The Revolt of 1857, often referred to as the First War of Independence or the Sepoy Mutiny, was a significant uprising against British colonial rule in India, involving a diverse array of castes, tribes, and communities. From sepoys to peasants, pastoralists to local elites, the rebellion drew participation from various social groups, particularly in northern and central India. The Gujars, a pastoral and semi-nomadic community, played a prominent role, alongside other castes and tribes. In response, the British implemented harsh measures, including the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) of 1871 and earlier policies, to suppress these communities. This article explores the participation of the Gujars and other castes and tribes in the 1857 Revolt, the restrictions imposed by the British, and the broader colonial strategy of control, supported by references to historical records.
Table of Contents
Historical Context: The Revolt of 1857
The Revolt of 1857 erupted in May 1857, triggered by grievances among Indian sepoys in the British East India Company’s army, particularly over the use of greased cartridges rumored to be coated with cow and pig fat, offending Hindu and Muslim religious sensibilities. However, the rebellion quickly escalated beyond the military, encompassing a wide range of social groups, including peasants, pastoralists, artisans, and local elites. The revolt was most intense in regions like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and parts of Central India, where communities united against British rule.
The British viewed the participation of certain castes and tribes, particularly those with martial or nomadic traditions, as a significant threat. The Gujars, known for their pastoral lifestyle and martial heritage, were among those targeted for their active role in the rebellion. Post-1857, the British introduced policies like the CTA and other administrative measures to control these communities, criminalizing entire groups and disrupting their socio-economic structures.
Participation of Castes and Communities in the 1857 Revolt
The 1857 Revolt saw participation from a diverse range of castes and communities, reflecting widespread discontent with British rule. Below is a detailed list of key groups involved, with a focus on their roles and contributions:
- Gujars (Gurjars or Gujjars):
- Regions: Western Uttar Pradesh (Meerut, Saharanpur, Bulandshahr), Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab.
- Role in 1857: The Gujars, a pastoral and semi-nomadic community, played a significant role in the revolt, particularly in the Doab region and around Delhi. They disrupted British supply lines, attacked colonial outposts, and looted government treasuries. In Meerut, Gujars joined rebelling sepoys, contributing to the initial spark of the uprising. They also supported rebel leaders like Nana Sahib and the Rani of Jhansi in some areas.
- Evidence: The Meerut District Gazetteer (1870s) and India Office Records document Gujar involvement in attacks on British outposts. Reports from the Thuggee and Dacoity Department note their role in “banditry” during the revolt.
- Jats:
- Regions: Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan.
- Role in 1857: Jats, a prominent agrarian and martial community, participated actively in the revolt, particularly in Haryana and the Delhi region. They provided logistical support, fought alongside sepoys, and resisted British forces in areas like Rohtak and Hisar.
- Evidence: The Punjab Gazetteer (1880s) and Mutiny Records (National Archives of India) detail Jat participation in the revolt.
- Rajputs:
- Regions: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Central India.
- Role in 1857: Rajputs, known for their warrior traditions, were key participants, particularly in princely states like Jhansi and Gwalior. Leaders like the Rani of Jhansi (a Rajput) and Kunwar Singh (a Rajput from Bihar) led significant campaigns against the British.
- Evidence: Mutiny Papers (India Office Records) and Bihar Gazetteer (1870s) document Rajput involvement.
- Mewatis (Meos):
- Regions: Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh.
- Role in 1857: The Mewatis, a Muslim pastoral and agrarian community, participated in the revolt, particularly in the Alwar and Gurgaon regions. They attacked British outposts and supported rebel forces in Delhi.
- Evidence: The North-Western Provinces Gazetteer (1870s) notes Mewati participation in the revolt.
- Ahoms:
- Regions: Assam.
- Role in 1857: The Ahoms, an ethnic group in Assam, organized rebellions against British control, aiming to restore their pre-colonial kingdom. Leaders like Maniram Dewan led anti-British campaigns.
- Evidence: Assam Gazetteer (1890s) and colonial correspondence in the India Office Records.
- Pasis:
- Regions: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar.
