• Birsa Munda was a tribal leader and the creator of an alternative faith called ''Birsait'', who belonged to the Munda tribe in the Jharkhand region, the then Bengal Presidency. Munda''s death anniversary is observed on June 9 every year.
• He was the first tribal freedom fighter, considered a significant figure in India''s struggle for tribal identities and rights since independence. He died in prison after getting arrested for revolting against the British.

Rejecting Christianity

• One of the lesser-known facts about Birsa Munda was his rejection of Christian Missionaries and conversion activities in tribal areas. He was an exemplary student, so his father Sugana Munda put him in the German Mission School, where he was converted to Christianity and named Birsa David.
• When the seeds of freedom against the British erupted in the late 1800s, Birsa''s father withdrew him from the school and left Christianity, and they went back to their traditional tribal religion. Anuncios As Birsa was negatively affected by Christianity, he offered an alternative faith called ''Birsait''. He was shocked at the British government and Christian Church''s forced religious conversions. Many tribal people converted to his religion, and he became the representative of their tribal religion and was considered a healer.

Fighting For Tribal Roots

• The Munda tribe inhabited the Chota Nagpur regionof today’s Jharkhand. When Birsa Munda was born in 1875, the British were attempting to establish control over and exploit forest lands, disrupting the tribal way of life. This was done in part by allying with local zamindars, who helped force the tribals into bonded labour.
• A feudal zamindari systemwas introduced, destroying the tribal “Khuntkatti” agrarian and land ownership system that was more community-based. The Raj brought in outsiders — moneylenders and contractors, as well as feudal landlords — to aid them.
• Mundareceived his early education under the guidance of his teacher Jaipal Nag. Influenced by him, Birsa converted to Christianity in order to join the German Mission School. He, however, opted out of the school after a few years.
• With the impact of British rule in the region, as well as the activities of Christian missionaries, many tribals became critical of the British and missionaries’ presence. From 1886 to 1890, Birsa Munda spent a large amount of time in Chaibasa, which was close to the centre of the Sardari agitation. The Sardars’ activities had a strong impact on him and he became a part of the anti-missionaryand anti-government programmes. By the time he left Chaibasa in 1890, Birsa was strongly entrenched in the movement against the British oppression of the tribal communities.
• Birsa soon emerged as a tribal leaderwho brought people together on fighting for these issues. He became a God-like figure, with him leading the faith of ‘Birsait’. Soon, members of the Munda and Oraon communities started joining the Birsait sect and it turned into a challenge to British conversion activities.
• The alienation of tribals from their land and livelihood enraged Birsa Munda. Anuncios Birsa announced himself as the Prophet for the Munda tribe and vowed to fight. He wanted to establish a kingdom for the tribals called ''Munda Raj''.

Ulgulan movement

• The Ulgulan movement of 1899also involved the use of weapons and guerrilla warfare to drive out foreigners. Munda encouraged the tribals to refuse following colonial laws and paying rent. He encouraged changes in the social sphere too; challenging religious practices to fight against superstition, and became known as ‘Bhagwan’ (God) and ‘Dharati Aba’ (Father of the earth) by his followers.
• But the British were soon able to halt the movement. On 3 March 1900, Munda was arrested by the British policewhile he was sleeping with his tribal guerilla army at Jamkopai forest in Chakradharpur.
• It is believed he died in Ranchi jail due to an illnesson 9 June 1900, at the young age of 25. Though he lived a short life and the movement died out soon after his death, Birsa Munda is known to have paid a significant role in mobilising the tribal community against the British and forcing the colonial officials to introduce laws protecting the land rights of the tribals.