Why did the hunters of halagali revolt
Answers
Halagali is a small village in Mudhol taluk, Bagalkot district.
The first uprising against the British was evidenced at Halagali. The prince of Mudhol, Ghorpade had accepted British overlordship but the Bedas (hunters), a marshal community, were seething with dissatisfaction under the new dispensation. The British proclaimed the Disarming Act of 1857 whereby men possessing firearms had to register them and secure a license before November 10, 1857. Babaji Nimbalkar, a soldier was thrown out of his job from Satara Court, had advised these people not to loose their hereditary right to own arms.
One of the leaders of the Bedas, Jadgia was invited by the administrator at Mudhol and was persuaded to secure a license on November 11, though Jadgia had not asked for it. The administrator’s expectation that others would follow Jadgia was belied. So he sent his agents to Halagali on November 15, 20 and again on 21. But the entreaties of the agents did not succeed, and the agents sent on November 21 were attacked by Jadgia and Baalya, another leader and they were forced to return. Another agent sent on November 25 was not allowed to enter the village.
Meanwhile, the Bedas and other armed men from the neighboring villages of Mantur, Boodni and Alagundi assembled at Halagali. The administrator reported the matter to Major Malcolm, the commander at the nearby army headquarters, who sent Colenel Seton Karr to Halagali on November 29.
The insurgents, numbering 500 did not allow the British forces to enter Halagali. There was a fight during the night. On November 30, Major Malcolm came with 29th Regiment from Bagalkot. They set fire to the village and many insurgents, including Babaji Nimbalkar died. The British, who had a bigger army and better arms arrested 290 insurgents; and of these 29 were tried and 11 were hanged at Mudhol on December 11, and 6 others, including Jadagia and Baalya were hanged at Halagali on December 14, 1857. No prince or jagirdar was involved in this uprising, but it was by common soldiers.
The nationwide agitation of 1857 , against the British rule in India is termed as a rebellion, a revolt, The "Sepoy Mutiny" and "War of Independence". But all these terms do justify together if interpreted in the national context.
There is no doubt that there was overall resentment against the foreign rulers and attempts were made at different levels to overthrow it. But a powerful and centrally organized force to combine the agitating agencies spread over the huge (then undivided) peninsula was lacking. There were numerous small states and principalities and kingdoms big and small. Individual and state interests were at stake. The doctrine of lapse, high taxes, the "Divide and Rule" policy, fleecing of resources along with unscrupulous suppression of local agitations, led to resentment at all levels of the ruled population. In Northern India the revolt was prominent because of the active involvement of ex-rulers like the Mogul emperor and the Peshwas and their still powerful halo.
In South India also the revolt took place in different regions and in specifically at five places in Karnataka. It was to remember the role of these martyrs on the 150th year of 1857, that a seminar was arranged in Mythic Society on May 27, 2007.