Hul Diwas

Context: Jharkhand celebrates June 30 as ‘Hul Diwas’, commemorating the sacrifice of Adivasis in their fight against British colonial authorities. About Hul Diwas:

• The literal meaning of ‘Hul’ – is revolution which began in 1855.
• Leaders: It was led by two brothers Sidhu and Kanhu
• Region of rebellion: The rebellion took place in the Damin-i-Koh region.
  • ‘Damin-i-Koh’ means the ‘skirts of the hills’; it falls in present-day Jharkhand around the Rajmahal Hills.
• Reasons for Rebellion: It was an organised war against colonialism led by the Santals, standing against the oppression by the British and their collaborators such as Zamindars, the police.

Significance:

• ‘Hul Diwas’, marks the beginning of the Santal rebellion.

Who were the Santals?

• The Santal people – or Santalis – were not the original inhabitants of modern day Santhal Pargana.
• They had migrated from the Birbhum and Manbhum regions (present-day Bengal), starting around the late 18th century.
• The 1770 famine in Bengal caused the Santals to begin moving and soon, the British turned to them for help.
• With the enactment of the Permanent Settlement Act of 1790, the East India Company was desperate to bring an ever-increasing area in its control under settled agriculture.
• They, thus, chose the area of Damin-i-Koh, at the time heavily forested, to be settled by the Santals, in order to collect a steady stream of revenue.

News Source: Indian Express