Coolie- Begar Movement

The Coolie-Begar movement was a non-violent movement by the general public of Kumaun in the Bageshwar town of United Provinces in 1921. This movement was led by Badri Datt Pandey, who was awarded the title of ‘Kumaon Kesari’ after the success of this movement. The aim of this movement was to put pressure on the British to end the practice of Coolie-Begar. Mahatma Gandhi, while praising the movement, named it ‘Bloodless Revolution’.

Coolie Begar’ referred to the law requiring locals of the hill regions of Kumaun to provide free transportation for the luggage of travelling British officials. It was the responsibility of the ‘Village Head’ of different villages, to make available a certain number of coolies for a certain period. For this work, there was a regular register, in which the names of all the villagers were written and everyone was forced to do this work alternately.

The dissatisfaction between the public, due to the collusion of the Village Heads, the landlords and the patwaris, and the discrimination between the people increased as the head and patwari of the village started promoting this virtue to get rid of their personal interests. Sometimes, people were also forced to do extremely disgusting things. Such as picking up garbage or washing clothes for the British etc. The locals were being exploited by the British physically and mentally. Eventually, people started to unite to protest against this.

The Chand rulers, during their reign, initiated a tax related to horses in the state. It was possibly the earliest form of the ‘Coolie Begar’ exploitation. This practice took a widespread form of governance under the rule of Gorkhas. Though the British ended it initially, they gradually not only re-enforced this system, but brought it to its formidable form. Earlier this was not on the general public, but on those salaried farmers who used to collect tax from the landowners or collectors. Hence, this practice directly influenced those tenants who owned land. But the reality was that these rich landlords and jurists had imposed their parts of slavery on landless farmers, laborers and weak sections of Society who accepted it as conditional remuneration. Thus, this practice continued, despite the opposition of local people.

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Haldwani, that was the gateway to the Kumaon area, was seized by the rebels of Rohilkhand. Though the British succeeded in crushing the rebellion in its infancy itself, the tension of suppression of that time sporadically flared into different forms of resistance from time to time. There was also a dissatisfaction with the British’s exploitation of the forests of Kumaon.

Coolie Begar was made mandatory for the residents of Kumaon division in 1913. It was opposed everywhere; Badri Datt Pandey led the movement in Almora, while other leaders like Anusuya Prasad Bahuguna and Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant also played an active role in the Movement in Garhwal and Kashipur respectively. Through his Almora Akhbar, Badri Datt Pandey started protesting against this evil. In 1920, the annual Convention of the Congress was held in Nagpur. several leaders including Pt Govind Ballabh Pant, Badri Datt Pandey, Har Gobind Pant, Victor Mohan Joshi, Shyam Lal Shah etc. attended the session, to take the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi for the Coolie Begar movement. When they came back, they started raising awareness against this evil.

On 14 January 1921, on occasion of the Uttarayani fair, this movement was initiated from the grounds of Confluence (Bagad) of Saryu and Gomati. Before the commencement of this movement, a notice was issued by the District Magistrate to Pt. Hargobind Pant, Lala Chiranjilal and Badri Datt Pandey, but it had no effect on them. To participate in this movement, people from different villages came out to the fair ground, and turned it into a huge show. The people first went to the Bagnath Temple to offer prayers, and then about 40 Thousand people went to Saryu Bagad, in front of the procession carrying a flag, with the words “End the Coolie Begar”. After that, there was a meeting in Saryu Ground, Badri Datt Pandey, while addressing the gathering, took an oath saying, “Taking the water of the sacred Saryu, and with the Bagnath temple as a witness, we pledge that we will not tolerate ‘Coolie Utar’, ‘Coolie Begar’ and ‘Coolie Burdayash’ any more.” All the people took this oath and the Village heads who had brought the ‘record registers’ with them, flung these registers into the confluence while raising slogans in praise of Bharat Mata.

After the success of this movement, people gave the title of ‘Kumaon Kesari’ to Badri Datt Pandey. People not only supported the movement but also strictly followed it and continued to protest against this practice. The result was that the government was forced to end the tradition by bringing a bill in the House. Mahatma Gandhi was very impressed with this movement and paid a visit to Bageshwar and Kausani himself in 1929. He also established a Gandhi Ashram in Chanunda. After this, Gandhiji wrote about this movement in Young India stating “its effect was complete, it was a bloodless revolution.

The Coolie-Begar Movement was a peasant uprising that took place in the Indian state of Bihar in the late 19th century. The movement was led by peasants who were protesting against the practice of begar, which was a form of forced labor that was imposed on them by landlords.

