Previous Year Question
Consider the following revolts and arrange them in correct chronological order.
Pabna
Indigo
Kuka
Sanyasi
Select the correct answer from the code given below:
4, 3, 2, 1
3, 4, 1, 2
3, 4, 2, 1
4, 2, 3, 1
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
4. Sanyasi Rebellion — 1763–1800: Its main area was Bengal and it involved Hindu Sanyasis as well as Muslim Fakirs. The Bengal Famine of 1770, the revenue policies of the East India Company and their impact on traditional religious activities further intensified the conflict.
2. Indigo Revolt — 1859–60: Peasants in Bengal resisted the forced cultivation of indigo imposed by European planters. The revolt began in 1859, particularly in the Nadia region, and subsequently spread to other indigo-growing districts. The Government thereafter appointed the Indigo Commission in 1860.
3. Kuka Revolt — 1871–72: The roots of the Kuka or Namdhari Movement were older, but for the chronology of the revolt/outbreak asked in the question, the phase of 1871–72 is important. The conflict intensified in 1871, followed by Kuka attacks on Malodh and Malerkotla in January 1872. The British Government subsequently suppressed the movement severely.
1. Pabna Revolt — 1873: Peasants in Pabna district of Bengal resisted illegal enhancement of rents, additional cesses and violation of occupancy rights by zamindars. An Agrarian League was formed in May 1873, and the movement largely developed through organised and legal resistance.
An important distinction is that the Namdhari/Kuka religious-social movement had begun earlier, but the active armed phase of the Kuka revolt is associated with 1871–72. On this basis, it comes after the Indigo Revolt and before the Pabna movement.
Therefore, the correct sequence is Sanyasi → Indigo → Kuka → Pabna.