Question map
In which one of the following years did the British demarcate a large area of land as Damin-i-koh for settling the Santhals ?
Explanation
The British demarcated a large area of land as Damin-i-koh in 1832 for the settlement of the Santhals [1]. This region, located in the foothills of the Rajmahal Hills, was officially declared as the land of the Santhals, who were encouraged to settle there, practice plough agriculture, and become settled peasants. The demarcation aimed to reclaim dense forests for agricultural use and increase the Company's revenue [1]. Following this demarcation, Santhal settlements expanded rapidly; the number of villages grew from 40 in 1838 to 1,473 by 1851, and the population increased from 3,000 to over 82,000 during the same period [1]. The Santhals were required to live within this territory and cultivate at least one-tenth of the area within the first ten years of their settlement.
Sources
- [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE > 2. The Hoe and the Plough > p. 241