Which of the following was the precursor of the Revolution of 1857 ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

The Sanyasi Revolt (also known as the Sannyasi and Fakir Rebellion) is correctly identified as the precursor to the Great Revolt of 1857 primarily due to its early timing and its character as one of the first major organized challenges against British rule in India. Occurring between the 1770s and 1800, soon after the British gained control of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey (1757), this series of skirmishes and protests involved groups of wandering Hindu sanyasis and Muslim fakirs. Their grievances centered on the restrictive British regulations on visiting holy places, harsh economic exploitation following the devastating Bengal Famine of 1770, and the collapse of the traditional agrarian system. The Sanyasi Revolt set an important historical precedent by being an early, large-scale peasant and religious movement that explicitly challenged the Company's authority, utilizing guerrilla warfare and maintaining resistance for several decades—a spirit of defiance that conceptually paved the way for later, larger uprisings like the one in 1857.

The incorrect option is 1:

The Indigo Revolt took place in Bengal much later, beginning in 1859, which is two years *after* the Revolution of 1857. This revolt was specifically focused on protesting the coercive practices of indigo planters forcing peasants to grow indigo instead of food crops.

The incorrect option is 3:

Ulgulan refers to the Munda Rebellion led by Birsa Munda. This major tribal uprising occurred much later, starting in the late 19th century (1899-1900), making it chronologically subsequent to the 1857 Revolution, not its precursor.

The incorrect option is 4:

The Pabna Revolt was a resistance movement by the peasantry in the Pabna district of Bengal against oppressive zamindars, which occurred in 1873-1876. Since it took place more than fifteen years after 1857, it cannot be considered a precursor to that revolution.