Adivasi Stories

The Parasnath controversy revolves around the religious and cultural significance of Parasnath Hill, also known as Sammed Shikharji, which is revered by both the Jain and Santhal communities. The Jains consider it a sacred pilgrimage site where 20 out of 24 Tirthankaras attained salvation.  The Santhals, on the other hand, regard the hill as their supreme deity, Marang Buru. This dual significance has led to conflicts, particularly regarding the hill's development as a tourist spot and the traditional hunting practices of the Santhals.

This charismatic warrior was born on 17 February 1792 at Silagain village of present-day Jharkhand. Born in the family of farmer Budhu Bhagat from his early childhood days hated the British and their authority over his territories. He had a deep interest in fencing along with archery. He always had wanted to involve himself in an armed struggle against the British regime. Later when the British along with the local zamindars started exploiting the lives of tribal people Veer Budhu Bhagat decided to exhibit an armed insurrection against the invaders. He was also a great horse rider and due to his skills in the art of war and weaponry, the village people often considered him as a divine entity.

Tana Bhagat Movement (1914-1920) was a movement in Chhotanagpur area of British India against the policies of the local British authorities and exploitative business practices of local zamindars, mostly by Oraon people. Tana Bhagat movement was started in April 1914 and end in 1919. It was a tribal movement started by Jatra Bhagat and Turia Bhagat in Chota Nagpur Plateau now in Jharkhand state. It is also known as Oraon Tana Bhagat Movement.

On November 11, the Jharkhand State Assembly, in a special session sent a resolution to the Union government asking for a separate religion code for the tribal population in the upcoming Census 2021 exercise. The resolution named it ‘Sarna Adivasi Dharam’. Followers of ‘Sarna’ are usually nature worshippers. They have been demanding recognition of it as a distinct religion for decades. At present, under the census, there are codes for only six religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. While filling in these columns, a tribal resident has to identify himself or herself as one of these or as ‘others’, but cannot specify his / her religion as a different one.

The tribal population of the country was greatly affected by the oppressive  colonial forest laws and settlement operations meant for surveys and census by the British anthropologists, cartographers etc. This led to a string of movements which were affected by one cause or the other. Bhagirath Manjhi, a resident of the Taradih village of the Godda district of Jharkhand was leader of one such movement.