Birsa Munda birth anniversary: PM Modi to open 2 tribal museums in MP today

Bhopal, Nov 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate two ‘tribal freedom fighters’ museums in Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda on Friday.

Sharing this information, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Thursday that PM Modi will dedicate tribal museums established in Chhindwara and Jabalpur districts to the country.

The museum in Chhindwara has been named after local tribal hero (freedom fighter) Badal Bhoi, while that in Jabalpur has been christened after Raja Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah.

Curation works in both museums have been done by the state’s Tribal Affairs Department that will describe the lives of 25 tribal freedom fighters, including Birsa Munda, Raja Shankar Shah, and Raghunath Shah.

There are many scenic and important places related to the tribal freedom struggle around the museum.

Jabalpur’s tribal museum has as many as six galleries, and one of them is dedicated to Rani Durgavati, which displays her life, rule, and struggle with external invaders.

To commemorate the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the Madhya Pradesh government has organised state-level programmes in the Dhar and Shahdol districts.

On this occasion, artists from tribal communities will perform their traditional arts to celebrate the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, whom they worship as God.

Besides the celebration of Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary, the state government will also pay homage to local freedom fighters and their families, celebrating the rich heritage and contributions of the tribal communities.

The hero of the Indian tribal freedom struggle, Birsa Munda played a pivotal role in inspiring the tribal community of the Chotanagpur region to fight for their independence. He led the armed revolution known as “Ulgulan” (the rebellion) against British rule. He belonged to the Munda tribe in the Chhotanagpur Plateau area. He spearheaded an Indian tribal mass movement that arose in the Bihar and Jharkhand belts in the early 19th century under British colonisation.

Munda rallied the tribals to fight against the forceful land grabbing carried out by the British government, which would turn the tribals into bonded labourers and force them to abject poverty.

He influenced his people to realise the importance of owning their land and asserting their rights over it.

He founded the faith of Birsait, a blend of animism and indigenous beliefs, which emphasised the worship of a single god. He became their leader and was given the nickname, ‘Dharti Aba’ or the father of the earth. He died on June 9, 1900, at age of 25.

November 15, the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, was declared ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ by PM Modi-led government in 2021.

–IANS

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