Chapter 10

Colonialism and the Countryside (Exploring OfficialArchives)

Question 1.
Why was the permanent settlement of land revenue rarely extended to any region beyond Bengal? Give two
reasons.
Answer:The permanent settlement of land revenue Am. rarely extended to any region beyond Bengal because:
1. After 1810, the cost of agricultural products were increased. Due to this, the income of the landlords in Bengal
were increased but there was no growth in the income of the East India Company Thus, the colonial government
wanted to maximise its land revenue by introducing temporary revenue settlements instead of permanent
settlements.
2. When British officials devised permanent settlements, they were influenced by the economic theories atthat
time. By the 1820s, famous economist David Ricardo came with his new theory which said that the state needed
to tax the surplus agricultural produce to enhance its revenue. So the British officials thought that permanent
settlement is ’ not a proper method to collect tax.Therefore, the colonial government wanted to maximise its land
revenue by introducing temporary revenue settlements instead of permanent settlement.

Q2. “The ryots came to see the moneylenders as devious and deceitful”. Justify the statement in the context of
Ryotwari System in India in late 18th century.
Answer:It is true that the ryots came to see the moneylenders as devious and deceitful. As the moneylenders
weremuch insensitive to the plight of the peasants. They got deeper and deeper into debt trap and
weredependent on the moneylenders for their survival.
This can be understood by the following points:
1. In Ryotwari System one general norm was that the interest charged coul not be more than theprinciple.
2. The British government passed a Limitation Law in 1859 which meant to check the accumulation ofinterest over
time and give 3 years validity of loan bonds signed between moneylenders and ryots.
3. Moneylenders again manipulated the law and forcing ryots to sign a new bond every three years.When a new
bond was signed, the unpaid balance, the original loan and accumulated interest wasentered as principle on
which a new set of interest charges was calculated.
4. They refused to give receipts when loans w’ere repaid, entered fictitious figures in bonds, madepeasants to sign
and put thumb impression on documents and did not allow peasants to know whatis inside the documents.
Question 3.The East India Company had recognised the zamindars importance but wanted to control and
regulatethem. Explain the steps taken by them to subdue their authority in the 18th century.

or
Explain how East India Company subdued the authority of zamindars in Bengal during 18th century?
Answer:East India Company recognised the importance and significance of zamindars but it also wanted to
control,regulate and subdue their authority. To limit the authority of zamindars:
The Company disbanded the troop organised by zamindars, custom duties were abolished and‘cutcheries’ or local
court organised by zamindars were brought under supervision of company.The company appointed collector and
gave power to supervise these courts, over the period of timecollectorate emerged as centre of authority.
The power to organise local justice and the local police, was also abolished.
The Permanent Settlement system was also limited, the power to the zamindars to collect rent fromthe ryot and
manage their zamindari.So by these above steps, influence of zamindar was reduced by the company.
Question 4.“The battle between the hoe and plough was a long one”. Substantiate the statement with reference
to theSanthal and Paharias of Raj Mahal Hills during 18th century.
Answer:Santhal came to Bengal around 1780. Zamindars hired them to reclaim land and expand cultivation.
Britishinvited Santhals to settle in the Jangal Mahal, when they failed to subdue Paharias. The Paharias refused
tocut the forest, resisted touching the plough and continued to be turbulent.
On the other hand, Santhal appeared to be ideal settlers, clearing the forest and ploughing the land withvigour.
Santhal settlements and cultivation gradually expanded and Paharias were forced to withdrawdeeper into hills
and were confined to dry interior and to more barren and rocky upper hills. This severelyaffected their lives,
impoverishing them in the long term. If paharia life was symbolised by the hoe, whichthey used for shifting
cultivation, the santhaTs life represented the power of the plough. The battle betweenthe hoe and plough was
really a long one.
Question 5.What was the Limitation Law? Why was this considered as a symbol of oppression against the ryot of
19thcentury? Give three reasons.
Answer:In 1859, British passed the Limitation Law which stated that the loan bond signed between
moneylendersand ryots would have validity for only three years. This law was meant to check the accumulation of
interestover the time. However, this law was considered as a symbol of oppression due to the following reasons:
Moneylenders forced the ryots to sign a new bond for every three year and turned the law around.When new
bond was signed, the unpaid balance, i.e., original loan and interest was entered asprincipal and and this principal
interest was charged.

