Paika rebellion of 1817: Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Paika rebellion of 1817:Important Topics for UPSC Exams

The Paik Rebellion also called the Paika Rebellion was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817.
The Paiks rose in rebellion under their leader BakshiJagabandhu and, projecting Lord Jagannath as the symbol of Odia unity, the rebellion quickly spread across most of Odisha before being ruthlessly put down by the company's forces.
The Paiks were the traditional landed militia of Odisha. They served as warriors and were charged with policing functions during peacetime.
The Paiks were alienated by the British regime, who took over the hereditary rent-free lands granted to them after the conquest of Khurda.
They were also subjected to extortion and oppression at the hands of the company government and its servants. Had conciliatory measures been adopted towards the Paiks from the beginning, it is possible that they would have become a source of strength to the company rule in Odisha
When the British started tinkering with the revenue system in 1803, the farming community of Odisha rose in rebellion.
Government celebrated 200th anniversary of PaikaRebellian.