Birsa Munda was a freedom fighter and grassroot tribal leader who fought against British Colonialism. The British imperialism resulted in the assault of lakhs and lakhs of the tribal population, resulting in Munda’s origination. Munda shielded the rights and liberties of the tribal people against the oppressive British Raj and therefore given the title of Bhagwan (God) Birsa Munda.
The glory and splendour of Birsa are remarkable because the virtue of the fact is that Birsa became the leading figure of the tribal population in a tiny life span of 25 years. Against the monstrous British Rule, Birsa rise as a hope for the tribal people.
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Early Years of Life:
Birsa Munda was born on 15th November 1875 in the Ulihatu village at that time Bengal presidency (presently Khunti district of Jharkhand). Munda was born to Sugana Munda (father) and Karmi Hatu (mother) and spent his early years travelling from one village to another. Jaipal Nag taught Birsa Munda at Salga. The family spend their lives finding wages and jobs from one place to another.
Birsa Munda was studious and affectionate towards gathering knowledge. He was forcefully converted to Christianity and got admission to the German Mission School. After a few years, he left the German Mission School and Christianity after questioning the Jesuits about why imparity with Munda Sardars. Birsa even criticized the Church system for performing forced religious conversions and levying heavy taxes.
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Works for restoring Cultural and Religious Identity:
Birsa Munda started its new ethnic tribal traditional religion and propagated the idea to the tribal communities and people. Birsa Munda adopted the elements of Vaishnavism and Mundari to find his religious identity. The Mundas, Oraons and Kharias of the Barwari and Chechari region became convinced by the thoughts of Birsa of promoting their own cultural and ethnic identity. Soon, Birsa became a saintly figure to the tribal people, and people are even believed to have come to seek his blessings.
Birsa explores the principles of Hinduism from a Vaishnav monk who has been with several Hindu texts, including the Gita, Ramayana and Vedas. He wants to make a peaceful society that advocates the concept of love and peace. Eventually, people started seeing him as a healer, preacher and miracle worker. He even emphasized the prayers. Birsa reunited those who were converted into Christianity forcefully or by greed. He made people work on virtue and morals, not based on desire.