MODERN INDIA

RAJ MALHOTRA’S IAS

 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
Weak Mughals
Bahadur Shah I (1707 -12)
• Never abolished Jizya
• Tried greater control of Amber (Jaipur & Jodhpur
• Followed Policy of half – hearted conciliation towards marathas.
• Continued aggression towards Sikhs
• Conciliated Chhatrasal (Bundela) & Churaman (Jat)
Jahandar Shah (1712-13)
• Wazir Zulfiqar Khan had all powers
• Abolished Jizya
• Continued suppression against Sikhs
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
Weak Mughals
Owed his victory to Sayyid Brother
Farrukh Siyar (1713-19)
1.Abdullah khan (wazir) 2. Hussain Ali Khan (Mir Bakshi)
•Sayyid Brothers
•Suppressed Sikh revolt
•Brought Ajit Singh of Jodhpur & Marathas to Delhi to depose emperor

Rafi -Ud- Darajat Dead of Consumption

Rafi –Ud-Daulah (Shal Jahan
–II)
Muhammad Shah (1719-48) Nuzan rule Mulk, Chin Qilich Khan & Muhammad Amir Khan dislodged Sayyid
brothers
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES

Maratha
MARATHAS:- Shivaji Bhosle → Sambhaji →Rajaram → Confederac
Shahu (1708-49) y
SARDESHMUKHI & Bhonsles of Hollakars of Sindhias of
CHAUTH:-
During reign of
Nagpur
Gaikwads of Indore
Shahu, began Baroda Gwalior
Collected by Marathas in (Raghuji (Malhar Rao (Mahada Ji
neighboring territories of rise of Peshwas. Holkar
Bhosle) Sindhia
Mughal or Delhi Sultanate
→Ahilya Bai)
Chauth was 1/4th of land
revenue paid to Marathas Balaji Viswanath →
to avoid Maratha Raids. Angria Clan
Sardeshmukhi was
additional 10% on these
lands which Marathas
claimed hereditary rights. Baji Rao I (1720-40)
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES

BANGAL:-

Murshid Quli khan- Ali Vardi Khan-

started as Diwan of Siraj – Ud- Daulah-
deposed Murshid’s
Bengal Under (1756-57) fought &
Aurangzeb & Virtually Family & became
lost Battle of Plassey.
became independent. Nawab in 1739.
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
AWADH

Regional Architecture –
Imam Barah
Kathak

Sadat Khan Asaf –ud- Shuja – ud-

Safdar Jung
Daulah Daulah-

Faizabad & then Lucknow became cultural rival Lost Battle of Buxar (1764)
of Delhi in Arts, Literature & Crafts
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
PUNJAB:-
➢ Mughal suppressed Sikhs under Banda Bahadur but this did not end Sikh
resistance
➢ In 1720s – 30s Amritsar emerged centre of Sikh Activity.
o Kapur Singh was most important Sikh leader of the time.
➢ Mughal Governor of Lahore, Abdul Samad Khan & Zakariya Khan tried to control
Sovereign powers but balance shifted in Favour of Sikhs.
o Jassa Singh Alluwalia founded Kindgom of Kapurthala
➢ By 1770s, about 60 Sikh chieftain emerged & 12 misls became prominent
➢ Finally, Ranjeet Singh (1799-1839) of Sukerchakia Misl established Sikh empire
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
JAIPUR & OTHER RAJPUTANA STATES
➢ Jaipur (Amber) ruled by Jai Singh Sawai
➢ Ajit Singh of Marwar

