It was one of the earliest major tribal resistance movements against British colonial rule in the Khandesh region (modern-day Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan).

• Used guerrilla warfare.

Causes of Revolt

• Loss of Autonomy: British occupation of Khandesh in 1818 dismantled traditional local governance and the relative safety the Bhils experienced under regional chieftains.
• Forest and Land Rights: Introduction of strict colonial forest laws stripped the community of ancestral hunting and foraging rights, banning traditional timber use and local liquor distillation.
• Economic Exploitation: Heavy taxation and predatory lending practices by outside moneylenders and revenue officials forced widespread indebtedness and land alienation.

Leadership

• Mobilized by local leaders including Kaja Naik, Bhima Naik, and later figures like Tantya Bhil (Mama).

Effect

• The British suppressed the revolt militarily and later  followed by a partial conciliatory policy to control the Bhils more effectively

Source: The Indian Express