Dharti Aba: The prophet of the Ulgulan

​In the late 19th century, in the dense forests and rolling hills of the Chotanagpur plateau, a young man named Birsa Munda rose from poverty to become a symbol of fierce resistance against the combined forces of British colonial rule, local landlords and intrusive missionaries. Known affectionately as “Dharti Aba” (Father of the Earth), Birsa Munda galvanised his people, not just for political freedom, but for the restoration of their ancient way of life. The movement he led, the Ulgulan or the Great Tumult, remains one of the most significant tribal revolts in Indian history.

Birsa Munda: The leader and his rebellion

​Born in 1875 into the Munda tribe, Birsa was deeply affected by the suffering of his community. Initially influenced by Christian missionaries, he later developed his own faith, Birsait, which preached monotheism, rejected superstition and demanded a return to the moral and cultural purity of Munda society. By 1899, his religious reform transformed into a political and military uprising aimed at establishing a Munda Raj (Self-Rule). This armed struggle against the colonial powers and the oppressive dikus (outsiders) is known as the Munda Rebellion (1899–1900).

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The traditional tribal way of life

Prior to the disruptions caused by colonisation, the Munda tribal society was characterised by autonomy and communal ownership.

Communal land system: The cornerstone was the Khuntkatti System, where land was owned collectively by the lineage of the first clearers of the forest. The tribe cultivated the land together, ensuring economic security for all.

Cultural identity: They practised their own forms of self-governance, worshipped nature in sacred groves (sarnas) and maintained a strong oral tradition and cultural identity separate from the non-tribal plains people.

Livelihood: They survived as settled cultivators, using the forest for resources and occasionally practising shifting cultivation.

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Causes of the Great Tumult (Ulgulan)

The rebellion was not a sudden burst of anger, but the culmination of systematic oppression that destroyed the Munda way of life:

Land alienation: The British introduced new land revenue systems and allowed zamindars and jagirdars (non-tribal landlords) to settle in the region. These outsiders systematically dismantled the Khuntkatti system, seizing tribal land and turning the original owners into landless tenants.

Forced labour and exploitation: The new landlords and moneylenders subjected the Mundas to high rents, usurious interest rates and the dreaded 'Begari' (forced, wageless labour).

Forest laws: The colonial government declared vast tracts of forest as state property, robbing the Mundas of their traditional right to collect minor forest produce, graze cattle, or clear land for cultivation. This directly impacted their survival.

Cultural interference: The activities of Christian missionaries, who sometimes mediated disputes but were also seen as cultural invaders who mocked traditional beliefs, added to the growing resentment.

​Consequences and legacy

​Though the British forces ultimately crushed the Ulgulan, capturing Birsa Munda (who died in jail in 1900), the movement was not in vain.

A lasting call for justice

Birsa Munda's short, impactful life ensured that the cries of his people for Jal (Water), Jangal (Forest) and Zameen (Land) could never again be ignored. The Ulgulan failed to establish the Munda Raj immediately, but its success lay in planting the seeds for future constitutional and legal safeguards. Today, Dharti Aba is revered not just as a freedom fighter, but as a prophet who gave his community the courage to fight for their dignity, making him an eternal icon of justice and self-determination for marginalised communities across India.