Kol Rebellion (1831–32): A Threat to the Commercial Venture of the British

Abstract

In the 1830s, two significant events took place in the Ranchi district of Chotanagpur. First, the Kol rebellion broke out in the year 1831–32, and, second, the out-migration of the adivasi populace to sugar plantations, under the indenture system, began in the year 1834. In both events, the same adivasi communities, namely, the Oraons and Mundas, were deeply involved. The Kol rebellion, indeed, turned out to be a noticeable defiance of British authority. The article attempts to unravel how the Kol rebellion affected the recruitment of tribal labour for British-owned plantations.