SOUTH INDIA
➢ Travancore (Kerala) → Martanda Varma & Rama Varma
➢ Mysore → Haidar Ali & Tipu Sultan
➢ Local Chief, Poligars always resulted them.
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
Economy in 18th Century:-
➢ Viewed from Delhi, 18th century is a gloomy period.
o Attacks of Nadir Shah, Ahmad Shah Abdali, Rohillas caused much destruction.
➢ However, no Single Chronology of economy prosperity & decline is likely to fit all
regions in the epoch
o Bengal, Jaipur & Hyderabad witnessed expansion in 1st half of 18th Century
o Travancore, Mysore & Punjab were late bloomers
➢ 18th Century economy performed well in agriculture, in land trade & Urbanization
o Punjab & Parts of North India saw agricultural decline due to wars.
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
Economy in 18th Century:-
➢ 1st 7 decades of 18th century in India were free of famine.
o Great Bengal famine (1770) resulted in perishing of 1/3rd of population
o Disastrous famine in North India (1783)
➢ Urban labour was worse off in early colonial than in immediate pre-colonial period,
while pre-colonial era artisanal labour (weavers) had ample scope to resist
intermediaries & state.
➢ However, British achieved dominance when demand for Indian goods in West &
South East Asia increased in late 18th century in addition to European demand .
➢ Old commercial centres of Surat, Masulipatnam & Dhaka degenerated, while
colonial port cities – Bombay, Madras & Calcutta took their pride of place.
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
Economy in 18th Century:-
➢ Decline of Mughal Capitals - Delhi & Agra was offset by rise of regional Capitals -
Lucknow, Hyderabad, Maratha cities & Seringapatam.So, level of urbanization was
higher in 1800.
➢ Meanwhile, East India Company got hold on revenues of Bengal.
o In 2nd half of 18th century, peasants were forced to cultivate cash crops like
indigo & opium & this adversely impacted food grain production.
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
Social Context:-
➢ Caste system divided Hindu society but by 18th century to some extent social & professional
mobility was followed.
➢ Irani, Afghani, Turani & Hindustani Muslims had differences.
➢ Women of Upper classes in North India had to follow Purdah.
➢ Child marriages were prevalent
➢ Polygamy, & Dowry prevailed among upper classes.
➢ Sati
➢ Education system did not change: - Curriculum was confined to literature, languages, law, religion,
Philosophy & Logic & excluded physical & natural sciences, technology & geography.
o Education was imparted in Sanskrit & Persian medium. Females & low caste people were
excluded.
 RISE OF REGIONAL POLITIES
Cultural Life:-
➢ Delhi had major poets, philosopher & thinkers like Shah Waliullah & Mir Taqi Mir.
Regional Courts grew important:-
➢ Thanjavur under Marathas (Bhonsle)
o Literary production of high quality in Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit & Marathi.
o Karnatak tradition of Indian Classical music
✓ Tyagaraja, Muthurswami; & Syama Sastri
✓ Thanjavur Painting (Fusion of North & Local traditions of Textile painting)
➢ Kangra school of Paintings, devoted to Vaishnava themes.
➢ Marathas supported shrine of Sheikh Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer & Tipu Sultan Supported Shringeri
temple.
18th Century Debate
➢ Dark Ages
➢ Continuity v/s change
MODERN INDIA
RAJ MALHOTRA’S IAS
 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
➢ East India Company, sometime called ‘John Company’ was a Jt. Stock Company established in 1600 as
the company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies.
➢ Portuguese → Dutch → British → Danes → French
➢ British established factory at Surat (1612) after getting Farman from Shah Jahan (Sir Thomas Roe)

Trade Pattern & Challenge

➢ Despite securing control over trade routes during 16-17th century Europeans could not solve trade
pattern;
o Indian goods were in far greater demand in Europe than European goods in India.
o So, there was drain of billion from Europe to India.
o British East India Company in the first 50 years, had no interest in colonialism.
o In 1650, royalist in England were replaced new Merchants in East India Company. They followed
pattern set by Colonial merchants in America & West indies.
 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
➢ British adopted 3 methods to expand British Empire
o Wars & conquests
o Subsidiary alliances
o Annexation through Doctrine of Lapse.

Anglo French Struggle in South India

3 Carnatic War
➢ In 3rd Carnatic War (1758 -63) British company defeated French (7 years war 1756-63)
o Battle of Wandiwash (1760)
• Sir Eyre Coote
➢ British Occupation of Bengal (Plassey to Buxar : 1757-65)
 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
Siraj –ud- Dualah
➢ Misuse of Dastak by East India Company as granted by Farrukh Siyar
➢ Conspiracy with Rai Durlabh, Amichand, Mir Jafar & Jagat Seth.
➢ Plassey (23rd June, 1757)
➢ British got 1,77,00,000
➢ Mir Jafar (1757 t0 1765)
➢ Mir Qasim
o Dastak abuse/ duty free trade
o Capital shifted from Murshidabad to Monghyr
o In June 1763 Major Adams defeated Qasim & he fled to patna & took help from Shuja & Shah Alam
II
Buxar (22 October 1764)
➢ Awadh became a buffer state
 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
Dual System of Administration

