Birsa Munda's 150th anniversary: A life cut short but an immortal legacy

Birsa Munda's birth anniversary on November 15 is celebrated as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas' to celebrate his legacy and observe the role of the tribal population in preserving India's heritage

On November 15, 2024, ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ marked the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the legendary tribal freedom fighter from Jharkhand. To honour his legacy, the Centre declared his birth anniversary as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ during the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ in 2021, which marked 75 years of Indian independence.

 

The day is also meant to observe the role of the tribal population in preserving India’s heritage and advancing its progress, and ultimately integrating them into the mainstream society. 

 

Continuing the tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jamui, Bihar, on Friday to mark the occasion with key announcements for tribal welfare. He is scheduled to unveil a commemorative coin and postal stamp in honour of Birsa Munda, as well as laying the foundation for development projects worth over Rs 6,640 crore.

 

Birsa Munda’s legacy and contribution to independence

The Centre based its tribal welfare policies on the values championed by Birsa Munda. In an official statement, Ministry of Tribal Affairs highlighted his revolutionary struggles, which were defined by his extraordinary courage and sacrifice.

 

Born in 1875 in present-day Jharkhand, Munda fought for the liberation of the tribal groups throughout his life, while leading a tribal uprising against the British regime. He died at a young age of 25 while in British custody.

 

Birsa Munda’s early revolts began in the town of Chotanagpur. According to a literature review shared by the Odisha government, he successfully forced the Britishers to enact the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908, which prevented the alienation of tribal land and had a provision for restoration of the alienated land.

 

Birsa Munda is revered as a ‘bhagwan’ (god) by the tribal community, with statues dedicated to him in various cities across Jharkhand. The capital city, Ranchi, is also home to the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in his honour.

Munda’s fight for tribal rights

In his brief life, Munda inspired his people to take pride in their culture. Tribals faced severe discrimination and exploitation during British rule, being reduced from landowners to bonded labourers in their own ancestral land. Even after decades of independence from the Britishers, the community still faced significant challenges and has been on the periphery of the society.

 

To free his people from British oppression, Munda led a protest march on October 1, 1894, demanding the remission of forest dues. He called on the tribals saying, “Maharani raj tundu jana oro abua raj ete jana”, calling for the end of British rule and restore their own kingdom.

 

His small movement in Chotanagpur quickly gained momentum, resonating with the people, who rallied to join his resistance. This eventually helped the tribal communities to reclaim freedom from exploitative landlords, moneylenders, and restore land rights, which is now etched as a remarkable chapter in tribal history.

 

According to the 2011 census, Jharkhand’s Scheduled Tribes population was 8.6 million, making up 26.2 per cent of the state’s total population. This significant demographic makes Birsa Munda’s legacy crucial for all political parties. Of the 81 Assembly constituencies in the state, 28 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 9 for Scheduled Castes. With Assembly elections currently underway in Jharkhand, his influence continues to play a central role in the election campaign of various parties.