Birsa Munda: A Tribal Icon

The Jharkhand Governor and Chief Minister recently paid tribute to Birsa Munda, a tribal freedom fighter and folk hero who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.

1. Early Life and Background:
   1. Birsa belonged to the Munda tribe in the Chhotanagpur Plateau area.
   2. He was born on November 15, 1875, and grew up in a time of British colonization.
2. Leadership and Resistance:
   1. Birsa led an indigenous tribal people's movement in Bihar and Jharkhand in the early 19th century.
   2. He united the tribals to fight against the forcible land grab by the British Government which aimed to turn the tribals into bonded labourers and push them into extreme poverty.
   3. Birsa encouraged the tribe to return to their traditions and reclaim their land rights.
3. The Munda Rebellion:
   1. Birsa led the Munda Rebellion, also known as the Ulgulan or the Tamar Revolt, in the late 19th century.
   2. The rebellion was a response to the oppressive policies of the British administration, including the imposition of forest laws, which restricted tribals' access to their traditional lands and imposed heavy taxes on them.
   3. Birsa united various tribal communities under the banner of the Munda Raj and led a series of guerrilla warfare campaigns against the British forces.
4. Religious Influence:
   1. Birsa founded the faith of Birsait, a blend of animism and indigenous beliefs that emphasized the worship of a single god.
   2. He became the tribal leader and was given the nickname, 'Dharti Aba,' or the father of the earth.
5. Legacy and Impact:
   1. Birsa Munda's leadership and struggle against exploitation and discrimination against tribals significantly impacted the British government.
   2. The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, passed in 1908, restricted the passing on of land from tribal people to non-tribals.
   3. The state of Jharkhand was created on his birth anniversary in 2000, recognizing his influence on the national movement.
   4. November 15, Birsa Munda's birth anniversary, was declared 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas' by the Central Government in 2021.

What is Chota Nagpur Plateau?

1. The Chota Nagpur Plateau, a dissected plateau in northeastern India, serves as one of the country's prominent industrial regions.
2. It includes a significant portion of Jharkhand and adjacent areas in Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh, covering roughly 65,000 sq. km.
3. The Indo-Gangetic Plain lies to the north and east of the plateau, while the Mahanadi River basin lies to the south.

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