What was the Birsa movement and what was its significance?
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Birsa Munda was a folk hero and a tribal freedom fighter hailing from the Munda tribe. He was a spearhead behind the Millenarian movement that arose in the Bihar and Jharkhand belt in the early 19th century under the British colonisation.
Munda rallied the tribals to fight against the forceful land grabbing carried out by the British government which would turn the tribals into bonded labourers and force upon them abject poverty. Known as 'Dharti Abba' or the Earth Father, Birsa Munda stressed the need of the tribals to study their own religion and not forget their cultural roots. He influenced his people to realise the importance of owning their land and asserting their right upon them.
Birsa Munda as a prophet
From a Vaishnav monk, Birsa learned about Hindu religious teachings and studied the old scriptures along with the Ramayana and Mahabharata. He wore the sacred thread, worshipped the tulsi plant and gave up meat.
Birsa wanted to reform the tribal society and so, he urged them to let go of beliefs in witchcraft and instead, stressed on the importance of prayer, staying away from alcohol, having faith in God and observing a code of conduct.
Based on these, he started the faith of 'Birsait'. This was a threat to Christian missionaries who were converting the tribals left and right. Soon, the Mundas and Oraons became devoted Birsaities.
Birsa started a movement called 'Ulgulan', or 'The Great Tumult'. His struggle against the exploitation and discrimination against tribals led to a big hit against the British government in the form of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act being passed in 1908. The act restricted the passing on of land from the tribal people to non-tribals.
Birsa Munda did all this by the age of 25 when he died in a prison in Ranchi on June 9, 1900, after being arrested in March from Chakradharpur's Jamkopai forest, where he had been resting with his tribal guerrilla army.
Here is what you would not like to miss about the tribal warrior:
Birsa Munda was born on a Thursday and was named after the day of his birth according to the Munda custom
Many folk songs have been made to celebrate the life of the great warrior
According to folk songs, he used to play in the sand and dust with his friends.
He was an expert in playing the flute and used to carry an instrument made from pumpkin
He was very sharp in studies
Birsa converted to Christianity to join German Mission School since it was compulsory to convert to Christianity to join the school and was renamed as Birsa David, which he later changed to Birsa Daud
When he was in school, the German and Roman Catholic Christian agitation was at its peak. This made his father, Sugana Munda, withdraw his son from the school
The daughter of Mathura Muda of Koensar and the wife of Jaga Munda of Jiuri insisted on becoming wives of Birsa
Birsa Munda started to propagate the principles of Hindu religion and advised converted tribal people to read their original religious system thoroughly. He became such an important figure that tribal people used to seek his blessings
Stamp launched in 1988
He was valued as a god by his followers and looked upon as a prophet.
His birth anniversary, November 15, is still celebrated by tribal people in Karnataka. Official functions take place at his Samadhi Sthal in the capital of Jharkhand
Many organisations have been named after him such as Birsa Munda Airport Ranchi, Birsa Institute of Technology Sindri, Birsa Munda Vanvasi Chattravas, Sidho Kanho Birsha University, Purulia, and Birsa Agricultural University
He is the only tribal leader whose portrait hangs in the Central Hall of Indian Parliament as a mark of honour
Munda died of cholera on June 9, 1900. Although it was said that he did not show symptoms of cholera while he was in jail, the British government had declared that he died of cholera.