Moneylenders refused to give receipt when loans were repaid, entered fictitious figures in bond,acquired the
peasant’s harvest at low price and ultimately took over the property of peasant.
Moneylenders brought the new regime of bond and deeds. Peasants were made to put thumb
impression and sign on the document without knowing the full details of the documents.
Question 6.“The arguments and evidences offered by the Fifth-report cannot be accepted uncritically”. Give
arguments.
or
Why did the Fifth Report become the basis of intense debate in England? (Delhi 2013)
or
Describe the Fifth Report produced by the select committee on English East India Company in 1813 by theBritish
Parliament.
or
Critically evaluate the significance and shortcomings of the ‘Fifth Report’.
Answer:The Fifth Report was a significant report, it continued shaping our conception for over a century and a
halfabout the nature and consequences of East India Company’s Rule in Bengal in the late 18th century. Itserved
as basis for intense parliamentary debates on the nature of company’s rule in India.
The evidence contained in the ‘Fifth Report’ is considered to be of great importance. But as it is an officialreport, it
should be read and anaylsed very carefully. The major short comings of this report included:
The Fifth report exaggerated the collapse of traditional zamindari power and the rate at whichzamindar were
losing their lands. Zamindars were not always displaced given the indigenousmethods they used to retain their
lands.
The report was biased because it wanted to highlight the maladministration of the East India
Company in India.
Question 7.“Jotedar inevitably weakened zamindars in Bengal by the end of the 18th century”. Give arguments
tosupport the statement.
or
Describe the position of the ‘jotedars’ at the end of the 18th century.
Answer:The points given below describe how jotedar inevitably weakened the power of zamindars in Bengal by
theend of the 18th century:
In the 18th century when many zamindars were facing a crisis, a group of rich peasants, known asjotedars, were
consolidating their position in the villages.
Unlike zamindars, jotedars lived in villages and thus, had good in􀂧uence on village population.
Jotedars had acquired vast areas of land. They controlled local trade, moneylending, exercisingimmense power
over the poorer cultivators and their land was cultivated through adhiyars orbargadars (sharecroppers).

They fiercely resisted the effects of zamindars to increase the Jama of the village, prevented
zamindari officials from executing their duties. They deliberately delayed payments of revenue to thezamindars.
In fact, when the estates of the zamindars were auctioned for failure to make revenue payment, oftenjotedars
bought their estate. This made the jotedars most powerful in the North Bengal.
Question 8.What was the other name of ‘Bombay Deccan revenue system of 1820s’. Mention the features of it.
or
Which revenue system wras introduced in the Bombay Deccan? What were its features?
Answer:Ryotwari Settlement was introduced in the Bombay Deccan by the British. It has the following features:
Direct Settlement with the Ryots: The revenue was settled directly with the ryot.
Calculation of Revenue: Unlike the Permanent Settlement, the revenue was estimated taking intoconsideration all
types of soil, the average income of the harvest was estimated. It assessed howmuch revenue a ryot could pay.
Share of State: The share of the state was fixed in proportion to the income of the ryot.
Re-survey of Land: After every 30 years the lands were re-surveyed and the rates of revenue wereincreased
accordingly.Temporary Demand: The demand for revenue was not permanent but temporary.
Question 9.Critically examine the experience of injustice felt by ryot on the refusal of moneylender to extending
loans tothem after 1830.
Answer:Revenue demand was set high in the Bombay Deccan under Ryotwari System. Peasants were finding
itdifficult to pay under normal circumstances. But when rainfall failed and harvest were poor, it wasimpossible to
pay.
In 1830s, problem became severe and in 1832 agricultural price fell sharply. At the same time, the villagerswere
devastated by famine in year 1832-34. During this time, l/3rd of cattle and half human population died.
Those who left had no resource to overcome the crises. Unpaid balance of revenue mounted. They had toborrow
from moneylender to pay revenue and to carry agricultural work but they were unable to pay it back.
As the debt mounted and loans remained unpaid, peasants dependence on moneylender increased. Theynow
need loan even to buy their everyday needs and meet expenditure. By 1940s, they were in alarminglevel of
indebtness.
During time of 1861-64, moneylenders easily gave advances to the peasants in order to get maximumproduction
of cotton but once demand of cotton reduced, moneylenders were very reluctant to give loans.

