ABSTRACT
During and after the Santal rebellion (1855–1856), the reasons behind the rebellion were investigated by the colonial authorities and, while they did not understand the religious background, they were well aware of social grievances and sought to mitigate some of them. The tremendous taxation was not reconsidered, but the government did try to ameliorate many of the issues regarding corruption among police officers and corrupt procedures in the collection of taxes. This was accomplished in part by establishing a new district, the Santal Parganas, where Santals would be administered directly by European officers. Besides this effort, a number of relief projects were initiated in order to reduce the effects of a famine that had hit the areas of the rebellion. Such efforts came to legitimate the East India Company Government and the later colonial government in the eyes of some Santals.