- Role in 1857: The Pasis, a Dalit community with a history of martial roles, joined the revolt in Awadh and other regions, supporting leaders like Begum Hazrat Mahal. They engaged in guerrilla warfare against British forces.
- Evidence: Awadh Gazetteer (1870s) and Mutiny Records document Pasi involvement.
- Brahmins and Other Upper Castes:
- Regions: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Central India.
- Role in 1857: Brahmins, particularly among the sepoys, were instrumental in the revolt, with leaders like Mangal Pandey (a Brahmin sepoy) sparking the uprising in Barrackpore. Other upper-caste groups, such as Thakurs, also participated as local leaders.
- Evidence: Mutiny Papers and Bengal Army Records (India Office Records) highlight Brahmin and upper-caste roles.
- Muslim Communities (including Pathans and Sayyids):
- Regions: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar.
- Role in 1857: Muslim communities, including Pathans and Sayyids, rallied around leaders like Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Mughal emperor, in Delhi. They provided military support and participated in urban uprisings.
- Evidence: Delhi Gazetteer (1880s) and Mutiny Correspondence (National Archives of India).
- Bhils:
- Regions: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Central India.
- Role in 1857: The Bhils, a tribal community with martial traditions, participated in the revolt in Central India and Rajasthan, attacking British garrisons and supporting local rulers.
- Evidence: Rajputana Gazetteer (1879) and Mutiny Records.
- Santhals:
- Regions: Bihar, Jharkhand.
- Role in 1857: While the Santhal Rebellion of 1855–56 preceded the 1857 Revolt, some Santhal groups continued their resistance, joining the broader uprising against British rule.
- Evidence: Bengal Gazetteer (1870s) and colonial reports.
- Ramoshis:
- Regions: Maharashtra.
- Role in 1857: The Ramoshis, a community with a history of serving in Maratha armies, participated in the revolt in the Deccan, engaging in guerrilla attacks against British forces.
- Evidence: Bombay Presidency Gazetteer (1880s) and Mutiny Records.
Restrictions Imposed on the Gujars Post-1857
The Gujars faced severe restrictions due to their prominent role in the 1857 Revolt. These measures aimed to suppress their resistance, control their mobility, and integrate them into the colonial system. The restrictions can be categorized as follows:
1. Criminalization and Surveillance under the Criminal Tribes Act (1871)
- Policy Overview: The CTA of 1871 declared sections of the Gujars as a “criminal tribe,” based on the colonial notion of hereditary criminality. This legislation formalized earlier post-1857 measures to monitor and control rebellious communities.
- Implementation:
- Registration and Reporting: Gujars were required to register with local authorities and report regularly to police stations, often daily or weekly.
- Movement Restrictions: They needed permits to travel outside designated areas, limiting their pastoral mobility and access to grazing lands.
- Surveillance and Settlements: Gujar villages were placed under constant surveillance, with detailed records maintained. Some were confined to “reformatory settlements” and forced into sedentary agriculture.
- Punitive Measures: Non-compliance could result in imprisonment, fines, or forced labor.
- Impact: The criminalization stigmatized the Gujars, restricting their social and economic opportunities. Their semi-nomadic lifestyle was disrupted, undermining their pastoral economy.
- Evidence: The Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 (India Office Records, British Library) lists Gujars among notified tribes in the North-Western Provinces. Thuggee and Dacoity Department Reports (1850s–1870s) document their targeting for alleged “banditry.”
2. Land and Economic Marginalization
- Land Confiscation: Post-1857, the British confiscated grazing lands and agricultural fields from Gujars in areas like Meerut, Saharanpur, and Bulandshahr, redistributing them to loyalist zamindars or converting them into government estates.
- Heavy Taxation: Punitive taxes and fines were imposed as collective punishment for their role in the revolt. The Mahalwari system disadvantaged pastoral communities by prioritizing settled agriculture.
- Forced Sedentarization: The British coerced Gujars to abandon nomadism and settle as farmers, aligning with colonial economic goals.
- Impact: These measures pushed Gujars into poverty, forcing them into low-wage labor or tenancy.
- Evidence: The North-Western Provinces Gazetteer (1870s, Digital Library of India) and National Archives of India records detail land confiscations and economic marginalization.