By cotton production mostly rich peasants prospered while large majority of the cotton produced faceheavier
debt.
Question 10.Explain how the Ricardo’s idea of land ownership was introduced in the ‘Bombay Deccan’?
Answer:The colonial officials were under much influence of the ideas of David Ricardo, the renowned economist
ofEngland, during the early decades of the 19th century. He suggested that a landowner should have a claimonly
to the ‘average rent’ prevailing at the time. According to him, when the land yielded more than thisaverage rent,
the landowner had a surplus that the state needed to tax.
If tax was not levied, cultivators were likely to turn into rentiers and their surplus income was unlikely to
beproductively invested in the improvement of the land. The British officials viewed that the same conditionhad
arisen in Bengal because of the introduction of Premanent settlement. The zamindars in Bengal hadbecome
rentiers in a way as they had leased out their lands.Therefore, the British officials wanted to follow a different
system of land revenue.
Question 11.Explain the impact of American Civil War of 1861 on Indian peasants.
Answer:Britain was mainly dependent on America for importing raw cotton for its Cotton Textile Industry before
the1860s. Three-fourth of raw cotton imports into Britain came from America. But because of civil war in 1861,
the amount of cotton „ in Britain from USA reduced. So, India was asked to grow cotton in large amount.The rise
in the price of cotton encouraged the cotton exporters. Indian peasants were given loan to growcotton. Landlords
did not hesitate in giving long-term loan. Some of the peasants became rich but majorityof peasants went further
into heavier debt.
Question 12.Explain the impact of refusal by moneylenders to extend loans to ryots, around 1865, under the
colonial rule of India.
Answer:The condition of peasants was miserable under the British rule. They were left impoverised and
wentthrough hardships which deteriorated their situation further. Because of the economic policy of the
Britishadministrators, the economic condition of the Indian people at the time of 1857 became very pitiable.
There was no dearth of people who were unemployed and struggling in vain.
People needed money to repay their loans and meet their daily expenses. However, sometimes theircondition did
not improve and they fell into debt trap. They were unable to repay their loan.The moneylenders were
apprehensive of losing their money. Thus, they refused to extend their loans. Theborrowers failed to manage
money for agriculture.
Question 13.Explain two reasons for the failure of the Permanent Settlement of the land revenue introduced by
the British in Bengal.
Answer:The reasons for the failure of the Permanent Settlement of the land revenue introduced by the British
inBengal are as follows:
1. The early revenue demands fixed by the company were very high. Under permanent settlement, the
staterevenue demand was fixed in ’ perpetuity. It meant that company was not claiming an additional share
ofincreased income from land with rising prices and expanding cultivation. Therefore, the Company wantedhuge
revenue for high demand in order to minimise this anticipated loss.
2. It is worth mentioning that the high demand of land revenue was fixed in 1790s. The price of
agriculturalproduce were depressed during this period. Consequently, it became difficult for the ryots to pay their
duesto the zamindars. Thus, the zamindar could not collect the rent and were unable to pay their fixed amount
tothe company.
Question 14. Explain two strategies devised by zamindars of surviving the pressures of high revenue demands
andpossible auction of their lands.
Answer:The two strategies were as follows:
1. The zamindars devised various ways to avoid the pressures of high revenue demand and possibleauction of
their estates. One such plan was the fictitious sale. It comprised a chain of moves requiringskill and care.The East
India Company had decreed that the property of women could not be auctioned. Therefore,the Raja of Burdwan
transferred some of his zamindari to his mother’ name.
2. The agents of the Raja controlled the whole process of auction very’ cleverly. The zamindar’s agentused to buy
the auctioners property, outbidding other buyers. However, they refused to pay up thepurchase amount,
therefore, the estate had to be resold. This endless process of auctioning wasrepeated again and again and the
state alongwith other auctioners were forced to exhaust. Finally, theestate was sold at a low price back to the
zamindar.
Question 15.Critically examine the Deccan Riots Commission Report.
Answer:The Deccan Riots Commission Report can be examined through the following points:
The Government of India pressurised the Government of Bombay to set-up an enquiry commission inorder to
investigate into the causes of riots.
A report was prepared by the commission which was presented to the British Parliament in 1878.Proper enquiries
were held in the riot affected districts and the statement of the ryots, sahukars andeyewitnesses were recorded.
Statistical data on revenue rates, prices and interest rates were compiled in various regions.
In the Deccan Riots Commission Report, we have to see that they are the official sources and reflectconcerns and
interpretations of events, e.g. this commission was specifically asked to judge whetherthe level of the government
revenue demand was the cause of the revolt. After presenting all theevidences, the commission reported that the
government demand was not the cause of peasantsanger. It was the moneylenders who were to blame.
The reports sent by the district collectors were compiled. Undoubtedly, this report furnishes
significant basic information for the study of those riots.

