Santhal in Assam: Their status and position in the nation

Abstract

The modern word Santhals, as mentioned Samanpalas in the Mahabharata, have a dignified role among the Indian Tribal People. They are traditionally known as “first people” or indigenous people. Santhals belong the pre-Aryan period. They were the great fighters during the British regime in India. They wagged war against the permanent settlement of Lord Carn Walls in 1855. During the late 1850 santhals hero Sidhu had accumulated around 10 thousand santhals to run paralled government against the British Government. Baba TilkaMajhi was the first santhalleader who raise weapons against the Britishers in 1789.

Santhal came into Assam under the British rule with the Yandabu Treaty of 1826. There were different rulers and kings in different places in the upper (east) and lower (west) Assam. i.e. the Ahom kings and Koch kings, respectively. After the treaty, the rulers and the kings were paid renunerations and the British administration was in full control.