Jhum Cultivators


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Jhum Cultivators

Jhum Cultivators: Some of them practiced jhum cultivation that is, shifting cultivation. This was done on small patches of land, mostly in forests. The cultivators cut the treetops to allow sunlight to reach the ground, and burnt the vegetation on the land to clear it for cultivation. They spread the ash from the firing. Which contained potash, to fertilize the soil? They used the axe to cut trees and the hoe to scratch the soil in order to prepare it for cultivation. They broadcast the seeds, that is, scattered the seeds on the field instead of ploughing the land and sowing the seeds. Once the crop was ready and harvested, they moved to another field. A field that had been cultivated once was left fallow for several years.

The British favour the settled cultivation over Jhum cultivators

  • The British favoured settled cultivators because the British were uncomfortable with groups who moved about and didn't have a fixed income.
  • They wanted tribal groups to settled down and become peasants cultivators as it was difficult to control and administer the people who were always on the move.
  • The British also wanted a regular revenue source for the state ;so they introduced land settlements -that is , they measured the land and defined the rights of each individual to that land and fixed the revenue demand for the state.
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