Question 16.Examine the land revenue system that was introduced in Bombay Deccan. How did the peasants fall
intothe dept-trap of the moneylenders? Explain.
Answer:Ryotwari Settlement was introduced in the Bombay Deccan by the British. It has the following features:
Direct Settlement with the Ryots: The revenue was settled directly with the ryot.
Calculation of Revenue: Unlike the Permanent Settlement, the revenue was estimated taking intoconsideration all
types of soil, the average income of the harvest was estimated. It assessed howmuch revenue a ryot could
pay.Share of State: The share of the state was fixed in proportion to the income of the ryot.Re-survey of Land
After every 30 years the lands were re-surveyed and the rates of revenue wereincreased accordingly.
Temporary Demand: The demand for revenue was not permanent but temporary.
It is true that the ryots came to see the moneylenders as devious and deceitful. As the moneylenderswere much
insensitive to the plight of the peasants. They got deeper and deeper into debt trap andwere dependent on the
moneylenders for their survival.
This can be understood by the following points:
1. when the Deccan Riots commission investigated, they found the law broken by the moneylenders as they had
charged over 2000 as interest on a loan of ₹ 100.
2. After complain of this manipulation by ryots, the British passed a Limitation Law in 1859 which meant tocheck
the accumulation of interest over time and give 3 years validity of loan bonds signed betweenmoneylenders and
ryots.
3. Moneylenders again manipulated the law and forcing ryots to sign a new bond every three years. When anew
bond was signed, the unpaid balance, the original loan and accumulated interest was entered asprinciple on
which a new set of interest charges was calculated.
4. They refused to give receipts when loans were repaid, entered fictitious figures in bonds acquiredpeasants
harvest at low prices, made peasants to sign and put thumb impression on documents and didnot allow peasants
to know what is inside the documents. This way the ryots faced injustice in the hands ofthe moneylenders and lost
their harvest and properties as well.
Question 17.“After introducing the Permanent settlement in Bengal, the zamindars regularly failed to pay the
landrevenue demand.” Examine the causes and consequences of it.
Answer:The permanent settlement had come into operation in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis. Under this
system,zamindars collected revenue from peasants and handover to the East India company. Company off
icialsfelt that a fixed revenue demand would give zamindars a sense of security and assured of returns on
theirinvestment, encourage them to improve their estates. In the early decades after the permanent
settlement,however, zamindars regularly failed to pay the revenue demand and unpaid balances accumulated.
The causes for this failure were:

