The Santhal Rebellion was the most serious challenge faced by the British East India Company in the first century of its rule. Oppression by landlords and money lenders, accompanied by a huge increase in tax burden, caused great disaffection among the tribal peasants. Over and above, the European railway contractors often demanded forced labour. Some of the tribal people migrated elsewhere, which the Santhals saw as a clear sign of the disintegration of the tribal community. It was against this background of discontent that the hostility against the outsiders erupted. On June, 1855, Sidhu and Kanhu, the two brothers, gave a call for rebellion. The rebellious Santhals assembled at Bhagna Dihi and rose their arms against the British revenue system. The Santhal rebellion continued for a few months and threatened the imperial control in the region. During the rebellion, the rebels also received a good deal of support from the submerged social classes. The main centre of the rebellion was Birbhum and Murshidabad districts of Bengal and Bhagalpur in Bihar. Despite the intensity of the rebellion, the rebels ultimately failed to outclass the superior military power of British rule. After a few months, the Santhal rebellion was ruthlessly suppressed. Occasional Santhal insurgencies later in the nineteenth century often harked back to the heroic memory of the Santhal rebellion. ....Read more