Coolie Begar Movement

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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.

 


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The Coolie Begar Movement was a social movement that took place in India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement was against the practice of begar, which was a form of forced labor that was used by landlords and employers to extract labor from their workers. The movement was successful in abolishing the practice of begar, and it had a significant impact on the lives of the people of India.

The Coolie Begar Movement began in the late 19th century, when the British Raj was in control of India. The British government had instituted a system of land tenure that gave landlords a great deal of power over their tenants. Landlords were able to demand that their tenants provide them with free labor, and this labor was often used for construction projects, such as building roads and railways.

The practice of begar was deeply unpopular among the Indian people. It was seen as a form of exploitation, and it led to a great deal of hardship for the people who were forced to participate in it. In the early 20th century, a number of social reformers began to speak out against the practice of begar. They argued that it was a violation of Human Rights, and they called for its abolition.

The Coolie Begar Movement gained momentum in the early 1920s. A number of strikes and protests were organized, and the movement began to attract the attention of the British government. In 1923, the British government passed a law that abolished the practice of begar. However, the law was not effectively enforced, and the practice of begar continued in some parts of India.

The Coolie Begar Movement continued to fight for the abolition of begar. In 1932, the movement was successful in getting the British government to pass a new law that made the practice of begar a criminal offense. This law was more effectively enforced than the previous law, and the practice of begar was eventually eradicated in India.

The Coolie Begar Movement had a significant impact on the lives of the people of India. It helped to improve the lives of the people who were forced to participate in begar, and it also helped to raise awareness of the issue of human rights in India. The movement is an important part of the history of India, and it continues to be remembered today.

The Coolie Begar Movement was a significant social movement that had a major impact on the lives of the people of India. The movement was successful in abolishing the practice of begar, which was a form of forced labor that was used by landlords and employers to extract labor from their workers. The movement also helped to improve the lives of the people who were forced to participate in begar, and it raised awareness of the issue of human rights in India. The Coolie Begar Movement is an important part of the history of India, and it continues to be remembered today.

What is a coolie?

A coolie is a person who is hired to do manual labor, especially in a foreign country. The term is often used in a derogatory way to refer to someone who is seen as being exploited or treated poorly.

What is the Begar Movement?

The Begar Movement was a protest against the practice of forced labor in India. The movement began in the early 19th century and continued for several decades. It was led by a number of different groups, including peasants, workers, and intellectuals. The movement was successful in achieving some of its goals, including the abolition of forced labor in some parts of India.

What are some frequently asked questions about coolies?

What are some frequently asked questions about the Begar Movement?

Sure, here are some MCQs without mentioning the topic Coolie Begar Movement:

  1. Which of the following is not a type of forced labor?
    (A) Slavery
    (B) Debt bondage
    (C) Child labor
    (D) Coolie labor

  2. Which of the following is not a reason why people are forced into labor?
    (A) POVERTY
    (B) War
    (C) Natural disasters
    (D) Lack of Education

  3. Which of the following is not a way to prevent forced labor?
    (A) Raising awareness of the issue
    (B) Strengthening laws against forced labor
    (C) Providing education and training to vulnerable populations
    (D) Providing economic opportunities for vulnerable populations

  4. Which of the following is not a right that is violated by forced labor?
    (A) The right to freedom from slavery and servitude
    (B) The right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
    (C) The right to Freedom of Association and peaceful assembly
    (D) The right to work in just and favorable conditions

  5. Which of the following is not a way to help victims of forced labor?
    (A) Providing them with legal assistance
    (B) Providing them with shelter and food
    (C) Providing them with medical care
    (D) Providing them with job training

  6. Which of the following is not a way to hold perpetrators of forced labor accountable?
    (A) Prosecuting them in court
    (B) Imposing financial sanctions on them
    (C) Boycotting their businesses
    (D) Divest from their businesses

  7. Which of the following is not a way to prevent the demand for forced labor?
    (A) Raising awareness of the issue
    (B) Boycotting products made with forced labor
    (C) Divest from companies that use forced labor
    (D) Supporting businesses that are committed to ethical labor practices

  8. Which of the following is not a way to promote the supply of ethical labor?
    (A) Supporting businesses that are committed to ethical labor practices
    (B) Investing in companies that use ethical labor practices
    (C) Buying products made with ethical labor
    (D) Divest from companies that use forced labor

  9. Which of the following is not a way to strengthen the fight against forced labor?
    (A) Ratifying and implementing International Conventions against forced labor
    (B) Providing financial assistance to countries that are struggling to combat forced labor
    (C) Raising awareness of the issue of forced labor
    (D) Supporting organizations that are working to combat forced labor

  10. Which of the following is not a way to hold governments accountable for their role in forced labor?
    (A) Boycotting products made in countries that use forced labor
    (D) Divest from companies that operate in countries that use forced labor
    (C) Supporting organizations that are working to combat forced labor in those countries
    (D) Ratifying and implementing international conventions against forced labor

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