ALL ABOUT BIRSA MUNDA

Introduction

Birsa Munda was an Indian tribal freedom fighter, reformer and religious leader. He was nicknamed as ‘Dharti Abba’ or Father of the Earth, by his followers.

Contribution

Religion

Renounced Christianity and protested against conversion of Tribals by Christian missionaries.
Created a new religion called “Birsait”, which worshipped only one god.
Birsait soon became the popular religion among the Mundas and Oraons.
Preached a strong anti-British sentiment through his religion.

Reformer

Stressed on the need of the tribals to study their own religion and not forget their cultural roots.
Convinced people to give up superstition, alcohol, theft, lying, murder and begging under his new religion.

Munda Rebellion

Background

Munda tribals practiced Khuntkatti system (joint holding by tribal lineages).
However, British colonial system intensified the transformation of the tribal agrarian system into a feudal state by introducing Zamindari-tenancy system.
Outsiders (Dikus) were invited by the Brtitish to settle on and cultivate the tribal land.
Thus, the various tribes, who were the original owners of the land, were left bereft of land and any means of livelihood.

'Ulgulan' or the 'Great Tumult' (1899-1900)

Birsa infused in tribals the values to love, respect, support and safeguard their land from outsiders.
He used traditional symbols and language to rouse people, urging them to destroy “Ravana” (dikus and the Europeans) and establish a kingdom under his leadership.
He mobilised thousands of tribal folk to form guerrilla armies to attack the British Raj.
He declared that the reign of Queen Victoria was over and the Munda Raj had begun.
He gave orders to the raiyats (tenant farmers) to pay no rents.
The people attacked police stations and churches, and raided the property of moneylenders and zamindars. They raised the white flag as a symbol of Birsa Raj.
The attacks were launched not only on the moneylender-landlord-mahajan-contractor combine, but directly against the British.
The massacre at Dumbri Hill made it a “hill of the dead” when hundreds of tribals lost their lives for the cause of freedom against the modern ammunition of the British.
The Great Tumult against Britishers sought to establish Munda Raj and independence.
The slogan of the movement was “Abua Raj ete jana, Maharani Raj Tundu Jana” which means “Let the kingdom of queen be ended and our kingdom established”.

Outcome

The Britishers were forced to abolish the feudal system that plagued the Adivasi lands in Jharkhand and Bihar.
Birsa compelled the Britishers to introduce new legislation - the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act, 1908. This Act prohibited the transfer of tribal land to non-tribal parties.
Government recognized Khuntkatti rights and banned Beth Begari (forced labour)

Significance

Birsa Munda’s political awareness and ability to connect with people became the foundation of later tribal movements in the nineteenth century.
He became a symbol of the anti-feudal, anti-colonial struggle of that time.
His influential personality and motivational speeches encouraged the public to believe in the power of freedom.
His revolutionary work not only put an effective dent in the British rule, it also helped mobilise tribals.
It is due to him and many other such activists and tribals in today’s India get inspired to protect their rights.

The Munda people initially spread from Southeast Asia some 4000–3500 years ago, but mixed extensively with local Indian populations. This ethnic group predominantly speaks the Mundari language as their native language, which belongs to Austroasiatic languages. The Munda are found in the northern areas of east India concentrated in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal. The Munda also reside in adjacent areas of Chhattisgarh as well as in portions of Bangladesh. They are one of India's largest scheduled tribes. Munda people in Tripura are also known as Mura.