3. Exclusion from Military and Administrative Roles
- Military Exclusion: Prior to 1857, some Gujars served in local militias. Post-revolt, they were excluded from military recruitment, with the British favoring “martial races” like Sikhs and Gurkhas.
- Administrative Marginalization: Gujar village headmen were replaced with loyal intermediaries to ensure compliance.
- Impact: Exclusion limited their social and political influence, reinforcing marginalization.
- Evidence: The Report on the Reorganization of the Indian Army (1858, Peel Commission, India Office Records) references the exclusion of rebellious communities. District-level records from the North-Western Provinces confirm leadership replacements.
4. Social Stigmatization
- The British portrayed Gujars as “predatory” and “turbulent” in ethnographic works like William Crooke’s Castes and Tribes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh (1896), justifying harsh policies.
- Impact: The stigma isolated Gujars, limiting inter-community alliances and social mobility.
- Evidence: Crooke’s work and H.H. Risley’s The Tribes and Castes of Bengal (1891) reflect colonial biases.
5. Suppression of Cultural Practices
- The Gujars’ pastoral lifestyle, including seasonal migrations and cattle herding, was curtailed through restrictions on grazing lands and movement.
- Cultural gatherings were monitored or banned due to fears of organized resistance.
- Impact: These restrictions eroded Gujar cultural identity and economic practices.
- Evidence: India Office Records and regional gazetteers document efforts to restrict nomadic practices.
Other Castes and Tribes Targeted Under the CTA and Related Acts
The British extended similar restrictions to other castes and tribes involved in the 1857 Revolt or perceived as resistant, using the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 and earlier mechanisms like the Thuggee and Dacoity Suppression Acts (1836–1848). Below is a comprehensive list of key communities targeted, with details of the measures imposed:
- Sansis (Sansias):
- Region: North-Western Provinces, Punjab, Rajasthan.
- Role in 1857: Participated in guerrilla attacks and looting in Punjab and Rajasthan.
- Restrictions: Registered under the CTA, subjected to surveillance, movement restrictions, and forced settlement. Their hunting and trading practices were curtailed.
- Evidence: Crooke’s Castes and Tribes (1896) and CTA records.
- Kanjars:
- Region: Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Central India.
- Role in 1857: Supported rebel forces through intelligence and guerrilla activities.
- Restrictions: Labeled as a “criminal tribe,” Kanjars faced registration, movement restrictions, and confinement to settlements, disrupting their nomadic lifestyle.
- Evidence: Thuggee and Dacoity Department Reports (National Archives of India) and CTA documentation.
- Banjars (Banjaras, Lambadis):
- Region: Central India, Rajasthan, Deccan.
- Role in 1857: Provided logistical support to rebels, leveraging their trade networks.
- Restrictions: Registered under the CTA, with monitored caravans and restricted trade routes. Forced into settled agriculture.
- Evidence: Bombay Presidency Gazetteer (1880s) and CTA records.
- Bhils:
- Region: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Central India.
- Role in 1857: Engaged in attacks on British garrisons and supported local rulers.
- Restrictions: Faced surveillance, disarmament, and forced labor under the CTA.
- Evidence: Rajputana Gazetteer (1879) and CTA notifications.
- Mewatis (Meos):
- Region: Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh.
- Role in 1857: Participated in attacks on British outposts and supported Delhi-based rebels.
- Restrictions: Subjected to CTA regulations, including registration and land confiscation.
- Evidence: North-Western Provinces Gazetteer (1870s) and CTA records.
- Pardis:
- Region: Maharashtra, Central Provinces.
- Role in 1857: Engaged in minor rebellions and looting in the Deccan.
- Restrictions: Criminalized for alleged theft, facing surveillance and forced labor.
- Evidence: Central Provinces Gazetteer (1860s) and CTA documentation.
- Bauriahs (Bawarias):
- Region: Punjab, Rajasthan.
- Role in 1857: Participated in guerrilla activities in Punjab.
- Restrictions: Registered under the CTA, with restricted movement and forced sedentarization.
- Evidence: Punjab Gazetteer (1880s) and CTA records.
- Ramoshis:
- Region: Maharashtra.
- Role in 1857: Engaged in guerrilla warfare in the Deccan.
