Special Feature on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas – November 15
Published on: November 14, 2026
By: Dhananjay Rathore
Joint Director, Public Relations, Raipur
Location: Raipur, India
Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the great freedom fighter and symbol of tribal pride, is remembered as ‘Dharti Aaba’, the guardian of water, forests, land and tribal identity. By raising the banner of resistance against injustice and foreign rule, he awakened an extraordinary sense of self-respect and awareness of rights among tribal communities. His supreme sacrifice at a young age for the protection of his motherland, society and culture remains an immortal chapter in Indian history. His courage, leadership and spirit of public service continue to inspire generations to stand for social justice, dignity and the national interest.
Birth and the Awakening of Tribal Consciousness
Birsa Munda was born on November 15, 1875, in Ulihatu village in present-day Khunti district of Jharkhand. His birthday is observed every year as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.
His childhood was spent amid the forests and fields of the Chaibasa region. During his education, he briefly attended a Christian missionary school, where he was given the name ‘Birsa David’. It was during this period that he began to recognise how missionary institutions and the British system were affecting tribal culture, languages and traditional rights.
He subsequently left the missionary school and resolved to protect the identity and traditions of his community.
Birsa Movement and Social Reform
Before leading an armed uprising, Birsa Munda focused on strengthening tribal society from within. He believed that social evils, superstition and alcohol consumption were weakening the community.
He encouraged people to worship a single God, Singbonga, and emphasised social reform through prohibition of alcohol, opposition to animal sacrifice and the importance of cleanliness.
His reformist ideas attracted thousands of followers, who affectionately began calling him ‘Dharti Aaba’, meaning Father of the Earth.
Ulgulan: The Great Revolt and the Call for ‘Abua Dishum, Abua Raj’
‘Ulgulan’ is a word in the Mundari language that means a great upheaval or revolt. The movement emerged against British rule and the exploitative practices of outsiders, including landlords and moneylenders, who were dispossessing tribal communities of their ancestral lands.
Birsa Munda united tribal people in the forests of Singhbhum and Ranchi and gave the historic call:
“Abua Raj Ete Jana, Maharani Raj Tundu Jana.”
The slogan meant that their own rule would begin and the rule of the Queen would come to an end.
Armed with bows, arrows and traditional weapons, tribal fighters launched guerrilla attacks against British outposts, police stations and landlords. The battle at Dombari Hill became one of the major centres of the movement.
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On October 1, 1894, Birsa raised his voice for the protection of people’s rights and initiated a movement demanding exemption from illegal land revenue. The British authorities viewed his activities as a direct challenge to their rule. He was arrested in 1895 and sentenced to two years in prison.
After his release, Birsa did not retreat from public life. Instead, he served people affected by famine and epidemics in the Chotanagpur region. His call of “Abua Dishum, Abua Raj”—our land, our rule—reawakened a sense of collective identity and resistance.
The Great Sacrifice and Its Historical Impact
Between 1897 and 1900, Birsa Munda adopted guerrilla warfare strategies against British authority. His growing influence alarmed colonial officials and sections of the exploitative establishment.
On December 24, 1899, as the movement intensified, British forces opened fire on unarmed tribal people at Dombari Buru Hill. The tribal community displayed remarkable courage, but traditional bows and arrows could not withstand modern firearms for long.
The British subsequently announced a reward for Birsa Munda’s capture. In March 1900, he was arrested while asleep in the Jamkopai forest near Chakradharpur.
At just 24–25 years of age, Birsa Munda died in Ranchi Jail on June 9, 1900, under mysterious circumstances. While the British authorities attributed his death to cholera, suspicions of poisoning have also persisted among sections of historians and the public.
His struggle had a lasting impact on the protection of tribal land rights. The British later enacted the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, which restricted the transfer of tribal land to outsiders.
An Immortal Inspiration for Generations
The life of Dharti Aaba Birsa Munda teaches that a lack of resources cannot weaken determination when the protection of culture, identity and rights is at stake.
His mass movement against British rule for the protection of water, forests and land lit an enduring flame of tribal pride and self-respect.
In 2021, the Central Government declared November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, recognising the contribution of tribal freedom fighters and their role in India’s history.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s life and sacrifice will continue to inspire future generations through his legacy of courage, patriotism, social reform and unwavering commitment to the rights and dignity of tribal communities.