1.The initial demands were very high. This was because it was felt that if the demand was fixed for all timeto
come, the company would never be able to claim a share of increased income from land when pricesrose and
cultivation expanded.To minimise this anticipated loss, the company fixed the revenue demand high , arguing that
the burden on
zamindars would gradually decline as agricultural production expanded and prices rose.
2. This high demand was imposed in the 1790s, a time when the prices of agricultural produce weredepressed,
making it difficult for the ryots to pay their dues to the zamindar.
3.The revenue was invariable, regardless of the harvest, and had to be paid punctually. In fact, according tothe ‘
Sunset Law if payment did not come in
by sunset of the specified date, the zamindari was liable to be auctioned.
4. The permanent settlement initially limited the power of the zamindar to collect rent from the ryot andmanage
his zamindari.The consequences after the failure to fulfil the land revenue demands were:
When a raja or zamindar failed to pay the revenue demand, a company official was speedily
dispatched to his zamindari with explicit instructions ‘to take charge of the district and to use themost effectual of
the raja or zamindar and his officers’.
The East India Company subdued their authority and restrict their autonomy.
The zamindars troops were disbanded, customs duties abolished and their ‘cutcheries’ (courts)brought under the
supervision of a collector appointed by the company.
Zamindars lost their power to organise local justice and the local police.Over time the collectorate emerged as an
alternative centre of authority, severely restricting what the
zamindar could do.While many zamindars were facing a crisis at the end of the 18th century, a group of rich
peasantsalso known as ‘Jotedars’, were consolidating their position in villages. They controlled local trade aswell
as money-lending, exercising immense power over the poorer cultivators of the region.Besides these, the estates
of the zamindars also were auctioned for failure to make revenue paymentand at that time jotedars were after
amongst the purchasers as they were most powerful in NorthBengal.
Question 18.
Examine the main aspects of the fifth report which was submitted to the British Parliament in 1813.
Answer:Many of the changes occurred at the time of the East India Company were documented in detail in a
reportthat was submitted to the British Parliament in 1813. It was the fifth report on the administration
andactivities of the East India Company in India.
The main aspects of the fifth report are discussed below:
1. The fifth report had been covered into 1002 pages of which over 800 pages were appendices thatreproduced
petitions of zamindars and ryots reports of collectors from different districts, statistical tableson revenue returns,
and notes on the revenue and judicial administration of Bengal and Madras (present-dayTamil Nadu) written by
officials.

2. From the time the company established its rule in Bengal in the mid 1760s, its activities were closelywatched
and debated in England. There were many groups in Britain who were opposed to the monopolythat the East
India Company had over trade with India and China.
3. An increasing number of private traders wanted a share in the India trade, and the industrialists of Britainwere
keen to open up the Indian market for British manufactures.
4. Information about Company misrule and maladministration was hotly debated in Britain and incidents ofthe
greed and corruption of company officials were widely publicised in the press.
5. The British Parliament passed a series of acts in the late 18th century to regulate and control companyrule in
India. It forced the company to produce regular reports on committees to enquire into the affairs ofthe company.
6. The fifth report was one such report produced by a select committee. It became the basis of
intenseparliamentary debates on the nature of the East India company’s rule in India.
7. The evidence contained in the fifth report is invaluable. But the recent researches show that theargumeilts and
evidences offered by the fifth report cannot be accepted uncritically.
8. After careful examination of the archives of various Bengal zamindars and the local records of theDistricts,
researchers found that the report exaggerated the collapse of traditional zamindari power and alsooverestimated
the scale on which zamirdars were losing their land. As we have seen even when zamindaris,were auctioned,
zamindars were not always displaced, given the ingenious methods they used to retaintheir zamindaris.
9. It does not mean that there were not any malpractices done by the East India Company, infact they werevery
oppressive towards the rural society of Bengal.
Thus, the fifth report had been proved to be a good source to understand the India’s economy in the
colonialtimes.

