Why in the news?
- November 15 marks Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, which marks Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary.
Birsa Munda
- Who was he?:
- He was an Indian tribal freedom fighter, reformer, and religious leader in the Deccan region.
- Other Name – ‘Dharti Abba’ or Father of the Earth
- His Contributions:
- Religious:
- He renounced Christianity and protested against the conversion of Tribals by Christian missionaries.
- He created a new religion called “Birsait”, which worshiped only one god and was used to spread strong anti-British feelings.
- Reformer:
- He stressed the need for the tribals to study their religion and not forget their cultural roots.
- He convinced people to give up superstition, alcohol, theft, lying, murder, and begging under his new religion.
- Freedom Fighter:
- As a freedom fighter, he led the Munda Rebellion against the British
- Death: Birsa died of cholera in the jail in 1900 and the movement faded out.
- Religious:
Munda Rebellion (1899 – 1900)
- Other Name: Ulgulan
- What is it?: a powerful anti-colonial uprising by the Munda tribe against the British Raj, local landlords, and exploitative moneylenders.
- Leader: Birsa Munda
- Location: Jharkhand
- Causes
- Economic Exploitation: The British introduced exploitative land practices, dispossessing the Mundas of their ancestral communal lands under the Khuntkatti system.
- Land Alienation: Tribal lands were transferred to landlords and moneylenders, causing immense distress among the Mundas.
- Religious and Social Oppression: Christian missionaries attempted mass conversions and suppressed tribal customs and beliefs, fueling resentment and resistance.
- Forced Labour: Practices like Beth Begri (forced labour) further deepened economic hardship.
- Outcome and Impact
- Military Suppression: The uprising was brutally suppressed by the British; Birsa Munda was arrested and died in custody in 1900. Hundreds of rebels were put on trial, with executions and life sentences pronounced.
- Legislative Reforms: The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act) of 1908 was passed to prevent further tribal land alienation and recognize tribal land rights—one of the most significant legacies of the movement.
- Tribal Consciousness: The rebellion led to increased tribal identity, future socio-political mobilization, and remembrance of Birsa Munda as a national folk hero.