January 2022
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In Indian history one of the crucial dimensions of tribal relations with the British reflects in resentment and protest against the former. The protest is recorded primarily as armed struggle which is evident from such dictions as tribal revolt, insurrection, insurgency, uprising, etc. The petition mode of protest which the Bhils and Santals, if we see the history, had adopted did not get prominence. Similarly, reform mode of protest launched by Bhagirath Manjhi, Birsa Munda, Jatra Oraon, Govind Giri (Guru). Haikou Jadonang and Rani Gaidinliu did not get due place in the history of tribal resistance to colonial rule. Instead, protests through reform have been presented as revival or socio-religious movements. In the beginning of these movements socio-religious reforms appeared prominent which attracted huge followers. But subsequently, leaders of the movement directed the course to resist all types of exploitation in the colonial rule which they also justified through religious teachings. They exhorted their followers not to pay tax, supply forced labour, etc. This not only changed the form of the movement but linked it with the then ongoing struggle for Independence. Tribal freedom fighters joined various phases of the freedom struggle of the nation and played crucial role therein. It is therefore argued that resistance with socio-religious reform was a tribal strategy of freedom from colonial rule and claims an understanding in totality and in pan-Indian context. In view of this, five reform movements under the messianic leadership of Bhagirath Manjhi, Birsa Munda, Jatra Oraon, Govind Giri (Guru) Jadonang and Rani Gaidinliu have been examined in this paper.KeywordsForeign ruleTribal resistanceMass resistanceCapital punishmentSocio-religious movementsEast India companyPolitical disturbanceFreedom movementBritish GovernmentPolitical agitationChristian missionariesMoneylenders