Why this matters now
These movements are tested for matching the uprising to its leader/region/cause — and for showing the mass, grassroots base of anti-colonial resistance.
Peasant movements
- Indigo Revolt (1859-60, Bengal) — against forced indigo cultivation;
- Deccan Riots (1875) — against moneylenders;
- Champaran Satyagraha (1917) — Gandhi vs the tinkathia indigo system;
- Kheda (1918) & Bardoli Satyagraha (1928, Vallabhbhai Patel) — against revenue;
- All-India Kisan Sabha (1936) — organised peasant movement.
Tribal movements
- Santhal Rebellion (1855-56) — Sidhu & Kanhu;
- Munda Ulgulan (1899-1900) — Birsa Munda (Jharkhand);
- Kol, Bhil, Khasi and Rampa rebellions — against land alienation, forest laws and exploitation;
- The Tana Bhagat movement.
Significance
Though often localised and suppressed, these movements were powerful anti-colonial and anti-exploitation struggles. They exposed the impact of British land-revenue and forest policies, produced enduring heroes (Birsa Munda — “Bhagwan”), and later merged into the broader national movement.
UPSC angle
Match movement to leader/cause: Indigo Revolt, Deccan Riots, Champaran (Gandhi), Bardoli (Patel), Kisan Sabha; tribal — Santhal (Sidhu-Kanhu), Munda Ulgulan (Birsa Munda). Note forest/land-revenue causes.
Frequently asked questions
What was the Indigo Revolt?
An 1859-60 Bengal peasant uprising against forced indigo cultivation by European planters.
Who led the Bardoli Satyagraha?
Vallabhbhai Patel, who earned the title “Sardar”, led the 1928 no-revenue campaign.
Who was Birsa Munda?
A tribal leader who led the Munda Ulgulan (1899-1900) against colonial exploitation in the Chotanagpur region.
What was the All-India Kisan Sabha?
An organised peasant movement formed in 1936 to articulate farmers’ demands.