Lesson 3/44 min
The Santal and Indigo revolts
On 30 June 1855, at the call of Sidhu and Kanu, the Santals swore to set up an independent Santal state. The same day they declared revolt against the British government, landlords and moneylenders.
The Santal revolt
- The Santals live in north Bengal, west Bengal and Bihar
- Leaders were the two brothers Sidhu and Kanu; revolt declared on 30 June 1855
- Every 30 June is ‘Santal Revolt Day’
- The leading Santals were captured and hanged in public after a mock trial
Watch out: One book puts the leaders' hanging in 1856; other sources say Sidhu in August 1855 and Kanu in February 1856, so the year of the hanging is left out here.
The Indigo revolt
- The movement of Bengal's indigo growers against European planters; 1859–1862
- It began in 1859 in the Kushtia subdivision of Nadia and in Jessore, and peaked in 1860
- It spread to Faridpur, Pabna, Rajshahi, Malda, Barasat and other places
- Cause: after the industrial revolution in Europe, mills wanted indigo, and growers were forced to grow it
- Leaders: Rafique Mondol, Digambar Biswas and Bishnucharan Biswas (Zubair)
- The Indigo Commission was set up in 1860 (chairman Seton-Karr); a law then barred planters from forcing cultivation, the industry collapsed and planters left their factories
- The play ‘Nildarpan’ was written by Dinabandhu Mitra; for publishing its English translation Rev. James Long was fined and jailed (1861)
- Supporting newspapers: Hindu Patriot and Indian Field
- Later, with the invention of artificial indigo, indigo farming disappeared from Bangladesh
Watch out: Many books and exams give the Indigo Commission as 1861 (‘in which year was it formed’ — answer 1861). According to Banglapedia it was formed on 31 March 1860. The revolt's end is 1860 in one book and 1862 in the other and in a university question; the movement lasted until the law of 1862. The man named ‘Beverage’ in Zubair and ‘J. Link’ in Khandokar is probably James Long, so there is no quiz on that name.
Check yourself
Who wrote the play ‘Nildarpan’?
At a glance
- 1
The Santal revolt: 30 June 1855; leaders Sidhu and Kanu; every 30 June is Santal Revolt Day.
- 2
The Indigo revolt began in 1859 (Nadia-Jessore) and peaked in 1860; exams give its end as 1862 or 1860.
- 3
Indigo Commission: 1860 according to Banglapedia; 1861 in many books.
- 4
Nildarpan was written by Dinabandhu Mitra; the Indigo revolt was a peasant movement.
- 5
Artificial indigo ended indigo farming in Bangladesh.