Question 19.
A Ryot Petitions:
This is an example of a petition from a ryot of the village of Mirajgaon, Taluka Karjat, to the
Collector,Ahmednagar, Deccan Riots Commission.
The sowkars (sahukars)… have of late begun to oppress us. As we cannot earn enough to defray ourhousehold
expenses. We are actually forced to beg of them to provide us with money, clothes and grain,
which we obtain from them not without great difficulty, nor without their compelling us to enter into
hardconditions in the bond.
Moreover, the necessary clothes and grain are not sold to us at cash rates. The prices asked from us aregenerally
twenty five percent or fifty percent more than demanded from customers making ready money

payments. The produce of our fields is also taken by the sowkars, who at the time of removing it assure usthat it
will be credited to our account, but they do not actually make any mention of it in the accounts. Theyalso refuse
to pass us any receipts for the produce so removed by them.
1. What kind of injustice was experienced by the ryots?
2. Why was the harvest taken away by the moneylenders and why was it not credited to the peasantsaccount?
3. Give details on the commission that investigated petitions and grievances of the concerned people.
or
1. Why were the ryots not given loans by sowkars?
2. Explain the difficulties, the ryots had, to face for getting loan from the sowkars.
3. Why were the ryots unable to pay the inflated demand? Explain.
Answer:
1. The refusal of moneylenders to extend loans made the ryots very angry. Moreover, the sahukars
wereinsensitive to their plight and were violating the customary norms of the countryside.In one of the cases
investigated by the Dcccan Riots Commission, the moneylenders had charged over 2000 as interest on a loan of ?
100. Besides these, the necessary clothes and grains were not sold to theryots at cash rates.
2. The ryots complained of moneylenders of manipulating laws and forging accounts.
The produce of the ryot’s field was also taken by the sahukars, who at the time of removing the produceassured
them that it would be credited to their accounts. However, the sahukars did not actually mention itin the
accounts. They refused to give the ryots any receipts for the produce, so removed by them.
3. The Government of India pressurised the Government of Bombay to set up a commission of enquiry
toinvestigate into the causes of riots. The Deccan Riots Commission produced a report that was presented tothe
British Parliament in 1878.
or
1. The ryots were not given loans by sowkars because they no longer had confidence in the ryots capacityto repay.
This was at the time when ryots were able to pay the inflated demand when prices were falling andcotton fields
were disappearing.
2. The difficulties, the ryots had to face for getting loan from the sowkars were:
The oppression of the sowkars.Compelled the ryots to enter into hard conditions in the bond for obtaining loan
from them.The produce of their fields was also taken by the sowkars.
They refused to pass them any receipts for the produce so removed by them.
3. The ryots were unable to pay the inflated demand because as the credit dried up, the revenue
demandincreased. The first revenue settlement was made in the 1820s and 1830s, presently it Was the time for
thenext settlement. In this settlement, the demand was

