Page 2 - Lesson Notes-SubTopic-3-A Closer Look Std-8-History-Ch-4

Birsa Revolt ⚫ The political aim of the Birsa movement was to drive out

missionaries, moneylenders, Hindu landlords, and the
government and set up a Munda Raj with Birsa at its head.

⚫ The movement was widespread so the British officials decided to
act.

⚫ Birsa started touring the villages to gain support using traditional
symbols and language to rouse people, urging them to destroy
“Ravana” (dikus and the Europeans) and establish a kingdom

under his leadership.

Movement after ⚫ In 1900 Birsa died of cholera and the movement faded out.
Birsa’s Death
⚫ The movement was significant in at least two ways.

⚫ First – it forced the colonial government to introduce laws so that
the land of the tribals could not be easily taken over by dikus.

⚫ Second – it showed once again that the tribal people had the
capacity to protest against injustice and express their anger
against colonial rule.