37 Facts About Birsa Munda

Birsa Munda was an Indian tribal independence activist, and folk hero who belonged to the Munda tribe.

Birsa Munda spearheaded a tribal religious millenarian movement that arose in the Bengal Presidency in the late 19th century, during the British Raj, thereby making him an important figure in the history of the Indian independence movement.

Birsa Munda received his education in Salga under the guidance of his teacher Jaipal Nag.

Later, Birsa Munda converted to Christianity to join the German Mission School.

The cause of the Birsa Munda revolt was the 'unfair land grabbing practices by colonial and local authorities that demolished the tribal conventional land system'.

Birsa Munda is known for challenging the British Christian missionaries and revolting against the conversion activities along with the Munda and Oraon communities.

The claim of Ulihatu rests on Birsa's elder brother Komta Munda living in the village, where his house still exists albeit in a dilapidated condition.

Birsa Munda went around with the tuila, the one-stringed instrument made from the pumpkin, in his hand and the flute strung to his waist.

Birsa Munda went to school at Salga, run by one Jaipal Nag.

Birsa Munda accompanied his mother's younger sister, Joni, who was fond of him, when she was married, to Khatanga, her new home.

Birsa Munda came in contact with a Christian missionary who visited a few families in the village which had been converted to Christianity.

Birsa Munda understood very soon that Christian missionaries were converting tribals to Christianity.

Birsa Munda's stay at Chaibasa from 1886 to 1890 constituted a formative period of his life.

In light of the independence struggle, Sugana Birsa Munda withdrew his son from school.

Birsa Munda left Gerbera in the wake of the mounting Sardar agitation.

Birsa Munda participated in the agitation stemming from popular disaffection at the restrictions imposed upon the traditional rights of the Mundas in the protected forest, under the leadership of Gideon of Piring in the Porhat area.

In 1894, Birsa Munda had grown up into a strong young man, shrewd and intelligent, and undertook the work of repairing the Dombari tank at Gerbera damaged by rains.

Birsa Munda rebuked them and referred the wife of Jaga Munda to her husband.

Birsa Munda stressed monogamy at a later stage in his life.

Birsa Munda is credited for reviving the traditional tribal culture which was mostly negatively affected by British Christian missionary works.

Birsa Munda opposed and criticised the Church and its practices such as levying of taxes and religious conversions.

In 1895, Birsa Munda is said to have seen a vision of a supreme God.

Birsa Munda himself became a preacher and a representative of their traditional tribal religion, and soon, he built up a reputation of a healer, a miracle-worker, and a preacher.

Birsa Munda started to advise tribal people to pursue their original traditional tribal religious system.

In 1895, in Chalkad village of Tamar, Birsa Munda renounced Christianity, asked his fellow tribesmen to worship only one God and give up the worship of bongas.

Birsa Munda declared himself a prophet who had come to recover the lost kingdom of his people.

Birsa Munda said that the reign of Queen Victoria was over and the Munda Raj had begun.

Birsa Munda gave orders to the raiyats to pay no rents.

Birsa Munda said that the temple belonged to the Kols.

Birsa Munda went underground for two years but attending a series of secret meetings.

Birsa Munda allegedly urged the killing of Thikadars and Jagirdars and Rajas and Hakims and Christians and promised that the guns and bullets would turn to water.

On Christmas Eve of 1899, Birsa Munda's followers tried to burn down churches in Ranchi and Singhabhum.

On 5 January 1900, Birsa Munda's followers killed two police constables at Etkedih.

Birsa Munda was arrested at Jamkopai forest in Chakradharpur on 3 February 1900.

Birsa Munda's arrest was a major achievement for the British.

The Statue of Ulgulan is a proposed 150-foot-tall statue of Birsa Munda to be built in Jharkhand with stones collected from households in the region.

Birsa Munda is commemorated in the names of the following institutions and organizations:.