The battle between 'HOE' & 'PLOUGH' refers to:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Paharias and Santhal Settlers
The hoe stood for the shifting cultivation of the Paharias and the plough for the Santhal settlers, who cleared the forests of the lower Rajmahal hills and ploughed the land; the battle between the hoe and the plough was a long one.
NCERT (2026-27): “2.1 In the hills of Rajmahal … By this time in fact there were newer intimations of danger. Santhals were pouring into the area, clearing forests, cutting down timber, ploughing land and growing rice and cotton. As the lower hills were taken over by Santhal settlers, the Paharias receded deeper into the Rajmahal hills. If Paharia life was symbolised by the hoe, which they used for shifting cultivation, the settlers came to represent the power of the plough. The battle between the hoe and the plough was a long one.” |