaram kingdom, 2nd Pusapati Vijaya Rama Gajapathi Raju after his refusal to pay taxes and oppose British governance in his kingdom. – British Reaction: In an encounter with the British forces. Raja was killed along with his 300 armed men. The British adopted a conciliatory policy towards Raja’s son, Narayan Rao, after this incident.
Vellore Mutiny	– Year: 1806 – Area: Tamil Nadu – Governor–General: George Barlow – Under British rule, the Indian military garrison of Madras was stationed in the fort of Vellore (Tamil Nadu),which became the site of the famous Vellore mutiny of 1806 CE. – Reason for the revolt: In 1805 CE, the sepoys were given a new dress code in which they were not allowed to show any caste markings, had to trim their beards and moustaches, and had to remove their turbans. This was done to “improve” the regiment’s “soldierly appearance’’. It harmed the feelings of both Hindu and Muslim soldiers in the army, causing widespread resentment. General Sir John Craddock, Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army, also ordered wearing a new round hat made of cow and pig hides. – The Vellore mutiny was precipitated by these unjust and offensive changes, as well as the brutal treatment meted out to any voice of dissent within the fort. – British reaction: As the sepoys revolted, a British officer, Major Coopes, escaped and alerted the Arcot garrison. They arrived within 9 hours to find some Europeans still holding a part of the ramparts. They quickly attempted to regain control of the fort. In a heinous incident, approximately 100 soldiers seeking refuge within the fort were lined up against a wall and shot in a “summary judgement.” The new regulations were withdrawn, and all regiments in the Vellore region were disbanded.
Dewan Velu Thambi Revolt	– Year: 1808-09 – Area: Travancore state (includes several southern districts of modern-day Kerala) – Governor General: Lord Minto I – Reason for the revolt: The subsidiary alliance, signed between Travancore and British in 1795, made the state in debt. Also, British residents of Travancore began interfering with the state’s internal affairs. Sensing danger, the British sent a large contingent to demand that the Dewan (Velu Thambi) be removed, which prompted Velu Thambi to launch a revolt in 1808. – British Reaction: Despite the support of the neighbouring state of Cochin, Thambi was defeated by the British. He died of serious injuries after Trivandrum (the capital of Travancore) fell into British hands in 1809.
Kutch Rebellion	– Year: 1816-1832 – Reason for the revolt: British signed a treaty in 1816 with Maharaja Bharamal II of Kutch, granting throne power but interfering in Kutch’s internal affairs. In 1819, Raja Bharmal II, with the help of Arab and African troops, tried to remove the British from his territory but faced defeat. The genuine administration of Kutch was entrusted to a Council of Regency, which was overseen by the British Resident. The administrative innovations made by the Regency Council, coupled with exorbitant land assessment, caused deep resentment. The news of the English defeat in the Burma war prompted chiefs to revolt and authorise Bharmal’s recovery. – The trouble erupted again in 1831. – British reaction: After extensive military operations failed to control the situation, the Company’s leaders were forced to adopt a more conciliatory approach.
Paika Rebellion	– Year: 1817 – Area: Odisha – The Paikas were peasant militias of Odisha’s Gajapati rulers who provided military assistance to the king. – Reason for the revolt: When the British established new colonial establishments and land revenue settlements, the Paikas lost their estates. Constant interference in the economy and revenue systems resulted in peasant and farmer exploitation and oppression, eventually sparking a uprising against the British. – Nature of the revolt: A large number of Paikas were mobilised under Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar’s leadership, who then confronted the British on April 2, 1817. – From Ghumsur, a 400-strong Kandha party crossed into Khurda and declared rebellion. – The uprising spread like wildfire throughout the state, resulting in several clashes and encounters between British and Paika forces. – Government offices in Banapur were set on fire, police officers were killed, and the British treasury was looted. – British reaction: The revolt raged on for several months before being crushed by the British army. Bidyadhar was imprisoned in 1825 and died in prison four years later.
Waghera rising	– Year: 1818-1820 – Area: Baroda, Gujarat – Reason for the revolt: The Waghera chief was forced to take up arms after the Gaekwar of Baroda was fortified by the British Regime. – The Wagheras carried on inroads into British territory during 1818-19. – British Reaction: A peace treaty was concluded in November 1820.
Satara Revolt	– Year: 1840 – Area: Satara, Maharashtra – Leaders: Dhar Rao Pawar and Narasingh Dattatreya Petkar. – Governor-General: Lord Auckland – Reason for the revolt: This uprising was caused as a result of the British deposition of Chhatrapati Pratapsingh in 1839 when he attempted to assert his sovereignty and territorial rights and exiled him to Varanasi. The people of the region were filled with resentment and anger as a consequence of this. – They gathered over a thousand men for the uprising and attacked the Badami Fort. – The insurgents successfully captured the stronghold and raised the Satara flag on its ramparts. – British reaction: The British retaliated promptly with a strong-armed force and captured the fort quickly. – Petkar and his colleagues were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. – Dhar Rao Pawar remained active in the Shirala Mahal and Karad regions for several years, resisting the British. The uprising, however, was finally put down in 1844.
Gadkari Revolt	– Year: 1844 – Area: Kolhapur, Maharashtra – Governor-General: Lord Ellenborough – Reason for the revolt: When the British occupied Satara, they extensively took over the lands of the region, particularly of the agrarian Maratha–militia, the Gadkaris. – Nature of the revolt: They took over the Samangarh and Bhudargarh forts and rose against the British troops at Kolhapur by setting up a parallel government in the state. – British Reaction: The Revolt was eventually curbed by the British army.
Surat Salt Agitation	– Year: 1844 – Area: Surat, Gujarat – Reason for the revolt: Salt duty was raised in the Bombay Presidency in the year 1844. This caused considerable excitement among the poorer classes. – Nature of the revolt: They organised demonstrations to submit a petition to express their ‘deep resentment’. They desired that the magistrate accept their petition and assure them that the increased salt duty would not be imposed. – British Reaction: High officials, after discussions and negotiations, were ‘convinced of the absolute necessity of yielding to the wishes of the people’. After receiving the report from Surat that the magistrate had temporarily suspended the increase in salt duty, the Government of Bombay issued a proclamation ‘abolishing certain Town Duties’ and directed the Agent to enforce the increased salt duty.