Nizamat Diwan
(Administration of Law & order & Revenue administration & Civil Justice
Criminal Justice (Subadar Nizam) (Diwan)

Naib of Diwan &

Nazim Treaty of Allahabad 1765) EIC
(Muhammad Raza
Khan )

➢ British had power & resources without responsibility

 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
IDEOLOGY OF EXPANSION: TOOLS & METHODS
➢ 4 Anglo Mysore wars (1767-1799)
➢ 3 Anglo Maratha Wars (1772-1818)
➢ 2 Anglo Sikh Wars (1845-1849
Subsidiary agreement
➢ Introduced by Lord Wellesley (1798)
o British forces (paid)
o No other European Friends
o British Resident
➢ Nizam of Hyderabad was first to Sign
 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
DOCTRINE OF LAPSE
➢ Devised by Lord Dalhousie (1848)
➢ Satara → Jatpur →Sambalpur→Nagpur→Jhansi
➢ Awadh was annexed on grounds of poor administration (1856).

GROWTH OF COLONIAL ADMINISTRATIVE APPARATUS

➢ Regulating Act,1773
❖ Warren Hastings - 1st Governor General.
➢ Pitt’s India Act, 1784 (half-loaf system)
❖ Board of Control
➢ Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793) bureaucratized & Europeanized company’s administration. (1785)
➢ Cornwallis introduced Permanent settlement of Bengal or Zamindari System (1793)
 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
➢ In Madras & Bombay,Ryotwari settlement was introduced.
➢ Charter Act of 1813 ended monopoly of company
➢ Charter Act of 1833 ended monopoly of company on China Trade.
➢ In 1829, districts were established
➢ 1853 competitive examination.

JUDICIAL ORGANISATION
➢ Mayor’s court established for civil litigation in Bombay, Calcutta & Madras (1727)
➢ In 1772, elaborate Judicial system established civil & criminal Jurisdictions.
o Hindu Pandits & Muslim Qazis were recruited to aid presiding judges in interpreting customary
laws.
o Rule of Law & Equality before law
 ESTABLISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE TILL 1857
REGULATING ACT 1773 (SUPREME COURT AT CALCUTTA)
➢ Supreme court at Madras (1801) & Bombay (1823)
➢ Cornwallis separated executive & Judicial duties at district level.
o For civil cases,Sadar Diwani Adalat was highest appealing body followed by 4 provincial court
at Calcutta, Dacca, Murshidabad & Patna.
o 4 Courts of Circuit at Calcutta, Dacca, Murshidabad, Patna under Sadar Nizamat Adalat at
Calcutta

William Bentinck abolished 4 provincial Courts (Civil & Criminal) & gave work to commissioners & district collectors
 ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF BRITISH COLONIALISM
DEPENDENCY THEORY
3 Phases of British Colonialism
➢ Mercantilism (1757-1813): It was a period of Direct Plunder in which surplus Indian revenues were
used to buy Indian finished goods to be exported to England.
➢ Free Trade (1813-1858): Indian was converted into a source of raw material & market for British
manufactured goods.
➢ Finance Imperialism (1858-onword): British capital controlled banks, foreign trading firms &
managing agencies in India.
Land Revenue policies
➢ In 1772, Warren Hastings introduced Revenue Farming in Bengal
o DC would farm out the right to collect revenue to highest bidder.
 ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF BRITISH COLONIALISM
➢ Cornwallis introduced Permanent Settlement (1793)
o Zamindars, who earlier had only right to collect revenue, were established as
proprietors/owners of land.
➢ Ryotwari System:- Started by Alexander Read in 1792 for Madras & Later introduced in Bombay by
Elphinstone. State demand at 50 to 60%.
➢ Mahalwari System:- After 1822, it was followed in North & Northwest India. (State demand at 66%)
(Holt Mackenzie & Robert Mertins Bird).

