Question

Where was Birsa born? What did he declare himself and what did people begin to think about him?

Answer 1

Hint: Birsa, or more commonly known as Birsa Munda, was a tribal freedom fighter and a religious leader belonging to the Munda tribe. He was the leader of a tribal religious movement during the British rule that originated in the late 19th century in the Presidency of Bengal (present-day Jharkhand). Hence, he also played an important role in the Indian independence movement.

Complete answer: Birsa was born in Ulihatu village in Khunti district, Jharkhand on 15th November,1875. He belonged to the Munda tribe and was a freedom fighter and played an unrivaled pivotal role in fighting for tribal rights. Having immense courage and bravery, even the Britishers were shocked by his achievements. Birsa claimed to be the messenger of God but the missionaries found this formation of a new religion to be absurd. At that time, there were some Sardar sections who converted from Christianity, and Birsa persuaded them against the Church’s policy of imposing taxes. Moreover, his concept of one God was highly appreciated by the people and they declared his new religion as a healing and a miracle-working one.

Additional Information: He was the only tribal leader whose portrait is hung in the Parliament. In present-day, there are a number of organizations that are named after the Birsa, notably the Birsa Munda Airport at Ranchi, Birsa Institute of Technology in Sindri, and the Birsa Agricultural University.

Note: Although Birsa lived a very short life his influence in unshackling his tribal community from the hands of British exploitation was a huge achievement. Every year, his birth anniversary is also celebrated on the 15th of November by many tribals.