PAIKA REVOLT- 1817

           PAIKA REVOLT- 1817

Brief intro: The Paika revolt was an armed revolt of the traditional Paika militia in the state of Khurda in Odisha in the year 1817. It continued for nearly a year . The revolt had been led by Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Mahapatra.

     It had nearly swept away the British in Khurda,Pipili , Banapur and Puri for months before being crushed by the forces of the East India Company .

       Who were the Paikas?

# Paika= Colloquial form of the word padatika or foot soldiers .

# They were the landed militian in Odisha under Gajapati and kings .

# They supported the local princes and zamindars as armed militia.

#They were granted rent-free land in lieu of rendering military service.

#Also Undertook policing activities in peace-time.

        Why did they revolt?

#After the British takeover of Khurda in 1803,many had hoped for good administration and respect for the prevailing social order .

#The new British administration,under Majar Fletcher,forfeited those lands plus increased taxes and thereby ruined the economic life of these martial people .

  A.G.Toynbee ,who worked as the revenue Superintendent of Cuttack,wrote in his book- A Sketch Of The History Of Orissa:From 1803-1828

  "Deprived,thus of the lands which they had enjoyed from time immemorial,they were subjected to the grossets extortion and oppression".

#The hanging of Jayi Rajaguru .

#The deposition of Raja Mukundadeva ii.

#British authority deprive the zamindars and the local people of coastal region of their traditional rights to manufacturer salt.The rise in the price of salt was felt by every house.

       Nature of Rebellion 

#It was not a purely military revolt of disgruntled or demobilised soldiers but had a component that gave it a character of a civil uprising in which the Khurda Paikas, tribes men, peasants, the traditional rent collection and people engaged in native salt manufacturing - all took active part.

#The sudden changes brought by the East India Company in the traditional social facbric.

#The people's deep sense of pride and respect for the locality, religion,social customs and traditions played a pivotal role in their participation in the revolts .

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