Chacko Anthony SJ
Birsa Munda is honoured as one of Jharkhand’s (India) greatest freedom fighters. For a man who died for the cause of his tribal brethren, his death at the age of twenty-five was an irreparable shock to his followers, and a loss to all of Jharkhand.
Birsa, as he is popularly known, was born on 15 November 1875. On 9 June, 1900 he died in Ranchi jail, reportedly vomiting blood. Was he poisoned? May be! Was he tortured? Possibly! One could not trust the lackey police of the British administration. But, one thing is clear. Birsa is a martyr for the cause of his indigenous people’s freedom.
Ulihat was a decrepit village in Lohardaga district of Bengal Presidency (now Jharkhand). That was Birsa’s birthplace. Birsa was a visionary. His revolt revolved around the Munda belt of Khunti, Tamar, Sarwada and Bandgaon.
Birsa revolted against the British tactics of exploiting the tribals and the agrarian community. Landlord and jagirdari systems introduced by the British were repugnant to Birsa. He coined the slogan ‘Abua Raj’ (Our Kingdom) as against the British Kingdom. He fought against land alienation and advocated tribal rights.
It is said that he claimed to be a new visionary of a new religion with belief in one God. He instructed his followers not to pay rent to the British. His followers called him Dharti Aba (Earthly Father)
Many criminal cases were clamped on Birsa and his followers. Birsa was arrested from Jamkopai forest in Chakradarpur in Singhbhum district on3 March 1900. He died in Ranchi jail on 9 June 1900. Today that jail is known as Birsa Munda jail.
Birsa is commemorated in many institutions and organisations. Among others, the most well known are : Birsa Agricultural University, Birsa Institute of Technology, Birsa College, Khunti, Birsa Institute of Technology Sindri, Sindo-Kanhu Birsa University, Birsa Munda Athletic Stadium, Birsa Munda Airport, Birsa Munda Central Jail, and Birsa Munda Tribal University.
Mahasweta Devi, famous Indian writer and activist, produced a novel called Aranyer Adhikar (Forest Rights) in 1977. It was based on Birsa Munda and his rebellion against the British Raj. For this she won the Sahitya Academy award for Bengali in 1979.