Birsa Munda

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)