The Coolie-Begar Movement began in the early 1880s, and it continued for several years. During this time, there were a number of violent clashes between peasants and landlords. The movement was eventually suppressed by the British government, but it had a significant impact on the history of Bihar.

The causes of the Coolie-Begar Movement are complex and varied. However, some of the most important factors that contributed to the uprising include:

The economic condition of the peasants: The peasants in Bihar were very poor, and they were often forced to work long hours in difficult conditions for very little pay. This led to a great deal of resentment among the peasants.
The oppressive nature of the landlord system: The landlords in Bihar had a great deal of power over the peasants, and they often used this power to exploit them. This led to a great deal of anger and frustration among the peasants.
The influence of nationalist ideas: The nationalist movement in India was gaining momentum in the late 19th century, and this had a significant impact on the Coolie-Begar Movement. The peasants were inspired by the nationalist message of freedom and Equality, and they began to demand better treatment from the landlords.

The effects of the Coolie-Begar Movement were significant. The movement led to a number of reforms that improved the condition of the peasants in Bihar. These reforms included:

The abolition of begar: The British government abolished the practice of begar in 1885. This was a major victory for the peasants, and it helped to improve their economic condition.
The introduction of Land reforms: The British government also introduced a number of land reforms that benefited the peasants. These reforms included the redistribution of land and the introduction of a system of tenancy rights.
The rise of peasant consciousness: The Coolie-Begar Movement also led to a rise in peasant consciousness. The peasants became more aware of their rights, and they began to demand better treatment from the landlords.

The Coolie-Begar Movement was a significant event in the history of Bihar. The movement led to a number of reforms that improved the condition of the peasants, and it also helped to raise peasant consciousness. The movement is still remembered today as a symbol of the struggle for peasant rights in India.

In conclusion, the Coolie-Begar Movement was a significant event in the history of Bihar. The movement led to a number of reforms that improved the condition of the peasants, and it also helped to raise peasant consciousness. The movement is still remembered today as a symbol of the struggle for peasant rights in India.

What is the Coolie-Begar Movement?

The Coolie-Begar Movement was a social reform movement that took place in India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement was aimed at abolishing the practice of forced labor, or begar, which was common in many parts of India at the time.

What were the causes of the Coolie-Begar Movement?

The Coolie-Begar Movement was caused by a number of factors, including the British colonial government’s use of forced labor, the economic exploitation of peasants, and the caste system.

What were the goals of the Coolie-Begar Movement?

The goals of the Coolie-Begar Movement were to abolish the practice of forced labor, improve the working conditions of peasants, and end the caste system.

Who were the leaders of the Coolie-Begar Movement?

The leaders of the Coolie-Begar Movement included Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

What were the achievements of the Coolie-Begar Movement?

The Coolie-Begar Movement was successful in abolishing the practice of forced labor in India. The movement also helped to improve the working conditions of peasants and to end the caste system.

What were the limitations of the Coolie-Begar Movement?

The Coolie-Begar Movement was not able to completely eliminate the practice of forced labor in India. The movement also had difficulty in improving the working conditions of peasants and in ending the caste system.

What is the legacy of the Coolie-Begar Movement?

The Coolie-Begar Movement is an important part of Indian history. The movement helped to improve the lives of millions of Indians and to promote social Justice.

Sure, here are some MCQs on the topics of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny, and the Indian National Congress:

What was the main cause of the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
(A) The British East India Company’s monopoly on trade
(B) The introduction of the Enfield rifle, which used cartridges that were greased with pig and cow fat
(C) The British government’s decision to abolish the practice of sati
(D) The British government’s decision to annex the princely state of Awadh
Who was the leader of the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
(A) Mangal Pandey
(B) Bahadur Shah Zafar
(C) Rani Lakshmibai
(D) Nana Sahib
What was the outcome of the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
(A) The British East India Company was dissolved and the British government took direct control of India.
(B) The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a complete failure and the British East India Company continued to rule India.
(C) The Indian Rebellion of 1857 led to the establishment of the Indian National Congress.
(D) The Indian Rebellion of 1857 led to the independence of India.
What was the Sepoy Mutiny?
(A) A rebellion by Indian soldiers against the British East India Company
(B) A rebellion by Indian peasants against the British East India Company
(C) A rebellion by Indian merchants against the British East India Company
(D) A rebellion by Indian princes against the British East India Company
What was the Indian National Congress?
(A) A political party that was founded in 1885 to represent the interests of Indians
(B) A religious organization that was founded in 1885 to promote Hinduism-2/”>Hinduism
(C) A social organization that was founded in 1885 to improve the lives of Indians
(D) A trade union that was founded in 1885 to represent the interests of Indian workers

I hope these MCQs are helpful!