Nocturnal Meetings and Political Revolutions : A Critique of the Role of Night Meetings in Santal Hul of 1855-1856

The meetings organized or called at night are known as nocturnal meetings. Historically these meetingsplayed a key role in hastening major political upheavals leading to revolution. In many countries, nocturnalmeetings have been regularly arranged to finalize the strategy against the authority before initiatingarmed struggle for liberation. Of course, nocturnal meetings played a key role in preparing the backgroundof political revolutions , therefore, the focus of the present study is on the role of nocturnal meetings inSantal Hul of 1855-1856. Undoubtedly there were many kinds of preparations before calling the Hul byits Heroes and Comrades, so invitations for, and consequent gathering of large number of tribal andnon-tribal communities, nocturnal meetings were one of main preparations for the Hul. It at firstcontemplated and finally decided the strategy and actions to be followed during the course of challengesand ultimately called for revolution (Hul).The study, therefore, traces, discusses and examines theimportance of nocturnal meetings in Santal Hul of 1855-1856. As this is a neglected aspect of the Hul,the purpose of the proposed study is clear and significant.