In the 1760s, the East India Company decided to ban the religious practice of alms collection by sanyasis on the grounds that it was a form of illegal tax. A group of sanyasis, led by Pandit Bhabani Charan Pathak, decided to rebel against British oppression and were joined by a vast army of peasants who supported them. There were several battles with the British over a period of 40 years. The Sanyasi Revolt is considered to be the first anti-British uprising in India. Muslims fakirs such as Majnu Shah, Chirag Ali and Musa Shah joined it. Debi Chaudhurani was the woman member in this anti-British resistance. The revolt eventually fizzled out.