The Paharias responded to the coming of outsiders through resistance and withdrawal. They withdrew deep into the mountains, insulating themselves from hostile forces, and carried on a war with outsiders. They viewed every white man with suspicion and distrust, seeing them as a power that was destroying their way of life and snatching away their control over forests and lands.

The Paharia chiefs maintained the unity of the group and led the tribe in battles with other tribes and plainspeople. They regularly raided the plains as a way of asserting power over settled communities and negotiating political relations with outsiders. When the Santhals settled on the peripheries of the Rajmahal hills, the Paharias resisted but were ultimately forced to withdraw deeper into the hills.

Many Paharia chiefs refused the annual allowances offered by the British during the pacification policy. Those who accepted lost authority within the community, as they came to be perceived as subordinate employees.