The credit of being the first revolutionary in the history of India’s war against colonial regime goes to Jabra Pahadia Tilka Manjhi, who fought against the British rule in the hills of Rajmahal (Jharkhand). He organized the tribals to form an armed group to fight against the resource grabbing and exploitation of British by adopting Indian guerrilla warfare.
Tilka Manjhi strongly opposed the brutality and heinous actions of the British rule and waged a long battle. He also led the famous Santhal movement.
The heroic freedom fighter Tilka Manjhi is named as the country’s first freedom fighter and martyr.
Tilka was arrested by British forces and hanged in 1785. Some sources mentioned 1784 as year of his gallows in some references.
- In Jharkhand the tribals had a number of encounters and battles, recorded as Santhal struggle of Tilka Majhi, Siddhu-Kanu, Bhumij (Sardar) struggle, Vir Buddhu Bhagat movement, Tana Bhagat Movement, the freedom struggle of Birsa Bhagawan, etc., which did not allow the British to set their feet on the sacred land. But the crafty British recorded these territories as ‘excluded’ to mislead the world. Accordingly, their territories remained outside the purview of the general law
Chathapuram S. Ramanathan; Subhabrata Dutta (15 August 2013). Governance, Development, and Social Work. Routledge. p. 44
- ‘This land is mother earth, our mother, we will not pay rent to anyone.’
-Tilka Majhi during the war with British forces between 1781-84.
Detailed Biography
Tilka Majhi was born on 11th February, 1750 in Sultanganj, of Bihar. He was born in a small village called Tilakpur and he belonged to Santhal family. His father’s name was Sundara Murmu. Since childhood, Tilka lived in the shadow of forest civilization and hunted wild animals. Workout-wrestling, climbing on the big trees, walking in the valleys, playing with wild animals, roaming in wild forests, rivers, etc. were his daily routine of life. Wildlife had made him fearless and brave. Tilka Manjhi is also known by the name of Jabra Pahadia due to his unbeatable courage.
Since childhood, he has seen the tyranny of English people on his family and on the tribal people. English rulers had their rights on the poor tribe’s cultivated land and wild trees. Tribal people, children, women, old men were greatly tortured by the British. Sardar inhabited their lands on the hill and they too fought with the English Government to protect their lands. The mountains were inhabited by the landlords and they used to keep the British people happy in return for money.
First Encounter with British forces
The struggle between the forest dwellers and the British revolutionized Tilaka. One day Tilaka called for a war against the British at a place called Shanachar (Banachari Jor). The tribal warriors led by Tilka were heading towards the forest areas of Bhagalpur and Sultanganj. They were taking on the British soldiers on the land of the Rajmahal. The British government (1767) was upset due to the Chuhad retaliation conducted by them. The forest dwellers under the leadership of Tilka Manjhi started to dominate the British, seeing the severity of the situation, the British appointed an officer named Cleve Land to be sent to the Rajmahal region.
Murder of Cleve Land
Cleve Land with its army and police deployed in the Rajmahal hills.
Tilka with his force was in constant conflict with the English government. In the valleys of jungle, Terai and rivers of Ganges, Brahmi, etc., Tilka Majhi, with his small indigenous weapons army, continued to fight incognito in the mountainous areas of Munger, Bhagalpur, Santhal and Parganas, fighting constantly against the British. Cleve Land and Sir Eyre pitched battles with brave Tilka’s army. While the British troops headed for combat, Tilka’s soldiers began to secretly hit arrows on the English army. Tilka climbed a palm tree. At the same time, Cleve land came climbing on a horse. At that very moment, Tilka killed Superintendent Cleve Land on January 13, 1784 with his arrows. After the news of the death of Cleve Land, English government grew shaky. Rulers, soldiers and officers were enveloped in an atmosphere of fear.
Arrest of Tilka Majhi
The British government decided to find and hang Tilka.
One night when Tilka and his revolutionary partners were at a celebration of dance, songs and were lost in exultation, then suddenly a traitor warlord Jaudah attacked the Santhali army. In this sudden invasion Tilka survived, but many soldiers were martyred. Some were imprisoned. Tilka fled from there and took refuge in the mountainous region of Sultanganj. English army laid a trap for him in the surrounding mountain areas of Sutanganj and Bhagalpur.
Heroic Tilka and his army now camouflaged (hiding in mountainous areas) had struggled a hard life. His army began to be killed in lack of food and starvation. Now the heroic captain and his troops fought a guerrilla war with the British. The English army was invaded by the Santhal tribals. Majhi got trapped by the Britishers during the war and they captured him.
Arrest of Tilka Manjhi and Supreme Sacrifice
Tilka Manjhi was arrested and brought to Bhagalpur by the British and while behaving inhumanly, he was dragged behind 4 horses with thick ropes.
In 1785, Tilka was killed by hanging him on a banyan tree.
Tilka was the first person who fought against the British to free India from slavery, which after 90 years broke again as a struggle for independence in 1857. In the memory of Tilka a statue m was erected in the court of Bhagalpur. There is also a university named after him. Tilka will always be remembered eternally as a son of Mother India.
References
Brave warriors -Nand Kumar Sai
