Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age

This history chapter tells how British rule changed the lives of tribal groups and how they resisted. You will learn about different tribal livelihoods in the 19th century: jhum or shifting cultivators in the North-East and central India, hunter-gatherers such as the Khonds of Orissa, cattle herders such as the Van Gujjars of the Punjab hills, the Labadis of Andhra Pradesh and the Gaddis of Kulu, and settled cultivators such as the Mundas of Chhotanagpur. You will see how tribal chiefs lost their authority, how the British forced shifting cultivators to settle, and how forest laws that created reserved forests stopped tribals from using the forest freely. Traders, moneylenders and missionaries entered tribal areas, and many tribals had to work in tea plantations of Assam and coal mines of Jharkhand. The chapter centres on Birsa Munda, born in the mid-1870s, who led a movement in Chhotanagpur against the dikus, or outsiders, and dreamt of a golden age free of exploiters. He died in jail in 1900, but his movement led to new land laws in 1908.

Detailed Worksheet: Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age Section A - Definitions (10 marks) 1. Who were the dikus? Why did tribal people see them as the cause of their misery? (2 marks) 2. What is jhum cultivation? Name two regions where it was practised. (2 marks) 3. What were reserved forests? How did they affect tribal people? (2 marks) 4. Who was Birsa Munda? In which region did he lead his movement? (2 marks) 5. What was the golden age that Birsa and his followers talked about? (2 marks) Section B - Calculations and Applications (15 marks) 6. Arrange these tribal revolts in chronological order and write their years: Bastar rebellion, Santhal uprising, Kol rebellion, Warli revolt, Birsa Munda's movement begins. (3 marks) 7. Birsa Munda was born around 1875 and died in 1900. How old was he when he died? He started his movement in 1895 and was jailed for two years. In which year was he released? How many years after his death was the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act passed in 1908? (3 marks) 8. Match each tribal group with its occupation and region: Khonds, Van Gujjars, Gaddis, Mundas, Baigas, Labadis. Occupations and regions: (i) shepherds of Kulu (ii) settled cultivators of Chhotanagpur (iii) hunter-gatherers of Orissa (iv) cattle herders of the Punjab hills (v) forest people of central India who would not work for others (vi) cattle grazers of Andhra Pradesh. (3 marks) 9. A tribal family had 10 acres of forest land for jhum cultivation. After forest laws, it was allowed to use only 4 acres and had to pay rent. What percentage of its land did it lose? If the rent was Rs 2 per acre a year, what was its yearly rent? (3 marks) 10. Suppose a tribal labourer took a loan of Rs 20 from a moneylender at an interest of 50% a year, simple interest. How much would he owe after 3 years? Explain why such loans pushed tribal people into debt and bonded labour. (3 marks) Section C - Diagrams (10 marks) 11. On an outline map of India, mark the areas of the Khonds, Mundas, Santhals, Gaddis, Van Gujjars and Baigas, along with the region of Birsa Munda's movement. (4 marks) 12. Draw a flowchart showing the causes of the Birsa Munda movement and its results. (3 marks) 13. Draw a timeline from 1830 to 1940 showing at least five tribal revolts. (3 marks) Section D - Analysis and Higher-order Thinking (15 marks) 14. Explain how the British forest laws and the attempt to settle jhum cultivators affected tribal life. Why did the British later allow some jhum cultivation in forests? (5 marks) 15. Describe the life of tribal people who had to work in the tea plantations of Assam and the coal mines of Jharkhand. Why did they migrate there? (5 marks) 16. Explain the aims of Birsa Munda's movement. Why was it significant, and what did it achieve even though Birsa died young? (5 marks) Instructions: Time allowed 2 hours. Attempt all sections. Use dates and names of tribal groups accurately in your answers.