Understanding Tribal Locations in British India

This question asks about the historical location of the Santhal and Paharia tribes during the British period in India. Identifying the correct region helps us understand the complex relationship between these tribal groups, the British colonial administration, and settled agriculturalists.

Let's look at the options provided:

• Kedarkanta hills
• Uttarkashi hills
• Rajmahal hills
• Satpura hills

Analyzing the Historical Context

During the British era, tribal communities often inhabited distinct geographical areas, and their interactions with the British and other communities were significantly shaped by their location.

The Santhal and Paharia tribes are historically associated with a particular region in eastern India. The British policy often involved defining boundaries, encouraging settled agriculture, and extracting resources, which led to significant conflicts with tribal groups who practiced shifting cultivation and relied on forest produce.

Examining the Options

Let's consider the historical context of each option:

• Kedarkanta hills and Uttarkashi hills are located in the Himalayan region (Uttarakhand), which is primarily associated with different tribal groups and historical events compared to the Santhals and Paharias.
• Satpura hills are located in central India (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra), historically inhabited by tribes like the Gonds, Bhils, etc. While these tribes also had interactions and conflicts with the British, they are distinct from the Santhals and Paharias.
• Rajmahal hills are located in the present-day state of Jharkhand and parts of West Bengal and Bihar. This region is historically documented as the homeland of the Paharia people. The British, seeking to expand settled agriculture and revenue, demarcated an area around the Rajmahal hills known as Damin-i-Koh in the early 19th century. This area was intended to settle the Santhals, who were migrating into the region, and promote settled farming, while also restricting the Paharias to the upper hills. This policy and the resulting pressures on land and resources led to significant tensions and ultimately the Santhal Rebellion of 1855-56.

Historical records, including accounts from the British period and studies of tribal history in India, consistently link the Santhal and Paharia tribes to the Rajmahal hills region during the time of British rule.

Conclusion

Based on the historical evidence, the Rajmahal hills were the region where the Santhal and Paharia tribes predominantly lived and interacted significantly with the British administration, particularly concerning land and settlement policies leading up to major tribal movements like the Santhal Rebellion.

Therefore, the correct location where Santhal and Paharia tribes lived in the British period of Indian history is the Rajmahal hills.

Revision Table: Key Facts about Santhals and Paharias in Rajmahal Hills

Additional Information: Damin-i-Koh and Tribal Life

The term Damin-i-Koh is highly relevant to understanding the history of the Santhal and Paharia tribes in the Rajmahal hills during the British period. It was a large tract of land demarcated in the 1830s specifically for settling the Santhals.

• The Paharias were the original inhabitants of the Rajmahal hills. They practiced shifting cultivation (jhum) and relied on forest products. They resisted intrusion into their territory.
• The Santhals were agriculturalists who had been migrating into the region, pushed out from their original lands. The British saw them as ideal settlers for the plains within the Damin-i-Koh.
• The creation of Damin-i-Koh led to increased pressure on the land. Santhals cleared forests for cultivation, sometimes encroaching on Paharia lands. The British and local moneylenders (dikus) exploited the Santhals.
• The resulting grievances over land, high taxes, usury, and the injustices of the legal system culminated in the large-scale Santhal Rebellion in 1855-56, led by Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu.
• This historical context firmly places both the Santhal and Paharia tribes within the Rajmahal hills region during the British colonial era.