South Asian History: Pages from the History of India
(A Brief Summary)
While much has been written on the Indian Freedom Movement as led by the Congress and Gandhi, little is known of the numerous uprisings by peasants, tribal communities, princely states and other isolated revolutionary acts of resistance against the British. Heroic acts of resistance against the British during1763 to 1857 are almost unknown. The following is a listing of armed revolts that were brutally suppressed by the British as the East Indian Company consolidated it's rule in the century preceding the 1857 revolt:-
Sanyal Revolt : 1763-1800
Dhaka: 1763
Rajshahi: 1763-4
Cooch Bihar: 1766
Patna: 1767
Jalpaiguri, Rangpur and surroundings: 1766-69, 1771, 1776
Purnea: 1770-71
Mymensingh: 1773
Midnapur: 1766-7
Dhalbhum Rajas: 1766-7
Peasant's Revolt, Tripura: 1766-8
(led by Shamsher Ghazi in Roshanabad)
Sandip Islands: 1769-70
(S. of Noakhali)
Moamarias, Jorhat/Rangpur: 1769-99
Chakmas, Chittagong: 1776-89
Gorakhpur, Basti and Bahraich: 1781
Rangpur Peasants: 1783
Sylhet: 1787-99
Radharam: 1787
Khasi revolt: 1788
Agha Muhammad Reza: 1799
Birbhum, Bishnupur: 1788-9
Bakarganj Peasants: 1792
Vizianagram: 1794
Poligars Uprising: 1795-1805
included Tinnevelly, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Sivagiri, Madurai, N. Arcot
Chuar Peasants, Midnapur: 1799
Bednur: 1799-1800
Vaji Ali, Awadh: 1799
Ganjam, Gumsur: 1800, 1835-7
Palamau: 1800-2
Vellore Mutiny: 1806
Bhiwani: 1809
Naik Revolt: 1810-16
(in Bhograi, Midnapur)
Travancore: 1808-9
(under Velu Thambi)
Bundelkhand Chiefs: 1808-12
Abdul Rahman, Surat: 1810
Benaras Hartal/Agitation: 1810-11
Parlakimedi, W. Ganjam: 1813-34
Kutch: 1815-32
Rohilla Revolt: 1816
(included Bareilly, Pilbhit, Shahjahanpur, Rampur)
Hathras: 1817
Paiks: 1817-18
(included Cuttack, Khurda, Pipli, Puri)
Bhils: 1817-31, 1846, 1852
(included Khandesh, Dhar, Malwa)
Kols: 1820-37
(included Sighbhum, Chota Nagpur, Sambhalpur, Ranchi, Hazari Bagh, Palamau, Chaibasa)
Mers, Marwar 1819-21
Gujars, Kunja: 1824
Sindgi, Bijapur: 1824
Bhiwani, Rewari, Hissar, Rohtak: 1824-26
Kalpi: 1824
Kittur, Belgaum: 1824-29
Kolis: 1828-30, 39, 1844-48
Ramosis, Pune: 1826-29
Garos: 1825-27, 1832-34
(Also known as the Pagal Panthis Revolt - in Sherpur, Mymensigh distt.)
Assam: 1828-30
(included Gadadhar Singh 1828-30, Kumar Rupchand 1830)
Khasis: 1829-33
(led by Tirot Singh)
Sighphos: 1830-31, 43
(Assam/Burma border)
Akas: 1829, 1835-42
(Assam)
Wahabis: 1830-61
(spread from Bengal, Bihar to Punjab and NWFP)
Titu-Mir, 24-Parganas: 1831
Mysore Peasants: 1830-31
Vishakapatnam: 1830-33
Bhumij, Manbhum: 1832
Coorg: 1833-4
Gonds, Sambhalpur: 1833
Naikda, Rewa, Kantha: 1838
Farazis, Faripur: 1838-47
Khamtas, Sadiya-Assam: 1839
Surendra Sai, Sambhalpur: 1839-62
Badami: 1840
Bundelas, Sagar: 1842
Salt Riots, Surat: 1844
Gadkari, Kolhapur: 1844
Savantvadi, N. Konkan: 1844-59
Narasimha Reddy, Kurnool: 1846-7
Khonds, Orissa: 1848
Nagpur: 1848
Garos, Garo Hills: 1848-66
Abors, NE Hills: 1848-1900
Lushais, Lushai Hills: 1840-92
Nagas: Naga Hills: 1849-78
Umarzais: Bannu: 1850-2
Survey Riots: Khandesh: 1852
Saiyads of Hazara: 1852
Nadir Khan, Rawalpindi: 1853
Santhals: 1855-6
(included Rajmahal, Bhagalpur, Birbhum)
These revolts show how widespread the opposition to British colonial rule was. Though fragmented, this opposition eventually crystallized into a more sweeping and cohesive force that would eventually lead to 1857 - which provided a brief and faint glimmer of freedom that would not be won untill almost a century later.
Back to a History of the 1857 Revolt
Other Essasy pertaining to Colonization, British Rule:
From Trade to Colonization - Historic Dynamics of the East India Companies
The Colonial Legacy - Some Myths and Popular Beliefs
Freedom Movement, Struggle for Independence:
Adivasi Contributions to Indian Culture and Civilization
Key Landmarks in the Indian Freedom Struggle
Freedom fighters of Orissa; anti-British revolts; national movement in Orissa:
History of Orissa: An introduction