1.2. The Hoe and the Plough

Let us now shift our focus from the wetlands of Bengal to drier zones, from a region of settled cultivation to one where shifting agriculture was practised. You will see the changes that came about when the frontiers of the peasant economy expanded outwards, swallowing up pastures and forests in the Rajmahal hills. You will also see how these changes created a variety of conflicts within the region.

This chunk introduces the Rajmahal hills, an area characterized by a dry climate and shifting agriculture. It mentions how the peasant economy expanded, leading to the displacement of forests and pastures. The resulting changes not only transformed the landscape but also led to conflicts between different communities, particularly between traditional hunter-gatherers and settled agriculturalists.

Imagine a community in a forest where families rely on foraging for food and living off the land. Now, picture settlers moving in, cutting down trees to make farms. The original families find it harder to find food and are eventually pushed out of their homes, much like the Paharias in the Rajmahal hills.

In the early nineteenth century, Buchanan travelled through the Rajmahal hills. From his description, the hills appeared impenetrable, a zone where few travellers ventured, an area that signified danger. Wherever he went, people were hostile, apprehensive of officials and unwilling to talk to them.

Buchanan’s observations highlight the difficulties he faced while traveling in the Rajmahal hills. He described the locals as wary of outsiders, reflecting a distrust that stemmed from earlier encounters with colonial officials. This fear was rooted in the oppressive measures previously inflicted by authorities, making the hill folk defensive.

Think of a new student entering a school where others have had bad experiences with new arrivals. The existing students may be hesitant to engage, thinking the newcomer could bring unwanted changes. In the same way, the Paharias viewed Buchanan with suspicion due to past conflicts.

If we look at late-eighteenth-century revenue records, we learn that these hill folk were known as Paharias. They lived around the Rajmahal hills, subsisting on forest produce and practising shifting cultivation. They cleared patches of forest by cutting bushes and burning the undergrowth. On these patches, enriched by the potash from the ash, the Paharias grew a variety of pulses and millets for consumption.

The Paharias were traditionally forest dwellers who practiced shifting agriculture. This involved clearing land for cultivation, resting the soil to allow it to rejuvenate after use, and relying heavily on forest resources. This method of living was deeply intertwined with their identity and survival, allowing them to sustainably manage their environment.

Imagine a family that moves from one garden plot to another, planting crops in the spring and then allowing the land to rest by moving to a different plot. This approach keeps the soil healthy and productive over time, much like how the Paharias utilized their environment.

The life of the Paharias was thus intimately connected to the forest. They resisted the intrusion of outsiders. Their chiefs maintained the unity of the group, settled disputes, and led the tribe in battles with other tribes and plainspeople. With their base in the hills, the Paharias regularly raided the plains where settled agriculturists lived.

The Paharias actively resisted the encroachment on their land by outsiders, particularly as agriculturalists sought to clear forests for farming. This resistance often led to conflicts, as the Paharias attempted to defend their traditional way of life against the pressures of colonial expansion and changing land use.

Picture a group of wildlife defending their territory against intruding developers who want to clear the land for a new project. The wildlife uses its natural instincts and strategies to protect its habitat, similar to how the Paharias fought to maintain their way of life.

As settled agriculture expanded, the area under forests and pastures contracted. This sharpened the conflict between hill folk and settled cultivators. The former began to raid settled villages with increasing regularity, carrying away food grains and cattle. The battle between the hoe and the plough was a long one.

This chunk points to the escalating conflict between the Paharias, who used hoes for shifting cultivation, and the Santhals and other settlers who represented settled agriculture, marked by the use of ploughs. As agriculture expanded, the Paharias relied on raiding settled communities to sustain themselves, leading to cycles of conflict as communities vied for resources.

Think of two different communities: one that farms the land continuously and another that migrates and uses a rotational method of farming. As the first community expands, it encroaches on the land of the second, leading to disputes over resources – just as the Paharias and the settlers experienced.