Source: This post on Birsa Munda has been created based on the article “Prime Minister pays tribute to Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary, commemorated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas” published in The Hindu on 15th November 2024.
Why in news?
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi honored Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary, celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.
About Birsa Munda
1. Birsa Munda (1875–1900) was a prominent tribal leader, freedom fighter, and folk hero from India.
2. He was born on November 15, 1875, in Ulihatu village, Ranch, Jharkhand.
3. He belonged to the Munda tribe, a prominent tribal community in the Chotanagpur plateau.
4. He attended missionary schools; learned about Western education and Christianity but later rejected colonial influences.
Struggles Against British Colonial Rule
Opposition to Exploitation: He fought against the oppressive British policies and the exploitation of tribal lands by landlords (dikus) and the colonial government.
Land Rights Movement: He advocated for tribal autonomy and protection of land through the “Ulgulan” (The Great Rebellion).
Religious and Social Reforms
Spiritual Leadership: He declared himself a prophet and began preaching the message of monotheism, unity, and social reform.
Cultural Revival: He encouraged tribal people to return to their indigenous culture and reject superstitions, alcohol consumption, and missionary conversions.
Religious Movement: He founded a new faith combining tribal beliefs with elements of his revolutionary ideology.
About the Ulgulan Movement
1. He led the Ulgulan (Revolt) in the late 1890s to reclaim tribal lands from British control.
2. It was aimed to establish a self-governing tribal system and abolish feudal landlordism.
3. He organized the Mundas and other tribal communities to resist through guerrilla warfare.
4. He was arrested by British authorities in 1900 and imprisoned in Ranchi Jail, where he died on June 9, 1900 under mysterious circumstances.
Legacy
1. He played a pivotal role in inspiring the tribal identity and movements that led to the formation of Jharkhand state in 2000.
2. He was honored as “Bhagwan” n(God) by his followers and remembered as a symbol of tribal pride and resistance.
3. Tributes: His birth anniversary, November 15 is celebrated as Jharkhand Foundation Day and Birsa Munda Jayanti.
Read more: 124th Death Anniversary of Birsa Munda
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