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Birsa Munda rose from Ulihatu to challenge British rule and protect Adivasi land rights.
He led the Ulgulan movement, uniting tribal communities against exploitation.
India honoured his enduring legacy on his 150th birth anniversary with nationwide tributes.
India has seen many freedom struggle figures who emerged from the margins of society, becoming the voices of the people who often remained unheard. One such young tribal leader is Bhagwan Birsa Munda, also known as “Dharti Abba” (Father of the Earth) of the Chotanagpur region, who left a lasting mark on the social and political landscape of eastern India. His life was filled with the everyday struggles that affected the Adivasi communities during British rule, like displacement, loss of land, and cultural erosion. Today, India celebrates his 150th birth anniversary, which is observed as “Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas” (Tribal Pride Day).
Birsa Munda was born to Sugna Munda and Karmi Hatu of the “Munda community” in Ulihatu village, located in present-day Jharkhand, on 15th November 1875. The Munda community is a tribal group known for their strong ties to land, forests, and communal ways of living. He came from a modest household that frequently moved in search of work, which was a harsh reality faced by Adivasi families as an aftermath of the economic pressures caused by the expanding British forest and land policies.
Birsa’s childhood witnessed major changes in the region, including the introduction of zamindari systems, new taxes, and forest regulations. These new rules impacted the traditional “Khuntkatti” land rights of Adivasi communities. Tribal people had maintained their autonomy for centuries, but these policies disrupted it and affected their livelihood and identity. These shifts later formed the foundation of Birsa’s political consciousness.
Birsa attended a German Mission school at Chaibasa, West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, where he was exposed to new ideas, customs, and religious teachings along with learning to read and write. He became aware of the declining tribal practices and the impact of outsiders on everyday Adivasi life while gaining formal education.
The school acted as a bridge between Birsa and the transformation happening around him. He observed how communities were leaving their own land due to land alienation, exploitation, and forced labour under the “beth begari” system. A sense of responsibility sprouted in him as these experiences combined with the cultural shifts he witnessed in his childhood. As a result, he left the missionary school with the belief that his community needed someone of their own to take charge and not rely on an external framework.
Birsa began to gather followers by the early 1890s. He started by encouraging people to let go of practices that weakened the community and to reconnect with traditional cultural values as part of internal reforms. These teachings later became more widespread, with a collective meaning. Birsa became known to the people as someone who understood their unspoken pain, far beyond the role of a social reformer. This movement came to be known as the “Birsait” movement.
Adivasis faced exploitation, and he started raising his voice against it. They lost their land to the zamindari system and were living on their own lands as tenants or labourers. They were forced into unpaid labour by landlords. Their cultural identity was affected, and the new forest laws negatively influenced communities that depended on forests for survival. Birsa not only fought but also urged people to defend their land, dignity, and identity. He had a simple message: “The land belongs to those who live on it, and no external authority has the right to take it away.”
The years between 1899 and 1900 marked the peak of Birsa Munda’s movement, known as the “Ulgulan,” meaning “The Great Tumult.” The Ulgulan was a clear assertion of indigenous rights against colonial rule, different from the framework of the national freedom struggle of the 20th-century movements. The movement aimed for the restoration of traditional Munda land rights, an end to forced labour, freedom from unjust taxes, and protection of Adivasi culture and governance systems.
The movement was a form of defence for local communities trying to preserve their way of life, while the British saw it as a threat to their authority. Birsa became the voice for the voiceless community, becoming a symbol of unity. He was believed to have given hope at a time of uncertainty.
The Ulgulan was seen as a threat by the British administration, and they swiftly moved to suppress the movement. They arrested Birsa and his followers in early 1900, and the tribal leader closed his eyes forever at the young age of 25 on 9th June 1900 in Ranchi jail. The reason behind his death was claimed to be cholera in official records, although many questioned the claim, given the conditions and circumstances of his imprisonment.
His death took away a young evolving leader, but his influence remained. The British were forced to re-evaluate the land policies in the Chotanagpur region, giving way to the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908. The Act provided legal protection for tribal land rights, becoming one of the earliest recognitions of indigenous land issues during colonial rule.
Birsa Munda became an example of the saying “Life should be meaningful, not long,” as his lifespan of 25 years impacted generations. The first-ever organised tribal movement in eastern India against British rule is associated with his name. He ensured that tribal people had the right to live on their land and preserve their culture with dignity.
His life continues to inspire generations across India, especially in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh. Various institutions, universities, and public spaces are named after him as a tribute to the man who stood to preserve indigenous culture.
India celebrated him today on his 150th birth anniversary, marking a significant moment for both Adivasi communities and the nation. Tributes in the form of processions, storytelling, seminars, exhibitions, and public events poured in from across the country. National leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Draupadi Murmu paid homage to the great personality. It is a day that reflects the history and relevance of Birsa Munda’s work. We should all remember the values he once stood for, which would serve as a true homage to the young leader."
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