increased dramatically from 50 to 100 per cent. So theryots were unable to pay the innate demand at the time
when the prices were failing and cotton fieldsdisappearing.
Question 20.
Deeds of Hire:
When debts mounted, the peasant was unable to pay hack the loan to the moneylender. He had no option,
but to give over all his possessions-land, carts and animals to the moneylender. But without animals hecould not
continue to cultivate.
So, he took land on rent and animals on hire. He now had to pay for the animals which had originallybelonged to
him. He had to sign a deed of hire stating very clearly that these animals and carts did notbelong to him. In cases
of conflict, these deeds could be enforced through the court.
The following is the text of a deed that a peasant signed in November 1873 from the records of the DeccanRiots
Commission.
I have sold to you, on account of the debt due to you, my two carriages having iron axles, with theirappurtenances
and four bullocks… I have taken from you on hire under this deed the very same twocarriages and four bullocks. I
shall pay every month the hire thereof at rupees four a month and obtain areceipt in your own handwriting. In the
absence of a receipt, I shall not contend that the hire had been paid.
1. How did the peasants pay back the loan to the moneylenders?
2. What was the deed of hire?
3. What light does the deed of hire throw on the relationship between the peasants and the
moneylenders?
Answer:
1. When debts increased the peasants were unable to pay back the loan to the moneylenders. As a result,the
peasants had no option, but to give all their possessions to the moneylender. They had to surrendertheir land,
carts and animals to the moneylender.
2. The peasant had to sign a deed of hire stating very clearly that all his possessions (land, carts andanimals) did
not belong to him. The peasant had to sell, on account of the debt to the moneylender hiscarriages having iron
axles, with their accessories and bullocks. A peasant had to sign a deed that he hadtaken from the moneylender
on hire. The peasant had to pay every month the hire there of at rupees four amonth.
3. The deed of hire clearly shows that the relationship between the peasants and the moneylenders wasbased on
exploitation. The deed of hire was absolutely loaded in favour of the moneylenders and thepeasants were at the
receiving end.

Question 21.
Read the following passage and answer the question that follows.
When the Santhals settled on the peripheries of the Rajmahal hills, the Paharias resisted but were
ultimatelyforced to withdraw deeper into the hills. Restricted from moving down to the lower hills and valleys,
theywere confined to the dry interior and to the more barren and rocky upper hills. This severely affected
theirlives, impoverishing them in the long term. Shifting agriculture depended on the ability to move to newerand
newer land and utilisation of the natural fertility of the soil. When the most fertile soils becameinaccessible to
them, being part of the Damin, the Paharias could not effectively sustain their mode of
cultivation. When the forests of the region were cleared for cultivation the hunters amongst them also
facedproblems.The Santhals, by contrast, gave up their earlier life of mobility and settled down, cultivating a
range ofcommercial crops for the market, and dealing with traders and moneylenders.
1. What effect can be seen on the lives of Paharias when the Santhals were settled on the peripheries ofthe
Rajmahal hills? Discuss.
Answer:
1. The lives of Paharias were completely changed when the Santhals came and settled on the peripheries ofthe
Rajmahal hills.When Santhals came, the Paharias resisted them, but were ultimately forced to withdraw deeper
intothe hills.The movement towards lower hills and valleys was restricted and they were only con_ned to live
onthe dry upper hills which was completely barren and rocky.Paharias were mainly depended on shifting
cultivation and hunting. When the most fertile soilsbecame inaccessible to them the Paharias could not effectively
sustain their mode of cultivation.
2. When Santhals cleared most of the parts of the forests region, the hunters amongst the paharias alsofaced
problems. These changes severely affected their lives, impoverishing them in the long term.
Q22.
Read the following passage and answer the question that follow.
Over time, peasants came to associate the misery of their lives with the new regime of bonds and deeds.
They were made to sign and put thumb impressions on documents, but they did not Know what they wereactually
signing. They had no idea of the clauses that moneylenders inserted in the bonds. They feared thewritten word.
But they had no choice because to survive they needed loans, and moneylenders wereunwilling to give loans
without legal bonds,
1. How were bonds and deeds became responsible for misery of peasants over time?

Answer:Bonds and deeds were the two powerful weapons of moneylenders through which they suppressed
theryots or peasants. Moneylenders forced ryots to sign a new bond every

three years although this wasbanned in the Limitation Law that have validity for only 3 years. But later
moneylenders turned the lawaround and charged higher interests plus higher principle rates.
Over time peasants realised that these bonds were the actual cause of their miseries. But being helplessand in
need of money, they were made to sign and put thumb impression on documents without havingknowledge of
what they are signing to. Thus, moneylenders took advantage of their situations and inserted
false clauses in the bonds.