Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
The Ranchi Jail, which now houses the museum, is where Birsa Munda was imprisoned and where he died at the age of 24 in 1900.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
Born on November 15, 1875, Birsa Munda belonged to the Munda tribe of the Chota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand. While in school, Birsa’s teacher, Jaipal Nag, saw promise in him and encouraged him to join the German Mission School.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
For this, Birsa had to convert to Christianity, but soon he realized the Empire was converting tribes to Christianity through education. So, he gave up school and renounced Christianity, and created a new religion called Birsait
Through the preachings of this religion, he impressed upon his followers the importance of “sirmare firun raja jai” or “victory to the ancestral king”. He encouraged his followers, who began considering him God or Bhagwan, to return to their tribal roots.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
Birsa helped abolish the feudal system instituted by the British Empire to capture forest land. While fighting for the country’s freedom, he was captured by the English government in 1900 and sent to the Ranchi prison, where he breathed his last.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
The state of Jharkhand was created on November 15, 2000, to honor Birsa Munda and his efforts to mobilize the tribes to fight for their rights.
A 25 feet tall statue of Birsa Munda by sculptor Ram Suta has been installed at the museum in memory of the great freedom fighter and champion of tribal rights.
Along with Birsa Munda, the museum also celebrates several other tribal freedom fighters from the region. And hosts nine-feet tall statues of freedom fighters such as Budhu Bhagat who led guerrilla warfare against the British....
...and brothers Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu who led the Santhal rebellion against the colonial powers and the corrupt zamindari system, Telanga Kharia who fought against the land alienation that tribal people faced during the British rule.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
Accompanying these are statues of other significant figures who were part of the nation’s freedom struggle. These include brothers Nilambar-Pitambar who led the revolt against the East India Company in 1857, brothers Diva-Kisun who in 1872 revolted against atrocities and violence caused by the native ruler, King Abhiram Singh, and the Empire, Gaya Munda who was considered Birsa’s right hand and was part of the resistance led by him, Jatra Bhagat who founded the Tana Bhagat Movement among the Oraon tribe, and others.
Each statue offers the story of these freedom fighters, and the museum is dedicated to ensuring their legacy lives on.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
The museum offers a complete look into the history of Jharkhand, of the tribal revolts against the British, and offers glimpses into the life led by Birsa Munda and other freedom fighters.
The museum showcases a room, the prison cell, where Birsa Munda and several other revolutionaries spent their last days.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum honouring tribal freedom fighters by Srishti Guptaroy
The Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum is emblematic of the nation’s commitment to keeping the memories of those who fought for the future of India alive. It is just the first step in celebrating and preserving tribal history and its contribution to nation-building.
Today, the museum has paved the way for the building of other tribal museums. And 10 such museums will soon be built across the various tribal belts of the country, including Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.
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