Colonial Conflict

Study Notes

Conflict and Control in Colonial India: The Paharias

Settled agriculture led to a reduction in forests and pastures, causing conflict between hill folk and settled cultivators.
The hill folk, known as Paharias, began raiding settled villages more frequently, stealing food grains and cattle.
Colonial officials struggled to control and subdue the Paharias, leading to a brutal extermination policy in the 1770s.
In the 1780s, Augustus Cleveland, the Collector of Bhagalpur, proposed a policy of pacification towards the Paharias.
Paharia chiefs were offered an annual allowance and tasked with maintaining order and disciplining their own people.
Many Paharia chiefs rejected the allowances, resulting in a loss of authority within the community.
Paharia chiefs who accepted the allowances were seen as subordinate employees of the colonial government.
The conflict between the Paharias and settled cultivators was rooted in the expansion of settled agriculture and the contraction of forests and pastures.
The raids conducted by the Paharias were aimed at acquiring food grains and cattle.
Colonial officials faced difficulties in controlling and subduing the Paharias.
The brutal extermination policy employed by the British in the 1770s was an attempt to eradicate the Paharias.
The policy of pacification proposed by Augustus Cleveland aimed to establish control over the Paharias through the allocation of allowances to their chiefs.

Description

Quiz: Colonial Conflict in Settled Agriculture Expansion Test your knowledge on the conflict between hill folk and settled cultivators during the expansion of settled agriculture. Explore the challenges faced by colonial officials in controlling and subduing the Paharias, as well as the impact on forests and pastures.