The correct answer is: b) Local chieftains and zamindars.
The Polygar Wars were a series of conflicts between the British East India Company and the local chieftains and zamindars of Tamil Nadu in southern India from 1799 to 1801. The wars were fought over the issue of taxation, with the British trying to increase taxes on the local chieftains and zamindars, who resisted. The wars ended with the defeat of the local chieftains and zamindars, and the British gaining control of Tamil Nadu.
The other options are incorrect. Option a) is incorrect because the British were not at war with the princely states during the Polygar Wars. Option c) is incorrect because the Polygar Wars were not peasant rebellions. Option d) is incorrect because the Polygar Wars were not religious conflicts.
The Polygar Wars were a significant event in the history of India. They marked the beginning of the end of the independence of the local chieftains and zamindars of Tamil Nadu, and the beginning of British rule in the region.