“The battle between the hoe and the plough was a long one”. Substantiate the statement with reference to the Santhals and Paharis of Raj Mahal Hills during 18th century.
The battle between the hoe and the plough was a long one:
i. The British wanted to bring more land under cultivation for increasing agricultural produce and revenue.They failed to convince the Paharias to practice settled
agriculture.
ii. Hill folk in the Rajmahal hills were known as Paharias. They depended on forest produce and shifting cultivation or their living and grew a variety of pulses and millets for consumption.
iii. The British gave land to Santhals (Damin-i-koh) to settle in cultivate. The Santhals cleared land and converted it into cultivable land.
iv. Santhals displaced the Paharias. They practiced plough agriculture and ploughed land to grow rice and cotton.
