To observe the Balidan Divas of Birsa Munda on Wednesday, a biographical film ‘A Song for Birsa’ was screened online.
Birsa Munda was a folk hero and a tribal freedom fighter hailing from the Munda tribe. He was a spearhead behind the Millenarian movement that arose in the Bihar and Jharkhand belt in the early 19th century under the 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 upon them abject poverty. Known as 'Dharti Abba' or the Earth Father, Birsa Munda stressed the need of the tribals to study their own religion and not forget their cultural roots. He influenced his people to realise the importance of owning their land and asserting their right upon them.
Birsa wanted to reform the tribal society and so, he urged them to let go of beliefs in witchcraft and instead, stressed on the importance of prayer, staying away from alcohol, having faith in God and observing a code of conduct.
Based on these, he started the faith of 'Birsait'. This was a threat to Christian missionaries who were converting the tribals left and right. Soon, the Mundas and Oraons became devoted Birsaities.