▪ Jotedars : Rich peasants

▪ Sub – in Feudalism
 ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF BRITISH COLONIALISM
➢ An Inquiry into the nature & causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam smith (1776) opposed
monopoly & supported free Trade /Laissez-faire.
o Charter Act of 1813 subordinated companies territories in India to sovereignty of British crown.
➢ Free trade threw open Indian markets for entry of cheap machine made British goods, which had
little or no tariff restrictions, while entry of Indian goods into Britain was obstructed by prohibitive
tariff rates.
Commercialization of Agriculture
➢ Expansion in cash crop production was accompanied by building of railways after 1850.
o Forced indigo plantation led to Indigo rebellion in 1859 – 1860. Tea Plantation &
➢ Irrigation Canals in northern, north – eastern, & South western parts of India. indentured labour
➢ Permanently settled eastern India got left out.
 ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF BRITISH COLONIALISM
Deindustrialisation
Drain of
wealth

Dadabhai
M.G. Ranade R.C. Dutt
Naoroji
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
BRITISH CULTURAL POLICIES

IMPERIAL IDEOLOGIES
1. Orientalist:- Warren Hastings, William Jones & Johnathan Duncan
• Popularised the view that India has a glorious past, which subsequently degenerated
• Calcutta Madrassa by Warren Hastings (1781)
• Asiatic Society of Bengal by William Jones (1784)
• Sanskrit college at Benaras by Jonathan Duncan (1794)
• N. B. Halhed published A Code of Gentoo Laws (1776)
• Fort William College by Wellesley (1801)
2. Liberals & Utilitarians
Social Reforms
o Bengal Renaissance : 19th Century (as referred to by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee & Bipin Chandra Pal)
•Historical rediscovery
FEATURES •Linguistic & literary modernisation
•Socio – religious reforms
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
Features

Linguistic & Literary

Historical Rediscovery Socio-religious reforms
modernization
1. BRAHMO SAMAJ (RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY)
• Atmiya Sabha (1814)
• Brahmo Sabha (1828)
➢ Sati Abolished by William Bentinck (1829)
• He condemned polygamy & women subjugation
• Advocate modern education
• He opened English school & Vedanta College (1825)
• Believed in one God & opposed idolatry
• Believed in Upanishad
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
➢ Debendranath Tagore joined Brahmo Samaj in 1842
➢ Keshab Chandra Sen joined Samaj in 1858
o Attacked Caste system
o Promoted widow remarriage
➢ In 1866, Adi Brahmo Samaj & Brahmo samaj of India

2. ISHAWAR CHANDRA VIDYA SAGAR

o Advocated education of Girl
o Set up Schools with Bethun.
o Advocated widow remarriage.
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
3. RAMA KRISHNA MISSION
➢ Started under Gadadhar Chatterjee or Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa (1836-86)
o He preached universality of all religions
o Favoured preserving beliefs & rituals of Hinduism.
➢ His disable, Narendra Nath or Swami Vivekananda spread message of spiritual Hinduism in
America & Europe (1893-1897).
o He established Ramakrishna Mission (1897) & set up a Math at Belur
o He opposed caste rigidities, untouchability & superstitions.

