People from the tribal community give the status of Lord to Birsa Munda. So, let's find out who Birsa Munda is in today's article.
Birsa Munda was born on November 15, 1875, in the village of Ulihatu in Ranchi district of Jharkhand. He was the first child of his parents, and as per the customs of the Munda tribe, he was named Birsa.
Birsa Munda spent his childhood in the forests and rural areas, just like other Munda tribal children. His father worked as a farmer, and Birsa would often accompany him to the fields. From a young age, Birsa was skilled in archery.
Birsa Munda came into contact with Christian missionaries and was influenced by their teachings. He was admitted to a German missionary school, where he learned to read and write. However, he soon dropped out of school due to the strict rules and discipline.
Birsa Munda then came into contact with a Vaishnavite saint named Anand Pandey, who taught him about Hindu scriptures such as the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Bhagavad Gita.
During this time, the British colonial government was exploiting the tribal communities, and Birsa Munda decided to take action. He started a movement to unite the tribal communities and resist British rule.
In 1894, Birsa Munda joined the Sardar movement, which aimed to protect the rights of tribal communities. He also started a rebellion against the British government.
Birsa Munda was arrested on February 3, 1900, in the Jamkopai forest of Chakradharpur. He was charged with several crimes, including rebellion against the British government.
Birsa Munda died in prison on June 9, 1900. His death was a significant blow to the tribal movement, but his legacy continued to inspire future generations.
Every year, Birsa Munda's birthday is celebrated on November 15. A memorial has been built in his honor in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
In popular culture, Birsa Munda is revered as a hero.
A stamp was issued in his honor in 1988. Even today, his birthday on November 15 is celebrated with great fervor by tribal communities in Karnataka's Mysuru and Kodagu districts, and official functions are held at his samadhi sthal in Kokar Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Today, many institutions, organizations, and structures bear his name, including the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi, Birsa Institute of Technology in Sindri, Birsa Munda Vanavasi Chhatravas in Kanpur, Sidho Kanho Birsha University in Purulia, and Birsa Agricultural University.
The Bihar Regiment's battle cry is "Birsa Munda Ki Jay". In 2008, a Hindi film, "Gandhi Se Pehle Gandhi", was made on the life of Birsa Munda, directed by Iqbal Durrani, based on his novel of the same name. Another Hindi film, "Ulgulan-Ek Kranti (The Revolution)", was made in 2004 by Ashok Saran, featuring 500 Birsaite or Birsa followers.
Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, writer-activist Mahasweta Devi's historical fiction, "Aranyer Adhikar" (1977), based on his life and the Munda rebellion, won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Bengali in 1979.
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