- Restrictions: Faced CTA surveillance, disarmament, and confinement to settlements.
- Evidence: Bombay Presidency Records and CTA notifications.
- Kolis:
- Region: Gujarat, Maharashtra.
- Role in 1857: Participated in rebellions in Gujarat and supported local leaders.
- Restrictions: Faced land confiscation and CTA restrictions, forced into agricultural labor.
- Evidence: Gujarat Gazetteer (1870s) and CTA records.
- Lodhas:
- Region: Bengal, Odisha.
- Role in 1857: Limited participation, but continued resistance post-Santhal Rebellion.
- Restrictions: Criminalized for hunting practices, facing CTA registration and forced settlement.
- Evidence: H.H. Risley’s Tribes and Castes of Bengal (1891) and CTA documentation.
- Koravas (Yerukala):
- Region: South India (Madras Presidency).
- Role in 1857: Limited direct participation, but targeted for nomadic lifestyle.
- Restrictions: Confined to settlements and subjected to forced labor under the CTA.
- Evidence: Madras Presidency Gazetteer (1880s) and CTA records.
- Nats:
- Region: North India, Central India.
- Role in 1857: Provided intelligence and support to rebels as itinerant performers.
- Restrictions: Registered under the CTA, with restricted movements and suppressed cultural practices.
- Evidence: Crooke’s Castes and Tribes (1896) and CTA documentation.
Other Relevant Acts and Policies
In addition to the CTA, the British used earlier laws and administrative measures to control communities post-1857:
- Thuggee and Dacoity Suppression Acts (1836–1848): Targeted groups like Thugs, Pindaris, and nomadic communities for alleged banditry, setting a precedent for the CTA.
- Police Act of 1861: Strengthened policing and surveillance of “suspect” communities.
- Land Revenue Policies: The Mahalwari and Ryotwari systems disadvantaged pastoral and nomadic groups, leading to land loss and economic distress.
Broader Colonial Strategy
The British employed a multifaceted approach to control rebellious communities:
- Ethnographic Classification: Works like Crooke’s Castes and Tribes and Risley’s Tribes and Castes of Bengal labeled communities as “criminal,” justifying restrictions.
- Divide and Rule: Stigmatizing certain castes prevented unified resistance.
- Economic Control: Land confiscation and forced sedentarization integrated communities into the colonial economy as laborers or tenants.
Long-Term Impacts
The restrictions had lasting effects:
- Economic Marginalization: Land loss and restricted mobility pushed communities into poverty.
- Social Stigma: The “criminal tribe” label persisted post-independence, affecting social status.
- Cultural Erosion: Nomadic and cultural practices were disrupted, weakening community identity. The CTA was repealed in 1952, reclassifying affected groups as Denotified Tribes (DNTs), but the legacy of marginalization persists.
References and Records
- Criminal Tribes Act, 1871: India Office Records, British Library, London.
- North-Western Provinces Gazetteer (1870s): Digital Library of India.
- Thuggee and Dacoity Department Reports (1850s–1870s): National Archives of India, British Library.
- William Crooke’s Castes and Tribes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh (1896): Archive.org.
- H.H. Risley’s The Tribes and Castes of Bengal (1891): British Library.
- Report on the Reorganization of the Indian Army (1858): Peel Commission, India Office Records.
- Bombay, Punjab, Rajputana, and Assam Gazetteers (1870s–1890s): Digital Library of India.
- Madras Presidency Gazetteer (1880s): National Archives of India.
- Mutiny Papers and Correspondence (1857–58): National Archives of India, India Office Records.
Conclusion
The Revolt of 1857 saw significant participation from castes and communities like the Gujars, Jats, Rajputs, Mewatis, and others, who challenged British rule through military and guerrilla actions. In response, the British imposed harsh restrictions, particularly through the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, targeting the Gujars and other groups with surveillance, land confiscation, and forced sedentarization. These measures marginalized communities economically, socially, and culturally, with effects lasting beyond independence. Colonial records, including gazetteers, ethnographic surveys, and administrative reports, provide robust evidence of these policies. For further research, the India Office Records, National Archives of India, and digitized gazetteers are essential resources.
