What explains the anger of the Deccan ryots against Fig. 10.20 the moneylenders?
The main reasons for the anger of Ryots against moneylenders are as follows:
1.In rural India it was traditional rule that the interest will always remain less than the principal amount. However, in many cases interest payable was more than the principal itself. In one case the interest was Rs 2000 against principal amount of Rs100.
2.No receipt was paid in case of payment of loan partly or fully. This opened the scope of manipulation by the moneylenders.
3.Ryots complained about forging of documents and other fraudulent activity by the moneylenders.
4.Ryots believed that moneylenders were insensitive to them and made an arrogant and exploitative lot.
What are the problems of using official sources in writing about the history of peasants?
How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
How did the American Civil War affect the lives of ryots in India?
In what way was the livelihood of the Paharias different from that of the Santhals?
Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
On an outline map of the subcontinent, mark out the areas described in this chapter. Find out whether there were other areas where the Permanent Settlement and the ryotwari system were prevalent and plot these on the map as well.
Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
Why did the mutinous sepoys in many places turn to erstwhile rulers to provide leadership to the revolt?
To what extent are census data useful in reconstructing patterns of urbanisation in the colonial context?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
What did the Muslim League demand through its resolution of 1940?
What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives Resolution?
Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and coordination on the part of the rebels.
What do the terms “White” and “Black” Town signify?
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?
Why did some people think of Partition as a very sudden development?
How was the term minority defined by different groups?
What do visual representations tell us about the revolt of 1857? How do historians analyse these representations?
What were the new kinds of public places that emerged in the colonial city? What functions did they serve?
How did the Constituent Assembly seek to resolve the language controversy?
Why was the revolt particularly widespread in Awadh? What prompted the peasants, taluqdars and zamindars to join the revolt?
Examine any two sources presented in the chapter, choosing one visual and one text, and discuss how these represent the point of view of the victor and the vanquished.
What were the concerns that influenced town planning in the nineteenth century?
Discuss the different arguments made in favour of protection of the oppressed groups.
How did prominent Indian merchants establish themselves in the colonial city?
How did women experience Partition?
What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives Resolution?