A History of Agriculture in India v2.c85.s7: Peasant Revolts
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c85.s7
- Language
- English
Contents
Peasant Revolts
v2.c85.s7.1
The bottled-up discontent of the peasantry erupted in a series of revolts, which were essentially of the nature of class-warfare. Irfan Habib is the first historian to identify their true nature.
v2.c85.s7.2
Many peasants during the Mughal rule found a new basis for a community opposed to the caste-divisions. This was created by the sects formed as part of the great religious movement that had begun in the latter half of the fifteenth century. The leading ideas of these sects were identical: monotheism, the abandonment of ritualistic forms of worship, the denial of caste-barriers and of communal differences. As important as the content of their ideas was the mode of their preaching, which was directed towards the masses. The new teaching was communicated in vernacular dialect, and the prophets, the preachers and the followers belonged mostly to the deprived lower classes. The teachers of these sects preached humility and resignation. But when radical ideas, such as the contempt for caste and the sense of unity under a new faith, established themselves in the minds and hearts of the masses, the sects could not remain confined to religion. They provided the inspiration for two of the most powerful revolts against the Mughals, viz. those of the Satnamis and the Sikhs.
v2.c85.s7.3
The ties of caste and religion, however, helped to enlarge the scale of peasant uprisings. The real transformation was brought about by the intervention of elements from the *zamindar* class that had their own motives in opposing the Mughal ruling class. Leadership to the peasant rebellions was provided by their own leaders who were zamindars, as in the case of the Hindu Jats.
Revolt of Hindu Jat Peasants, 1669-1707
v2.c85.s7.t1.1
Hindu Jats inhabit the areas now included in Agra Division of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. They are known for their courage, bravery and spirit of independence. For patient industry and endurance as agriculturists they have few equals. Women actively co-operate with their husbands in every kind of field labour. They cook food, manage the household affairs and carry food for the menfolk working in the fields. They make embankments of the fields, follow the plough, dropping seed in the soil during the sowing season, and carry heavy loads of green fodder on their heads for the buffaloes.
v2.c85.s7.t1.2
Though living so close to Delhi, the Mughal capital, the Jats preserved their independence and were known to the Mughals as troublesome rebels. The leader of the jat rebellion in the time of Aurangzeb was Gokul, the zamindar of Talpat near Mathura. The imperial faujdar who had carried out Aurangzeb's repressive policy with unusual zeal was killed. In the battle which ensued, the imperialists lost 4,000 men, and the rebels 5,000. Never before did the Mughal army suffer such heavy losses.
v2.c85.s7.t1.3
When Gokul was killed in 1669, leadership passed to Raja Ram. Raja Ram was followed by Churaman, under whose leadership the peasants refused to pay revenue and took to arms. They sacked and plundered all the parganas under Agra and Delhi, and blocked the highways. In 1681, the rebellious peasants killed Multafat Khan, the faujdar of Agra, who was leading an attack on a village whose peasants had refused to pay the revenue. The trouble was renewed in 1688, and continued to the end of Aurangzeb's reign.
v2.c85.s7.t1.4
There were two social forces working among the peasantry, which helped to extend the scale of such peasant uprising. These are caste and religion. The community of caste brought the peasants living in a village into contact with their peers in distant villages, through ties of blood. If they took to arms, their caste brethren could not stand aloof. In the Jat revolt we have the clearest instance of an essentially peasant rebellion which proceeded along caste lines.
v2.c85.s7.t1.5
SATNAMI REVOLT, 1672
v2.c85.s7.t1.6
Who were the Satnamis? Why did they come in conflict with the Mughal government? How was their revolt crushed? Khafi Khan answers these questions as follows. 'One of the remarkable occurrences of this year was the outburst of the Hindu devotees called Satnamis. There were four or five thousand of these, who were householders in the parganas of Narnaul and Mewat. These men dress like devotees, but they nevertheless carry on agriculture and trade, though their trade is on a small scale. In the way of their religion they have dignified themselves with the title of "good name", this being the meaning of Satnam. They are not allowed to acquire wealth in any but a lawful calling. If any one attempts to wrong or oppress them by force, or by exercise of authority, they will not endure it. Many of them have weapons and arms.
v2.c85.s7.t1.7
'At the time Aurangzeb was returning from Hasan Abdal, a strong altercation arose one day near Narnaul between a man of this sect, who was engaged in agricultural work, and a man who was keeping watch over the harvest. The latter broke the Satnami's head with his staff. A number of Satnamis then collected and beat the watchman, so that they left him for dead. When intelligence reached the shikkdar, he assembled his men and sent them to arrest those Satnamis. Meantime numbers of the Satnamis assembled. They attacked the shikkdar's men, overpowered them, wounded several, and took away their arms. Their numbers went on increasing, and information was carried to Kar-talab Khan, faujdar of Narnaul.
v2.c85.s7.t1.8
'After several fights the faujdar was killed, and the town of Narnaul fell into the hands of the Satnamis. They proceeded to collect the taxes from the villages, and established posts of their own. When the Emperor reached Dehli, he was informed of this outbreak, and he sent force after force to quell it, but they were all defeated and dispersed. It was said that swords, arrows, and musket-balls had no effect upon these men, and that every arrow and ball which they discharged against the royal army brought down two or three men. Thus they were credited with magic and witchcraft, and stories were currently reported about them which were utterly incredible. They were said to have magic wooden horses like live ones, on which their women rode as an advanced guard.
v2.c85.s7.t1.9
'Great rajas and veteran amirs were sent against them with powerful armies. But the revolters were eager for the fight, and advanced to about sixteen or seventeen kos from Dehli. The royal army went forth boldly to attack them; but the zamindars of the neighbourhood, and some cowardly Rajputs, seized the opportunity to throw off their obedience, and to withhold the government dues. They even broke out into open violence, and the flames daily increased. The King ordered his tents to be brought out. He then wrote some prayers and devices with his own hands, which he ordered to be sewn on the banners and standards, and carried against the rebels. At length, by the exertions of Raja Bishan Singh, Hamid Khan, and others, several thousands of them were killed, and the rest were put to flight, so that the outbreak was quelled.'¹
v2.c85.s7.t1.10
¹ Khafi Khan, *Muntakhabu-l Lubab*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India*..., Vol. VII, pp. 294-296
v2.c85.s7.t1.11
According to Saki Musta'idd Khan¹, apart from cultivators and small shop-keepers, there were other 'ignoble' beings, such as carpenters, goldsmiths, sweepers and tanners, among the Satnamis. In modern terms they were of the working classes, and their revolt was essentially a revolt of peasants, artisans, small traders and shop-keepers against the ruling classes.
v2.c85.s7.t1.12
¹ Saki Musta'idd Khan, *Ma-asir-i 'Alamgiri*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India . . .*, Vol. VII p. 185