BIRSA MUNDA

• Birth:

  • Born on 15 November 1875 in the Chotanagpur Plateau, belonging to the Munda tribe.

• Brief Profile:

  • Known as ‘Dharti Aaba’ (Father of Earth), Birsa Munda rallied the tribal community against British rule.
  • He compelled colonial officials to enact laws safeguarding tribal land rights.

• Birsait Sect:

  • Initiated the ‘Birsait’ faith in response to British colonization and missionary efforts.
  • Attracted members from the Munda and Oraon communities, countering British conversion attempts.
  • Advocated abstinence from alcohol, village cleanliness, and abandonment of superstitions.

• Munda Rebellion (1899-1900):

  • Identified British land policies, Hindu landlords, and missionary criticism as causes of Munda suffering.
  • Launched ‘Ulgulan’ or the ‘Great Tumult’ aiming to establish Munda Raj by expelling the British.
  • Used traditional symbols to rally support and aimed to establish a kingdom under Birsa’s leadership.
  • Followers targeted symbols of outsider power, attacking police stations, churches, and the property of landlords. Raised the white flag as a symbol of Birsa Raj.
  • Birsa’s arrest in March 1900 led to the movement’s decline; he died of cholera in jail.

• Significance of Munda Rebellion:

  • Pressured the colonial government to pass the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908, safeguarding tribal land.
  • Demonstrated tribal capacity to resist injustice and express dissent against colonial rule.