REFORMS MOVEMENT IN WESTERN INDIA

➢ Reformers like K.T. Telang, V.N. Mandalik & R.G. Bhandarkar glorified India’s past.
➢ Harsondas Mulji & Dadoba Pandurang attacked caste system & encouraged window remarrieage.
o They formed Manav Dharma Sabha (1844) & Paramhansa Madali (1849).
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
Keshab Chandra Sen visited Bombay twice in 1864 & 1867 & this resulted in founding of Prarthana
Samaj (1867) by Atmaram Pandurang
Mahadev Govind Ranade ran Deccan education society & was also associated by Prarthana Samaj.
o Denounced idolatry
o Priestly domination
o Caste rigidities
o preferred monotheism
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
➢ Keshab Chandra Sen visited Bombay twice in 1864 & 1867 & this resulted in founding of
Prarthana Samaj (1867) by Atmaram Pandurang
➢ Mahadev Govind Ranade ran Deccan education society & was also associated by Prarthana Samaj.
o Denounced idolatry
o Priestly domination
o Caste rigidities
o preferred monotheism
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
4. ARYA SAMAJ
➢ Founded by Dayanand Saraswati (1824-1883).
➢ In 1875, he wrote Satyarth Prakash (Light of Truth).
➢ Bombay Arya Samaj (1875) & Lahore Arya Samaj (1877)
➢ He Preached on Hindu religions based on Vedas & opposed child marriage & multiplicity of castes.
➢ After his death, Samaj scattered
➢ 1886, Dayanand Anglo Vedic Trust & Management Society was founded in Lahore
o Lala Hansraj as principal opened a school.
➢ Mushiram (Swami Shraddhanand), Gurudatt & Lekh Ram opposed Anglo Vedic education and
argued that Samaj’s educational initiatives must focus on Sanskrit, Aryan ideology & Vedic
scriptures.
➢ Lala Hansraj & Lajpat Rai pointed that Dayanand was a reformer & Conflicts arose.
 SOCIAL CHANGES IN MODERN INDIA
o It resulted in division of samaj (1893)
o Munshiram initiated gurukul – based education
o Munshiram & Lekh Ram began Arya Kanya Pathsala at Jalandhar
o Munshiram founded Gurukul at Kangri in Haridwar (1902)
➢ Samaj opposed conversions through Shuddhi movement
➢ In 1890’s Samaj raised issue of cow slaughter & formed gaurankshini Sabhas.
 REFORM MOVEMENTS AMONG MUSLIMS
➢ Sense of Loss of Power among Muslim elites.
o Transfer of Power from Mughals to British
o Replacement of Peris by Engish
➢ Farazi movement of early 19th Century among peasants of Bengal advocated return to pure Islam
o They followed teachings of Shah Walliullah of Delhi (1703-1793)
o Founding leader of Farazis, Shariat ullah preached tawhid or monotheism
➢ Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya, arise among Muslims of Bengal under leadership of Titu Mir, who was
initiated by Sayyid Ahmed Barelwi.
o This movement also talked about return to Past Purity.
➢ Deoband was another movement, which started in United provinces.
➢ Delhi School of Islamic Thought derived from Delhi College started in 1830’s
o It helped foster modern consciousness among Muslims.
 REFORM MOVEMENTS AMONG MUSLIMS
➢ Revolt of 1857 & resulted crackdown
➢ New leadership by Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817-1898)
o In 1866, he formed British Indian Association
o Founded Mohammadan Anglo oriental college at Aligarh (1875)
o 1886, he founded Mohammadan Anglo oriental
o Education conference
 REFORM MOVEMENTS AMONG MUSLIMS
IMPACT OF REFORM MOVEMENT
➢ Reform movement of 19th Century set a strong background for national liberation movement
➢ Women reformers like Pandit Ramabai, Sister Subbalakhmi (Madras) & Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain
(Bengal)
➢ Growth of Modern Middle Class, which was conscious of Its rights.
Rise of Western Education in India
➢ British wanted to spread their ideology & culture in India to strengthen their roots.
➢ To create class of Indians to act as reliable agents of British Empire.
Charter Act of 1813
➢ Allowed missionaries
➢ EIC to spend 1 lakh annually for education
 REFORM MOVEMENTS AMONG MUSLIMS
ORIENTALIST – ANGLICIST CONTROVERSY

Lord Macaulay Education.

General Committee on Public Instruction
➢ “Indian in blood & colour, but English in taste.”
➢ Downward filtration theory
Wood’s Dispatch – 1854
➢ Aim of education is to diffuse European Knowledge
➢ For higher education, English to be medium
➢ 1st time grant-in-aid to encourage private efforts in Education
➢ Proposed to set up Department of Public Instruction at provincial level.
➢ Universities proposed at Calcutta, Bombay & Madras on model of London University.
➢ Vocational education also emphasized.
 REFORM MOVEMENTS AMONG MUSLIMS
➢ Teacher’s training
➢ Supported education for women.
Hunter Commission (1882)
➢ Special emphasis on Primary education
➢ Punjab University (1882) & Allahabad (1887)
Growth of Press in India
➢ James Augustus Hickey 1st newspaper in 1780 i.e. Bengal Gazatte
➢ Lord Wellesley passed censorship of Press Act (1799)
o Names of Printer, editor & proprietor on every issue
• Lord Hastings relaxed this to some extent in 1818
➢ John Adams passed licensing regulations in 1823.
 REFORM MOVEMENTS AMONG MUSLIMS
➢ Charles Metcalfe (1835) → liberator of Press in India.
➢ 1857, newspapers Act passed
➢ 1878, Lytton passed Vernacular press Act
o Revoked by Ripon in 1882