Major Causes of Civil Uprising

• Changes in economy, administration and land revenue system.
• Erstwhile Zamindars and Poligars were angered due to the loss of their lands and wanted to take revenge from government officials, money lenders etc.
• The disappearance of traditional patrons like princes, zamindars and colonial industrial policies led to the ruin of artisans and handicrafts. 
• Priests, pandits and maulvis lost their traditional patrons.
• British rulers were always seen as alien to the land. They treated common people with disdain

Sanyasi Revolt (1763-1800) [Bihar & Bengal]

• It was a revolt by the Sannyasis and Sadhus in Bengal. 
• Support: They were joined by a large number of dispossessed small zamindars, disbanded soldiers, and rural poor. 
• Fakir Rebellion: It was characterised by equal participation of Hindus and Muslims. It is also known as the Fakir Rebellion.
  • They raided Company factories and the treasuries and fought the Company’s forces. 
• Causes:  The 1770 Bengal famine and harsh British economic policies.
• Leaders: Majnum Shah, Chirag Ali, Musa Shah, Bhawani Pathak, Debi Chaudharani.
• Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote the books  Anandamath(1882) and Devi  Chaudharani(1884) based on the Sanyasi Revolt.
• Warren Hastings played an important role in suppressing this movement.

Revolt of Moamarias (1769-99) [Assam]

• Challenging Ahom Rule: Moamarias were low-caste peasants who followed the teachings of Aniruddhadeva, rose up against the Ahom Kings of Assam and weakened their hold on power.
• The Moamarias made Bhatiapar their headquarters.
• Darrang Rebellion of 1792: The King of Darrang (Krishnanarayan), assisted by his band of Burkandazes (the demobilised soldiers of the Muslim armies and zamindars), revolted against the weak Ahom kingdom.
• Ahom Kings’ Downfall: Ahom Kings had to request help from the British to fight the rebellion but fell to the Burmese invasion and finally came under British rule.

Poligars’s Revolt (1795–1805) [Tamil Nadu]

• The Poligars revolted when the Nawab of Arcot gave the management and control of Tinneveli and the Carnatic Provinces to the East India Company. 
• This led to resentment among the poligars who had, for long, considered themselves independent sovereign authorities within their respective territories.
• The poligars of North Arcot rose in rebellion when they were deprived of their right to collect the kaval fees. (Kaval or ‘watch’ was a hereditary village police office in Tamil Nadu).
• The movement occurred in two Phases:
  • First Phase: It was led by Kattaboman Nayakan.
  • Second Phase: It was more violent and was led by Oomanthurai.

Paika Rebellion (1817) [Odisha]

• • The Role of Paikas: Paikas were the hereditary traditional landed militia (foot soldiers) of Odisha who rendered martial services and policing functions in return for rent-free land (Nishkar Jagirs). 
  • It was also known as the Khurda Rebellion (the dethronement of the Raja of Khurda had greatly reduced the power and prestige of the Paiks).
• Causes

• • Walter Ewer Commission: Recommended that the rent-free lands of Paikas be taken over by the British. This led to Paikas taking up arms in support of zamindars and peasants.
  • Rise in the price of salt, abolition of Cowrie currency, payment of taxes in silver and extortionist land revenue policies.
• Leaders: Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, Mukunda Deva, and Dinabandhu Santra.
• Used Guerrilla Warfare to fight the British.
• The rebellion was brutally repressed by 1818. Priests at the Puri temple who had sheltered Jagabandhu were caught and hanged.
• The Paika Rebellion succeeded in getting large remissions of arrears, reductions in assessments, a new settlement on fixed tenure etc.

Ahom Revolt (1828)[Assam]

• Resistance against British Annexation: The British did not withdraw from Assam after the First Burma War (1824-26), and tried to incorporate Ahom territories, causing resentment among people, which led to a rebellion.
• British Conciliatory Policy: The Britishers followed a conciliatory policy, and upper Assam was handed over to Maharaja  Purandar Singh (Ahom King).
• Leaders: Gomdhar Konwar (Ahom Prince), Maharaja Purandhar Singh, Narendra Gadadhar Singh, among others.

Wahabi Movement (1830–61) [Bihar, Bengal, North West Frontier Province, Punjab]

• Revivalist Movement: It was an Islamist revivalist movement that advocated complete adherence to Sharia.
  • This movement was led by Syed Ahmed of Rai Bareilly, who was inspired by the teachings of Abdul Wahab (Saudi Arabia) and Shah Walilullah (Delhi). 
  • Titu Mir led the movement in the Bengal region.
• Call for a Return to Pure Islam: Syed Ahmed condemned the Western influence on Islam and advocated a return to pure Islam and society.
• Centers of Influence: Sithana (north-western tribal belt) was chosen as a base for operations. 
  • Patna was an important centre, with missions across Hyderabad, Madras, Bengal, the United Provinces, and Bombay.
• Jihad: A jihad was declared against the Sikh kingdom of Punjab. 
  • Following its annexation by the East India Company in 1849, the Wahabis directed their attacks solely against the English rule in India.

Kuka Movement (1840–72) [Punjab] 

• Combating Caste Discrimination: The Kuka Movement was founded in 1840 by Bhagat JawaharMal (also called Sian Saheb) in western Punjab as a Socio-religious movement working against caste discrimination, promoting intermarriages, widow remarriages etc. 
• Transformation of Movement: After the British took Punjab, the movement transformed from a religious purification campaign to a political campaign.
  • Kukas wanted to remove the British and restore Sikh rule over Punjab. 
  • They advocated the boycott of English laws, education and products.
  • So, the concepts of Swadeshi and non-cooperation were propagated by the Kukas much earlier.
• Suppression Movement: The British crushed the movement between 1863 and 1872. Baba Ram Singh, founder of the Namdhari Sect and a major leader of the movement, was deported to Rangoon in 1872.