Bhagwan Birsa Munda (1875-1901)

Bhagwan Birsa Munda (1875-1901) ____________________________________________________

Birsa Munda (also known to his followers as Birsa Bhagwan) was born at Ulihatu in Ranchi on 15 November 1875. Birsa had his lower primary schooling at a German Mission School at Burjee. No sooner had he completed the upper primary stage than he got associated with the Sardar Movement. Till 1895 Birsa was a religious reformer and an agitator for the raiyat's forest and other rights, but eventually he aimed at the political emancipation of the Munda area as well. That is why he recruited volunteers to fight the British Government. His was not an all-India movement, but it shared with the national freedom struggle 'its anti-British Credo', a hatred towards European officials and Christian missionaries. Even though the first phase of his movement was not very serious, he suffered rigorous imprisonment for two year in the Hazaribagh jail. On his release he organised several meetings, declaring that the Mundas should put an end to the kingdom of demons (the British). After intensive preparations the Birsa and his followers made a desperate bid to overthrow the British raj, burning and killing European officials and missionaries in Singhbum and Ranchi. During the Revolt of 1899-1900 Birsa emerged as the supreme leader of the Mundas and the tribals of Chotanagpur region. After several encounters with the police, however, he was captured in February 1901, but in course of his trial he died of cholera during his incarceration. Birsa thought that the Mundas were the real proprietors of the soil and as such they could not tolerate any middlemen. He impressed upon his followers that he was a messenger of God, and his followers identified him with the Sun God, a healer and a miracle-worker. As a socio-religious preacher, he attacked the bongas, the priesthood, the sokhas and others, and aimed at reviving the golden age of the Mundas. Birsa occupies a distinguished position as a great protagonist of tribal rights, a great patriot, and a martyr in the long succession of heroes of the Chotanagpur plateau like Buddhu Bhagat of the Kol Insurrection of 1831-32 and Ganga Narain of the Bhumij Revolt of 1832-33. He followers formed themselves into a sect, worshiping him as a symbol of the aspiration of the people. Undoubtedly he contributed a good deed to the growing consciousness among the tribal people of Chotanagpur.

SHOW DESIGN MADE BY PRIMITIVE TRIBES OF JHARKHAND

Among the 32 tribes in Jharkhand, eight are under PGT (Primitive Tribe Groups) and they are – Asur, Birhor, Birajia, Korwa, Parahiya (Baiga), Sabar, Mal Pahariya and Souriya Pahariya, The total Tribal population constitutes 27 per cent of the Jharkhand population of 2.70 crore. The PTG population is just 2.23 lakh as per 2011 Census.

Medicinal Plants found in Jharkhand

Medicinal Plants Biological Systems on the planet earth is heavily suffering round the clock due to modern man’s intervention with the environment. Millions of hectares of tropical forest are being destroyed on the so-called path of modernization. We are loosing several hectares of forests every minute throughout the world. A large number of plant species has already become extinct and many more are on the verge of extinction. It has been estimated that out of the Indian rich floral wealth of 50000 species, about 10% has already extinct and another 10% are on the road of extinction. The process of extinction is largely based on environmental factors, ecological substitutes, biological factors, pathological causes and habitat destruction. On the basis of our field survey, various species present in the Dumka, Hazaribag and Gumla districts of Jharkhand are kept separately in five categories for giving more attention towards their conservation on the forest land and if necessary their large scale plantation on forest land as well as on private land at present juncture. While enlisting the species in various categories the comparison between present resources survey finding and list of plants available in previous working plan of respective divisions have been taken into account. Although discussion on suitable scientific forums and free exchange of views are invited for getting the species nominated into the appropriate categories. Extinct: The taxon species which are no longer present in the wild, kept in this category. Endangered: The taxon species whose numbers have been reduced to a critical level due to habitat destruction leading to immediate danger of extinction. Vulnerable: species whose numbers are decreasing due to over exploitation, extensive destruction of habitat and other environmental disturbances and till now no assured security measure applied to arrest the adverse throughout the district and is facing high risk of extinction in medium from future. It is not endangered. Rare: The species small in number but no immediate threat on the size of population in the district are kept in this category. Out of Danger: The species, whose numbers are relatively secured due to application of various conservation measures kept in this category. The following Medicinal Plants are found in Jharkhand: Asparagus racemosus Phyllanthus niruri Solanum nigrum Anacyclus pyrethrum Tribulus terrestris Tragia involucrata Eclipta alba Curculigo orchioides Asparagus racemosus Phyllanthus niruri Solanum nigrum Anacyclus pyrethrum Tribulus terrestris Tragia involucrata Eclipta alba Curculigo orchioides Hyoscymus niger Datura alba Clitoria ternatea Cassia alata Nigella sativa Chloro phytum arundinaceum Cassia occidentalis Euphorbia neriifolia Hydrocotyle asiatica Bacopa monnieri Plumbago zeylanica Clerodendrum indicum Piper longum Paederia maxima Hedychium spicatum Acorus calamus Artemisia vulgaris Artimesia maritima Adhatoda visica Hibiscus abelmoschus Peuraria tuberosa Aloe succotrina Cyperus scariosus Tinospora cordifolia Solanum indicum Urginea indica Amaranthus spinosus Eclipta prostrata Gloriosa superba Rubia cordifolia Embelia ribes Withania somnnifera Celastrrus paniculatus Rauwlfia serpentina Saxifraga ligulata Curcuma longa Curcuma aromatica Psoralea corylifolia Ocimum basilicum Andrographis paniculata Hemi desmus indicus Vernonia cinerea Ocimum sanctum Calotropis procera Vetiveria zizanioides Boer haavia diffusa Sida cordifolia Cissus quadraangularis Tephrosia purpurea Indigfera tinctoria Caesalpinia crista Achyranthes aspera Thespesia lampas Curcuma zedorria Pandanus tectorius Sida spinosa Abutilon indicum Eragrostis cynosuroides Phragmites maxima Sansevieria roxburghiana Solanum xanthocarpum Sphae anthus indicus Gymnema sylvestre Mucuna prutita Jatropha curcas Aristolochia indica Helicteres isora Peucedanum adana Barleria prionitis Abrus precatorius Nyctanthes arbortristis Vitex nigundo Holarrhena anti dysenterica Bambusa arundinacea Zizyphus jujuba Murraya koenigii Cymbopogon citratus Clerodendron infortunatum Cichorium intybus Asteracantha longifolia Alocasia indica Leontis nopetefolia Lawsonia inermis Desmodium gangeticum Crotolaria juncea Tamarix articulata Tricholepsis angustifolia Trichosanthes bracteata Apium graveolenes Acalypha indica Corallocarpus epigaesus Evolvulus alsinoides Nigella indica Tacca aspera Argimone maxicana Swertia chirata Ocimum gratissimum Bryonia alba Glycyrrhiza Glabra Canavalia ensiformis Carissa carandas Cleome viscosa Colocasia esculenta Cuscuta reflexa Gossypium herbaceum Smilax china Rumex maritimus Sida humilis Sacharum munj Saccharum spontaneum Salvadora oleoides Smilax prolifera Curcuma angustifolia Ipomoea digitata Jasminum auriculatum Santaloides minus Ficus hispida Prosopis spicigera Woodfordia floribunda Narium odorum Thevetia peruviana   

Sculpture Art (Hand Made) by a Hazaribag based Artisan