A: Resentment of the Traditional Leaders

Annexations, wars, Subsidiary alliances, Doctrine of Lapse etc. all contribute to resentment among traditional rulers. Some landlords too not happy with new ideas about land revenue policies and its implementation. 

B. Movements at the "popular" level

Not urban, not literate, not Orientalist. Mainly peasants, tribal or artisan groups. Rebellion not a of REFLEX action, but a thought out response to depredations, demands, and the circumstances created by colonialism. For good reason, they not attack ONLY colonial authority, but ALSO their IMMEDIATE oppressors, including Indians. 

C. Coming together of two levels in 1857.

EVENTS

10th of May 1857, Indian soldiers in north Indian town of Meerut, revolted.

Joined by some princes of north and central India, some landowners, also common people. Soldiers "restore" as the ruler of India rather reluctant Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II.

British lost control over large parts of Northern India, parts of Deccan and eastern India.

Revolt crushed within a year, and very brutally with a ferocity that bordered on genocide.

CAUSES

LAND REVENUE POLICIES: Lead to Loss of land, commercial agriculture.

DEINDUSTRIALIZATION: Loss to artisans.

Political POLICIES: Conquest, Lapse, etc. motivate leaders to lead.

Immediate cause: Annexation of OUDH in 1856.

Not a religious revolt, because otherwise much more widespread.

The infamous greased cartridges the last straw.

NATURE of the revolt.

LIMITED geographically: Mainly NORTH and EAST, but NO PUNJAB, NO BENGAL.

Leaders TRADITIONAL.

NOT nationalist, nor "feudal." Lower classes sometimes FORCE leaders to rebel.

Precisely because it was NOT a modern nationalist revolt, not forge extra-local linkages.

Though POPULAR participation, also cannot call it a POPULAR revolt against EIC.
 

D. Other Responses: Movements among educated urban elites (the middle class)

DEROZIO, Young Bengal: Enthusiastic about West, critical of Indian customs etc. Somewhat like ANGLICISTS were.

CONSERVATIVES, such as the  DHARMA SABHA-ites, who defend social customs and practices. Felt EVANGELISTS would destroy Indian (Hindu) religion.

Raja Rammohan Roy, blend Western with (ORIENTALIST-derived?) ideas about "traditional" India. Sought to reform Indian customs but sought justification in the ANCIENT texts like UPANISHADS which the Orientalists scholars had praised.

Similar movements of reform/ revival among MUSLIMS - back to QURAN, purify and reform popular Islam.